Biographical Stuff

There are many profiles/bios of Jim on the Web. This is one of the better ones.

Actor Profile:
JAMES GARNER
(1928 - )

One of the greatest dangers an actor faces is overexposure. After all, it�s said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. And don�t forget the old showbiz rule to always leave the audience asking for more. But James Garner has ignored these clich�s throughout his lengthy career. He has starred in scores of movies, several TV series, and has also appeared frequently in commercials, often juggling work in all three areas at the same time. Yet, while other stars would burn out with so much exposure, Garner�s star keeps shining brightly. It�s no wonder his most famous role was as a "Maverick."

If his career contradicts the clich�s, his personal story does not. It�s the usual one of a youth spent in poverty until fame and fortune strike as suddenly as lightning. Born James Bumgarner in 1928, the Oklahoma native�s mother died when he was five years old. After his father�s remarriage, the boy, now eight, went to work to help pay the bills. "God, I worked," he told TV Guide in 1975. "I worked harder than anybody."

Garner mowed lawns, mopped floors, worked in the oil fields of Texas, and, after moving to California, laid carpet with his father in the City of Angels. He never wanted to be an actor, but after a stint in Korea (and earning a Purple Heart), an old friend now working as a producer got him into the cast of The Caine Mutiny Court Martial on Broadway. In 1955, Garner was signed to Warner Bros. That year, he did a few guest shots on the studio�s popular TV western Cheyenne. Two years later, he was appearing with Marlon Brando in Sayonara, and had a TV western of his own. As the gun shy gambler known as Maverick, Garner became a star, the hottest actor on television, in fact.

Even in an era when westerns were as conspicuous on the home screen as they are scarce today, the Roy Huggins created series made a lasting impression by spoofing the genre. Slyly satiric and sophisticated in ways that other western series were not, Maverick presented a hero who rarely engaged in heroics, and dreaded violence to the point of cowardice. For three seasons, Garner perfected what would become his trademark: the self-effacing charmer who relied more on his wit than his fists when confronted with danger.

Garner may have been the most popular star on television, but his paycheck did not reflect his success. In 1960, he sued to get out of his contract and turned his back on television for more than a decade.

Making the transition from TV to movies is difficult, and few actors have done it successfully, but Garner, who had already starred in William Wellman�s Darby�s Rangers while still cranking out episodes of Maverick, made the move with no trouble at all. He may have seemed ill at ease opposite Audrey Hepburn and Shirley Maclaine in the overly dramatic The Children�s Hour, but made himself very comfortably at home in no less than four 1963 releases.

As the husband bewildered by his wife�s sudden rise to stardom in television commercials, Garner was memorably teamed with Doris Day in The Thrill of It All, a film in which he demonstrated his already proven flair for comedy. In The Wheeler Dealers, he was hilarious as a Texas oil tycoon with a fondness for "burnt" steaks and a hot Lee Remick.

If a second film that year with Doris Day, Move Over, Darling, threatened to typecast him as a leading man with a light touch, John Sturges� The Great Escape gave him the opportunity to show a tougher side. In what is perhaps the ultimate World War II adventure film, Garner may not have had a moment as memorable as Steve McQueen�s famous motorcycle escape from the Nazis, but as Hendley "The Scrounger," who puts his own life in jeopardy by taking the blind Donald Pleasance under his wing as they escape from the P.O.W. camp, he displayed a warmth not always found in such macho surroundings.

In 1964, Garner appeared opposite Julie Andrews in what would become his favorite of all his films, The Americanization of Emily. With a screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky, the Arthur Hiller directed film asked some pungent questions about war and bravery, hence its appeal to an actor who made his mark playing characters who shunned the typically violent approach to settling cinematic predicaments.

After Maverick, Garner avoided westerns as much as he did TV, but now firmly established as a film star, one big enough for the Cinerama format in which John Frankenheimer�s 1966 racing drama Grand Prix was filmed, he got back in the saddle opposite Sidney Poitier in Ralph Nelson�s offbeat Duel at Diablo. A year later, he made one of the movies� most impressive Wyatt Earps in John Sturges� Hour of the Gun. Advertised with the tag line, "Hero with a badge or cold blooded killer?," the film was less exciting than its ad campaign would have you believe, but it remains one of the more intriguing explorations of the legendary lawman�s character.

