Perhaps another thing that contributed to Blakes departure was the death of Glenn Strange. He had Irish and Cherokee descent through his father. She was serious, too. However, it remains one of televisions most beloved shows, seen in syndication around the world. One more interesting bit of trivia about Strange. 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. The producers had no intention of recasting the role, but they needed another character to fill in the gap he'd left. Glenn was the perfect replacement for the job and made his monstrous debut with House of Frankenstein (1944), quickly followed by House of Dracula (1945). Required fields are marked *. The three went on to perform at the Albuquerque Arena during the New Mexico State Fair. In 1973 Dean would sing at Glenns funeral service. George Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 September 20, 1973) was an American actor who mostly appeared in Western films and was billed as Glenn Strange. 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. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. When did Sam become the bartender on Gunsmoke? Despite the death of his co-star, the show remained in Dodge City after 1975. His role as Sam Noonan lasted until the shows cancellation in 1973. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Phil Hartman was an American treasure on the same scale as Yosemite, even if he was technicallyborn in Canada. How many different bartenders did they have on Gunsmoke? He learned to play guitar and fiddle. Your email address will not be published. When the network called for Gunsmoke to shut down business in Dodge City, it was surprising news to its stars and fans alike. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. Jump to: Photos (11). 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. She was ready to give CBS President William Paley. His father was a rancher and a bartender. It was his massive build that helped him break into the Universal horror picture genre of the 1940s. He'll permanently engrain the smell of musk-scented Speed Stick into your memory. How did Sam on Gunsmoke die? There was a time when the answer was generally "recast and keep going, we've got ad time to fill." Before turning to acting, Glenn Strange was a musician. Played Assistant Bartender in "Gunsmoke" in 1955. He portrayed the role almost exclusively until his death in 1973. A lone lawman and a chaotic frontier, a stern yet gentle lawman, and moral judgments all of these elements of the Western genre are central to the shows appeal. He found success both in front of the camera, as shown by his six-year run on Crossing Jordan, and as a voice actor, playing everything from Aquaman in the '90s Superman cartoon to Death on Adventure Time. It belonged to Colasanto and used to hang in his dressing room. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In this way, Gunsmoke became a staple of American television, and it lasted 20 years. And sometimes, when people die, those people are in the middle of filming a hit TV series. Strange was cast twice on Kirby Grant's Western aviation adventure series, Sky King, as Rip Owen in Stage Coach Robbers (1952), and as Link in Dead Giveaway (1958). But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. But in February of 2019, the 52-year-old performer suffered a massive stroke, passing away a few days later on March 4th. Known for his role as Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke, Glenn Strange passed away nearly 50 years ago. He taught himself (by ear) the fiddle and guitar at a young age and started performing at local functions as a teen. By the early 2000s, though, she had picked up a starring role on the crime procedural The District alongside Craig T. Nelson and Sean Patrick Thomas. In 1942, he appeared in The Mad Monster for PRC, a poverty row studio. In January 2008, Christopher Allport died tragically in an avalanche while skiing in the San Gabriel mountains in California. Cory Monteith's brief but astonishing career as an actor saw him starring in movies and TV shows, with appearances on Stargate, Supernatural, and Smallville, among others, before really hitting it big on Glee. Although she was the lead in Gunsmoke, Blake was not the shows first lead. Glenn quit school after 8th grade. Elliotts recurring role of Miss Kitty, the wife of Sam Conagher, died in the same year as the series. It featured many outdoor scenes in Johnson Canyon near Kanab, Utah. This led to being Miss Kittys bartender in Gunsmoke. Who played Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. When the show returned from summer break, the entire premiere episode dealt with the fallout of his character's death in an automobile collision. He was 29. John Wayne first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1959 and played a variety of roles. Sadly, in November 2014, Carol Ann Susi passed away at age 62 after a battle with cancer. [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. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Besides that, he greatly resembled Boris Karloff, best known for his Frankensteins monster role, which led to him landing monster movie parts. At various times in his life a rancher, deputy sheriff and rodeo performer, this huge, towering (6' 5") beast of a man was born George Glenn Strange in Weed, New Mexico, on August 16, 1899, but grew up a real-life cowboy in Cross Cut, Texas. 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. In the first episode of the show, Arness first appeared as Sam the bartender, a character who became Matt Dillons romantic interest. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The couple had one child, Janine Laraine Strange (born 1939). Then, in 1973, he died of cancer at 74 years old. He played the character from 1961 until his death in 1974. 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. 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. Strange was born in Weed, New Mexico Territory, 13 years prior to New Mexico gaining statehood. His death prompted many fans to mourn the loss of Noonan, who had portrayed Sam on the show. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 1948). google_color_url = "999999"; 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. Strange learned by ear how to play the fiddle and guitar. A stunt double for James Arness on the hit TV show Gunsmoke, Ben Bates appeared on the hit western series for 25 years. Even though she left the show a season earlier, Amanda Blake wasnt taking the news lightly. Marcia Wallace had a remarkable career. 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. The show wrote his character, Fred, out of the latter part of the third season, which was still in production at the time, explaining his absence by saying that he was on a business trip. It's a question that's plagued detectives for years. His characterization of Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke helped set the standard for the series. The makers of the show were at a loss. Amanda Blake, or Miss Kitty on the show, told MeTV he was delightful, charming, one of the funniest men Ive ever known. Ken Curtis played Festus on the show and said his charisma is one of the reasons the show lasted so long. 21 (AP) Glenn Strange, who portrayed Dr. Frankenstein's monster in films and Sam Noonan, the big, leathery bartender in the tele vision series Gunsmoke for 11 years, died last night of cancer at a hospital here, He was 74 years old. His declining health forced him to leave the role in 1973. Based on the book of the same name, the show focused on Ritter's character Paul Hennessy and his attempts to maintain control over his daughters' dating lives.