The Official James Arness Website - Gunsmoke (http://www.jamesarness.com/)

For those of us who grew up watching Marshal Matt Dillon keep the peace in Dodge City in the TV Series "Gunsmoke," the passing of James Arness feels like we have lost an old friend.

Sad day. Gunsmoke was a great show, and Arness was its heart and soul. I still watch it on occasion since some of the local channels still show it in syndication. It's amazing how well it holds up to the passage of time.