Miss Kitty was a fan-favorite on Gunsmoke, as the owner of the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City. Amanda Blake made the character into everything that made her popular. Fans loved watching the relationship unfold between Marshal Matt Dillon. She was such an integral part of the show, with many episodes centered around her in the western series. 

Amanda started with the show, airing on its first episode which ran in 1955. She played the character of Miss Kitty for 19 years before leaving the show in 1974. It's not certain whether it's a coincidence or not that the CBS show was canceled the next year, in 1975 or if after 20 years on air, it was just time. 

Amanda returned to play Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, a TV movie that ran in 1985. The movie was one of the very last times Amanda was on screen, but that doesn't explain why she left the role in the first place.