No one ever said that you have to love your job, but at the very least, you should be passionate about the work that you do. In her case, Amanda Blake loved Gunsmoke but was more than willing to admit that she was less than partial to her character, Kitty Russell — at least at the beginning of the show's run.

In an interview with the Arizona Daily Star, Blake was able to speak on her character with hindsight, having played Kitty Russell for over fifteen years. As is only natural, Kitty Russell grew and progressed over those years, and Amanda Blake had been with the character through it all and was happy to confirm that Russell had changed in a vastly positive direction.

"I've changed," Blake said. "I'm older and fatter, and so is Kitty. That early Kitty was awful, real bad. She had no character, just a pretty face."

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Blake explained that Kitty's lack of substance wasn't the fault of the Gunsmoke writers, but her inexperience as an actor. As Blake grew, so did Kitty. 

"I hadn't learned my craft," Blake said. "Of course, I'm still learning, but I'm happier now with what I see on the TV screen."

One lack of development that Blake was actually quite pleased with lay in the romance between Marshal Matt Dillon and Kitty Russell. The two seemingly danced around each other season after season, obviously harboring some sort of affection but never coming out and admitting it. Blake, however, wasn't shy about admitting that she preferred their relationship that way.

"There's definitely a romance," she said. "But it has been kept as subtle as possible. It keeps the audience guessing, and I think it helps sustain interest."