how did sam the bartender die on gunsmoke? how did sam the bartender die on gunsmoke?

Strange appeared six times in 1956 in multiple roles on Edgar Buchanan's syndicated Judge Roy Bean. Will Lee, the actor who played Mister Hooper, died of a heart attack in 1982. Glenn Strange was an actor born in the New Mexico Territory. He had Irish and Cherokee descent through his father. Prior to landing the bartender role, the actor had portrayed various characters on "Gunsmoke" before then. Shortly afterward, he began performing as a teenager. google_ad_type = "text_image"; Never out of work for long, Strange found a home during his last 11 years playing Sam Noonan, the bartender on TV's Gunsmoke, a show which ran an astonishing 20 seasons. The nature of voice acting would have made it easy to find another actress who could pull off Wallace's voice, but the producers decided to retire the character out of respect for Wallace. The producers had no intention of recasting the role, but they needed another character to fill in the gap he'd left. He was beloved by many on the show. He played Sam the Bartender in CBS' Gunsmoke. It does not store any personal data. In 1973, he succumbed to lung cancer. Beginning in 1949, he portrayed Butch Cavendish, the villain responsible for killing all of the Texas Rangers except one in the long-running television series The Lone Ranger. The regulars who are still with us are: Roger Ewing (Thad Greenwood), who is 73; Buck Taylor (Newly O'Brien), who is 77; and Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper), who is 79. The three went on to perform at the Albuquerque Arena during the New Mexico State Fair. In the late 1920s, Glenn and his cousin, Taylor McPeters, better known later as the western character actor Cactus Mack, joined a radio singing group known as the "The Arizona Wranglers" that toured throughout the country.They both started providing singing fillers in film westerns in the early 1930s. Although Stranges death brought a tragic end to the show, he left a legacy that lives on in his son, Cooper Glenn Taylor. But in February of 2019, the 52-year-old performer suffered a massive stroke, passing away a few days later on March 4th. The Long Branch barkeep was also known as Frankenstein's monster in a few Hollywood movies, the Dodge City Daily Globe reports. How was Kitty written off Gunsmoke? No family show in history had depicted the death of a main character on screen before, but they decided to give it a shot. His marriage to Minnie Thompson lasted 36 years. Taking A Look At The Cast Of 'Gunsmoke' Then And Now 2020 - DoYouRemember? 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. Did Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke really play the fiddle? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. He wrote, James Arness: An Autobiography in 2001 when he was 78. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Bates was known for performing dangerous stunts as Marshal Matt Dillon. Before turning to acting, Glenn Strange was a musician. The resemblance was so strong, a photo of Stranges Frankensteins monster appeared in Karloffs obituary. He first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1959 and assumed several roles on the long-running program before he was permanently cast as stolid bartender Sam Noonan, a role he played from 1961 until 1973. Strange and his cousin, Taylor Gunsmoke: The Other Hard Living Folks in Dodge City In January 2008, Christopher Allport died tragically in an avalanche while skiing in the San Gabriel mountains in California. He But one day, we will know the answer to this riddle that continues to perplex the forces of justice: Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? What happened to Miss Kitty in season 20 of Gunsmoke? He'd been on over 200 episodes of Gunsmoke when he passed, and the character of Sam died with him. He gained his first motion picture role in 1932, and appeared in hundreds of films during his lifetime. In 1961, he began the small, but regular, role as Sam Noonan the bartender in Miss Kitty's Long Branch Saloon, Dodge City in the TV show, Gunsmoke. It doesn't just happen to our grandfathers, it happens to the grandfathers of iconic television characters, too. Gunsmoke is a 1953 Western film directed by Nathan Juran and starring Audie Murphy, Susan Cabot, and Paul Kelly. During the first season of Mad Men, Pete Campbell was hounded by the disapproval of his father. In the first episode of the show, Arness first appeared as Sam the bartender, a character who became Matt Dillons romantic interest. Here's where the show's history gets a little tricky. If you were mentally cataloging a list of TV shows that might deal with the untimely loss of an actor with dignity and grace, you wouldn't necessarily putRiverdaleat the top. [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. Played Saloon Sweeper in "Gunsmoke" in 1955. During the shows run, Sam Noonans singing trio was accompanied by singer Dennis Weaver. The switch happened in season nine, in the episode "The Prairie Wolfer.". 