Having returned to the range with such impressive results, by 1969 Garner was ready to once more play the genre for laughs. The memories of Maverick were vivid in Support Your Local Sheriff, Garner�s finest comedy to date. Whether asking outlaw Bruce Dern to pretend that the jail cell in which he is being locked actually has bars, or stuffing his finger in Walter Brennan�s gun barrel and admonishing him for rudeness, Garner gives his most winning comedic performance. The film, directed by Burt Kennedy from a screenplay by William Bowers, was popular with audiences, and inspired a spin-off in the form of the less successful Support Your Local Gunfighter two years later. But by then, Garner was contemplating an even stronger return to his roots.

By the close of the sixties, Garner was beginning to look askance at the violence and nudity that was commonplace in movies after the introduction of the MPAA rating system in 1969. That year, Garner starred in Marlowe, becoming the sixth actor to play Raymond Chandler�s legendary private eye (For the record, the preceding five were Humphrey Bogart, George Montgomery, Dick Powell, Robert Montgomery, and Philip Carey who played the role on TV). That nifty credit aside, television was beginning to look attractive again, and, in September 1971, Garner debuted as Nichols (pictured at right), the reluctant sheriff of a small town in turn of the century Arizona. The accent was on characterization and humor of a gentle kind, but even with a pre-Lois Lane Margot Kidder in the cast, it may have been too gentle for audiences in the era of Archie Bunker, and the series struggled through its one season run.

But with The Rockford Files in 1974, Garner struck gold. As Jim Rockford, a private investigator who lived in a house trailer with his father in L.A., Garner won an Emmy and a legion of new fans. As wry and witty as Maverick, but with shades of Chandleresque cynicism, the series ran for six seasons on NBC, and would be revived in the 90s as a series of CBS-TV movies.

By the time Rockford temporarily closed his files, Garner was also prominent as a television pitchman, appearing in commercials for Polaroid with actress Mariette Hartley. Their appearances were so effective that the public believed they were actually Mr. and Mrs, leading Hartley to wear a T-shirt bearing the words, "I am not James Garner�s wife." Before long, Garner became the spokesman for the beef industry, informing us that "It�s what�s for dinner" until open heart surgery made him a less than ideal representative for the artery clogging product.

He still had the movies, though. Garner had little to do but look attentive as the companion of Lauren Bacall in the 1981 slasher flick The Fan, but reuniting with Julie Andrews for Blake Edwards� gender bending Victor/Victoria put him back on the big screen in style. An even better role came his way in 1985�s Murphy�s Romance. As the small town druggist romancing Sally Field, Garner finally received the recognition from his colleagues that the public felt he had deserved for years by nominating him for an Oscar as Best Actor.

If his skill for light comedy made people forget he was also an accomplished dramatic actor, his superb work in such TV movies as Heartsounds (1984), The Promise (1986), My Name is Bill W. (1989), Decoration Day (1990), Barbarians at the Gate (1993), Breathing Lessons (1994), and Streets of Laredo (1995) helped them remember.

And who better than Garner to reprise Wyatt Earp opposite Bruce Willis as Tom Mix in 1988�s Sunset? Or play an ex-president alongside Jack Lemmon in 1996�s My Fellow Americans? And he�ll start the millennium in good company, too, appearing with Clint Eastwood and Tommy Lee Jones in Space Cowboys.

And through it all, there was always Maverick.

"One of the things I can�t stand about television," Garner complained to TV Guide in 1968, "is that they never let you live down your past. I still have people coming up to me and complimenting me on Maverick. And I haven�t made a Maverick in nearly 10 years!" But 10 years after registering that complaint, Garner did make another Maverick, guest starring in a pilot for ABC-TV�s The New Maverick. Retitled Young Maverick when it briefly became a series, Garner guested in the first episode. In 1981, Garner starred for NBC in Bret Maverick, his fourth series, and, in 1994, he joined Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster in Richard Donner�s big screen revival of the series that first brought him fame. By embracing rather than shunning his past, perhaps Garner is suggesting that another showbiz clich�--"give the people what they want"-- is the one he has learned to respect.

James Garner may not be the "last real man" as People christened him some years back, but he may very well be the last real star--an actor who shines in any medium and loses none of his sparkle with age.

Brian W. Fairbanks

� Copyright 1999, Brian W. Fairbanks. All Rights Reserved.

