Amanda Blake

Born Beverly Louise Neill on February 20, 1929, in Buffalo, New York, Amanda Blake descended from Revolutionary War heroine Kate Barry. After high school in Claremont, California, she briefly attended Pomona College—but community theater and radio led her to pursue acting, working odd jobs like a telephone operator to make ends meet

In the late 1940s, MGM spotted her potential and dubbed her “the next Greer Garson.” She adopted the stage name Amanda Blake and appeared in early films like Stars in My Crown, Cattle Town (1952), Miss Robin Crusoe (1954), and A Star Is Born. But it was television that brought her fame.

In 1955, Blake was cast as Miss Kitty Russell, the quick-witted saloonkeeper in Gunsmoke, playing opposite James Arness’s Marshal Matt Dillon. For 19 seasons and 425 episodes, she embodied a character both resilient and tender—someone who, as fans still remember, felt more like family than co-star. Her character was grounded, a strong businesswoman who cared deeply for Dillon—and viewers loved their understated chemistry.

Outside of Gunsmoke, Blake guest-starred on shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Red Skelton Show, The Dean Martin Comedy Roasts, Match Game, Tattletales, and The Love Boat. She married four times—most notably to Frank Gilbert, with whom she co-founded one of the first captive cheetah breeding programs.