Gunsmoke aired on television from 1955 to 1975. One of the first TV Westerns geared toward adults, the show was a huge hit for CBS. It centered on Matt Dillon (James Arness), a U.S. Marshal in the frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas. Plenty of conflicts and criminals blew into town, and the marshall and his deputies dutifully handled them all. Dillon also had a friend and confidant in Miss Kitty Russell. Actor Amanda Blake portrayed the local saloon and bordello owner for 19 of the show’s 20 seasons.
But after her successful stint, the actor faced challenges, including health problems that ultimately killed her. What was Amanda Blake’s cause of death, and why did her friends tell everyone she died of throat cancer?
Miss Kitty was a pivotal character in ‘Gunsmoke’ Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell in ‘Gunsmoke’ | CBS via Getty Images
When Amanda Blake signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the late 1940s,...
But after her successful stint, the actor faced challenges, including health problems that ultimately killed her. What was Amanda Blake’s cause of death, and why did her friends tell everyone she died of throat cancer?
Miss Kitty was a pivotal character in ‘Gunsmoke’ Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell in ‘Gunsmoke’ | CBS via Getty Images
When Amanda Blake signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the late 1940s,...
- 1/28/2023
- by Stacy Feintuch
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
There was a time when it seemed like you could set your watch to a new Brendan Fraser hit movie coming out every couple of years. But after a great run in the 1990s, the star of "George of the Jungle" and "The Mummy" had a curious box office disaster appear out of nowhere.
Heading into the new millennium, Fraser had just wrapped the action spectacular "The Mummy" which grossed more than 155 million, and the supernatural romantic comedy "Bedazzled" which raked in more than 90 million worldwide. And just when it looked like anything he touched would turn to box office gold, "Monkeybone" happened.
Twentieth Century Fox shelled out 75 million and teamed Fraser with "The Nightmare Before Christmas" director Henry Selick for a strange dark comedy that blended animation and live action. But production and promotion gaffes plagued the film from the start. The movie ended Fraser's impressive run of profitable hits,...
Heading into the new millennium, Fraser had just wrapped the action spectacular "The Mummy" which grossed more than 155 million, and the supernatural romantic comedy "Bedazzled" which raked in more than 90 million worldwide. And just when it looked like anything he touched would turn to box office gold, "Monkeybone" happened.
Twentieth Century Fox shelled out 75 million and teamed Fraser with "The Nightmare Before Christmas" director Henry Selick for a strange dark comedy that blended animation and live action. But production and promotion gaffes plagued the film from the start. The movie ended Fraser's impressive run of profitable hits,...
- 12/12/2022
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
WWE star Jerry Lawler's vital signs are stable, it has been confirmed. The wrestling legend - known as 'The King' - collapsed from a heart attack while commentating on WWE Monday Night Raw yesterday and had to be rushed from ringside for medical attention. It was later reported that Lawler would undergo surgery, although he was revealed to be breathing on his own. Lawler's ex-wife Stacy Carter revealed on Twitter that the 62-year-old underwent the procedure (more)...
- 9/11/2012
- by By Christian Tobin
- Digital Spy
Jerry 'The King' Lawler's vital signs are stable ... and he seems to be making progress in his recovery after suffering a heart attack on live TV during a WWE event Monday night. A rep for the WWE tells TMZ ... "As of this morning, Jerry 'The King' Lawler is in a cardiac care unit and all his vital signs are stable."The org. notes, "WWE will provide additional information as it becomes available. We continue to...
- 9/11/2012
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
If you still haven't had your fill of the wives of basketball players, hip hop stars, NFL athletes, and mob bosses, you're in luck, as VH1 has picked up Wrestling Wives, a show about three former WWE Divas and wives of current WWE personalities. According to Wrestle Heat, the show is from the people behind Animal Planet's Pit Boss and will follow Sharmell (Sharmell Sullivan-Hoffman, wife of Booker T), Miss Kitty/The Kat (Stacy Carter, wife of Kizarny), and Jackie Gayda-Haas (wife of Charlie Haas).
VH1 has made a major transformation since their ratings glory days in the mid 2000s. Once the home of trashy-awesome entertainment like Flavor of Love and Rock of Love, the network is now home to a mix of positive-leaning self-improvement shows (Tough Love), Real Housewives-ish shows (Basketball Wives), and competition shows (Wedding Wars).
Seeing the curtain lifted on the WWE should be pretty entertaining,...
VH1 has made a major transformation since their ratings glory days in the mid 2000s. Once the home of trashy-awesome entertainment like Flavor of Love and Rock of Love, the network is now home to a mix of positive-leaning self-improvement shows (Tough Love), Real Housewives-ish shows (Basketball Wives), and competition shows (Wedding Wars).
Seeing the curtain lifted on the WWE should be pretty entertaining,...
- 4/4/2011
- by Shilo Adams
- TVovermind.com
First there was the " Real Housewives ." Then came " Basketball Wives ." Now TMZ has learned a show currently in production centers around a new group of famous spouses -- " Wrestler Wives ." Multiple sources tell us the guys behind "Pit Boss" have teamed up with VH1 to produce a show which follows the wives of famous wrestlers -- and the pilot has already begun shooting in Houston. Sources say Sharmell Sullivan-Huffman ( Booker T 's wife), Stacy Carter...
- 4/4/2011
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Bruce Beresford-Redman -- Wrestled with Reality Bruce Beresford-Redman was working on a brand new reality show right up until his wife was murdered -- a show that revolved around professional wrestling. TMZ spoke with Stacy Carter -- aka Miss Kitty from the WWE -- who claims Bbr had contacted her roughly two years ago to discuss a reality show based on her life ... specifically her transition from wrestling into her new career as a real estate broker. Carter says she and some of her famous friends -- including "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Jimmy Hart and Al Snow -- shot a bunch of footage with Bbr ... and it seemed like they were going to get a deal. Carter tells us she had spoken with Bbr in recent months ... but the calls stopped in April ... right around the time Bbr's wife was murdered. Now that Bbr has been charged...
- 6/2/2010
- by tmz
- Gossipvita
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