Arness played Marshal Matt Dillon after John Wayne refused role.James Arness, Amanda Blake, and John Wayne American heroes as star celebs in Hollywood Westerns? Gunsmoke was a popular television series.Arness was 32 when John Wayne turned down the lead role in the show.
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WITH MEMORIAL DAY and Father’s Day just around the corner, the Hollywood studios are releasing some classic guy flicks on Blu-ray. Fox has restored all three completely and included hours of extras featuring legends Paul Newman, Gregory Peck, and John Wayne.
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Ohio native Newman stumbled into acting after being kicked off the football team at Kenyon College. Eventually, he headed to New York City and became a Lee Strasberg disciple at the famed Actors Studio. His 1953 debut on Broadway earned good reviews for his role in “Picnic.” Newman originally signed with Warner Bros. and got his first major role as boxer Rocky Graziano in “Somebody Up There Likes Me” (1956). Some labeled him a Marlon Brando copycat since both used the Method Acting technique picked up from Strasberg.