In one episode, "The Fourth Victim," Bates played a bartender who helps Sam get away from the gunfighters. If you were a fan of the hit TV series GUNSMOKE, you may be curious to learn how did Sam the bartender die. Actress Amanda Blake landed the role of Miss Kitty Russell on the popular western series Gunsmoke in 1955. In some scenes The producers had no intention of recasting the role, but they needed another character to fill in the gap he'd left. google_color_border = "000000"; Stranges career began in western movies in the 1930s. Is Leslie Nielsen related to James Arness? Jump to: Photos (11). What happened to Miss Kitty in season 20 of Gunsmoke? In Season 7, McGarry ran for vice president alongside Jimmy Smits' Congressman Santos. The main character, Matt Dillon, was portrayed by William Conrad. It should be noted that Boris Karloff, who played the original Frankenstein, coached Strange on playing the role in his off-hours. Miguel Ferrer had a long career, starting out as a TV actor before breaking into the public eye with his role as the ill-fated vice president of OCP in 1987's RoboCop. as Sam the bartender. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In later interviews, he said it was in part because he missed his friend. Not long after Delgado's passing, third Doctor Jon Pertwee left the program. 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,. By the time he was 12, he was performing at cowboy dances. He Sams last name was Noonan. The Associated Press reported that Blake, who had lived in Phoenix, learned of the cancellation only after the shows 19th season. Stranges early film roles included The Adventures Of Kit Carson and The Cisco Kid. Anyone can read what you share. Why did Sam the bartender leave Gunsmoke? The shows long-running run and wide popularity led CBS to continue its run on Monday nights. His declining health forced him to leave the role in 1973. 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. the Frankenstein monster in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Universal, By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The couple had one child, Janine Laraine Strange (born 1939). As Glenn began to get a serious chill, Chaney recommended that alcohol would keep Strange warm. And then, one day, he'll die. His character was so well received, Clinton-era Chief of Staff Leon Panetta once told Spencer that "any government would be lucky with Leo as chief of staff.". He was married to Virginia Chapman for 10 years. Eventually in the late 30s, his billing improved and he evolved into a full-time bad guy in hundreds of "B" westerns. Gunsmoke even had Strange act as a fiddle player in one episode. He also played The Monster in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). 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. He was 29. He was blacklisted during the era of McCarthyism for pleading the Fifth Amendment and not ratting on his friends in the business, but managed to bounce back later in his career, landing parts in Ghost, Barney Miller, and History of the World: Part I, among many others. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. [5], Strange was 6ft 5in tall and weighed 220lbs. On television, the lead role was played by James Arness, and Stone starred alongside other legends like Roy Rogers and Michael Douglas. He was Sam the bartender at the Long Branch saloon on GUNSMOKE from 1962 The three went on to perform at the Albuquerque Arena during the New Mexico State Fair. 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. This is the most bizarre and sad news of all, especially considering that he was Burt Reynolds' character. After Gunsmoke ended in 1975, Stone made his directorial debut as Doc Adams, the shows main character. When you're dealing with gunfights and bar brawls, you need a solid voice of reason, and that was definitely Sam, who's seen quite a bit. 200 of them were B westerns. Did Sam Elliott ever play in Gunsmoke? During the shows run, Sam Noonans singing trio was accompanied by singer Dennis Weaver.