About the author

On Movies and Criticism
FOREWORD from I Saw That Movie, Too

FILMS:
Toward the Unknown, The Girl He Left Behind (1956), Sayonara, Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957), Darby�s Rangers (1958), Cash McCall, Alias Jesse James, Up Periscope (1959), The Children�s Hour (1961), Boys� Night Out (1962), The Thrill of It All, The Great Escape, The Wheeler Dealers, Move Over, Darling (1963), 36 Hours, The Americanization of Emily (1964), Mister Buddwing, The Art of Love (1965), A Man Could Get Killed, Duel at Diablo, Grand Prix (1966), Hour of the Gun (1967), The Pink Jungle, How Sweet It Is! (1968), The Racing Scene, Support Your Local Sheriff, Marlowe (1969), A Man Called Sledge (1970), Skin Game, Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971), They Only Kill Their Masters (1972), One Little Indian (1973), The Castaway Cowboy (1974), H.E.A.L.T.H. (1979), The Fan (1981), Victor/Victoria (1982), Tank (1984), Murphy�s Romance (1985), Sunset (1988), The Distinguished Gentleman (1992), Fire in the Sky (1993), Maverick (1994), Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick (1996), My Fellow Americans (1996), The Hidden Dimension (narrator) (1997), Twilight (1998), Space Cowboys (2000), Atlantis: The Lost Empire (voice only, 2001), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), The Notebook (2004).

TV MOVIES, MINI-SERIES, SPECIALS:
The Rockford Files (1974), The New Maverick (1978), Bret Maverick: The Lazy Ace (1981), The Long Summer of George Adams (1982), Heartsounds (1984), The Glitter Dome (1984), James A. Michener�s Space (1985), The Promise (1986), My Name Is Bill W. (1989), Decoration Day (1990), Barbarians at the Gate (1993), Breathing Lessons (1994), The Rockford Files: I Still Love L.A. (1994), The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise (1995), Streets of Laredo (1995), The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits, The Rockford Files: Godfather Knows Best, The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play, The Rockford Files: Crime and Punishment (1996), Dead Silence, Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western, The Rockford Files: Murder and Misdemeanors (1997), Legalese (1998), A Winter Visitor, The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds...It Leads, Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story, One Special Night (1999), Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows (2000), Making of "Space Cowboys" (2000), The Last Debate (2000), Roughing It (2001).

TV SERIES:
Maverick (1957-60), Nichols (1971-72), The Rockford Files (1974-80), Bret Maverick (1981-82), Man of the People (1991), God, the Devil, and Bob (voice only, 2000), Chicago Hope (guest appearances, 2000), First Monday (2002), 8 Simple Rules...for Dating My Teenage Daughter (2003).

Now This Is Sad

In my ramblings around the Web, I just came across this.I 'm no Fundamentalist - in fact, I'm more of an Agnostic. But I had already noticed the things this writer describes in the reviews.

I don't like being told I have to be a Christian. But I sure wouldn't like to be told I couldn't be one either. Once more, bias raises its ugly head...

The Ultimate Gift" Movie Producer Claims Moral Content Attacked to Suppress Film

Hollywood Critics Skewer, Fans Love, "Little Movie with a Big Heart"

Contact: Chuck Robbins, 704-839-3520

CHARLOTTE, Mar. 15 /Christian Newswire/ -- Veteran film producer Rick Eldridge was sure he had all the ingredients to cook up a successful box office hit. For his film "The Ultimate Gift," based on the a book of the same name that has sold nearly 4 million copies worldwide, he landed veteran Hollywood heavyweight James Garner and young sensation Abigail Breslin to star in a movie that sought to teach the value of a legacy of hard work and integrity in relation to an inheritance of cash.

The film tells the story of an elderly and wealthy man (played by Garner) who leaves behind a video will that requires his grandson to perform various character-building tasks before he can inherit his grandfather's wealth. Add in the likes of Golden Globe winner Brian Dennehy and screen veteran Bill Cobbs, and it's no wonder that The Washington Post (and many others) have noted that the film is "well-acted by a first rate cast." "The film aims to inspire a generation," observed The Arizona Republic.

But what Eldridge didn't count on was that his film would be given tough reviews by the critics because of what they perceived as being hidden religious and social messages.

"Reeking of self-righteousness and moral reprimand, Michael O. Sajbel's "Ultimate Gift" is a hairball of good-for-you filmmaking . . . . The movie's messages - pro-poverty, anti-abortion - are methodically hammered home," says New York Times reviewer Jeannette Catsoulis.

