The parents of Amanda Blake, Jesse and Louise, gave birth to Beverly Louise Neill on February 20, 1929, in Buffalo, New York, in the United States. But this is not a column about any of that.). Gunsmoke actress Amanda Blake died of cancer on August 16, aged 60, at a Sacramento, California, hospital after a battle with the disease for more than a decade. She died at the age of 60 because of AIDS. Your email address will not be published. tides equities los angeles does dawn dish soap kill ticks does dawn dish soap kill ticks It is quite a normal situation if you ask "did Amanda Blake have children?" It makes sense that she would miss her time in 1972 as Olivia Walton. She left Gunsmoke, tired of the role, with a few . The series was based upon the book Spencers Mountain by Earl Hamner Jr., who also narrated each show. In the years to follow, the character would become one of the shows most recognisable and popular characters. Who is Amanda Blake An American actress, Amanda Blake, was most known for her portrayal of "Miss Kitty Russell," a saloon proprietress with a red bob, on Gunsmoke's western television series. But the, A: Matt Dillon (James Arness) and Kitty (Amanda Blake), Young Bae (Seasons 69, supporting in season 5) is a tattoo artist at Black Ink. Matt had amnesia and was recovering from a wound, and Matt winds up having a brief affair. The American actress, known for her audacity and good looks, was married. As a result, she lost her mouth to cancer. Tennessee Titans: How Many Tattoos Does Derrick Henry Have? Jason Seymour Day Jr. was her husband from 1964 to 1967, when they divorced. His strong Lancashire accent, husky voice, stocky build, angry comedy outbursts,, Read More Johnny Vegas Was Married To Maia Dunphy, Who Is His New Girlfriend? I have been in the content writing world for a very long time because I love the skills I am able to gain. Only Gunsmoke remains true to the tradition and to itself, Mondays at 8 on CBS. She was nominated for an Emmy six times for her work on the show and won three awards for outstanding lead actress. Words reacquired some of the magic that our glaze of irony, our evasions of reality, had stolen from them. After the program finished, she retired and settled in Phoenix, Arizona, where she raised cheetahs. Blake, who portrayed the saloon owner in CBS's popular western TV series, left one season before the show ended. Amanda Blake's husband sued her for divorce in April 1989 and died in later the same year. the skyview building hyderabad; julian clary ian mackley split; timothy evatt seidler; case hardening advantages and disadvantages; doorbell chime with built in 16v transformer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer signed Blake in the late 1940s because the studio regarded her as a replacement for Greer Garson. And there is room in that work for honor, duty and affection: for pride and laughter. Tucker is played by John Lasell, who only appeared on Gunsmoke this one time. Its (AP) Doctors have confirmed that Amanda Blake, who portrayed Miss Kitty in the long-running television series Gunsmoke, died of AIDS-related complications, not cancer as previously stated. While his decision was risky, it ended up paying off for the actor. 1978 Michael Learned decided to quit her contract and leave the successful series "The Waltons". Young Bae (Seasons 69, supporting in season 5) is a tattoo artist at Black Ink. She married Frank Gilbert two days after their divorce, and they were married for the duration of her longest marriage, which she used to fund most of her animal welfare initiatives, including the cheetah breeding program. Additionally, her grandfather worked as an attach at the American Embassy in Rome. When she wasnt needed, it felt like home to Blake. Before deciding to join the show, she was working on a few film projects, including High Society and The Boost., Amanda Blake was born Beverly Louise Neill. Marshal Matt Dillon and saloon owner Kitty Russell is evident in every episode of Gunsmoke. Her second husband was TV director Don Albert Whitman (born October 24, 1924), whom she wed in 1954. Matt fell in love, and it wasn't with Kitty. She then wed Mark Spaeth in 1984; a year later, he passed away. On the Red Skelton Show, she had a regular comic routine. