Glenn Strange - Wikipedia In addition, Strange and his wife were friends who wrote songs together. They consulted child psychologists and fought the network and the sponsors to have Gramps pass away within the show, even being told at one point that they couldn't use the words "death" or "die" to refer to what had happened. Buck Taylor, another of Strange's costars on "Gunsmoke," named his son Cooper Glenn Taylor in honor of Strange. Played Fred - Townsman in "Gunsmoke" in 1955. Strange played the monster a third time in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), with Chaney, Jr. as the Wolf Man and Bela Lugosi in his second screen appearance as Count Dracula. However, he didnt drink much and couldnt drink on the set. As Glenn began to get a serious chill, Chaney recommended that alcohol would keep Strange warm. In 2000, the Schiff character was written out of the show to accommodate Hill's resignation /> poems from the outside edges and inside ledges . One more interesting bit of trivia about Strange. He was 55. For six full seasons, he served as Monk's friend, doctor, and confidant, often unwittingly helping Monk piece together the case he was working on. Strange was Butch Cavendish, the outlaw that bushwhacks the Texas Rangers in the opening three-parter of the LONE RANGER TV show. Despite this, the series was able to stay popular for more than three decades. Although the original radio series ended in 1972, the television series continued to run until 1990. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He won many awards for his work on the series, including the Emmy Award for Best Actor. Taking A Look At The Cast Of 'Gunsmoke' Then And Now 2020 - DoYouRemember? With a surprising amount of pragmatism. Strange learned by ear how to play the fiddle and guitar. Actress Amanda Blake landed the role of Miss Kitty Russell on the popular western series Gunsmoke in 1955. It was he who played the Creature in the cult horror/comedy classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) as part of the monstrous trio of Bela Lugosi's Dracula and Lon Chaney Jr.'s Wolf Man.As the "B" western started faded off into the sunset in the 1950s, Strange moseyed on over to TV work. He gained his first motion picture role in 1932, and appeared in hundreds of films during his lifetime. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. You could almost say he was born to play western roles. In the film, she is a former animal activist, who fought to raise awareness of the disease. Arness created and shaped the character, making him both a quick draw and incorruptible. the Frankenstein monster in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Universal,
He was conniving. Depending whom you ask, the entire ending of The West Wing was changed by the death of John Spencer. "Gunsmoke" Mannon (TV Episode 1969) - IMDb The series ran from 1955 until 1975, and was one of the longest running prime-time shows on television. This was, primarily, due to the fact that she had been living in Phoenix and was commuting to Los Angeles for filming. As a teenager, Burt Reynolds played the role of Sam the bartender on the hit show Gunsmoke. Though Andrew Campbell only appeared in one episode of the show, his presence was certainly felt. google_color_text = "CCCCCC";
In some scenes
He acted as a sidekick and sang in a number of B movies before landing the role of the Frankenstein Monster in Universal films. Another character on Gunsmoke was Glenn Strange. Sadly, John Spencer passed away as the result of a heart attack on December 16, 2005, and the series' creators were forced to figure out a way to resolve his story. He also had uncredited roles in the Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and the Lone Ranger films. The producers had no intention of recasting the role, but they needed another character to fill in the gap he'd left. The Oscar-nominated actor was also nominated for an Emmy in the same category. Buck Taylor, another of Stranges costars on Gunsmoke, named his son Cooper Glenn Taylor in honor of Strange. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. He was also seen on nearly 100 other TV western episodes of Cisco Kid, Kit Carson, Gene Autry, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill Jr., Cheyenne, Sugarfoot, Rawhide, Hopalong Cassidy, Rifleman, Judge Roy Bean, Rin Tin Tin, Sky King, etc. In 1961, he began the small, but regular, role as Sam Noonan the bartender in Miss Kittys Long Branch Saloon, Dodge City in the TV show, Gunsmoke. He would perform as a cowhand, rustler, accomplice, sidekick, or plain old warbling, harmonica-blowing cowboy. [2], Strange appeared twice as Jim Wade on Bill Williams's syndicated Western series geared to juvenile audiences The Adventures of Kit Carson. Arness passed away in 2011. When western movie demand grew scarce in the 1950s, Strange began acting in western television shows. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved During his tenure on the show, Sam appeared in 237 episodes. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Played Assistant Bartender in "Gunsmoke" in 1955. If youre wondering, theres more than one answer! Mack, then 42, was one of the most popular characters on the show. Strange also played a monster in the Bowery Boys horror-comedy Master Minds in 1949, mimicking the brain-transplanted Huntz Hall's frantic comedy movements, with Hall providing his own dubbed voice. Instead, they rewrote the ending with McGarry dying on election night and Santos becoming president. Beginning in 1949, he portrayed Butch Cavendish, the villain responsible for killing all of the Texas Rangers except one in the long-running television series The Lone Ranger. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. On the set of House of Dracula (1945), Lon Chaney, Jr., got him extremely inebriated. What you may not know about the late actor are some of the positions he had prior, and some may surprise you. After the first season of Gunsmoke, the actor was nominated for an Academy Award for his role. On the big screen, he had meaty roles in films that ran the gamut in quality, from Akeelah and the Bee to The Hills Have Eyes 2. The Thieves: Directed by Philip Leacock. During the sixth series' finale, the Doctor calls the nursing home where Lethbridge-Stewart had been living. Perhaps another thing that contributed to Blakes departure was the death of Glenn Strange. Glenn Strange: What Happened to the Bartender from 'Gunsmoke'? His father William Russell Strange was of Irish ancestry, but his mother Sarah Eliza Strange (ne Byrd) was of British ancestry. He played numerous small parts in Paramount's popular Hopalong Cassidy film series, usually cast as a member of an outlaw's gang and occasionally as a local sheriff. In 1950, he was cast in his first film, The Cowboy. He had been working as a radio announcer and had small parts in several movies. In later years, his limp made him unable to take part in a long day of filming. Bert Rumsey: Bartender, Sam, Sam, Bartender, Bartender Sam, Long Branch Bartender, Second Bartender, The Bartender, Townsman. Sorry if we're blowing some minds here, but it's just the way things are. Is anyone alive from Gunsmoke? A stunt double for James Arness on the hit TV show Gunsmoke, Ben Bates appeared on the hit western series for 25 years. In the original radio series, William Conrad voiced the role of Marshal Matt Dillon. Bert Rumsey: Bartender, Sam, Sam, Bartender, Bartender Sam, Long Branch Bartender, Second Bartender, The Bartender, Townsman. They had three children together. Sams last name was Noonan. Arness was born James Aurness in Minneapolis on May 26, 1923. The more nerd-inclined readers might know Stanley Kamel from his appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation. He first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1959 and assumed several roles on the long-running program before he was permanently cast as stolid bartender Sam Noonan, a role he played from 1961 until 1973. James Arness, the towering actor best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon, the strong and commanding symbol of frontier justice on the landmark TV western series Gunsmoke, died Friday. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The regulars who are still with us are: Roger Ewing (Thad Greenwood), who is 73; Buck Taylor (Newly O'Brien), who is 77; and Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper), who is 79. Did Sam Elliott ever play in Gunsmoke? Interestingly, his father also served as a bartender while in Cross Cut. The show must go on. According to IMDb, Dennis Weaver, Milburn Stone, and Amanda Blake formed a singing trio in 1958. He also played The Monster in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). He'll teach you about baseball. Other notable cast members included Georgia Ellis, who played Kitty, and Parley Bear, who played Deputy Chester. He was given a final goodbye two seasons later, and his character's daughter, Kate, later became a recurring character. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Played Posse . During that time, Strange was married twice. Although she was only 26 at the time, Blake had been part of a singing group that toured fairs and rodeos. Bates also received a gift from Dillon for his role on the series: a signed.45 sidearm. It does not store any personal data. He was raised in a town in West Texas called Cross Cut and began learning to play the guitar and fiddle by ear at a young age. In addition to his legendary role on the show, Noonan also played a monstrous role in The Lone Ranger. The Associated Press reported that Blake, who had lived in Phoenix, learned of the cancellation only after the shows 19th season. