Gunsmoke Star James Arness – Marshall Dillon Dead at 88 [VIDEO]

I loved the TV show "Gunsmoke". We used to play cowboys with our cap guns when I was a kid.

It was always a big argument between me and my friends John and Chancey when it came down to who got to be "Marshall Dillon". He was the man, he was the John Wayne of his day on TV. Nobody wanted to be Festus, Marshall Dillon's bumbling but loveable deputy.  Festus who was played by Ken Curtis on "Gunsmoke' has a rabid cult following today and a website that is dedicated to him. Today is a sad day for a lot of kids like me, becasue James Arness who played  "Marshall Dillon"  on Gunsmoke died of natural causes today at the age of 88.

Toby Keith was a big fan of the show as a kid too and his biggest hit ever was about the love that never was between Marshall Dillon and the head madame at the Dodge City Salloon "Miss Kitty". Here it is, "Should've Been A Cowboy".

If you want watch an actual full episode of Gunsmoke here's one for you.