"There's an anti-abortion message jammed into one scene with all the subtlety of an avalanche. Just in case you miss it, it's repeated in the credits too. Some gift, eh?," wrote Chicago Tribune critic Lou Carlozo.

These assessments have been a surprise to Eldridge. "The film's single mom says she was glad she had her child. Calling that an anti-abortion message is a stretch," he said. "And while the film certainly does inspire people to be giving and compassionate, what does that have to do with being 'pro-poverty'? It's hard to know how to respond to that kind of criticism, except to say that it clearly incites the wrong things."

Mostly, it seems that there just isn't any violence, cursing or sex in this movie, so a host of critics are calling it "sappy" or moralistic and wondering why moviegoers would pay to see it.

These days in Hollywood, it seems that it is rare to see a family movie critically acclaimed. "The Ultimate Gift is a people's film, not a critic's film," said Eldridge. "And there is, increasingly, a big difference between those two things."

Eldridge points to this week's independent exit poll results from CinemaScore, which showed that a remarkable 99% of all respondents rated the film in the "A/B" category.

"This 'little film with a big heart', as one critic called it, celebrates the great American values of thrift, integrity, honor and family," Eldridge said.

"I'm hoping that millions of Americans will ignore attempts to keep this film down and vote with their feet to send a message to the movie industry that a values-driven family movie about virtue can be a box-office hit."

http://www.earnedmedia.org/IPA0315.htm

Making It Look TOO Easy

During the last decade or so, the word I've been hearing the most about Jim is "underrated." Seems the Powers That Be have finally seen what I saw all along. James Garner is a unique talent, and he is SO good, SO natural that everyone said he was "just playing himself," when nothing could have been further from the truth.

It still makes me mad, but at least he's getting his props while he's still alive. No, it's not just me. Read on...

REEL TALK
Updated Thursday, June 16, 2005

How does a star last for 50 years in the cut-throat world of show business? Just ask James Garner. Author Ed Robertson gives us a behind-the-scenes look at one of America's most beloved stars.

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James Garner: True Blue from Maverick to Eight Simple Rules

by Ed Robertson

James Garner is one of the few actors whose film and television career spans three generations.

Baby Boomers remember him as the star of Maverick (ABC, 1957-1962) and many movies from the ‘60s, including The Great Escape; Move Over, Darling; The Thrill of It All; The Children’s Hour; The Americanization of Emily; Grand Prix; and Support Your Local Sheriff.

Those who came of age in the ‘70s know him as Jim Rockford, the wise-cracking hero who changed the way we looked at television detectives in The Rockford Files (NBC, 1974-1980).

Then there’s that impressive string of films he did in the ‘80s and ‘90s, including Heartsounds, Promise, My Name is Bill W., Barbarians at the Gate, Breathing Lessons, Twilight and his Oscar-nominated performance in Murphy’s Romance.

Young people today know him as Grandpa Jim on 8 Simple Rules (ABC, 2002-2005), not to mention his roles in Space Cowboys, The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and The Notebook.

An actor must be pretty special to enjoy that kind of longevity. That’s exactly what James Garner is. Here’s a look at why he appeals to so many of us, filmmakers and filmgoers alike.

Garner is admired throughout the industry for the environment he creates on the set. Ask anyone who has ever worked on a Garner film or television series—actors, writers, directors, producers, crew members, stunt people, extras, and anyone else who’s part of the production—and they will invariably mention the word family.

My wife and I saw this firsthand in 2001, when we visited the set of Garner’s Supreme Court drama First Monday. The entire soundstage crackled with energy the minute Jim arrived. Everyone knew that they were in the presence of a real star, the kind who instantly lends gravitas to a project by virtue of his participation. That kind of stature not only creates excitement throughout the set, it raises the bar for everyone and inspires them to do their best.

Garner also inspires loyalty because he looks after the needs of his cast and crew. He takes care of the little things, such as making sure people on the set have the best coffee and food available. And he takes cares of the big things, such as giving cast and crew the room they need to do their job.

“I like to let people do what they were hired to do,” Garner told me when I interviewed him for my book, Thirty Years of The Rockford Files. “I think you get better work that way. They know that they won’t have somebody looking over their shoulder all the time.