'Gunsmoke': Glenn Strange Had Some Wild Roles Before the Show This is a odd coincidence as his father was a bartender in real-life back in Cross Cut. The show must go on. But the actors performances did not stop the show from becoming a hit. He and his cousin Taylor McPeters toured throughout the country during the 1920s. So it was genuinely heartwarming when the fourth season premiere, "In Memoriam," took the emotional bull by the horns and addressed the passing of actor Luke Perry with some level of grace and reverence. Gunsmoke Star Buck Taylor Is 81 Years Old and Looks as Handsome as Ever. Mr. See the article in its original context from. Ernie "Coach" Pantusso was a constant presence on Cheers from the beginning of the series. He also had pretty decent runs on General Hospital and L.A. Lawover the course of his career. This is the most bizarre and sad news of all, especially considering that he was Burt Reynolds character. One more interesting bit of trivia about Strange. 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. He continued to appear in westerns, playing a villainous Sam Noonan. [2], Strange appeared twice as Jim Wade on Bill Williams's syndicated Western series geared to juvenile audiences The Adventures of Kit Carson. Blake, who portrayed the saloon owner in CBSs popular western TV series, left one season before the show ended. After Gunsmoke ended in 1975, Stone made his directorial debut as Doc Adams, the shows main character. Though Andrew Campbell only appeared in one episode of the show, his presence was certainly felt. Who played Joe the waiter on Gunsmoke? - TimesMojo He had already checked into rehab by the time he was 19, and his struggles with chemical dependency were documented well before that. While his role in Gunsmoke was likely his most memorable, Strange had a successful career acting in other. Amanda Blake's Death Was AIDS-Related, Doctor Says - AP News For seven years and over 150 episodes, Edward Herrmann played Gilmore family patriarch Richard Gilmore on Gilmore Girls. Level-headed Sam walked into the bar first in Season 6 and was on the show until his death in 1973 at age 74. In the original radio series, William Conrad voiced the role of Marshal Matt Dillon. He then moved to Hollywood and starred in five Gunsmoke TV movies. Curtis 'Cactus Mack' McPeters, joined the Arizona Wranglers - a Sent. Strange grew up in the West Texas town of Cross Cut. 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. She appeared in 425 episodes before wrapping up the show. Among other TV roles, he capped off his career with a steady (12 years) role as Sam the bartender on the classic Gunsmoke (1955) series from 1962 until shortly before his death from lung cancer in 1973. Known for his role as Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke, Glenn Strange passed away nearly 50 years ago. 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. With Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis, Buck Taylor. In 2000, the Schiff character was written out of the show to accommodate Hill's resignation /> poems from the outside edges and inside ledges . They persevered, and the sad saga was broadcast. Blakes death certificate listed the immediate cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest due to liver failure and CMV hepatitis. 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. If you haven't watched Kolchak, you've gotta watch Kolchak. In addition, Strange and his wife were friends who wrote songs together. The show was put on hiatus following the shocking loss and returned the next season with a story about his character's death in a car accident. Sam, the bartender 213 Episodes 1975. In 1954, Strange played Sheriff Billy Rowland in Jim Davis's syndicated Western series Stories of the Century. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Their sons Rolf and Craig are still alive, but sadly, he died before his daughter. Phil Hartman's tragic death was addressed by NewsRadio in a beautifully balanced manner. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. He died of lung cancer at age 74, which left his widow Amanda Blake to carry on. He played Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke, a western show that aired for eleven seasons on NBC. After the show ended, Strange went on to pursue a career in photography, which he continued for many years. In 1961, he began the small, but regular, role as Sam Noonan the bartender in Miss Kittys Long Branch Saloon, Dodge City in the TV show, Gunsmoke. That same year, he played rancher Pat Cafferty, who faces the threat of anthrax, in the episode "Queen of the Cimarron" of the syndicated Western series, Frontier Doctor. He was married to Virginia Chapman for 10 years. Growing up in Cross Cut, Texas, his father was a rancher. He played a variety of roles in the series, including a recurring character called Quint Asper. Your email address will not be published. You could almost say he was born to play western roles. Why Did Sam Leave Gunsmoke - Telegraph Gunsmoke is a long-running radio series that was adapted for television in the 1950s. TV Deaths That Happened Because The Actor Really Died - Grunge.com How Long Does It Take To Become A Bartender? He portrayed the role almost exclusively until his death in 1973. Strange was Butch Cavendish, the outlaw that bushwhacks the Texas While well start with Burt Reynolds, James Arness, and Ben Bates, well get to Burt Strange next. Sams last name was Noonan. He was Sam the bartender at the Long Branch saloon on GUNSMOKE from 1962 until shortly before his death from lung cancer in 1973. For the uninitiated, Mister Hooper was the proprietor of Hooper's Store, the preferred corner store and eatery of the denizens of Sesame Street. