Amanda Blake was an American actress best known for playing Miss Kitty Russell on the long-running Western television series Gunsmoke. At the time of her death in 1989, Amanda Blake had an estimated net worth of $500,000. Her wealth came primarily from her acting career, which spanned more than four decades and included numerous television shows and Hollywood films.
Although Gunsmoke remained the defining role of her career, Blake also earned recognition for her work in film and became widely respected for her dedication to wildlife conservation and animal welfare.
| Amanda Blake Net Worth | $500,000 |
| Date of Birth | February 20, 1929 |
| Place of Birth | Buffalo, New York |
Early Life
Amanda Blake was born Beverly Louise Neill on February 20, 1929, in Buffalo, New York.
She was the daughter of Jesse and Louise Neill, and her father worked as a banker.
After graduating from high school, Blake worked as a telephone operator before briefly attending Pomona College. She eventually decided to pursue a career in acting and moved to Hollywood.
Early Acting Career
Blake signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) during the late 1940s.
The studio viewed her as one of its promising young actresses, and she soon began appearing in supporting roles across a variety of films.
Some of her early movie credits included:
- Stars in My Crown
- Cattle Town
- Lili
- Sabre Jet
- Miss Robin Crusoe
- The Adventures of Hajji Baba
- The Glass Slipper
- High Society
- A Star Is Born
These performances helped establish Blake as a familiar face in Hollywood before television transformed her career.
Gunsmoke Success
Amanda Blake’s biggest breakthrough came in 1955 when she was cast as Miss Kitty Russell, the owner of the Long Branch Saloon, in the CBS Western Gunsmoke.
She remained with the series for 19 seasons, making her one of the show’s most recognizable stars.
Gunsmoke became one of the most successful television series in American history, consistently ranking among the country’s highest-rated programs while earning numerous industry awards.
Blake’s portrayal of Miss Kitty earned her:
- Three Primetime Emmy Award nominations
- One Golden Globe Award nomination
Her role made her one of television’s most popular actresses throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s.
Other Television
Although Gunsmoke occupied much of her schedule, Amanda Blake continued appearing in other television productions throughout her career.
Her television credits included appearances on:
- The Red Skelton Show
- State Trooper
- Hollywood Squares
- Match Game
- Tattletales
- The Love Boat
- Hart to Hart
- The Edge of Night
- Brothers
- The New Dragnet
She also participated in several celebrity editions of Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, becoming a familiar personality on American television beyond her acting work.
Later in her career, Blake returned to film with roles in The Boost (1988) alongside James Woods and Sean Young, as well as B.O.R.N.
Awards
Amanda Blake received numerous honors for her contributions to film and television.
In 1968, she was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
The recognition celebrated her lasting contribution to the Western genre and her iconic portrayal of Miss Kitty.
Animal Welfare
Away from Hollywood, Amanda Blake became one of America’s most passionate animal welfare advocates.
Alongside her husband Frank Gilbert, she established an experimental breeding program for cheetahs and became one of the first people to successfully breed the animals in captivity over multiple generations.
She also helped establish the Arizona Animal Welfare League in 1971, which has since grown into Arizona’s oldest and largest no-kill animal shelter.
In 1985, Blake helped finance the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), an organization dedicated to protecting performing and captive animals.
Following her death, the Amanda Blake Memorial Wildlife Refuge was established in California to continue her conservation legacy.
Personal Life
Amanda Blake married four times.
Her husbands included:
- Don Whitman
- Jason Seymore Day Jr.
- Frank Gilbert
- Mark Edward Spaeth
Although none of the marriages lasted for life, Blake remained close to many friends and colleagues throughout her Hollywood career.
She spent much of her retirement living in Phoenix, Arizona, where she focused on conservation projects and caring for animals.
Health and Death
Amanda Blake was a longtime smoker and underwent surgery for oral cancer in 1977.
Following her recovery, she became an active supporter of the American Cancer Society, helping raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
In 1984, then-President Ronald Reagan presented Blake with the society’s Courage Award in recognition of her advocacy.
Amanda Blake died on August 16, 1989, at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California.
She was 60 years old.
Her death was attributed to pneumonia associated with AIDS-related complications, although reports surrounding the circumstances generated widespread public discussion at the time.
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