I was very sad to learn of the death today of James Arness, Marshal Dillon of Gunsmoke and countless other roles, most notably as the “giant carrot from outer space” of Christian Nyby and Howard Hawks’ The Thing from Another World (1951).  Here he is with Tim in the Gunsmoke episode “The Gentleman,” which first aired on June 7, 1958.

Tim was able to say that he was punched out on-screen by both James Arness and Peter Graves. Not too many people could lay that claim. Happy trails, Marshal Dillon.