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Reynolds starred in the series for three seasons, and after leaving the show, went on to a successful career as an actor in movies. Strange was married from 1937 to his death in 1973 to his second wife, Minnie Thompson (19112004). On television, the lead role was played by James Arness, and Stone starred alongside other legends like Roy Rogers and Michael Douglas. It belonged to Colasanto and used to hang in his dressing room. Played Waiter in "Gunsmoke" in 1955. But time keeps moving forward, and inevitably, it catches up to all of us. 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. Offscreen, however, Young's life was a difficult one. Is Leslie Nielsen related to James Arness? What you may not know about the late actor are some of the positions he had prior, and some may surprise you. In Season 7, McGarry ran for vice president alongside Jimmy Smits' Congressman Santos. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Another character on Gunsmoke was Glenn Strange. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Then, in 1998, Hartman was shot to death by his wife, who then killed herself. Arness continued to appear in several movies and television series, and he acted in more than sixty TV episodes. His absence on the show led the creators to make sure that all three characters were written out. The writers on Mad Menoffed his character in Season 2, where they revealed that he had died in the real life American Flight 1 plane crash, a 1962 airline accident that took the lives of everyone on board. He learned to play guitar and fiddle. Glenn would play extra or bit roles for a number of years B Western and serials. Initially, his character was written out as having left the country to deal with unfinished business. Although Noonan died of cancer, his death will be mourned by the entire television community. Doc Adams didnt leave Gunsmoke by choice despite the stereotypes that actors leave shows over drama behind the scenes. Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer, 20 Best free fitness apps for Android devices. She was ready to give CBS President William Paley. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". If you close your eyes and hold an ACME phone to your ear, legend has it that you can still hear her barking the word "gumshoes" at you from across the decades. Is Leslie Nielsen related to James Arness? Until the Simpsons came along, it was the longest-running prime-time series of all time. Showrunner John Wells has contradicted O'Donnell's claims, but one thing they agree on is this: They couldn't keep doing the show without Spencer. Gunsmoke (TV Series 1955-1975) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb 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. His work on the show is credited to the enduring popularity of the show, and Bates recurring role in the series has become one of its most enduring TV characters. Phil Hartman was an American treasure on the same scale as Yosemite, even if he was technicallyborn in Canada. His death sparked debate and controversy, but he is remembered for being an extremely fast draw. Buck Taylor, another of Strange's costars on "Gunsmoke," named his son Cooper Glenn Taylor in honor of Strange. google_color_text = "CCCCCC"; Early on, James Arness was paid $1200 per episode, but later on, he negotiated for a contract worth $22,000 per episode. The actor who portrayed Sam Noonan was a big star, despite his small role. In the television series, Matt Dillon was played by actor James Arness. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. 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. His last name was Noonan, so he would often quip with his friend Sam about the funniest thing he had seen. "Roy Bean, Temple Houston, Bill Longley, Ranald Mackenzie, Buffalo Bill, Jr., and the Texas Rangers: Depictions of West Texans in Series Television, 1955 to 1967", "Secrets Of TV's The Rifleman: More Than Just Guns And Good Times: Stagecoach Driver (Glenn Strange)", "Glenn Strange, Actor, Dies; Was 'Gunsmoke' Bartender", https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JT41-TQ9, Glenn Strange appears on Abbott and Costello's television program, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Glenn_Strange&oldid=1128811847, Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 22 December 2022, at 03:21. Glenn came to Gunsmoke when he met James Arness in 59. