How old was James Arness when he died?

The actor James Arness died on June 3, 2011, at the age of 88. Arness passed away at his Brentwood residence in Los Angeles, California, of natural causes. He was best known for his role as U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon on the popular TV series, "Gunsmoke."

Arness was born on May 26, 1923, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II and then worked in radio until moving to Hollywood in 1946. He made his film debut in 1947 and appeared in several movies before being cast as Matt Dillon in 1955. Arness played the role for over 20 years until the series' end in 1977. His last acting credit came in 1994 for the role of Matt Dillon in the TV movie "Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice."