Blake died Wednesday of throat cancer at age 60 at Mery General Hospital, where she had been a patient for three weeks after experiencing deteoriating health in a 12-year battle with cancer.. After the divorce, Blake tied the knot with her second spouse, Jason Dayin 1964. However, she has net worth was estimated to be around, The Young Greer Garson, Kitty, Miss Kitty Russell, Don Whitman (m. 1954; div. Amanda Blake and Mark Spaeth marriage did not survive even one year but caused terrible consequences that costed life to the actress. 671 Amanda Blake Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All Sports Entertainment News Archival Browse 671 amanda blake photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. Urdy adds: "He was accepted as being gay, and his close friends were known to be gay.. Portrait of America actress Amanda Blake, in costume as Kitty Russell, on the set of the American television series 'Gunsmoke,' 1967. She followed that up with theater and radio acting in Buffalo She passed away at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California. Everything looks idyllic, and it becomes difficult to stop admiring such movies. she died from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills at her home in Malibu, . However, Spaeth passed away in 1985 from complications of the disease. 296,669,475 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. Amanda Blake was an actress best known for her role as "Miss Kitty Russell" on a western TV series, Gunsmoke. [8] She married Jason Seymour Day Jr. in 1964 and divorced him in 1967. She portrays Miss Kitty on the western series, Gunsmoke. Nishiruma says that Blake's cause of death was related to Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. While acting in small theater and stock companies she also painted backdrops and scenery. While living on a ranch at nearby Galt, California, she was admitted to Mercy General hospital in Sacramento where she died at the age of 60. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. id: "beb5f82f-dce3-49e6-a836-cf24eb78a6f6", She signed several hundred autographed pictures in costume as Kitty Russell. In the late 1940s, Blake was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as the studio saw her as its next Greer Garson. However, it was later revealed that the actress had passed away from something worse. In 1984, she was the recipient of the society's annual Courage Award, which was presented to her by then U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Color broadcasts began in 1966. The show didn't . The stunning American actress, Amanda Blake was best known for her roles in the classic western series Gunsmoke as Miss Kitty. Of course, Blake might have netted an even bigger . Her television roles included Split Playhouse of Stars, Cavalcade of America and Four-star Playhouse. [1] After the divorce from Whitman, she would go to the 'saloon set' of Gunsmoke. Blake had also appeared in MGMs Stars in My Crown and Schlitz Playhouse: Double Exposure. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Unfortunately, her private life was far less glamorous. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Amanda was born as an only child, and hence had no sister or any known sibling. Jerri Ewen, who was the Mercy General spokeswoman, had reported cancer as the cause of death at the request of Blake's close friends. Moreover, there is no information regarding Blakes children. She afterwards made an appearance on behalf of the American Cancer Society. Barbara Bain: husband, daughter, net worth, movies and TV shows. [6] Kemo lived in an animal compound at her home, at which she and husband Frank Gilbert ran an experimental breeding program for cheetahs. A Star Is Born (1954) (Musical, Drama, Romance) 2. | Source: YouTube/ Most Actor and Actress Hollywood. 1982), and Mark Spaeth (m. 1984; div. GREAT NEWS! Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. How did Amanda Blake die? In 1968, Blake was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. wid: "428986", Amanda Blake was born Beverly Louise Neill in Buffalo, New York,[1] the only child of Jesse and Louise (ne Puckett) Neill. Amanda Blake's spouse and the 4th husband, Frank Gilbert, supported her in raising cheetahs on their four-acre ranch. With her fierce loyalty, Louise found fame in Hollywood. Spaeth had claimed before he died that Blake had infected him after returning from a trip to Africa. With her third husband Frank Gilbert, Blake started an experimental breeding program for cheetahs, and successfully raised seven generations of the beautiful, but endangered animals. She warned local patriots of Banastre Tarleton's approach, giving them time to group and prepare for the Battle of Cowpens (January 17, 1781), a major American victory that helped pave the way for the British defeat at Yorktown. However, the hospital and her friends claimed that she died of cancer. Blake reportedly was a one-time board member of the Humane Society of the United States. Dr. Nishimura spoke after a report by television station KRBK in Sacramento, where Miss Blake was a longtime resident, quoted her friends as saying now that her death was related to AIDS. