The shows star cast included actors like William Conrad, Howard McNear, and Milburn Stone. But in February of 2019, the 52-year-old performer suffered a massive stroke, passing away a few days later on March 4th. Cory Monteith's brief but astonishing career as an actor saw him starring in movies and TV shows, with appearances on Stargate, Supernatural, and Smallville, among others, before really hitting it big on Glee. The world was shocked by the sudden death of John Ritter in 2003. In the film, she is a former animal activist, who fought to raise awareness of the disease. The original series of Gunsmoke aired from September 1955 until the spring of 1975. If you were a fan of the hit TV series GUNSMOKE, you may be curious to learn how did Sam the bartender die. Your email address will not be published. As Sam's old baseball coach, he could have easily fallen into the role of father figure for the show's protagonist, but was written instead as an almost childlike character. He was sinister. 1948). Mr. His widow, Nin, and a daugh ter, Janine, survive. Played by British actor Nicholas Courtney, the character of Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart appeared in more than 100 episodes of the series, also showing up in its various spin-offs, radio dramas, and comic books. Then, the next year, Edna's death was referenced in the Season 25 episode "The Man Who Grew Too Much.". He held his notable bartending role for 12 years before passing away from lung cancer on September 20, 1973. According to IMDb, Dennis Weaver, Milburn Stone, and Amanda Blake formed a singing trio in 1958. However, it seems Arness harnessed some of that persona in real life, especially with how much he looked out for his stuntman. Dennis Weaver, who played Chester, started his program and had to leave Gunsmoke. google_ad_format = "160x600_as"; as Sam the bartender. There, they found he had taken his own life.