Amanda Blake

Biography

Amanda Blake was born Beverly Louise Neill on February 20, 1929, in Buffalo, New York, to a banking family. She gained fame for her 19-year role as Miss Kitty Russell on the television series Gunsmoke from 1955 to 1974, which became her most enduring legacy. A passionate advocate for animal welfare, Blake co-founded a cheetah breeding program with her fourth husband, Frank Gilbert.