“Now, I know what everyone does on the show, and they realize that, but they also don’t feel as if I’m looking over their shoulder.”

Jim has always respected the work of his writers—and the feeling is mutual. Television writers especially love him, knowing that even an ordinary line will sound that much better because Jim is the one who’s saying it.

As for how his peers view Garner, consider the tribute by Morgan Freeman on the night of the Screen Actors Guild awards earlier this year.

The Guild honored Jim that night with its prestigious Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishments. After a 20-minute ceremony that culminated with a heartfelt speech by Garner, the show resumed with the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Film. Although Jim was among the nominees in that category for his performance in The Notebook, the award went to Morgan Freeman in Million Dollar Baby.

When Freeman took the stage to accept the award, he could still feel the glow in the room emanating from the ceremony honoring Garner. Instead of delivering the usual acceptance speech, Freeman smiled warmly at Jim and immediately led the entire audience in a rousing rendition of the theme song from Maverick—the show, of course, that originally made Garner a star in 1957.

Garner’s approach to acting has always been internal. He doesn’t so much “learn lines” as he “learns thoughts”—that is, the thought process of whatever character he is going to play. According to the late Marion Hargrove, who wrote multiple episodes of Maverick as well as many of Jim’s movies in the early ‘60s, this is a trait the actor developed as a young man growing up in Oklahoma.

“The South is a richer environment to grow up in than any other part of the country,” said Hargrove in Maverick: Legend of The West. “You can get to know more people in the South: you watch them, you know what they’re like. That can be a great benefit to a writer or an actor.

“And, of course, Garner went through many odd jobs before he settled onto acting, so he would’ve met a lot of different people. He told me that he learned a lot from listening to people while he worked at the filling station [while he was a student at Hollywood High School]. He’d take in the different conversations people had as they passed through.”

Garner himself has said that listening has always been a key to his success as an actor. “One of the first things I learned in this business is how to listen,” he said in an interview with ABC. “By listening, you put yourself in it. You know what’s going on. You’re reacting to it.”

Indeed, Jim is one of the finest reactors film or television has ever known. Whether he’s playing Jim Rockford, Grandpa Jim, or the Chief Justice of the United States, you can often tell exactly what his character is thinking simply from the look on Garner’s face.

James Garner is so good, the effort he puts into each of his roles is sometimes overlooked. “Jim makes acting look so easy, he hasn’t gotten the credit he deserves,” said writer/producer Juanita Bartlett (Nichols, The Rockford Files). “When you see him on Rockford, he’s playing a character. He isn’t playing himself. But because he makes it look so real, you think you’re looking at James Garner.”

I had a chance to see just how hard Jim works during my visit to the set of First Monday.

It was a scene between Garner and Joe Mantegna. Their characters were engaged in conversation while walking down a long corridor. The dialogue was mostly expository, fairly routine stuff. From where I stood, Garner could do this in his sleep.

Suddenly, Jim stopped and shook his head. He was not satisfied with his performance. He’d gotten the words right, but he hadn’t delivered them quite the way he wanted. He motioned to the director, “Could we take it again from the top?”

The cameras rolled. The director called out “Action!” Once again, Jim and Joe went through their paces. This time, Garner nailed it. The director said, “Cut and print it,” and they went on to stage the next scene.

Now here’s a man who has been doing this for 50 years, yet he still believes in working just as hard as he did as a young actor. I couldn’t help but be impressed.

Garner also still believes in taking chances, as he did when he joined the cast of 8 Simple Rules following the untimely death of John Ritter in 2003.

Ritter was a television icon, beloved throughout the industry. Rules was built around Ritter. Not only was it sacrilege to continue without him, no network show had ever survived the death of a lead actor. That was what all the experts were thinking.

Yet 8 Simple Rules proved everyone wrong, thanks to James Garner.

Jim’s steady presence helped stabilize the cast and crew, especially during those first few days without Ritter. And though Rules did lose viewers who were loyal to Ritter, it picked up many more new viewers who tuned in simply to watch Garner. As a result, Rules not only survived, it continued to thrive for another two seasons before leaving the air earlier this year.

It’s that steady presence that has made James Garner a part of our lives for almost 50 years. He plays the kind of characters on film and television we’d all like to have for a friend.

