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James Arness was honest about the problems that came with playing Marshal Matt Dillon
Heavy is the head that wears the cowboy hat.
As a Western star, James Arness made his career as an actor in Gunsmoke. Starring as Marshal Matt Dillon for over a decade, Gunsmoke became an institution in television, and the series became inseparable from its star. There would be no Gunsmoke without James Arness, and there would be no James Arness without Gunsmoke. The actor was heavily responsible for the show's success, while the series gave the actor a catapult into stardom.
However, starring in a series for twenty seasons took its toll on Arness, no matter how hefty the rewards. In an interview with The Daily News, the actor explained how starring in a series like Gunsmoke was a double-edged sword.
Arness was consistently employed and enjoying success, but he also never had time to use his newfound fame to try anything new as an actor and diversify his career.
"Making the films for Gunsmoke takes about 10 hours a day, approximately nine months a year," said Arness. "It leaves me practically no time at all for movie, television, or theatre assignments."
Moreover, after so many years playing Marshal Matt Dillon, Arness had become synonymous with the character.
"I've become so associated with the role of Dillon that I find the people I meet on the street call me Matt or Marshal much more often than Jim," said Arness. "Don't get me wrong. Before I started in Gunsmoke, nobody knew me at all. But still, getting typed is dangerous."
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