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Your email address will not be published. [7] Singer Eddie Dean, with whom Strange had collaborated on various songs and opening themes for films, sang at Strange's funeral service as a final tribute. To show his gratitude, he insisted his double got a pay raise every single year they worked together. He even performed at cowboy dances. Even the series creator, Buck Taylor, named his third son after him. There was, one must assume, a whole heap of singing. He held his notable bartending role for 12 years before passing away from lung cancer on September 20, 1973. Festus finally became deputy marshal because Dillon's deputy of nine seasons, Chester, left the show. He was a young rancher, but in 1930, he came to Hollywood as a member of the radio singing group Arizona Wranglers. Copyright 2022 Bartending House | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. James Arness played the heroic Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, serving as a paragon of law and order for the west. He was 88. Strange was born in Weed, New Mexico Territory, 13 years prior to New Mexico gaining statehood. He taught himself (by ear) the fiddle and guitar at a young age and started performing at local functions as a teen. In addition to Burt Reynoldss portrayal of Sam the bartender, Glenn Strange also had a significant role on the series. The producers considered writing Hooper out, sending the character off to Florida to retire. He was blacklisted during the era of McCarthyism for pleading the Fifth Amendment and not ratting on his friends in the business, but managed to bounce back later in his career, landing parts in Ghost, Barney Miller, and History of the World: Part I, among many others. When it returned, Hennessy's death was addressed, the program was retitled as just8 Simple Rules, and the paternal void left by Ritter was filled in by James Garner, who came on board as Ritter's father-in-law/grandfather to the teenagers. In 1958, they performed at the Albuquerque Arena during the New Mexico State Fair, breaking a house record. Although Stranges death brought a tragic end to the show, he left a legacy that lives on in his son, Cooper Glenn Taylor. Not bad for a character whose face we never saw. The shows star cast included actors like William Conrad, Howard McNear, and Milburn Stone. Glenn quit school after 8th grade. Why did Sam the bartender leave Gunsmoke? When did Sam become the bartender on Gunsmoke? They had two daughters, Wynema and Juanita. However, later in the series, viewers were told that Granger had passed away, having died peacefully under a tree after leaving to try to atone for his many missteps raising his daughter. This is the most bizarre and sad news of all, especially considering that he was Burt Reynolds character. This is a odd coincidence as his father was a bartender in real-life back in Cross Cut. They ended up in Hollywood. Mack was undergoing abdominal surgery when the series began, and he died soon thereafter, while filming The Ugly American with Marlon Brando. His obituary was mistakenly published in the New York Times, which caused a stir. [4] Frankenstein's monster [ edit] Strange (left) and Boris Karloff in the 1944 horror film, House of Frankenstein He is best remembered for playing Frankenstein's monster in three Universal films during the 1940s and for his role as Sam Noonan, the bartender on CBS's Gunsmoke television series. Level-headed Sam walked into the bar first in Season 6 and was on the show until his death in 1973 at age 74. His character was killed offscreen, dying of a heart attack, and the show managed to keep a sense of humor about his losswithout being cruel. He appeared in more than 300 mo tion pictures, including Red River, Red Badge of Cour age, The Cardinal and the Frankenstein series, in which he succeeded Boris Karloff as the monster. The main character, Matt Dillon, was portrayed by William Conrad. did amanda blake wear a wig on gunsmoke. Louie Pheeters 223 Episodes 1975. The actor who portrayed Sam Noonan was a big star, despite his small role. Cousin of Rex Allen, Cactus Mack and Lee Lasses White. An autopsy later revealed that the 31-year-old actor had passed away after overdosing on alcohol and heroin. It's destroyed marriages and torn apart careers and caused hypertension and acid reflux in officers of the law. Small film parts and television appearances followed, but his real return to the spotlight came in 2002 with the premiere of his hit show 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. more Burt Reynolds Gunsmoke, Evening Shade Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. Ted Jordan played Nathan Burke , freight agent (129 episodes, 1961-1975) When the Gunsmoke TV series went to color in 1966, a new opening was filmed. Then Blake decided it was time to go. Cast members read about the cancellation in an Associated Press story. What happened to the first Sam on Gunsmoke? He was also the leading man in The Naked Gun and later starred as Jake Bayloe. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. One more interesting bit of trivia about Strange. On September 20, 1973, at age 74, Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California. Maybe Lynne Thigpen's most memorable role, at least for the millennials in the crowd, was as The Chief on Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. This is a odd coincidence as his father was a bartender in real-life back in Cross Cut. These raises werent the best part though. However, in 1971, he was forced to temporarily leave the show for just a handful of episodes because he had to undergo heart surgery after suffering a heart attack. Glenn Strange portrayed the bartender Sam Noonan, starting in 1961. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. In 1954, Strange played Sheriff Billy Rowland in Jim Davis's syndicated Western series Stories of the Century. The nature of voice acting would have made it easy to find another actress who could pull off Wallace's voice, but the producers decided to retire the character out of respect for Wallace. From the moment he walked out of a horse box in Doctor Who's Season 8 premiere, Roger Delgado made a splash as the villainous Master. His marriage to Minnie Thompson lasted 36 years. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. One died during the run of the show, in 1973, at the age of 74Glenn Strange, a real New Mexico cowboy who played Sam the bartender. Why so surprising? How Each Gunsmoke Cast Member Died - Facts Verse James Arness is a veteran actor who starred in several western-themed movies and television shows. In 1975, two years after Strange's death, his Gunsmoke costar Buck Taylor named his third son Cooper Glenn Taylor after Strange. When did Sam become the bartender on Gunsmoke? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Blakes death certificate listed the immediate cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest due to liver failure and CMV hepatitis. TV Deaths That Happened Because The Actor Really Died, According to executive producer Lawrence O'Donnell. John Ritter was a beloved television icon by the time he was 29 thanks to his role as Jack Tripper on the classic TV sitcom Three's Company. Whatever show you saw at the end of its 20th season was it, friend. Strange died on Sept. 23, 1973, from lung cancer at 74 years old. For the whole 20 years the series was on the air from 1955 until 1975, he appeared in an impressive 605 of 635 episodes, according to IMBD . The Real Reason Chester Was Written Off Gunsmoke - Looper.com Strange played the role of Sam Noonan from 1961 until shortly before his death in 1973. Never out of work for long, Strange found a home during his last 11 years playing Sam Noonan, the bartender on TV's Gunsmoke, a show which ran an astonishing 20 seasons. His last appearance as the Brigadier had been three years before on the spin-off show The Sarah Jane Adventures, but the character's presence had always been felt on Doctor Who. The character of the Master would die and regenerate into a new body, another staple of the show. Strange was born on August 16, 1899 in Weed, NM and Stone was born in 1904. In addition to starring in many popular television series, Bates played many recurring roles including the bartender Sam Jones on Gunsmoke and as a cowboy on Dragnet. Spoiler alert: Everybody dies. Permalink. (Of course, in the patchwork scene, they said he died.) Initially, his character was written out as having left the country to deal with unfinished business. Altogether, he appeared in 237 episodes, including those in which he does not play Sam. Ferrer had been playing Assistant Director Owen Granger on NCIS: Los Angeles for five years when he passed away due to throat cancer in 2017. His career on the show was legendary. Gunsmoke Cast List Amanda Blake Gunsmoke, The Edge of Night Amanda Blake (February 20, 1929 August 16, 1989) was an American actress best known for the role of the red-haired saloon Andrew Prine V, V Andrew Lewis Prine (born February 14, 1936) is an American film, stage, and television actor. Strange appeared six times in 1956 in multiple roles on Edgar Buchanan's syndicated Judge Roy Bean. [5], Strange was 6ft 5in tall and weighed 220lbs. [6] In addition, Strange was an eighth-generation great-grandson of John Rolfe and Pocahontas through his maternal grandfather. They paid tribute to their lost colleague with a touching opening sequence shortly after her passing. It's a question that's plagued detectives for years. It was filmed in black and white, but switched to color in 1967. Spoilers. Does a Mobile Bartender Need a Liquor License? SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty in the long-running Gunsmoke television series, died of AIDS-related complications, not cancer as previously reported, her doctor said Monday. Perry, who had experienced heavy levels of celebrity in the 90s playing Dylan McKay onBeverly Hills, 90210had been a regular member of theRiverdalecast since the show's pilot episode. Curtis 'Cactus Mack' McPeters, joined the Arizona Wranglers - a
