Amanda Blake: Biography
An only child, Beverly Neill moved with her family from Buffalo to Claremont, California. There she got the acting bug and was signed with MGM. After a few movie roles, she landed the role that would make her a household name for the next 20 years, Miss Kathleen "Kitty" Russell on Gunsmoke.
Married four times:
Jack Shea ?
Don Whiteman 1953-1955
Jason Day 1964-1967
Frank Gilbert 1967-1982
Mark Spaeth 1984-1985
Frank and Amanda were the first successful breeders of cheetahs in captivity on their 4 acre ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. Their love for Africa and animals prompted many charitable events including the first Sato Mutt competition in Phoenix as an answer to the WKC purebred competition. Amanda spent the last years of her life living at PAWS with her dear friends Pat Derby who she met on the Gunsmoke set and her partner Ed Stewart. The Amanda Blake Museum and Wildlife Refuge is there at the Rancho Seco Park and it's home to native African deer, emu, and other rare animals.
According to Pat Derby, "Amanda lived 120 years in the 60 she was here."
- Amanda was a telephone operator before becoming an actress.(edit)
- A couple of her nicknames were: 'Kitty' and 'The Young Greer Garson'.(edit)
- Amanda was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1968.(edit)
- Amanda was the spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society from 1980-1982.(edit)
- Amanda was 5'7" tall.(edit)
- Amanda had AIDS disease.(edit)
- She was diagnosed with Aspberger's syndrome.(edit)
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