John Wayne ‘never forgave’ Gunsmoke’s James Arness for snubbing him

Over his incredible Hollywood career, John Wayne had many regular collaborators in his movies like Ward Bond, Howard Hawks and John Ford. Duke and these men were part of Tinseltown’s strong conservative circle who were in favour of blacklisting suspected communists and progressive Democrats. One of these Republican close friends and regular co-stars was James Arness. Unfortunately, that relationship was to be damaged very badly.

Arness played supporting roles opposite Wayne in 1950s movies like Big Jim McLain, Hondo, Island in the Sky and The Sea Chase. Generous Duke even had him star in fast-paced Western Gun the Man Down for his Batjac production company. Yet helping his pal with his career didn’t stop there. Wayne recommended Arness to lead the TV show Gunsmoke as Matt Dillon, even introducing him in the first episode’s prologue in 1955.

Arness had been starring for five years in Gunsmoke and hadn’t made a movie since the Wayne-produced Gun the Man Down in 1956. The only exception was a cameo as Dillon in Bob Hope’s 1959 comedy Western Alias Jesse James.

Duke had set up an interview with Arness, hoping he would have time to play the small role of Houston in The Alamo. However, to his dismay, his old pal never turned up. The story goes that Wayne never really forgave him for the snub and Richard Boone was cast instead. Arness never made another cinematic movie after that.