04-26-2022, 11:00 PM
Amanda Blake, Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke, spent 1/3 of her life playing the character...
In 1955 at age 26 she started on the show, and she left the show in 1974, age 45.
She married 4 times. Her fifth husband was Mark Spaeth, a bisexual (I believe he was simply gay) man, and I guess she functioned as a beard for him. He died of AIDS in 1985, and she died of the same in 1989 at 60 years old.
https://news.amomama.com/277521-gunsmoke...origi.html
Ironically, he claimed that she gave it to him. Considering she was never promiscuous and he was gay/bi, I'm guessing it came from him. But back then I don't think as much was known about AIDS. Maybe he genuinely believed it really did come from her. Sad story all the way around.
But I thought I'd mention Gunsmoke in this thread because it ran for 20 years and that's a VERY long time to play a role, especially a period piece. It's kind of like reenacting.
In 1955 at age 26 she started on the show, and she left the show in 1974, age 45.
She married 4 times. Her fifth husband was Mark Spaeth, a bisexual (I believe he was simply gay) man, and I guess she functioned as a beard for him. He died of AIDS in 1985, and she died of the same in 1989 at 60 years old.
https://news.amomama.com/277521-gunsmoke...origi.html
Ironically, he claimed that she gave it to him. Considering she was never promiscuous and he was gay/bi, I'm guessing it came from him. But back then I don't think as much was known about AIDS. Maybe he genuinely believed it really did come from her. Sad story all the way around.
But I thought I'd mention Gunsmoke in this thread because it ran for 20 years and that's a VERY long time to play a role, especially a period piece. It's kind of like reenacting.
