USA TodayActor James Garner, whose genial charm and sly humor made him a Hollywood fixture for more than 50 years, has died at 86.
The Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press reported his death, citing Los Angeles Police.
Tall and handsome, Garner had the leading-man looks that led to roles in big-screen dramas ranging from 1958’s Darby’s Rangers to 1963’s The Great Escape. But his flair for light comedy earned him several starring film roles, and extended to the small screen as well, with series hits Maverick and The Rockford Files.
“I’m a Spencer Tracy-type actor,” Garner once said. “His idea was to be on time, know your words, hit your marks and tell the truth. Most every actor tries to make it something it isn’t [or] looks for the easy way out. I don’t think acting is that difficult if you can put yourself aside and do what the writer wrote.”
Garner’s acting career began in 1954 with a non-speaking role in the Broadway playThe Caine Mutiny Court Martial. Soon after, he landed TV roles, commercials and a movie contract with Warner Bros.
Asked if he would ever do a nude scene, he quipped, “I don’t do horror films.”
Garner gained widespread popularity in 1957 starring as the wisecracking riverboat gambler in the comedy/western Maverick. But Garner left after three years in a dispute over money.
Twenty years later, he won an Emmy for perhaps the role that gave him his most visibility — as James Rockford, the laid-back, beach-dwelling private detective of NBC’s Rockford Files, which ran from 1974 to 1980.
Garner, who did many of his own stunts, ultimately pulled the plug on the show because of the high physical toll on his knees and neck. But the show — and his iconic character — proved so popular that eight Rockford Files TV movies followed.
Garner continued to alternate between film and TV roles. He earned an Oscar nomination for his role inMurphy’s Romance, acting opposite Sally Field. He starred as freewheeling CEO F. Ross Johnson in 1993 HBO film Barbarians at the Gate, which earned him a Golden Globe award, his third. He stepped in for more than 40 episodes of ABC’s Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter following the 2003 death of series star John Ritter. Garner also starred in 2000’s Space Cowboys, 2002’s Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and the 2004 hit The Notebook, in which he and Gena Rowlands played the older versions of a couple portrayed by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.
Garner, born James Scott Baumgarner in Norman, Okla., was the son of a carpet layer. His mother, who was part Cherokee Indian, died when he was just 4. After dropping out of high school, Garner joined the Merchant Marines. He served in the Army during the Korean War, where he was wounded in action and twice received thePurple Heart.
Garner married Lois Clarke two weeks after they met in 1956. They remained together until his death.
“Marriage is like the Army; everyone complains,” he once said. “But you’d be surprised at the large number of people who re-enlist.”
Daughter Greta Garner-Hewitt is the author of The Cop Cookbook: Arresting Recipes from the World’s Favorite Cops, Good Guys, and Private Eyes.
Garner also had success as a Madison Avenue pitchman. In the 1970s, he starred in a series of popular Polaroid commercials with actress Mariette Hartley. Their on-camera shtick was so convincing that many believed they were actually married. In the ’80s, he was the North American spokesman for automaker Mazda, and later did voiceovers for Chevrolet trucks.
Despite his star status, Garner was never enamored with being in Hollywood’s limelight. “I got into the business to put a roof over my head,” he said. “I wasn’t looking for star status. I just wanted to keep working.”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/07/20/james-garner-dies-actor/12906967/
An 86 year-old bat kicks the bucket and this is news?
Oh, I see…. he was a Hollywood “star”, which probably means he was a homosexual and a pedophile too. I guess it’s important to know that there’s one less sexual deviant in the world.
Completely off base there Jolly. He must have been on the TV while you were being abused by daddy, so therefore Mr. Garner is your scapegoat.
James Garner was a dam good man. 2 Purple Hearts. Same wife since 1956.. Yet you call him a pedophile and sexual deviant. If you are going to spew som B.S. like that, provide a link to prove something. Otherwise, go back to rotting away behind a computer screen.
Sleep well James loved all your tv shows.
