Amanda Blake
She brought sharp wit and warmth to the frontier as Miss Kitty, creating one of television's first complex female business owners on the long-running 'Gunsmoke'.
1929–1989 (age 60)·American actress·Birthday: February 20·The Silent Generation
Biography
Amanda Blake spent two decades as the elegant, quick-witted center of Dodge City's social world on 'Gunsmoke,' but her life off-screen was just as compelling. Born Beverly Louise Neill, she adopted her stage name and carved out a space for Miss Kitty Russell that went beyond a love interest; she was a savvy saloon owner who held her own in a man's world. After leaving the series in 1974, Blake dedicated herself to animal conservation with a passion that rivaled her acting career. She and her husband operated what was known as the 'Arizona Zoo,' one of the earliest private facilities in the U.S. to successfully breed cheetahs in captivity. Her later years were marked by this advocacy, though she made a final, poignant appearance on 'Gunsmoke' for a 1987 reunion movie.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Amanda was born in 1929, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Amanda Was Born
The biggest hits of 1929
#1 Movie
The Broadway Melody
Best Picture
The Broadway Melody
Amanda's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1929Born
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1934Started school
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1942Became a teenager
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Could drive
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1947Could vote
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Turned 21
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1959Turned 30
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 40
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 50
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 60
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
Key Achievements
- She portrayed Miss Kitty Russell for 19 seasons on the landmark television series 'Gunsmoke'.
- She and her husband ran one of the first successful captive cheetah breeding programs in the United States.
- She served as a national director for the American Humane Association.
- She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 for her contributions to television.
Did You Know?
She was a heavy smoker for most of her life and later became a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society after being diagnosed with oral cancer.
Her fourth husband, Frank Gilbert, was a retired San Francisco police officer and her ranch manager.
She owned a pet cheetah named Samburu that she was known to bring to the 'Gunsmoke' set.
She was originally cast in the film 'Singin' in the Rain' but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with 'Gunsmoke'.
“I'm not just a saloon keeper; I'm a businesswoman in a man's world.”
