How James Arness met Janet Surtees: A Quiet Love That Lasted 33 Years!
His Love Story with Janet Surtees
James Arness with his wife of 33 years, Janet Surtees. Janet was not an actress; she met James at the height of his fame from Gunsmoke. She was an intensely private person, and not much is known about her. James was previously married to Virginia Chapman from 1948 to 1963, with whom he had three children—two sons and a daughter. Sadly, their daughter Jenny passed away from a deliberate overdose in 1977, and Virginia died two years later from an accidental overdose. James and Janet’s meeting came about through the set makeup artist, a friend of James whose wife owned a clothing store. They arranged a date between James and Janet, who was a single mom at the time. Although she was initially hesitant to accept the date, her son was a Gunsmoke fan, so she agreed. They connected right away, finding they had much in common despite having very different life experiences. After dating for a couple of years, they married in 1978. Their marriage appeared to be a very happy one until James passed away in 2011 at the age of 88.
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