The Unusual Way ‘Gunsmoke’ Actor Amanda Blake Chose Her Stage Name
Gunsmoke actor Amanda Blake took her career seriously and had a passion for what she did. However, she also found enjoyment in goofing off with the cast of the Western show that became one of the biggest series in history. Blake changed her birth name to accommodate a stage name that she went by for the remainder of her career. She chose the name in a truly unusual fashion.
‘Gunsmoke’ actor Amanda Blake started out in movies
Before Blake earned her role in Gunsmoke, she started working in feature films. She signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the late 1940s, as there was Hollywood buzz surrounding her as the next potential significant actor. Blake starred in movies such as Cattle Town, Miss Robin Crusoe, and even had an appearance in A Star Is Born. However, television would ultimately be where she made a killing.
Blake earned major stardom through Gunsmoke, but she didn’t earn the role so easily. She had to employ some persistent tactics by waiting at the casting office until they gave her a shot. Nevertheless, she managed to impress all of the right decision-makers, earning the role of Miss Kitty Russell. Blake remained in the role for 19 seasons, but she returned for the TV movie Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.
Amanda Blake chose her name from the dictionary
According to an interview with TV Guide, it was revealed that Blake actually went by a stage name. She was given the name Beverly Louise Neill at birth, but she went by a different name for the Hollywood industry. It turned out that she went with “Amanda Blake” because she literally saw it in the dictionary and decided to go with it.
But, why did she think it was necessary in the first place? Blake didn’t think her name was “snappy” enough and decided to make a change for greater appeal. Her time at MGM wasn’t very fruitful, but television was ultimately the perfect place for her to spread her wings as Miss Kitty alongside James Arness as U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon.
She got married 5 times
In Blake’s personal life away from the Gunsmoke set, the actor got married five times over the course of her lifetime. However, most of them didn’t last for very long. Her first marriage was to Jack Shea, which went from 1952 until 1953. Next, she married Don Whitman from 1954 until 1956. Blake’s third husband was Jason Day, who she remained married to from 1964 until 1967. Her longest marriage was to Frank Gilbert from 1967 until 1982. Her final husband was Mark Spaeth – they married in 1984, but he died the following year.
She never had any children, but she deeply loved her pet companions. Blake remained very focused on Gunsmoke over the 19 seasons that she was on the show. As a result, she often didn’t find that she had enough time to invest in personal relationships off of the show.