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Mack was undergoing abdominal surgery when the series began, and he died soon thereafter, while filming The Ugly American with Marlon Brando. He was also the leading man in The Naked Gun and later starred as Jake Bayloe. After all, it's at its heart a show sensationalizing and gritting up a children's comic about milkshakes and old-timey Americana hijinks with sex, murder, and a deathly serious re-imagining of Josie and the Pussycats. He would perform as a cowhand, rustler, accomplice, sidekick, or plain old warbling, harmonica-blowing cowboy. On September 20, 1973, at age 74, Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California. [6] In addition, Strange was an eighth-generation great-grandson of John Rolfe and Pocahontas through his maternal grandfather. James Arness rode the same Buckskin horse (Buck) in this movie as he rode in many episodes of Gunsmoke (1955). Cousin of Rex Allen, Cactus Mack and Lee Lasses White. He had an insatiable appetite for scenery and a hell of a goatee. He also played The Monster in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). (Of course, in the patchwork scene, they said he died.) The show was a hit, and it lasted for 20 seasons. At the time of his death, Young had been playing Barry Frost on TNT's Rizzoli & Isles for four seasons. The series later introduced a Norwegian-German actor named Michael Learned as Dillons ex-lover, and Richard Kiley as Chalk Brighton, a die-hard suitor of Matt Dillon. Strange was Butch Cavendish, the outlaw that bushwhacks the Texas Rangers in the opening three-parter of the LONE RANGER TV show. 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. His work on the show is credited to the . The shows long-running run and wide popularity led CBS to continue its run on Monday nights. The Arness brothers and Nielsen were all born in the 20s, with Nielsen and Peter Graves even co-starring in Airplane! Although Arness was not involved in the production of the show, he said that Reynolds had a successful career and continued to appear in several other television shows. A native New Yorker andex-peanut vendor at Yankee Stadium, he turned to stand-up comedy and later to character acting, despite having no professional theatrical training. He was seen (or glimpsed) in many of the popular serials of the day, including The Hurricane Express (1932), Law of the Wild (1934),The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939), and Riders of Death Valley (1941). 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). Mrs. Wolowitz was killed in her sleep during the episode "The Comic Book Store Regeneration," and several episodes were written around the character's death. Despite his death on the set of Gunsmoke, Arness remained an icon of western film and television. After Gunsmoke wrapped up, Dillon gifted Bates his signature .45 sidearm. As Glenn began to get a serious chill, Chaney recommended that alcohol would keep Strange warm. Christopher Allport wasn't a household name, but he was an actor who worked consistently throughout his life, scoring nearly 100 screen roles over four decades, according to IMDB. Instead, they rewrote the ending with McGarry dying on election night and Santos becoming president. He also starred in the 1981-82 series McClains Law, which starred Marshall Colt. He'll teach you about baseball. Required fields are marked *. Rangers in the opening three-parter of the LONE RANGER TV show. He was replaced by Woody Harrelson's character Woody, Coach's old "pen pal," with whom he used to exchange pens in the mail. Glenn Strange, Actor, Dies; Was 'Gunsmoke' Bartender This was due to the untimely death of Stanley Kamel, who had succumbed to a real heart attackin April 2008. Glenn Strange played Sam the Bartender on Gunsmoke. He played the nemesis "Butch Cavendish" and later reprised the role, after a prison escape, on "The Lone Ranger" (1949). George Cleveland was part of a generation of actors who got their start in vaudeville and lived long enough to make it to television. Strange could barely walk straight after the day's shooting. For more Gunsmoke trivia, check out the following list! Noonans death sparked a massive fan-base. It was explained that Coach had died, but not a lot of details were given. The cancellation of Gunsmoke came as a surprise to fans, and the cast was unable to put together a farewell episode. The cast and crew put together a public service announcement on the subject of cardiac health. An autopsy later revealed that the 31-year-old actor had passed away after overdosing on alcohol and heroin. To make up for the lost role, an actor . What was Glenn Strange last Gunsmoke episode? Monteith's life was both short and difficult. Fans of CBS's The Big Bang Theory might not have been familiar with Carol Ann Susi's face, but they definitely knew her voice: She played Debbie Wolowitz, the unseen but oft-heard mother of Howard. the Frankenstein monster in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Universal, This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. But how? The producers considered writing Hooper out, sending the character off to Florida to retire. In 1961, he began the small, but regular, role as Sam Noonan the bartender in Miss Kitty's Long Branch Saloon, Dodge City in the TV show, Gunsmoke. During his pre-teen years, he played guitar and fiddle. The world was shocked by the sudden death of John Ritter in 2003. In addition to Burt Reynoldss portrayal of Sam the bartender, Glenn Strange also had a significant role on the series. There, they found he had taken his own life. 