I saw him in person once at Ralph's Market on La Brea in the early 1970s. He bought some tomatoes and walked off into the Sunday morning crowd.
James Garner was a terrific actor and I first recall him in the 1950s TV Series "Maverick" which was also 'must see TV' by my parents. Garner was in some of my favorite films during the 1950s, 60s and early 70s: Darby's Rangers, Cash McCall, 36 Hours, The Americanization of Emily, Move Over, Darling, The Wheeler Dealers, The Thrill of It All, The Great Escape, Skin Game, Support Your Local Gunfighter, Marlowe, Support Your Local Sheriff!, Hour of the Gun and They Only Kill Their Masters.
While not a devoted fan of "The Rockford Files" during the late 70s, I did stay a fan of his later film and TV Movie roles in Victor Victoria, Tank, The Glitter Dome, Murphy's Romance, Sunset, "Decoration Day, Barbarians at the Gate," Space Cowboys and "Roughing It" where he played Samuel Clemens.
I never agreed with his politics, yet I must say he did not make a point of making his liberal bent the focus of his life like some of today's left wing, loud mouthed thespians. He simply acted and I watched with delight.
Bye, Jim, it was nice knowing you for awhile--
Tank. Don’t see that one on TV very much. Really good movie.
Was G. D. Spradlin ever any better?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._D._Spradlin
Agreed.
Much like Paul Newman who was also quite politically liberal (perhaps more what could be called a “classic liberal), and someone also not living the “Hollywood lifestyle” and like Newman, being married to the same woman for all his life, Garner wasn’t someone who impressed me as being “in your face” about it or someone who used his “star status” to tell anyone else how they should think or vote. I could imagine sitting down with Garner (and Newman for that matter), having a good meal and beer or two and having conversation, perhaps, most certainly disagreeing on most things political but it never becoming shrill or nasty and maybe even agreeing on a few things – auto racing, golf….
Garner once said, regarding Hollywood – "I got into the business to put a roof over my head. I wasn't looking for star status. I just wanted to keep working."
He also said this about marriage: "Marriage is like the Army; everyone complains. But you'd be surprised at the large number of people who re-enlist."
I loved him in the Great Escape and many, many other films including Grand Prix. And I loved the Rockford Files.
RIP Jim.
Right on, I remember Tank. Movie was a little bit silly, but any problems with that movie were not the fault of James Garner, he was great!
Hey Bender I used to see him at then LA Raider games
I met him buying a tie at J. C. Penney’s in the Glendale Galleria in 1977. He was dressed in a 3-piece suit, and I suspect he had just walked off the set of “Rockford”.
88 ... Saw a long interview with the man and he seemed like a regular guy who didn’t take himself too seriously. No matter his politics impossible not to respect his contribution to the war effort in WWII and in Korea.
Perfect.
I recall somewhere he was no fan of Ronald Reagan. Must have been after RWR's tenure as president of the Screen Actors' Guild, 1947-1952, and after RWR switched from the Democrat Party to the GOP ca. 1960s.
Real name, Bumgarner.
"During my trips to the Looney Left Coast in my quest for fame and fortune in Hollywood, I never met James Garner. I did audition for a small part in his film, A Man Called Sledge but did not get picked."
Neat. Looking on IMDB, all the minor roles appear to have went to Italians.