I like Jolly Roger, I agree with most of his comments, but this one might be a lil bit over the top…But I understand JR. You feel the same as I do. Most anyone from hollywood are not good people. With all James money he did nothing for exposing the corruption that is destroying this country..If I had his money I would do more to expose the tyranny and destruction of the U.S. but I never heard of him doing anything of the sort…Maybe a good man, same wife etc and better than most all actors, but he did nothing that I know of for exposing tyranny and the destruction of our beautiful country… I sure liked every movie he was in tho, one of my favorite actors. Interesting what I just said..an “actor”….hmmmm
Watch the episode of The Rockford Files called “The House On Willis Avenue.” Exposing the unconstitutional NSA spycenter in Utah. A real eye opener considering this was the mid 1970’s. If that is not exposing the bullshit of the SSG, than what is?
Thanks, Paul. I’m going to dig that one out.
James Garner is one of the VERY few actors that I have any respect for whatsoever. Married to the same wife for life is almost unheard of these days, ESPECIALLY in the acting business. I’ve seen interviews he’s done, and I actually respect the man. I loved his Maverick series, and I have the entire Rockford collection on DVD (I have well over 400 movies on DVD, but very few TV series). I, for one, will miss his humor.
WAY off base on this one, JR. Totally uncalled for, imo.
Agreed.
(Never missed “Maverick” or “Rockford Files.” Wish one of the channels that plays old series would re-run them.)
MeTV replays The Rockford Files everyday at 12:00p.m.
Can’t find “MeTV” on Time Warner Cable (the monopoly in our neighborhood). I found “WE tv,” but they show “Will & Grace” followed by “Roseanne”. 🙁
Actually, I only saw this guy in the Maverick movie with Mel Gibson. Haven’t really seen him in anything else that I can remember, but he did a really good job in that movie to the point that when someone mentions the movie, Maverick, I immediately think of him and Mel Gibson shooting the comedy lines at each other in the movie, which is rare these days if you’ve only seen a person acting once in a movie your entire life. Especially when I’ve only seen the movie a couple of times. I can imagine he was a great actor in his younger days. May he rest in peace.
I’m sure TMC will do a tribute to him. 😉 (Love the scene in “The Thrill of It All” where he drives his convertible into the swimming pool) He did a bunch of fun movies. 🙂 He also did Drama well.
“Support Your Local Sheriff” and “Support Your Local Gunfighter” are 2 of my favorites, Angel.
Have both on DVD. 🙂
LOL
Yup, ours also. 🙂 I can’t pick an absolute favorite. 😆
I love both those movies #1. James Garner was a cool customer and with healthy use of the miracle bud, I now know why. I can’t recall anything James Garner was in that I didn’t like.
My favorite performance by James Garner was his portrayal of Lt. Cmdr. Charles Edward Madison in The Americanization of Emily, one of my all time favorites.
Another excellent film, Henry.
Although I haven’t watched any war movies in decades, Millard, (other than a few Bogart ones that came in boxed sets of his that I have), I loved him as “The Scrounger” in “The Great Escape”, the best wartime movie ever made, imo.
Wow! That’s an intense seen, Henry. Thanks for the clip. Never saw it before.
NC
🙂 😉
If you can, check out the entire movie.
TCM is going to play it in their “Tribute” on the 28th.
TMC’s “Movie Marathon Tribute” will be July 28th.
http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2014/07/james_garner_honored_with_tcm_marathon.html
The most “explosive revelation” in the book (Garner’s autobiography The Garner Files: A Memoir) was that Garner smoked marijuana for much of his adult life. “I started smoking it in my late teens,” Garner wrote. “I drank to get drunk but ultimately didn’t like the effect. Not so with grass. It had the opposite effect from alcohol: it made me more tolerant and forgiving. I did a little bit of cocaine in the Eighties, courtesy of John Belushi, but fortunately I didn’t like it. But I smoked marijuana for 50 years and I don’t know where I’d be without it. It opened my mind and now it eases my arthritis. After decades of research I’ve concluded that marijuana should be legal and alcohol illegal.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Garner
Good call, James.
“Despite his star status, Garner was never enamored with being in Hollywood’s limelight. “I got into the business to put a roof over my head,” he said. “I wasn’t looking for star status. I just wanted to keep working.”
This kind of humility is non-existent in Hollywood these days.
RIP, James. You will be missed.
Indeed.