Ed Robertson has written five books, including two on the television career of James Garner: Maverick: Legend of The West (pomegranate Press, 1994) and Thirty Years of The Rockford Files (ASJA Press, 2005). Ed was also a consultant and onscreen commentator on the documentaries “James Garner”(MSNBC, 1999) and “Hollywood Maverick” (A&E, 2000), which airs regularly on the Biography Channel. For more information on Ed’s books and articles, drop by his web site www.edrobertson.com.

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Lance Mannion

One of my favorite actors talking about one of my very favorite actors:

I also loved working with James Garner, who is so unsung. When we were shooting the scene where we have lunch together, I'm throwing grapes up in the air, catching them with my mouth, and he's just sitting there. "Doncha want a cuppa coffee?" I ask him, and he says, "No, you're doing it all." I'd love to work with him again. He's in the same league with Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Gielgud, in a different way. All of them are coming from the inside, and all their thoughts have to be right. James Garner makes acting look effortless – that's hard work.

That's Malcolm McDowelll talking about working with Garner in Sunset. Quote's from an interview McDowell did with N.P. Thompson of The House Next Door. Thompson was focused on McDowell, naturally, so he didn't chase that down---Garner in the same league as those three great British hams? What did McDowell mean?

I'm guessing that when he says that, like those three, James Garner is "coming from the inside" he means that when you watch Garner you have to look into his eyes. He makes you read his thoughts. His characters don't move about much (neither do Olivier's but he vibrates so intensely when he's just standing still you feel as if he's moving as much as Gene Kelly does when he's dancing) but they're always thinking. You can see their minds working, which is how Garner can dominate a scene in which he has few lines, he's playing opposite an actor as volatile as McDowell, and that other actor is doing something as flamboyant as tossing grapes up in the air and catching them in his mouth. McDowell appears to have been worried about upstaging Garner but Garner knew. He can afford to give away space to anyone who's onscreen with him.

Garner once said he learned everything he knows about acting from watching Henry Fonda in the stage version of The Caine Mutiny Court Martial. It was one of Garner's first acting jobs. He played a member of the panel of naval officers trying the case and he had no lines. He kept himself occupied by studying Fonda, another actor who I'd say worked "from inside."

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by Clay Patrick

J u l y

.