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas, who works to preserve law and order in the western frontier of the 1870s. Indeed, the only surviving regular cast member of "Gunsmoke" is Buck Taylor, who played yet another Dillon sidekick, Newly O'Brien. Amanda Blake was born in Buffalo, New York in February. The Dodge City marshal, played by James Arness, got his kiss on Sept. 24, 1973, in the episode titled Matts Love Story, one of the highest-ratedGunsmoke episodes. Peter Donat and Michael apart their way in 1972 after 17 years of marriage. At San Franciscos American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in the 1970s, Learned and her husband Peter co-starred in plays. Barbara Eden and Michael Ansara. Roger Ewing (Thad Greenwood), who is 73; Buck Taylor (Newly OBrien), who is 77; and Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper), who is 79 She went away in 1989, and according to her doctor, she had AIDS, which was the actual cause of her death. Which pepper is used in the most Chipotle menu items? She stands 1.7 meters tall and weighs 62 kilograms. Such ecstasy, though, was enough to allow me to forgive the script writers of Owen Marshall, Those script writers, through sheer sloppiness, almost ruined a fine performance by Ralph Bellamy. Therefore, it was then reported by a city council member that they had wed. What happened to Amanda Blake before her death? Marshal Matt Dillon and saloon owner Kitty Russell. Kemo and her husband maintained an experimental cheetah breeding operation at their house. Between 1978 and 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer gruesomely took the lives of seventeen innocent victims. Since her first marriage in 1954, Blake has been married to Don Whitman, Jason Seymour Day Jr. (1964), divorced him in 1967, married Frank Gilbert (1967), divorced him in 1982, and remarried. Instead of Kitty, who played the Long Branch saloon owner, Amanda Blake, Michael Learned was the one who received the smooch. In contrast, Matt had a short relationship with Mike Gardner (Michael Learned) in a 1973 episode when he was amnesic. The actors bold decision paid off in the end. Learned was born in Washington, D.C., the eldest daughter of Elizabeth Duane "Betti" (ne Hooper) and Bruce Learned, a diplomat. In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation (via YouTube), she spoke about the episode and working with Arness. television series, died of AIDS-related complications, not cancer as previously reported, her doctor said Monday. Blake had little time to see movies because of her work on television. Related complications, having. Rorabaugh wrote in his research on American alcohol consumption for The OAH Magazine of History: By 1700, the colonists drank, According to the 2007 NSDUH, the prevalence rates of 30-day alcohol use and binge drinking in people aged 1217 years were highest for. They were sold near his domain in a gift shop. She later married John Doherty in 1988, and they are still together. In 1984, the beautiful and accomplished actress tied the knot with her longtime love, Mark Spaeth. (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. Gunsmokessaloon set was where she would hang out after her divorce from Whitman. Marshall Trimble is Arizona's official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association. Louises commitment brought her Hollywood renown. Extrapolations of imagining are more honest, credible and artful than the peepshow, precisely because they allow for the experience of mystery and a mental feedback of which voyeurs are incapable. Gunsmoke: James Arness Matt Dillon Only Kissed One Woman in Entire 20 Season Run. They married in April 1984, and divorced a short time later. James altered the family surname to Arness. But in a 1973 episode, Matt had a brief affair with another woman, Mike Yardner (Michael Learned), while he had amnesia. Forgetting Dodge City, he fell in love with Michael Learned, like any sensible man. Michael Learned. Shot in nine days. In 1961 she sold her residual rights to Gunsmoke (1955) for $100,000. Her maternal grandfather was an attach for the United States Embassy in Rome. The money she made from her career was realenough to qualify as the greatest celebrity cashout of all time. Blake, who played the saloon owner on CBSs popular western television series, left one season before the show was over. 14 - Who played Matt Dillons daughter in Gunsmoke movies? She used falls and hair pieces to make herself look more 'Kitty-like', and continued to wear them in the series. In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com on the fifth anniversary of his death, Learned, 79, reveals that she and Waite were in love off screen and they even went on a date. Darren McGavin and Kathie Browne. To the Last Guy, The Long Ride, and A Single Mans Justice was the final three Gunsmoke films in which Beth appeared, and she had married a man by the name of Readon at that point. Mr. Curtis played Festus Haggin, sidekick to Marshal Matt Dillon, from 1964 to 1975, when the series ended. Blake's fifth husband, Mark Spaeth, an Austin, Texas, city councilman and developer, died of pneumonia in 1985 at age 45. Amanda Blake died at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California, on August 16, 