Amanda Blake’s Husbands: The Complete Marital History Of The Gunsmoke Icon (2026 Edition)

For millions of classic television fans worldwide, Amanda Blake is permanently etched into pop culture history as the fierce, independent, and fiercely loyal saloon owner Miss Kitty Russell on CBS’s legendary Western series Gunsmoke. Playing the iconic role for 19 years, from 1955 to 1974, Blake established herself as one of the most recognizable faces of American television. However, while her on-screen persona navigated the rough-and-tumble world of Dodge City with unwavering poise, her off-screen life was marked by complex personal relationships, immense triumphs in animal welfare, and tragic health challenges.

This retrospective historical analysis examines the lives, professions, and impact of the four men Amanda Blake married, providing a comprehensive, factual look at her relationships from her early Hollywood days to her final years.

The Four Marriages of Miss Kitty: An Overview of Amanda Blake's Personal Life

Amanda Blake (born Beverly Louise Neill) was married four times. Balancing the rigorous, demanding filming schedule of a weekly television drama like Gunsmoke—which produced up to 39 episodes per season in its early years—often placed a severe strain on her personal relationships. Her marriages spanned different phases of her life, from her initial rise in Hollywood to her post-acting years dedicated to animal conservation in Arizona, and finally to her brief time in Austin, Texas.

To understand her personal trajectory, one must look at each husband not merely as a footnote in her biography, but as a reflection of the different eras of her life. These relationships transition from early industry connections to business partnerships, shared philanthropic endeavors, and ultimately, a tragic final chapter.

Detailed Breakdown of Amanda Blake’s Husbands

Don Whitman (Married 1954 – Divorced 1956)

Amanda Blake’s first marriage was to Don Whitman, a television director and producer. The couple wed on August 22, 1954, just as Blake’s career was transitioning from minor film roles to the burgeoning medium of television.

At the time of their marriage, Blake was working hard to secure a stable foothold in Hollywood. Only a year after their wedding, in 1955, she landed her career-defining role as Miss Kitty Russell on Gunsmoke. The sudden, meteoric rise of the show demanded long hours on set, which quickly put a strain on the young marriage. Whitman and Blake found it difficult to balance the pressures of her sudden stardom and grueling production schedules. The couple divorced on August 21, 1956, almost exactly two years after their wedding. They had no children.

Jason Seymour Day Jr. (Married 1964 – Divorced 1967)

Following her divorce from Whitman, Blake spent several years focusing entirely on Gunsmoke, which had become the number-one show on television. On August 15, 1964, she married Jason Seymour Day Jr., a Reno-based businessman and stockbroker.

This marriage took place during the absolute peak of Blake’s television fame. Day’s career in finance and his residence in Nevada created a geographical and lifestyle divide between his business world and Blake’s Hollywood filming commitments. Despite efforts to maintain a stable bicoastal lifestyle, the marriage lasted just under three years. They officially divorced on June 28, 1967.

Frank Gilbert (Married 1967 – Divorced 1982)

Amanda Blake’s longest and perhaps most publicly collaborative marriage was to Frank Gilbert, an executive and devoted animal lover. The couple married on June 30, 1967, just days after her divorce from Jason Day was finalized.

Gilbert and Blake shared a profound, mutual passion for wildlife preservation, which defined much of their fifteen years together. During their marriage, they moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and embarked on pioneering conservation work. Together, they established a private, experimental breeding sanctuary for cheetahs in their home. They successfully raised and bred endangered cheetahs in captivity, a feat that garnered widespread respect from zoological communities worldwide.

Blake and Gilbert were also highly active in the Arizona Humane Society and spearheaded fundraising campaigns for animal shelters. Despite their shared love for wildlife and deep-rooted partnership, the marriage eventually ran its course, ending in divorce in 1982.

Mark Edward Spaeth (Married 1984 – Died 1985)

Amanda Blake’s fourth and final marriage was to Mark Edward Spaeth, a prominent real estate developer, investor, and city councilman from Austin, Texas. The couple married on April 28, 1984, in a private ceremony.

Spaeth, who was significantly younger than Blake, was a well-known figure in Austin local politics and historic preservation. Their marriage was short-lived and marked by tragedy. Shortly after their wedding, Spaeth’s health declined rapidly. He passed away on May 21, 1985, at the age of 45, from complications related to AIDS. Their marriage lasted just over a year, and his death marked the beginning of a highly challenging period for Blake, both personally and medically.

The Crucial Connection: Amanda Blake, Mark Spaeth, and Her Health Battle

The relationship between Amanda Blake and Mark Spaeth extended far beyond their brief marriage, tragically impacting Blake's health and ultimate legacy.

In the years following Spaeth’s death, Blake’s own health began to deteriorate. On August 16, 1989, she passed away at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California, at the age of 60. While initial media reports and her official death certificate listed her cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest due to cytomegalovirus (CMV) hepatitis, her close friends, family, and treating physician, Dr. Lou Nishimura, later publicly disclosed that she had died of AIDS-related complications.

It is widely believed by medical historians and biographers that Blake contracted the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) from Spaeth during their marriage. By revealing her diagnosis, Blake posthumously became one of the first high-profile American actresses to have succumbed to the disease, helping to humanize the HIV/AIDS epidemic during a time of immense social stigma. Her struggle shed light on the fact that the virus affected individuals across all demographics, not just specific subcultures.

Comparative Analysis of Amanda Blake's Marriages

To provide a clear, structured overview of Amanda Blake’s marital history, the following table outlines the key details of her four marriages, including dates, occupations, and major milestones.

Amanda Blake's Lasting Legacy in Television and Animal Advocacy

While her marriages reflect a complex personal life, Amanda Blake's lasting legacy is defined by her professional accomplishments and her revolutionary work as an animal rights pioneer.

Beyond her legendary run on Gunsmoke, Blake was one of the founding members of the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), an organization dedicated to protecting captive wildlife and preserving natural habitats. In addition to her cheetah breeding programs in Arizona, she used her celebrity status to lobby Congress for stronger animal protection laws and against the exploitation of animals in entertainment.

Even today, television historians and wildlife advocates view her as a trailblazing figure who successfully used her Hollywood platform to enact tangible global change.

Frequently Asked Questions About Amanda Blake's Marriages

How many times was Amanda Blake married?

Amanda Blake was married four times. Her husbands were TV producer Don Whitman, stockbroker Jason Seymour Day Jr., conservationist Frank Gilbert, and Austin city councilman Mark Edward Spaeth.

Did Amanda Blake have any children from her marriages?

No, Amanda Blake did not have any children from any of her four marriages. She dedicated her maternal instincts and domestic life primarily to her extensive animal rescue efforts, raising dozens of cheetahs, dogs, and other animals.

Who was Amanda Blake's husband when she died?

Amanda Blake was not married at the time of her death in August 1989. Her fourth and final husband, Mark Edward Spaeth, passed away four years prior, in May 1985, after which she did not remarry.

What was the cause of death for Amanda Blake's last husband?

Mark Edward Spaeth died in 1985 from complications related to AIDS. This tragedy had a profound impact on Blake, who subsequently passed away from AIDS-related complications in 1989.

Did Amanda Blake and her husband Frank Gilbert really raise cheetahs?

Yes, Amanda Blake and her third husband, Frank Gilbert, successfully raised and bred endangered cheetahs at their home in Phoenix, Arizona. They were highly regarded by the scientific community for their hands-on contribution to feline conservation and captive breeding program standards.

For those interested in preserving the history of classic television and supporting the causes Amanda Blake championed, consider learning more about wildlife preservation and supporting local animal sanctuaries that protect endangered big cats.