ogically, of course, this month’s column should belong to Marlon Brando, who died recently at 80. He was, after all, widely considered to be one of, if not the, premiere actors of his time, and his legend is such that typically I would say few careers are more deserving of a tribute, along with a weekend’s viewing. The thing is, I didn’t care for him all that much. I don’t mean as a person, of course—I didn’t know him. But outside of The Godfather I am no particular fan of his film work. I guess that holds true in my estimation for a number of the early Method/Lee Strasberg students. Over the years (and after spending some time studying it myself), I have come to a somewhat unfavorable opinion about Method acting and actors—some of those early so-called New York actors who developed their style under that particular discipline gave performances that were overwrought, sometimes incomprehensible (especially Brando), and, well, sloppy. Don’t even ask me what I think of James Dean these days. That’s just one opinion, of course, and oh my, would I have loved to see Brando on stage. But of his film work? Well, in good conscience I must leave it to others to recommend films worthy of your time. I decided the other day, upon reading one of my fellow Audience writer’s reviews on The Notebook, that James Garner’s career is one that is often overlooked, and that he is equally deserving of a column. Now him, I’m a fan of. To look at his technique you might not think there was much craft involved at all. You’d be wrong, of course. Only the very best can make it look that easy. Perhaps that’s what I perceive as the difference between the two giants—Brando I felt was always acting at me; with Garner, you never see the process. As an audience member, I pick “B.” Without further adieu, here are five films from one of my all-time faves. The Great Escape (1963) ortunately, this one plays in heavy rotation on TCM, widescreen and uncut as it should be, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding it. It’s also available on DVD and video, of course. Directed by John Sturges and written by James Clavell and W.R. Burnett from Paul Brickhill’s book, The Great Escape is one of the all-time great WWII films, a fictionalized version of a real-life escape attempt from a Nazi POW camp. Garner is just one of that era’s top-notch actors in the film, both character types and leading men. Steve McQueen co-stars, with Richard “Sir Dickie” Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasance and many other recognizable faces providing critical support. It’s one of those films no studio could afford to produce today. Garner plays Flight Lt. Bob Anthony “The Scrounger” Hendley, and he lives up to his nickname. As two groups of prisoners secretly tunnel their way below their respective barracks and plan subsequent getaways through enemy territory, Hendley is the go-to guy for materials needed to complete the mission. That is, when he’s not giving his captors a bad time. While there’s really not a bad performance in the film, pay special attention also to longtime character actor Pleasance as Lt. Colin Blythe, aka “The Forger.” Pleasance had a very hit-and-miss career, often way over the top in his performances, but here he just shines (right up until he breaks your heart). There are too many great sequences here to single out any one, but most folks will remember this film as the one featuring McQueen’s fence-hopping motorcycle dash for freedom. The Great Escape is also notable among WWII films in that it does not conclude with the requisite happy ending. For all the reasons listed above, Escape easily qualifies as Afterthought’s Top Pick o’ The Month. Murphy’s Romance (1985) arner’s performance as the lively, cantankerous title character is the main reason to see this sweetly romantic May-December love story, which is otherwise only slightly above average. But that’s still reason enough. Sally Field (who also produced and insisted upon Garner for the part) stars as Emma Moriarty, a newly divorced mom trying to make a go of a small-town horse ranch. Between her lazy lout of an ex-husband (Brian Kerwin, the weak link in the film) and a decided lack of customers, she’s not having an easy time of it. Garner plays Murphy Jones, local druggist and political activist, whom Emma comes to rely upon for sage advice after he begins boarding his horses with her. But despite their age differences, an exasperated Murphy finally explains to the clueless Emma that he’s neither her shrink nor her “damned Dutch uncle.” Nope, Murphy has other things on his mind. The chemistry between Garner and Fields doesn’t exactly crackle, but it’s comfortable and fun in this evenly-paced adult romance, directed with a sure hand by Martin Ritt. The slow build of their relationship, as scripted by Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravitch, is realistic, and a fine way to spend two hours. Kudos to Fields for stepping out of the limelight and giving Garner the meatier role (for which he deservedly received an Oscar nomination). Available on DVD and VHS. They Only Kill Their Masters (1972) t has been years since I saw this police story (and probably a lot more years since I’ve seen it not edited for television), but I distinctly remember it being a matinee favorite from when I was a lad, especially Garner’s performance and, well, just the very sight of the beautiful, enigmatic Katherine Ross back in her prime. In the small, sleepy coastal hamlet of Eden’s Landing, a young woman named Jenny Campbell has been killed, apparently by her pet Doberman. But that doesn’t sit right with easygoing police chief Abel Marsh (Garner, in a Rockford-esque performance), who comes to find out that something else is going on as he begins digging into the dead girl’s past. What he discovers is a bit unsavory for such an idyllic setting—Jenny lived what would at the time have been considered a rather sordid lifestyle. Helping Chief Marsh with his investigation is Ross, playing the local vet, who may or may not have something to do with Jenny’s death herself. Masters is a fairly standard procedural, but it boasts an exceptional supporting cast (Hal Holbrook, June Allyson, and the great Harry Guardino). Screenwriter Lane Slate and director James Goldstone (both TV vets of the time) manage to keep the mystery going until the eventual payoff. Available on VHS (with some truly hideous cover art). The Skin Game (1971) arner has one of his most entertaining roles (and one of his best co-stars) in this western, set in the Old South. Garner is Quincy Drew and Louis Gossett Jr. (back when he was just Lou Gossett, with hair) is Jason O’Rourke in this comedy about a couple of antebellum con men. Their scam is this: The pair travel about the region where Garner regularly sells the strapping Gossett into slavery for exorbitant prices—and then proceeds to “liberate” him again and again, moving on to the next town afterwards. Unfortunately things go awry, as things are wont to do, and suddenly it is no longer a game for Gossett, who faces a lifetime of real servitude. Luckily, Susan Clark as Ginger, a pretty young woman with a game of her own, steps in with assistance. Garner and Gossett are particularly well-suited to this dicey, sometimes heavy material (written by Peter Stone from a Richard Alan Simmons story), playing off each other like they’d been working together for years, and Clark holds her own against them. Also, Ed Asner gives an excellent bad-guy performance. Directed by Paul Bogart, the film is available on VHS. Trivia Note: Skin Game was Warner Bros.’ 2000th production. Support Your Local Sheriff (1968) or viewers of a certain age like myself, it would be criminal not to include one of the two “Support Your…” films Garner made, either Gunfighter or Local Sheriff. Both are equally charming, but I think this one has the better script and cast. Two of the things that allow a star such as Garner to maintain a 40+-year career are the ability to pick good material and the ability to work with the right people, from Stuart Margolin and Gretchen Corbett in his Rockford days to big screen co-stars such as Doris Day in Move Over Darling, and Julie Andrews in The Americanization of Emily, both of which are worth renting as well. Here, in this genial spoof of the western genre, Garner gets to work with such cowboy movie vets as Walter Brennen (as Pa Darby, the leader the bad guys), Bruce Dern, Harry Morgan, Henry Jones, and of course the great Jack Elam. And for his leading lady, one of the truly underrated actresses of her time, the late Joan Hackett as the hair-triggered Prudence. The reasons Sheriff—in which Garner plays a smooth-talking gunman who decides to take the lawman job because he needs the money and it doesn’t look like it’ll require much effort on his part—works so well is that the satire is subtle and Garner is the world’s greatest straight man, allowing the lunatics who populate the town to take care of the comedy for him. Sure, some of the gags are a little dated, but it’s still worth the watch. Elam is especially great as Garner’s deputy. Of course, if you’re in the mood for such a thing, you can always rent Support Your Local Gunfighter, the ersatz sequel, and have yourself a nice B-movie double bill right in the comfort of your own home. Both are available on all aftermarket media. Sheriff was written by William Bowers and directed by Burt Kennedy. ell, pardners, that’s our five (plus a couple more honorable mentions) for the month, so hitch your pony to the Netflix or Movies Unlimited websites and get started watching. I’ll mosey on back next month with a few more suggestions from the WayBack Machine.