1989. The child, Thad (played by Roger Mobley), was sent to her because his mother was beaten to death by his father, a wanted outlaw named Tucker Ferrin. and he must find her. The actresss death sparked several debates over her cause of death. Kitty, annoyed that Matt is leaving, continues alone and meets Kiley and, as a result, form a romance that ends with a kiss. Yes, the motivations of the villains have become more complex. Michael Learneds performance in Second Acts, The Walton, Nurse, Unplugged, The Parcel, and a long list of other films brought in this tremendous sum of money. Amanda Blakes children, as well as her continued talent and application of her beauty, were not expected to see the light of day. Rather, as historian W.J. Blake, who portrayed the saloon owner in CBS's popular western TV series, left one season before the show ended. She dated Ceaser. Her fortune is estimated to be between $5 and $10 million. The victims of infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmerwho is represented on television by Evan Peterstell their side of the story in the show. His father's name is Rolf Virkler Aurness who was from Norway. One of Hollywoods most well-known actresses is Michael Learned. michael learned and amanda blake sisterssouthwest cargo phone number. She had no children. The loner ambushed Matt and left him for dead. Matt (James Arness), Kitty (Amanda Blake), Doc (Milburn Stone) and Festus (Ken Curtis) slip into their roles . Gunsmoke - The Last Apache returns James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon. But the answer is No. The actress married Don Whitman in 1954. In the CBS movie Gunsmoke 2, the film includes a flashback to the specific episode. . But in a 1973 episode, Matt had a brief affair with another woman, Mike Yardner (Michael Learned), while he had amnesia. James Arness. Over the years, guest stars included Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Davis, Jean Arthur, Ellen Burstyn, Jon Voight, Nick Nolte, Loretta Swit, and Mariette Hartley. She graduated from Claremont High School and then left Pomona College to pursue an acting career while working as a telephone operator in the meantime. She played Miss Kitty Russell on Gunsmoke She also appeared in Tattletales, The Red Skelton Show, and The Edge of Night She appeared in scores of films, including Stars In My Crown, Cattle Town, Miss Robin Crusoe,Duchess of Idaho, About Mrs Leslie, High Society, and The Boost Blake, The Adventures of Hajji Baba, a former phone operator, loved animals. She made her film debut in the 1954 film A Star Is Born. Source: metvcdn.metv.com Michael Learned (born April 9, 1939) is an American actress, known for her role as Olivia Walton in the long-running CBS drama series The Waltons (1972-1981). Even though Gunsmoke is set in Dodge City, Kansas, much of the shows outdoor shots were shot in southern Utah, along the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Most Popular Boost Birthday April 9, 1939 (age 83) Birthplace Washington, DC, United States. (TV Episode 1960) IMDb. How long did the Waltons run? American actor James Mitchell helps co-star Amanda Blake to a cup of Magnetic Spring Water on the set of the film 'Stars In My Crown', 1950. Mayhe only a program that's been around for 19 years can dare to remind us that we aren't necessarily vermin; we endure and surprise one another. Is Michael Learn still alive and well? Micheal learned, the mom in the waltons, is amanda blakes sister. While practicing for the Shakespeare Festival in both the United States and Canada, she gained acting skills. From 1955 through 1974, Blake played Miss Kitty, the saloonkeeper, in the television show Gunsmoke. As of the end of 2018, a successful acting career is estimated to have resulted in a net worth equal to or more than $500,000. 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. I am Bibisha, a freelancer for Celeb Doko. Throughout the program I kept wondering why, if Owen and Jess were too busy to take the case in the first place, they had time to sit, in the courtroom day after day watching Bellamy botch it. She was born to Elizabeth Duane and Bruce Learned. When he regains his memory, he returns to Dodge. She somewhat retired after the show ended and lived in Phoenix, Arizona, where she bred cheetahs. Anyis neat. See the article in its original context from. Weaver died of complications from cancer Friday at his home in Ridgway, in southwestern Colorado, said his publicist, Julian Myers. Gretl, Susan, Sabra, Dorit, and Philippa are her younger sisters. She is an actor, first and foremost. He has a daughter We will try to answer them, Michael Learned, the mother of the Waltons, is. Michael Learneds net worth was $4 million as of September 2022, and she made between $50,000 