The Hollywood Battles of 'Maverick'/'Rockford' Star James Garner: 10 Years After His Tragic Death

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It's been ten years since beloved actor James Garner died from natural causes at 86 years old. Garner was best known for his starring roles on two hit TV shows: Maverick (ABC, 1957-1962) and The Rockford Files (NBC, 1974-1980). He also found fame on the big screen with classics like Sayonara (1957), The Americanization of Emily (1964), Victor/Victoria (1982), and The Notebook (2004), and in TV-movies like My Name Is Bill W. (1989) and Barbarians at the Gate (1993). Through out it all, he stood firm on princples, and frequently fought the Hollywood machine, and won. This is his story.

A Closer Look

“The industry is like it always has been. It’s a bunch of greedy people.”

So said James Garner, who in 2004, was the recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Garner had previously won an Emmy for The Rockford Files, and had been nominated other times for that covted TV amulet, and a long list of other accolades including Golden Globes, SAG Awards and an Oscar (for Murphy’s Romance in 1985).

Into this mix, the popular actor became a TV commercial staple in the 1970s and ’80s for Polaroid cameras. So much so, viewers thought he and follow-pitch-person Mariette Hartley were married.

Backstory

James Garner was born James Scott Bumgarner on April 7, 1928, in Norman, Oklahoma. One year after his mother died, his father remarried when young James was just five years old.

Unfortuantely, Garner and his new stepmother never got along, and he left home at 14. After his father divorced the woman, and relocated to Los Angeles, a 16-year-old Garner soon followed, enrolled at Hollywood High School and initially found work as a model.

He later joined the Merchant Marine and the National Guard, served in the Korean War, and received a Purple Heart.

Following the war, Garner eventually returned to L.A. to focus on acting, a taste of which he had received while performing a small role on Broadway in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.

That minor performance resulted to a contract with Warner Bros., which cast him in both TV and movie roles.

He Was a Maverick

In 1957, James Garner was cast in the lead of Maverick, a TV western about a traveling card player. The show became a hit, while Garner became unhappy with the way he was treated.

Three years after Maverick debuted, the actor sued Warner Bros. for breach of contract; won, and then exited the series.

Then Came the big Screen

Following his departure from Maverick, James Garner was cast in the movie adaptation of Lillian Hellman’s play The Children’s Hour, and his big-screen career began to flourish.

By the 1960s, however, things had changed and after the moderate success of Support Your Local Sheriff in 1969, Garner returned to TV. First, somewhat briefly with Nichols, which was followed by The Rockford Files.

Garner performed several of his own stunts on the show, As a result, he broke a few bones, hurt a few muscles, and became despondent and disenchanted with Hollywood

In 1980, the actor removed himself from The Rockford Files, partially due to his physical issues, but also because of his contractual issues with Warner Bros.

In the 1990s, he returned to playing Jim Rockford in a series TV-reunion movies, after making several feature films including the hits Victor/Victoria and Murphy’s Romance.

Behind the Scenes

In 1988, James Garner had quintuple bypass surgery, and ten years later, he had a stroke. He was happily married to Lois Clarke for 58 years until his demise, and they had two daugthers.

A longtime political activist, Garner did his part as a humanitarian with activities like organizing the 1963 March on Washington. He also frequently donated to Democratic candidates and liberal causes.

Lasting Impression

James Garner was a talented, noble, and courageous member of the Hollywood community. He was not afraid to stand up for what he believed, no matter how long it took, or how high the odds might have been stacked against him.