Actor James Garner dead at 86

[Locutus]

Hollywood actor James Garner, star of The Rockford Files and The Notebook has died at the age of 86, according to reports.

Garner was found dead when an ambulance arrived at his Los Angeles home around 8pm on Saturday, TMZ reports.

The iconic actor — one of the first actors to excel in both film and television — starred in a long list of classics during his lengthy career.

He was best-known for his role as Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files detective series.

He co-starred in the 1994 big-screen version of Maverick with Mel Gibson.

He was the original Bret Maverick in the TV series Maverick from 1957 to 1960.

Garner also played the older version of Ryan Gosling’s character in The Notebook.

Born in Oklahoma in 1928, he changed his last name from Bumgarner to Garner after a Hollywood studio credited him as “James Garner” without permission.

He and his wife Lois — who he wed in 1956 just two weeks after they met — had one of Hollywood’s longest marriages.

The cause of death is not yet known.


Actor James Garner dead at 86 | New York Post

 

[Sal]

R.I. P.

I loved this guy.

 

[SLM]

I remember watching the Rockford Files with my mom. And I confess to having a bit of a school girl crush too, lol, which I think came about more because of the humorous delivery of his lines. Eighty six is good age, he had a good life, may he rest in peace.

 

[Sal]

I remember watching the Rockford Files with my mom. And I confess to having a bit of a school girl crush too, lol, which I think came about more because of the humorous delivery of his lines. Eighty six is good age, he had a good life, may he rest in peace.

oh yeah me too...he was likely the first and one of the rare that I did have a crush on...I am not the crush kind...buddy had some kind of charismatic energy...he was also one of the first to have a complex character so they were way ahead of their time..

 

[Ludlow]

That makes me sad. One of my favorites.

 

[Sal]

That makes me sad. One of my favorites.

yeah funny that eh

he was beloved

 

[Locutus]

Korean War Vet...couple Purple Hearts, did most of his own stunts, replaced knees, quintuple bypass surgery, sued universal studios and won big time for ripping him off...the man wasn't allergic to life.

 

[SLM]

Korean War Vet...couple Purple Hearts, did most of his own stunts, replaced knees, quintuple bypass surgery, sued universal studios and won big time for ripping him off...the man wasn't allergic to life.

And on top of that still had the capacity for a deadpan delivery.....be still my heart.

 

[Locutus]

He was doing sideways eyeball/implied facepalm long before they pinned it on Tommy Lee Jones.

 

[eh1eh]

Chicks liked him too. Not enough to loan him money though.

The Rockford Files Theme Song ( 1974 - 1980 ) - YouTube

 

[#juan]

Garner was an entertaining actor who remained respectable throughout his career and avoided the bed-swapping scandals that were so common in the day. He'll be missed.

 

[lone wolf]

Rest in Peace - Maverick

 

[shadowshiv]

For some reason, I thought he had already passed away a while ago. I thought he was an excellent actor.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Garner.

 

[QuebecCanadian]

R.I.P. James Garner

Actor James Garner, whose whimsical style in the 1950s TV Western Maverick led to a stellar career in TV and films such as The Rockford Files and his Oscar-nominated Murphy's Romance, has died, police said. He was 86.


He was found dead of natural causes at his home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles Saturday evening, Los Angeles police officer Alonzo Iniquez said early Sunday.


Police responded to a call around 8 p.m. PT and confirmed Garner's identity from family members, Iniquez told The Associated Press.
There was no immediate word on a more specific cause of death. Garner had suffered a stroke in May 2008, just weeks after his 80th birthday.


More...


James Garner, Maverick star, dead at 86 - Arts & Entertainment - CBC News




I had such a crush on Jim Rockford.

Thanks Loc, I didn't see this one...doh!

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

All I can say is that my Mom is going to be waiting for him, likely shoving St Peter out of the way, when he gets to the pearly gates.

 

[gopher]

Seems like so many of my past Hollywood heroes are going. He was truly one of the best.

 

[Locutus]

This Is The Largest Collection Of Rockford Files Cars In The Universe

 

[gopher]

One of my favorite openings to the Rockford show was when he had his telephone recorder which played back a message he got from a evangelist in Spanish - the message was about saving his sole and the usual crapola some of these religious fanatics spew. "Give us your money and we'll save you your soul" - ha! Laughable!!

 

[talloola]

i liked him a lot.

my favourite movie of his was - the starring role in 'streets of laredo', which was part of the
lonesome dove group.

 

[JLM]

i liked him a lot.

my favourite movie of his was - the starring role in 'streets of laredo', which was part of the
lonesome dove group.

Another one of "the greats" gone. "The Great Escape" and "Murphy's Romance" are a couple I particularly remember!