and $200,000 each year. Amanda Blake was everyone's favorite actress on the TV series "Gunsmoke." When she died in 1989, an official report from the Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, where she had been receiving treatment, said she'd died from cancer.. Blake, who smoked up to two packs of cigarettes a day, had, back in 1977, had surgery to treat oral cancer.Following her recovery, she toured the country with the . Blake, who portrayed the saloon owner in CBS's popular western TV series, left one season before the show ended. She only got a few more acting roles after the movie in the 1980s before quitting the business. The reason Michael Learned was brought back was that Amanda Blake had died the year before at the age of sixty from. For the final four seasons of the long-running Western, Bates performed the more dangerous Marshal Matt Dillon stunts. The Waltons was Learned's first major TV role, and it turned her into a star.She was nominated for an Emmy six times for her work on the show and won three awards for outstanding lead actress . Amanda Blakes sister is Michael Learned, Amanda Blakes mother. The official database for Broadway theatre information . Michael Learned, a successful television series, decided to quit her contract in 1978 and leave the show The Waltons. Her long stay in a sanatorium and tuberculosis disease of Ma Walton declared her departure from the show to the TV audience. The original house that served as the backdrop to Hamners childhood was built in the early 20th century in the village of Schuyler in Nelson County, where Your email address will not be published. James Arness and Virginia Chapman. Her ashes were scattered over the ocean. He began his career in the Canadian adolescent serial opera Hillside (19911993), then moved on to minor roles, Read More Did Ryan Reynolds Cheat On Alanis? His other television appearances include his roles as 'Deputy Bud Titus' in the Western drama series 'The Lone Ranger' (1950), 'Zeb Macahan' in the Western 'The Macahans' (1976), and 'Jim . He wrote, James Arness: An Autobiography in 2001 when he was 78. She was born Beverly Louise Neill on 20th February 1929 in Buffalo, New York in the US. Paolo Montalbn is a Filipino-American actor and singer best known for his role as Prince Christopher in the 1997 Disney television film Rodgers & Hammersteins Cinderella. Peter Aurness grew up with his older brother James in Minneapolis. Well, you had to be there and should have been. It would have also changed the focus, turning the show more into a romance than a western. One of Chester's most noticeable features is his stiff right leg the. Friends had requested that Mercy General spokesman Jerri Ewen disclose cancer as the reason for Blakes death. Moreover, then it is inevitable that you have heard about Colman Domingo. Blake was honoured in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museums Hall of Great Western Performers. In this film, James Arness rode the same Buckskin horse (Buck) as he did in many Gunsmoke episodes (1955). of the Long Branch Saloon played by the late Amanda Blake, the recipient of the kiss was Michael Learned. Blake Lively can totally sit with us.. And she's already sat in the company of Amanda Seyfried back when the two actresses auditioned for Mean Girls.As The Dropout actress exclusively told E! Colman Domingo is a widely recognized American artist. Marshall Trimble is Arizonas official historian. Still, it was later found out that her previous spouse passed away from AIDS-related pneumonia, which implies that she got the illness from him. Since she was little, she has been inspired by performing. related Asked Miss Miracle Herzog Score 4.2 votes Michael Learned, the mother the Waltons, Amanda Blake sister. Learned was born in Washington, D.C., the eldest daughter of Elizabeth Duane "Betti" (ne Hooper) and Bruce Learned, a diplomat. This was, primarily, Young Bae (Seasons 69, supporting in season 5) is a tattoo artist at Black Ink. The setting of Gunsmoke is Dodge City, Kansas during the 1870s. That marriage ended in 1956. Michael Learned and Ralph Waite starred as husband and wife on The Waltons - a CBS show that ran for nine seasons and multiple TV movies in the 1970s . And Carol Burnett's parody of Kung Fu was not only hilarious; it was also a public service. Talking about her family tree, Her father is Bruce Learned, and her mother is Elizabeth Duane "Betti." Her departure from the show was declared to the TV audience by tuberculosis disease of "Ma Walton" and her long stay in a sanatorium. Her life was undoubtedly drastically altered by The Walton. Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross. While the television series took place on a fictional Waltons Mountain, in Virginia, and the book on Spencers Mountain in Wyoming, both are actually based on Hamners hometown of Schuyler, VA. On Gunsmoke, did Matt and Kitty get together? The loner had killed a man who deserved it, but the law is the law. Blake performed a repeat routine on the live The Red Skelton Program when she was working on the television series Gunsmoke, and she often appeared on the long-running TV panel show Hollywood Squares., Additionally, she appeared in the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, took part in the revivals of Match Game and Tattletales, and had a supporting role in the drama State Trooper., She appeared as a guest performer in several television programs after Gunsmoke ended, including Hart to Hart and The Love Boat. Still, she gradually played fewer parts until 1987, when she took part in the Gunsmoke reunion movie Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.. And his mother's name is Ruth Duesler who was from Germany and was a journalist by the profession. Amanda Seyfried is '100 percent into . At her death in 1989, Amanda Blake had a net worth of $500,000. The Waltons Star Michael Learned Guest Starred on Episode of Gunsmoke Alongside James Arness. No one is surprised if you inquire, Did Amanda Blake have any children? The answer, however, is no. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Did Ryan Reynolds Cheat On Alanis? The reason Michael Learned was brought back was that Amanda Blake had died the year before at the age of sixty from. What happened to Ivans drawings on a regular basis? Johnny Vegas Was Married To Maia Dunphy, Who Is His New Girlfriend? (AP) _ Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty in the long-running ?Gunsmoke? The official database for Broadway theatre information . The exact nature of Matt and Mikes relationship was confirmed in the 1990 TV movie Gunsmoke: The Last Apache. The classic Western was on the air from 1955-75 and became the longest-running dramatic shows in television history. In 1984, she tied the knot with Mark Edward Spaeth. She joined the list of people who broke the record, having been married many times. However, she died of AIDS-related symptoms, according to her doctor. (AP) Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty on the long-running television series. Did Miss Kitty and Matt ever get together? She has five younger sisters: Gretl, Susan, Sabra, Dorit and Philippa. He played the part again in a stage production of the musical, alongside Deborah Gibson, Read More Paolo Montalban Wife: Is Filipino-American Actor Married? Are there rattlesnakes in Quabbin Reservoir. For one thing, the acting was fine, as it usually is on Gunsmoke. For another, the writing was as good as you'll ever get in a Western, gnarled, approximately Elizabethan, a language that was probably never a vernacultfr but in this instance was so plausibly stylizeda lingual compost of all our ideas about the West, knotty analogies, brutish poems, the inchoate cleverly tortured into expressions of feelingthat myth marched in and made itself at home. His birth date is on May 26, 1923. But not of them crossed paths with Matt Dillon quite as much as Morgan Woodward. She was also a founding member of the Arizona Animal Welfare League, the states first and biggest no-kill animal shelter. Ranking The Top 10 Worst Contracts In NBA History; 10 Best Scorers In Utah Jazz History: Adrian Dantley Leads The Jazz, Karl Malone Is Surprisingly . James Arness on "Matt Dillon's" relationship with "Miss Kitty" played by Amanda Blake on Gunsmoke. Michael Learned (born April 9, 1939) is an American actress, known for her role as Olivia Walton in the long-running CBS drama series The Waltons (19721981). Somebody put stupidity pills in the Gainesburgers of the writers, that's why. Amanda Blake had a net worth of $500k at the time of her death in 1989. The passing of Glen was the reason Kitty departed Gunsmoke. During season two, Amanda Blake is an employee of the Long Branch Saloon and subsequently becomes a half-owner. Peter Graves (born Peter Duesler Aurness; March 18, 1926 March 14, 2010) was an American actor. It is said Curtis modelled the role on a local alcoholic in his town, translating that rustic accent to the cinema. They later separated in 1982. She supported the American Cancer Society and held fundraisers nationwide. Required fields are marked *. Yes, experimental cheetah breeding was started on Blakes farm with the help of her third husband, Frank Gilbert, who eventually grew seven different generations. He was best known for his role as Jim Phelps in the CBS television series Mission: Impossible from 1967 to 1973 (original) and from 1988 to 1990 (revival). Marshall Trimble is Arizona's official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association. Rorabaugh wrote