Jenny Lee Arness was an American actress, best known for her role as “Meg” in the television series Gunsmoke. She was born on May 23, 1950, in Los Angeles, California, to parents James Arness and Virginia Chapman. Her father was a famous actor, known for his role as “Matt Dillon” in the same series. Her father James Arness is one of the iconic actors of the 1950s.
In this article, we will delve deep into the life story of one of the most glamorous actresses in America “Jeeny Lee Arness” to understand why people in this contemporary world are taking interest in this beautiful actress from the 90s.
Jenny Lee Arness Wikipedia
Jenny Lee Arness has not been featured on the Wikipedia page so we have extracted some of the chunks from her life to answer the queries that people have in their minds.
The early life of Jenny Arness
Actor James Arness and his eventual ex-wife Chapman had only one daughter, Jenny Lee, who was born. She was born in Good Samaritan Hospital on May 23, 1950. Lee was raised in a happy environment where both of her parents were actresses from her earliest memories. In addition, Lee had two brothers, Rolf Arness, who was younger, and Craig Arness, who was older. Rolf, her younger brother, was born on February 18, 1952. When compared to her younger brother, Jenny’s age difference from him was only two years.
The nice family of 5 resided in a gorgeous home at Cape Cod Cottage in Pacific Palisades before things went south.
Jenny Lee Arness grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of California, where she studied drama. She started her acting career in the late 1960s, making her debut in the film “The People Next Door.” However, she rose to fame in the 1970s, when she appeared in several episodes of the long-running TV series “Gunsmoke.”
Jenny Lee Arness played the role of “Meg” in thirteen episodes of Gunsmoke, which aired from 1973 to 1975. Her character was a young woman who had been raped and was seeking revenge. She portrayed the character with sensitivity and depth, which earned her critical acclaim.
Apart from Gunsmoke, Jenny Lee Arness also appeared in other TV series and films, including “The Macahans,” “How the West Was Won,” and “Ravagers.”
| Name | Jenny Lee Arness |
| Nickname | None |
| Profession | Actress |
| Age (at the time of death) | 24 years |
| Date of Birth | May 23, 1950 |
| Birth Place | Los Angeles, California |
| Date of Death | May 12, 1975 |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
Jenny Lee Arness’s Parent Story
Jenny’s parents, Arness and Chapman, had a very loving marriage for years. However, things started to fall apart between the duo when James Arness became busier with his life in Hollywood.
She was his strongest supporter and urged him to enroll in acting classes. On the other hand, Chapman began to experience issues with his “busy actor” life when Lee’s father finally received his big break after years of battling. Some people think that this is what caused the once-beautiful couple to split up.
Thus, about 15 years after they got married, they formally split up. Their daughter Jenny was just 13 years old at the time. We can only speculate as to how difficult it would have been for her to handle this sad event.
Additionally, young Arness’ mother did not receive custody of the children following the divorce. After the divorce, it appears that Mr. Arness took up the three children on his own.
| Marital Status | In a Relationship |
| Boyfriend | Gregg Allman |
| Father | James Arness |
| Mother | Virginia Chapman |
| Siblings | Rolf Arness Craig Arness |
| Children | None |
Jenny’s Journey as an Actor
According to sources, Jenny Lee became an actress after following her parents into the entertainment industry. In fact, many people think that Jenny appeared in the episode of Gunsmoke that made her father famous. Despite this, there is no solid proof that the late star kid played a part in the show.
James Arness portrayed the role of Marshal Matt Dillon for almost 21 years in the TV series, Gunsmoke and stole the hearts of millions. In addition to this, the late actor also had a great contribution to protecting the nation during World War II.
Jenny Lee Arness Cause of death
Love is a powerful emotion and whether it will cast a destructive or constructive impact differ from person to person. One thing is for sure one typically has relationships that aren’t as rewarding and meaningful when one comes from a broken home. Before her sad demise, Jenny Lee and her love life were in just this circumstance. The 24-year-old daughter of a Hollywood celebrity endured significant relationship pain, which may have contributed to her demise.
Gregg Allman, a singer-songwriter, and Lee briefly dated each other. The former couple married in 1972, but the romance did not last long. According to sources, Arness’s daughter had a crush on the Allman Brothers Band singer but the late musician did not share that sentiment.
As a result, Allman hurt Arness’s feelings. It appears that the guitarist abandoned Jenny in favor of Cher, her most attractive singer.
On May 12, 1975, Jenny committed suicide by performing a heroin overdose. Her 25th birthday was just 11 days away. Although she has been dead for about 47 years, her tragic story of death still makes people sad today. May her spirit rest in peace.