RIP James Garner

[portia]

Sniff.
He was a very early crush, for me. His non-traditional attitude on "Maverick," and in "Rockford Files" was refreshing and fun.
I was once at a small event where he was. Of course, I couldn't say a word; I just looked.

[siddharth]

Have only seen him in The Great Escape (great film, great acting)


RIP

[GlassHouse]

One of my favorite actors.
Some actors are chameleons and can transform themselves beyond recognition to suit the part - but others, while still recognizable, are simply believable in every part they play.



on a slightly different subject.
little known facts about Jim Rockford's car:

Familiar to viewers was Jim Rockford's gold Pontiac Firebird Esprit automobile, which Rockford always ran through its paces. One oft-recurring element of the show was the famous "Jim Rockford turn-around" (also known as a J-turn or "Rockford", commonly employed as an evasive driving technique taught to Secret Service agents driving for the President of the United States).[8][9] When evading a tail or when otherwise cornered, Rockford would shift into reverse, speed up backwards in a straight line, sharply turn his wheels causing the front end to swing around; Jim always matched his steering to his speed allowing him to spin his car around 180 degrees and then quickly shift into forward gear, speeding off to escape while maintaining a straight course. James Garner claimed in a Season One DVD interview that he performed this stunt for the duration of the series. The car's license number, 853 OKG, was a reference to Garner's Oklahoma roots and his signing in August 1953 as a contract player (although the license in some early episodes displayed the number 835 OKG). The number was last assigned to a look-alike Firebird driven in and around the city of Riverside, California.[citation needed] As of April 5, 2013 the California DMV shows no record on file for license plate 853 OKG.[citation needed]

Starting with the 1974 model year, Rockford would get a new model-year Firebird Esprit each year throughout the series, though they have identical "copper mist" color with a corresponding upgraded interior (and, occasionally, sharp-eyed car connoisseurs would spot the different model year cars used in various chase scenes that differed from those in an actual episode, especially in later seasons). Although the series ran until early 1980, no Firebird was used past the 1978 model year as Garner reportedly was displeased with the restyled front end of the 1979 and later Firebird models and as such did not wish them featured on the show (although an answering machine message in one episode in the final season indicated his car was 1979 Firebird).

[GlassHouse]

Just wanted to share this really nice article on Garner's life and legacy as an actor that I came across.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/21/movie ... .html?_r=1

“As my old pappy used to say, a man does what he has to do — if he can’t get out of it.” — Maverick (series)

[Morwenna]

I remember his Maverick days. (There were dozens of westerns on TV in those days.) He had such a delightful boyish charm.