His widow, Nin, and a daugh ter, Janine, survive. The world was shocked by the sudden death of John Ritter in 2003. He and his cousin Taylor McPeters toured throughout the country during the 1920s. In one episode, The Fourth Victim, Bates played a bartender who helps Sam get away from the gunfighters. Mrs. Wolowitz was killed in her sleep during the episode "The Comic Book Store Regeneration," and several episodes were written around the character's death. The original series of Gunsmoke aired from September 1955 until the spring of 1975. His father was a rancher and a bartender. The Arness brothers and Nielsen were all born in the 20s, with Nielsen and Peter Graves even co-starring in Airplane! He is buried at the Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery. Not once. After Gunsmoke ended in 1975, Stone made his directorial debut as Doc Adams, the shows main character. The episode that killed James Arness was filmed in 1973. Played Saloon Sweeper in "Gunsmoke" in 1955. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He then moved to Hollywood and starred in five Gunsmoke TV movies. Strange was born in Weed, New Mexico Territory,[1] 13 years prior to New Mexico gaining statehood. He continued to appear in westerns, playing a villainous Sam Noonan. Strange took over the role in House of Frankenstein (1944). This is a odd coincidence as his father was a bartender in real-life back in Cross Cut. Early on, James Arness was paid $1200 per episode, but later on, he negotiated for a contract worth $22,000 per episode. No family show in history had depicted the death of a main character on screen before, but they decided to give it a shot. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. After the show ended, Strange went on to pursue a career in photography, which he continued for many years. The producers considered writing Hooper out, sending the character off to Florida to retire. While Chester was not a character on Gunsmoke, Bates was awarded the Golden Globe for his role. He was beloved by many on the show. Among other TV roles, he capped off his career with a steady (12 years) role as Sam the bartender on the classic Gunsmoke (1955) series from 1962 until shortly before his death from lung cancer in 1973. This led to being Miss Kittys bartender in Gunsmoke. He was married to Virginia Chapman for 10 years. Gunsmoke even had Strange act as a fiddle player in one episode. What was Glenn Strange last Gunsmoke episode? Click HERE for more stuff
Strange was cast in five episodes of the ABC Western The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and three segments of the syndicated Annie Oakley. 27 febrero, 2023 . In the book, Greenland writes that one time, while Blake was traveling by the networks Big Apple offices, she said, I think Ill go in there and hit Bill Paley over the head with a brickbat.. Although she was the lead in Gunsmoke, Blake was not the shows first lead. Who Can Benefit From Diaphragmatic Breathing? After Monteith's passing, Finn Hudson was memorialized in the Season 5 episode "The Quarterback," which paid tribute to the character without ever spelling out the circumstances surrounding his death. Listed below are some of the movies starring Arness. Horror star Boris Karloff had grown weary and fearful of his Frankenstein Creature typecast and abandoned the role. [citation needed], In 1932, Strange had a minor role as part of the Wrecker's gang in a 12-part serial, The Hurricane Express, starring John Wayne. Mack was also in NBCs Gunsmoke radio version. Marcia Wallace had a remarkable career. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In 1975, an episode titled The Sharecroppers aired, which featured the Deputy Festus Haggen accidentally shooting a man while helping the family farm. Gunsmoke never had a shot at doing a final farewell episode. On television, the lead role was played by James Arness, and Stone starred alongside other legends like Roy Rogers and Michael Douglas. Although his most famous role was as the sleazy, scheming Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke, Glenn Strange had a long career in the cinema. His first wife, Jenny Lee Arness, committed suicide in 1975. You mean more to me than putting this into a museum somewhere. You can imagine how that made me feel, Bates wrote. When you're dealing with gunfights and bar brawls, you need a solid voice of reason, and that was definitely Sam, who's seen quite a bit. Why Did Sam Leave Gunsmoke - Telegraph He also appeared in five made-for-television movies based on the Gunsmoke franchise. The original Cowboy actor, Cactus Mack, died in 1962, just months after his last role on Gunsmoke. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. However, the Minneapolis-born Peter and James are not related to Nielsen. Fans of the show Monk, however, will undoubtedly remember Kamel as Adrian Monk's longtime therapist, Dr. Charles Kroger. In short, he was good at being bad. And sometimes, when people die, those people are in the middle of filming a hit TV series. He
John Wayne first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1959 and played a variety of roles. While fans are mourning the loss of her character, they are not the only ones affected by her sudden departure. Around 12, he taught himself the fiddle and guitar and began performing in his teenage years. Galloping onto CBS in 1955, "Gunsmoke" still leads the herd of TV Westerns as one . A nurse informs him that the Brigadier has passed away. Gunsmoke, starring James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, ended its 20-season run on CBS in 1975. Strange was Butch Cavendish, the outlaw that bushwhacks the Texas
When You Breathe In Your Diaphragm Does What. A fan favorite character, his absence was reportedly felt on and off screen when shooting commenced on the follow-up series Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, according to a piece in Vanity Fair. Bates also acted in movies and television shows, including Charade and The Sons of Katie Elder. Mack was a relative of Rex Allen and Glenn Strange, and his last co-starring role was in a 1961 episode. Moreover, he never forgot the role of Dinah Shore and continued to act in her movies. It's some weird business. For seven years and over 150 episodes, Edward Herrmann played Gilmore family patriarch Richard Gilmore on Gilmore Girls. Sadly, Courtney died in 2011 after a long illness at the age of 81. He suffered from depression and bipolar disorder, and in 2013, after he failed to show up on set, police were sent on a wellness check. In his last few years, Sam Noonan passed away in Los Angeles, but he is best remembered for his role as Sam in Gunsmoke. The actors death was the subject of a TV documentary, The Fastest Man in the World.. Sent. In the scene in which the monster is discovered in a cave, Strange lay immersed for hours in "faked quicksand" (actually cold mud) waiting for the cameras to roll. While the series may not be a classic, it embodies the new adult vision of the mythic Old West. After working on the project, Strange was hired to appear in other horror films including the monster in Spy and Blood in the 1950s. Glenn came to Gunsmoke when he met James Arness in 59. Happy trails, Sam. She played Carol the receptionist on 140 episodes of The Bob Newhart Show and appeared on dozens of game shows before taking on perhaps her most iconic role as Edna Krabappel on The Simpsons, a character that she would continue to play for over 20 years. James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon, was also impressed with the young actor. He died of aortic dissection, a rare condition in which blood forces the layers of the aorta apart. He played the nemesis "Butch Cavendish" and later reprised the role, after a prison escape, on "The Lone Ranger" (1949). In 1958, he had a minor part in an episode of John Payne's The Restless Gun, and had an important role in the 1958 episode "Chain Gang" of the Western series 26 Men, true stories about the Arizona Rangers. By the time he was 12, he was performing at cowboy dances. Strange recounted a personal anecdote in Ted Newsom's documentary, 100 Years of Horror (1996). His characterization of Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke helped set the standard for the series. Played Waiter in "Gunsmoke" in 1955. For six seasons, Spencer played Leo McGarry, chief of staff and later counselor to the president for the Bartlett administration. Born in May 1938, Bucks career began in the 50s as he got some gigs on TV projects. His father was a bartender and later a rancher. Gunsmoke is a Technicolor film for action star and war hero Audie Murphy. 1948). The cast was not aware that John Wayne would introduce the series first episode. Marcia died of pneumonia in 2013 at age 70. 200 of them were B westerns. Glenn Strange died of cancer in 1973.