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� 2004 Audience magazine

limericks

limericks: "

A committee for a statue is formin'In the hometown of James Garner, Norman.Of the famed 'Rockford Files',He's brought Hollywood smiles,A great honor for this old 'Maverick' gunman.

"

The American's American

Throughout his storied career – which now spans and astonishing 50 years – James Garner has been called an American prototype. In the 60’s it was the “all American sex symbol,” much to his chagrin, to Charlie Rose calling him the “Quintessential American” in a 2002 interview.

And so he is.

He was born in the Heartland – Norman, Oklahoma – in 1928, a child of the Great Depression. Jim was only four years old when his mother – who was one half Cherokee – died, and he’s been on his own since the was thirteen when his father moved to California to try and start over.

To this day, he remains devoted to his home state and his hometown, describing Norman as “a wonderful place to grow up.” However, many of his childhood memories were not wonderful.

When he was about six, his father married a woman who turned out to be a stepmother worthy of Hansel and Gretel. She beat all three boys, but especially young James. Not only did Jim come in for more of his share of beatings, the woman also punished him by making him wear dresses in public and referring to him as “Louise.” She did this many times over the course of the years. The abuse didn’t stop until Jim was thirteen. One evening, defending himself from another beating, “something snapped,” he says. He hauled off and decked his stepmother, knowing he would be in “big trouble.” Indeed he was. However, this night did mark the end of the marriage, and Jim and his brothers were finally free of their tormentor.

In the Korean War “I served my country to the best of my ability,” spending fourteen of his twenty-one month army hitch actually in Korea. He saw a lot of tough combat, earning two Purple Hearts for wounds suffered in the line of duty. Jim’s comment on the war? “It was cold and hard and I was one of the lucky ones.”

Jim never even considered being an actor, even though his looks had prompted almost everyone to push the idea at him all his life. He was a shy person and has said he would never have passed speech in high school if his coach had not been the teacher. His powerful fear of public speaking remains with him to this day.

In 1956 he married - for the first and only time - to Lois Clarke, whom Jim describes as "the great love of my life." They have two daughters, Kim, Lois' child from a former marriage, born in 1948, and Greta Scott (Gigi), born in 1958. Jim and Lois celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 17, 2006.

I became a Garner fan when I saw the first episode of the original Maverick series in September of 1957. I was thirteen and had never been particularly interested in movie/TV stars. Nevertheless, there was something about this guy…

Of course, I had a teenybopper crush on this handsome and talented actor, but, as I learned more about Garner the man, I became an even bigger fan of James Garner the person than James Garner the actor. In fact, – since my own father was hardly suitable for the job – Jim Garner became my male role model. Thank you, Jim. It’s now been 50 years, and you never let me down.

Now, on to some interesting tidbits about this Very American Idol.