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. The Oscar-nominated actor was also nominated for an Emmy in the same category. Around 12, he taught himself the fiddle and guitar and began performing in his teenage years. Marcia Wallace had a remarkable career. He appeared in more than 300 mo tion pictures, including Red River, Red Badge of Cour age, The Cardinal and the Frankenstein series, in which he succeeded Boris Karloff as the monster. Death. Click HERE for more stuff The production made sure that all three characters (Dillon, Chester, and Festus . He acted as a sidekick and sang in a number of B movies before landing the role of the Frankenstein Monster in Universal films. While this was probably Susi's most prolific role, she had a long, fascinating career as a television and movie actress, starting with a recurring role on Kolchak: The Night Stalker all the way back in 1974. Arness second wife, Janet Surtrees, is still married to him. From the moment he walked out of a horse box in Doctor Who's Season 8 premiere, Roger Delgado made a splash as the villainous Master. The shows star cast included actors like William Conrad, Howard McNear, and Milburn Stone. TV Deaths That Happened Because The Actor Really Died, According to executive producer Lawrence O'Donnell. (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. He even made his first appearance in a remake of the classic film The Rifleman. Arness was born James Aurness in Minneapolis on May 26, 1923. On the big screen, he had meaty roles in films that ran the gamut in quality, from Akeelah and the Bee to The Hills Have Eyes 2. When he died in 1998 at 82, he was playing a recurring character, Judge Boyle, on the hit series Ally McBeal. 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. Despite the death of his co-star, the show remained in Dodge City after 1975. James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon, was also impressed with the young actor. The thieves, all teenagers, have been given a 'work release': two of them work on a farm and the third for the Long Branch Saloon as Sam's helper. The episode, The Sharecroppers, aired in 1975 and revolved around Deputy Festus Haggen, who accidentally shoots a man in the leg and then helps out at the mans family farm. 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. The original Cowboy actor, Cactus Mack, died in 1962, just months after his last role on Gunsmoke. His declining health forced him to leave the role in 1973. He played Frankenstein in House of Frankenstein in 1944, House of Dracula in 1945, and, just for laughs, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein in 1948. The Associated Press reported that Blake, who had lived in Phoenix, learned of the cancellation only after the shows 19th season. Actress Amanda Blake landed the role of Miss Kitty Russell on the popular western series Gunsmoke in 1955. As a teenager, Burt Reynolds played the role of Sam the bartender on the hit show Gunsmoke. They ended up in Hollywood. Learn more about the full cast of Gunsmoke with news, photos, videos and more at TV Guide. As the bartender, Strange became a voice of reason and a calming element on the show. In a 1985 interview with the Chicago Tribune, the publication lists that 6-hour drive to Hollywood as the reason why her tenure wrapped up in 1974. Strange died on Sept. 23, 1973, from lung cancer at 74 years old. Anyone can read what you share. He was a cold and unhappy man whose contempt for the advertising world and his own son pushed Pete to make some unfortunate decisions. Arness passed away in 2011. Altogether, he appeared in 237 episodes, including those in which he does not play Sam. That same year, Strange appeared in an uncredited role as the sheriff in Silver Rapids in the Western movie The Fastest Gun Alive starring Glenn Ford. In 1958, they performed at the Albuquerque Arena during the New Mexico State Fair, breaking a house record. If youre wondering, theres more than one answer! His characterization of Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke helped set the standard for the series. He was an Irishman and Cherokee and was a close relative of Rex Allen. One of his first roles was uncredited as a soldier, in tin armor, as part of "Ming's Army", in the science fiction classic serial "Flash Gordon"(1936/I). He is best remembered for playing Frankensteins monster in three Universal films during the 1940s and for his role as Sam Noonan, the popular bartender on CBS s Gunsmoke television series. These raises werent the best part though. He married his first wife, Flora Hooper, and later, to Minnie Thompson. google_ad_width = 160; He first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1959 and assumed several roles on the long-running program before he was permanently cast as stolid bartender Sam Noonan, a role he played from 1961 until 1973.[4]. He was 74 years old when he died of cancer.