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Death: Aug. 16, 1989
Cause of death: Actual Certificate Entry:..Cardio Pulmonary Arrest due to Liver Failure and CMV Hepatitis
Actress. She was born in Buffalo, New York as Beverly Louise Neill an only Child. She arrived in Claremont, California during a move with her family. While working as a telephone operator she began doing bit parts for MGM which landed her a contract. After a few menial movie appearances, she landed the role at age 27 that would make her a household name for the next 20 years, Miss Kathleen "Kitty" Russell.
Gunsmoke was TV's longest running Western as well as its longest running prime-time series with continuing characters. Totals: 233 half-hour episodes and 400 hour episodes were filmed. Color broadcasts began in 1966. Gunsmoke originated on the radio in 1952 with William Conrad reading the part of Matt Dillion.
Amanda Blake began with the series and when she left, it went into the tank after one final year. 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 long time for someone to be stuck behind a bar.' Amanda's career quickly faltered.
She made a Love Boat appearance and was featured in a reunion of Gunsmoke characters in 1987, 'Return to Dodge,' the first of several Gunsmoke TV movies. She became an animal rights activist. A longtime heavy smoker, she was forced to undergo oral cancer surgery and then had to enter therapy to enable her to regain some speech. Amanda became an avid American Cancer Society spokesperson highlighting the evils of smoking which resulted in the annual Courage Award from the Society presented to her by then President Ronald Reagan.
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. The five time married actress was cremated without fanfare and her ashes were given to her family for disposition. Her will specified that all her memorabilia be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the Performing Animals Welfare Society (PAWS). (bio by: Donald Greyfield)
Burial:
Cremated, Ashes scattered.
Specifically: Ashes spread over the animal reserve she helped establish
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Oct 20, 1998
Find A Grave Memorial# 3691
Additional info:
Amanda Blake, born Beverly Louise Neill, attended multiple schools throughout her years because of the family moving often. She attended Lindbergh Elementary School in a suburb of Buffalo, New York, for Kindergarten through Third grades. The next school I found in my research was Kenmore Middle School and then Hamburg Jr. High. Her cousin, Walter Puckett, remembered attending Hamburg with her as he lived with the Neill family for a few months. For the last portion of her eighth grade year, Amanda attended Lincoln Middle/Jr. High in Santa Monica,
California. Her father was called to the West Coast to work as an engineer - part of the war effort.
Beverly, known as Barry to her peers, then attended Brenau Academy in Georgia for her Freshman and Sophomore years. Brenau was a private all girls boarding school.
Beverly then returned to the Buffalo area to attend Amherst High School for all of her Junior year and the first semester of her Senior year. There she met her high school sweetheart and life long dear friend - William Swan.
The last semester of her Senior year of high school, Beverly attended and graduated from Claremont High School in Claremont, California.
Not until signing her official contract with MGM in 1948 did Beverly change her name to Amanda Blake.
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_did_Amanda_Blake_go_to_school#ixzz1UTWIiqoz
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