in his research on American alcohol consumption for The OAH Magazine of History: By 1700, the colonists drank, According to the 2007 NSDUH, the prevalence rates of 30-day alcohol use and binge drinking in people aged 1217 years were highest for, One of Chester's most noticeable features is his stiff right leg the cause of which. He is the U.S. Did they really drink that much in the Old West? John Wayne recommended James Arness for the role of Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke (1955), which he played for 39 years due to his role in the film. In the iconic Western, Blake portrayed a spunky and self-assured lady. Anyone can read what you share. The show starred actors including Eric Scott, Mary Beth McDonough, Philip Leacock, and more, and having spent so much time together over the years, it is likely that they all had a great relationship. She brought her pet lion, Kemo, to Gunsmoke. Dating History And Relationship TimelineContinue, If you are a fan of sitcoms and have watched 2020s Saved by the Bell, then you definitely must know Dexter Darden. 2. Her five younger sisters are Philippa, Gretl, Susan, Sabra, Dorit, and Sabra. According to the 2007 NSDUH, the prevalence rates of 30-day alcohol use and binge drinking in people aged 1217 years were highest for Whites (alcohol use: 18.2 percent; binge drinking: 11.5 percent), followed by Hispanics (15.2 percent; 9.3 percent) and then Blacks (10.1 percent; 4.3 percent) and Asians (8.1 percent; How much did James Arness make per episode? Who Are Abby Garrett And Will Freeman From The Amazing Race? 7 - Did Matt Dillon and Kitty have a daughter? Her first marriage, which lasted from 1954 to 1956, was to Don Whitman. 4. Because of his role in this movie, John Wayne recommended James Arness for the role of Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke (1955), a role he played for 39 years. Sadly, he died at 74 due to lung cancer two years before the program concluded. Is Michael Learned still alive? Matt (James Arness), Kitty (Amanda Blake), Doc (Milburn Stone) and Festus (Ken Curtis) slip into their roles as though those roles were overalls: It's time to go to work. He replaced Dennis Weaver, who played Chester Goode before leaving the show Miss Kitty secretly picks up the child of one of her best friends at the stage depot. Whitman was Blakes first husband, and she divorced him two years later, in 1956. Are they still alive? Weaver and actor James Arness were close friends since their 1955 screen test for "Gunsmoke. The same season, Kitty was not without her own on-screen kiss. Miss Kitty sent tongues wagging on Monday when she uploaded a video with numeric balloons displaying the age twenty-six on her birthday. And it must have been quite a smooch, because Learned later recalled that Arness asked her out after they filmed the scene. Her second, three years ago, was to Jason Seymour Day Jr. in 1964. James Arness, who played the towering and taciturn Marshal Matt Dillon for all 20 seasons of "Gunsmoke," died in 2011. There were 635 episodes and many of the outdoor scenes for this show were shot in Johnson Canyon near Kanab, Utah. Though Learneds time on Gunsmoke was brief, she remembered it fondly. She often visited Africa and had previously served on the Humane Society of the United States board. are michael learned and amanda blake related, the learning channel sunrise senior living login, abundance printable crystal grid templates. Her father worked in banking. She focused on her pets. Note: Amanda has a net worth of $500 thousand dollars, having earned $3 million throughout her career. She was a married lady who played a vital and gorgeous American actress. Occupation: Actress: Years active: Amanda Blake children and at the same time continuation of her talent and implementation of her beauty were not destined to see the world. Business email: agofvi@gmail.comMusic in the video:-"NoGoodLayabout" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licen. Despite very small differences in opinion. The series, which took place in the fictional rural Virginia town of Walton's Mountain and spanned the years from the Great Depression to World War II, ran for nine seasonsfrom September 1972 through June 1981. BoRN. After Tom Mix and Gary Cooper, who was admitted in 1958 and 1966, respectively, she was the third performer to be inducted. To his surprise, he discovers that he has a true family he never knew existed after losing one. Instead of Kitty, who played the Long Branch saloon owner, Amanda Blake, Michael Learned was the one who received the smooch. Matt Dillon is a fictional character featured on both the radio and television versions of Gunsmoke. Advertisement "The Waltons" was a very popular TV series based in Earl's book "Spencer's Mountain."