Who is Janet Surtees?- Biography
Janet Surtees’ husband is one of the most well-known western actors in Hollywood history the late James Arness, who traveled on his illustrious voyage with his wife.
Although Surtees initially met the Gunsmoke actor when he was already one of America’s most popular movie idols, she refused to be overwhelmed by his celebrity. She maintained her composure, which would serve them both well in marriage. Before the renowned actor passed away in 2011, Surtees and Arness had a long-lasting relationship despite sharing the limelight for 33 years. Since then, ten years have passed, and Janet Surtees is still content to live her life privately.
Janet Surtees: Profession, Career
James Arness, a deceased Hollywood star, was one of several celebrities who later wed regular people. Janet Surtees was employed in a garment store at the time he first met his future wife. Prior to that, Surtees went to high school and may have attended college, though it is unknown for definite.
Other than the fact that her brother and father were pilots, not much is known about her birthdate, birthplace, or family history. Despite her impoverished upbringing, Janet Surtees maintained a reasonably level head and did not lose it because Arness was a famous Hollywood actor, as evidenced by their relationship.
Quick Facts of Janet Surtees (Table)
| Name: Janet Surtees Arness
Date of birth: N/A Place of birth: N/A Ethnicity: Caucasian Nationality: American Occupation: Clothing store employee Husband: James Arness Children: Jim Surtees Stepchildren: Three, including Rolf Arness |
Relationship Status of Janet Surtees
In 1975, she and James Arness started dating while watching the final episode of Gunsmoke.
James Arness appeared in a wide range of films and television programs, but his reputation will always be linked to the CBS drama Gunsmoke, in which he played the laconic, upright, and moral Marshall Matt Dillon of Dodge City. He became well-known both inside and outside of America throughout his 20-year career on the show. Additionally, he had the opportunity to meet Janet Surtees, who would become his true love.
Arness was already divorced and had experienced additional heartache when he finished up production on Gunsmoke in 1975. His close friends decided that he needed help with dating, and his Gunsmoke makeup artist was one of those who took this responsibility seriously.
The makeup artist talked about Arness with his wife, who ran a clothes business, and the two made the decision to set the actor up on a date with Janet Surtees, a worker at the clothing store. Despite knowing that Arness was a well-known actor, Surtees, a single mother, was first hesitant to go out on a date with him.
She eventually consented, at least to tell her Gunsmoke fan son that she had met a cast member and that the date had been fantastic. She spent the entire evening learning fascinating stuff about Arness, and the two of them decided to go on another date the next day.
The second date between the two ended up being even more enjoyable than the first since Arness made a big effort to make Janet have a wonderful time. He flew the two of them out on a private plane to his expansive home in the highlands after taking her grocery shopping for dinner.
Once there, they had a picnic outside and went horseback riding before Janet took off for her native country. It was a flawless evening by any standard, so Janet was taken aback when Arness abruptly cut off all contact following that date. Her boss pushed her to get in touch after he didn’t call for the following three months.
She vehemently objected and demanded that the actor should be given the opportunity. She reasoned that if he was interested in dating her, he would have to call her among all the other girls who were phoning him. Before Arness finally called her, Janet Surtees steadfastly defended her position for three months. She accepted another date after he re-invited her. They swiftly restarted a committed relationship and continued where they left off. Before getting married in 1978, they dated each other for a few years.
The couple has four children from previous relationships but never had children together
James Arness and Janet Surtees were partners for almost 40 years, yet they never had children together. They never lacked love in their lives, therefore there could have been a number of causes for this. They created a warm home for the kids from previous relationships and assisted each other in accomplishing various goals. For instance, Arness’s first marriage lasted from 1948 to 1960 to Virginia Chapman. A son named Rolf and a girl named Jenny Lee were born in the union. Craig, Virginia’s son from a previous relationship, was also adopted by the actor.
Craig Arness became a well-known photographer as he grew older. In the 1970s and 1980s, he worked for National Geographic, producing a number of books and stories for them. The National Press Photographers Association recognized him with multiple honors for his work for the magazine.
Later, he quit Nat Geo to help launch Westlight, his stock photography company. Prior to his passing in 2004, Craig Arness had achieved success. Rolf Arness was another successful son of Arness. Rolf picked up his father James’ love of surfing and became serious about it after he fell at the age of nine. He became a great surfer as he got older and eventually won the 1970 World Surfing Championship.
Jenny Lee Arness, another daughter of James Arness, was born. She was born in 1950, struggled with drug addiction for a number of years, and passed away at age 25 from a heroin overdose. Prior to meeting Arness, Janet Surtees had a son by the name of Jim Surtees.
Arness happily welcomed Jim into their family and they all lived together while he was growing up, albeit little information is known about his father. Jim is an adult now, yet he avoids the spotlight in his daily life. There are few specifics on his residence or line of work.
James Arness and Janet Surtees persisted in their relationship up until the actor’s passing in 2011
James Arness and Janet Surtees lived in southern California’s Brentwood district and were wed for 33 years. Despite the fact that Arness was a well-known actor, they shied away from the limelight and only occasionally appeared in public to commemorate Arness. They also volunteered their time to help other nonprofit groups and went to some Gunsmoke conventions in Dodge City. Arness stated that they had a wonderful marriage in a letter that he uploaded on his website a few months before he passed away.
He expressed his gratitude to Gunsmoke fans for their unwavering support over the years in the message and went on to call his wife a remarkable person. He added that she and his family were the highlights of his life. On June 3, 2011, James Arness passed away at home with his wife by his side.
His family requested donations to United Cerebral Palsy, his favorite charity, in lieu of flowers for a private funeral. Since her husband’s passing, Janet Surtees has remained out of the public eye. She continues to spend her time on her grandchildren and charitable endeavors.
