Rolf Aurness
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Rolf Aurness is the son of the American actor James Arness and his wife Virginia Chapman. He is not only a celebrity son but has made waves as a skilled surfer.
Yes, Aurness is the winner of the World Surf Championship 1970. But, the surf champ left his career and now has disappeared from the public eye. So, what is Rolf up to now? Let's dive into his life and find out!
Is Rolf Aurness Married?
The surfing champ Aurness was previously married. Unfortunately, Rolf Aurness wife died of Cancer in 1978 leaving him in great despair.
Rolf's father James Arness remarried Janet Surtees after his divorce. But, the surf champ does not seem to have married another woman following the loss of his beloved spouse.
Aurness now leads a private life away from media reach. His personal life has been a mystery. Rolf has not talked about his children.
Rolf Aurness's Parents Divorced In 1963
James Arness and Virginia Chapman exchanged wedding vows in 1948. The husband and wife duo welcomed two children together from their nuptials.
As time passed by, the love between Arness and Chapman started to fade away. This led to Rolf Aurness's parents' divorce in 1963. Following that, the Gunsmoke actor was in a romantic relationship with Thordis Brandt for six years.
Later in 1978, James decided to be remarried and tied the knot with Janet Surtees. The couple has a son together.
Rolf Aurness Net Worth: Is He Rich?
Rolf Aurness has an estimated net worth of $2 Million which is similar to Tara Wraith's net worth. Aurness has now been cut off from the world and has not disclosed his income-generating sources. Nevertheless, the 1970 world surfing champ bagged over $100k by winning the event.
Aurness's father James Arness had a net worth of $8 Million at the time of death. He was an American actor with 47 credits on IMDb profile and commercially successful projects like Gunsmoke.
It's likely Rolf inherited some of his father's will after James passed away. Aurness is living a low-key lifestyle and has not talked about his real estate and investments.
How Old Is Rolf Aurness Now? Know His Age, Birthday & Early Life
Born on February 18, 1952, Rolf Aurness is in his early 70s in terms of age. He was born to famous Gunsmoke actor James Arness and his first wife Virginia Chapman.
Actually, Aurness was the youngest child of the couple together and thus was loved by both. Rolf grew up in his birthplace Santa Monica, California, United States.
At the age of 9, the 1970 world surfing champ Rolf had a terrible experience. He fell from a tree and fractured his skull. However, this incident is one of the reasons Aurness won the World Surf champ in 1970.
Rolf Aurness's Journey To Being A World Surf Champion
After Rolf's skull was fractured, his father James Arness used surfing as a recovery method for his son. James who himself was a surfing enthusiast planned a strict routine of surfing, swimming, and weekend beach trips.
The father-son duo would rent accommodation in Makaha Beach on their trips to Hawaii which was several times a year. This not only strengthened the bond between James and Rolf but also the surfing interest in Aurness.
Rolf Aurness Received World Surf Championship Title At The Age Of 18
Yes, Rolf Aurness was only 18 years old when he was called World Surf Champ. Thanks to his vigorous training with his father for 9 years, Aurness was able to win the competition held at Johanna in Victoria, Australia.
At the finals, Rolf defeated Midget Faralley and paved his way to be a winner. Following his win he appeared in Blue Cool and Pacific Vibration. Aurness also has credit for acting in the TV mini-series ISF World Surfing Championship.
Rolf Aurness Siblings & Half-Sibling
Rolf Aurness is the youngest child of his parents together and certainly is not the only child. Aurness's mother, Virginia Chapman had a son from her prior relationship whom James Arness had adopted.
Similarly, Rolf has a sister named Jenny Lee Aurness. Jenny is the only full sibling of the 1970 world surfing champ. Like Virginia, James also has a son from his second marriage.
Craig Aurness
Craig Aurness was born on 20 November 1946 in Santa Monica. Virginia Chapman had him with her former lover. Craig married his wife Daphne Bowen in 1974.
Aurness was a photographer by profession. Craig worked for National Geographic and his first picture was published in 1978. Furthermore, he founded the stock photography agency Westlight.
Aurness has traveled all over the world for his photographic work. He has won awards for Best Photograph and Best Photo of the Year in the Magazine Pictorial Division from the National Press Photographers Association.
Rolf's brother Craig died on December 14, 2004, in Panorama City, Los Angeles. He had issues with his lungs and anemia and was getting therapy for it.
Jenny Lee Aurness
Jenny Lee Aurness is an actress from Gunsmoke and appeared for two episodes as Laurie. She was born on May 23, 1950, at Good Samaritan Hospital and was the first-born of James Arness and Virginia Chapman.
Aurness once dated singer and songwriter Gregg Allman. Although the couple went public with their relationship in 1972, it did not last for long. Allman left Jenny Lee for Cher.
This broke Rolf's sister Jenny's heart into a million pieces. Some claim that it was the reason why Aurness committed suicide in 1975 with a drug overdose.
Some believe Jenny had a psychological disorder Schizophrenia that caused her death. She was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, located in LA, California.
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