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Gunsmoke originated on the radio in 1952 with William Conrad reading the part of Matt Dillon. While working as a telephone operator, she began doing bit parts for MGM which landed her a contract. All content, including text, and images contained on. However, her fourth and last husband also died of AIDS-related complications. BUY TWO IMAGES, GET THE LOWEST PRICE IMAGE HALF PRICE WITH CODE: 50%OFFNEXTIMAGE. Failed to report flower. Blake sure earned a lot of clams working on the show. In 1954, she appeared in A Star Is Born. Blake left the world forever at the Mercy General Hospital of California. Reports later claimed that her cause of death was AIDS, though that wasn't listed on her death certificate. "Technically she died of liver failure brought on by viral hepatitis, which was AIDS-related.". The actor did a few films before becoming Miss Kitty. After getting separated from her third husband, Amanda got married to Mark Edward. The stone displays her given name Beverly Louise Neill. Amanda "Miss Kitty" Blake on a scene in the movie | Source: YouTube/ Most Actor and Actress Hollywood. In her will, Blake had left her $400,000 estate to PAWS, the Progressive Animal Welfare Society. Amanda Blake poses for a photo during the shooting of "Gunsmoke" | Source: YouTube/ Most Actor and Actress Hollywood. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. The five-time married actress was cremated without fanfare and her ashes were given to her family for disposition. It was the longest marriage for the actress because it lasted 14 years. Rumours have it that Blake was also in a relationship with James Arness. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. She was born Beverly Louise Neill on 20th February 1929 in Buffalo, New York in the US. Even though Blake had been married 5 times, she had no children, and her aunt and cousins had expected to inherit. Lets go deeper into Amandas life and find out the secrets about her spouse, children, net worth, death, and salary. However, she again divorced Frank in 1982. Failed to delete memorial. Totals: 233 half-hour episodes and 400 hour episodes were filmed. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. [7] She was the third performer inducted, after Tom Mix and Gary Cooper, selected in 1958 and in 1966. After a few menial movie appearances, she landed the role at age 26 that would make her a household name for the next 20 years, Miss Kathleen "Kitty" Russell. Gina Kimmel: 10 things to know about Jimmy Kimmel's ex-wife, READ ALSO: Pat Sajak's wife, kids, and house. READ ALSO: David Silva bio: Wife, nationality, children, stats. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. But he added, ''That wasn't the reason that she died.''. A heavy chain-smoker, Amanda Blake was diagnosed with oral cancer in 1977 and had surgery for the same. According to Celebrity Networth, her net worth before death was $500 thousand. The stunning redhead was to participate sporadically in films throughout her stint on "Gunsmoke," but did guest on several shows including "The Red Skelton Show," "Hollywood Squares," and "Match Game.". She was the daughter of daughter of Jesse Clayton Neill and Catherine Louise Puckett. Her will specified that all her memorabilia be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the Performing Animals Welfare Society (PAWS). She did several more films and TV series, but due to her central role on TV shows, she got little time for films. Dr Nishimura spoke after her friends were quoted on a television station saying her death was related to AIDS. Dr. Nishimura, an internist in Sacramento said that she suffered from AIDS for about a year. She became a supporter of the American Cancer Society and made fundraising appearances throughout the country. 1985), Enrolled at Claremont High School and Pomona College. But Spaeth was known to be bisexual and moved in a circle of gay friends, and Blake's friends were quick to point out that the actress was neither promiscuous nor a drug user. Amanda's career quickly faltered. { Her close friends insisted that she was not a drug user or sexually promiscuous. She left Gunsmoke, tired of the role, with a few poignant remarks, 'God, if I have to put on that damn bustle and those curls one more time, I'm gonna snap and then reasoned, nineteen years is a hell of a long time for someone to be stuck behind a bar.' She was a heavy smoker and had surgery for oral cancer in 1977. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Besides, Blake was rumored to be in a relationship with James Arness, which is still believed as a rumor. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty in the long-running Gunsmoke television series, died of AIDS-related complications, not cancer as previously reported, her doctor said Monday. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. to acting than her schoolwork. She entered the list of those who broke the record having been married multiple times. At the time, Miss Kitty's Longbranch Saloon was owned and operated by producer, director and cinematographer Virgil E. Hammond III. CMV, or cytomegalo virus, hepatitis is AIDS-related, said Dr. Nishimura. She appeared in A Star is Born and eventually Gunsmoke. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. We have set your language to To the last day of her life, Blake was devoted to her mission: to save mistreated animals. After completing her studies, Blake got married to Don Whitman on 22 August 1954. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Amanda Blake was born on February 20, 1929, in Buffalo, New York, in the United States of America to Jesse Neill and Louise Neill. After Miss Blake died at Mercy General Hospital, a statement by the hospital and her friends reported the cause of death as cancer. var p = 'https:' == document.location.protocol ? There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Blake did have throat cancer, but that wasn't the reason that she died, said Dr. Lou Nishimura, a Sacramento internist. One time, the actress made headlines as a result of her bringing her pet lion to the set of Gunsmoke.In addition to her beloved pet lion, Amanda Blake also had several pet cheetahs. The year 1952 marked a significant milestone, as Beverly started working in Hollywood television and films. Stars in My Crown (1950) (Drama, Family, Western) 3. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Later, after a Gunsmoke reunion film, she made two feature-film appearances: in The Boost, a drug-addiction drama starring James Woods and Sean Young, and B.O.R.N, both in 1988. AMANDA BLAKE'S FIFTH HUSBAND Blake's fifth husband, an Autin, Texas developer, Mark Spaeth, passed away in 1985 - 4 years before Blake - of AIDS. While acting in small theater and stock Furthermore, he was the one with whom she shared a marriage relationship for nearly 15 years. Failed to delete flower. Besides that, check out the relationship status of American actress and television personality Maya Rudolph. Animal Welfare League. He would later reveal: There was no recurrence of cancer. Her friends had reported that she died of cancer. Back in 1961, the actor took home a massive payday in exchange for selling her residual rights to the show. Blake, who smoked up to two packs of cigarettes a day, had, back in 1977, had surgery to treat oral cancer. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Blake had indeed been diagnosed and treated for cancer in 1977 and had become a staunch supporter of the American Cancer Society, receiving the organization's Courage Award at the hands of President Ronald Reagan for her fundraising efforts. Verify and try again. Amanda Blake. In 1976, Amanda hosted the first Annual "Sato" Mutt show. Additionally, she was also an animal welfare activist. Her movies assured you of a great evening with your friends or a fine rest after a stressful working day. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Blake, who smoked up to two packs of cigarettes a day, had, back in 1977, had surgery to treat oral cancer. Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1968. But he added, That wasn't the reason that she died.. On the other hand, American actor and television personality Zachary Knighton has a net worth of $800,000 as of 2023. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Copyright 02/05/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7c0d2dba7edb6997 GALT, Calif. . When she died in 1989, an official report from the Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, where she had been receiving treatment, said she'd died from cancer. Blake was a heavy cigarette smoker and had surgery for oral cancer in 1977. He said he didn't know how she contracted the disease. Amanda Blake from "Gunsmoke" | Source: YouTube/ Most Actor and ctress Hollywood. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. The talented actress would get married to Mark Spaeth in 1984. Seeing as Blake was never sexually promiscuous nor used drugs, the revelation begged the question of where she would have contracted the virus.