Rockford dead at 86

[Curt James]

Actor James Garner Passes Away, Age 86

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor James Garner, best known for his prime-time television roles as the wisecracking frontier gambler on "Maverick" and as an ex-con turned private eye on "The Rockford Files," has died at age 86, Los Angeles police confirmed early on Sunday.

Garner, who built a six-decade career playing ruggedly charming, good-natured anti-heroes and received the highest honor of the Screen Actors Guild in 2004, was found dead from natural causes on Saturday night at his Los Angeles home, according to police.

Garner, an Oklahoma native, entered show business in the 1950s after serving in the Korean War and first rose to fame on the TV western "Maverick," a sardonic alternative to the more serious frontier shows then popular on American prime time.

He was Bret Maverick, a cardsharp and ladies man who got by on his wits instead of a six-gun and would just as soon duck a fight as face a showdown. Co-star Jack Kelly played his more straight-laced brother, Bart.

Garner left the ABC show in 1960 in a contract dispute with producers but brought his "Maverick"-like alter ego to a series of films, including "Thrill of It All," "Move Over, Darling," "The Great Escape" and “Support Your Local Sheriff!"

Garner once said his screen persona as an easy-going guy smart enough to steer clear of a fight actually ran only so deep.

“At times it's like me, but I used to have this temper," he told Reuters in a 2004 interview. "I used to get in a fight in a heartbeat. But that was many years ago."

With his wry, low-key presence, good looks and thick dark hair, Garner was hailed by some as a great Hollywood leading man in the making.

But he ended up scoring his next big hit on the small screen in the 1970s, starring as canny private detective Jim Rockford, a wrongly accused ex-convict starting life over in a beachfront trailer home, on “The Rockford Files."

The show ran on NBC from 1974 until Garner abruptly quit the series in 1980. He reprised Rockford for several TV movies in the late 1990s.

More @ http://mobile.reuters.com/article/id...40720?irpc=932

[warthog]

From McCurtys Dead Mans Walk to Lonesome Dove all the way through to Return to Lonesome to Streets of Laredo.He played Woodrow in his last years.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Garner was very good at reading other peoples words and pretending being other people.....actor. The real man? Who is he? He did serve in the Korean War and received two Purple Hearts. Thanks for your service James. He later became a Hollywood left leaning elitist. A very wealthy capitalist. Not much else to say about this man.

[PTB]

Favorite movie was from Marlowe with Bruce Lee


Bruce Lee in the film Marlowe 1969 scene HD.: http://youtu.be/gy1QdSi79Ys

[Curt James]

Favorite movie was from Marlowe with Bruce Lee


Bruce Lee in the film Marlowe 1969 scene HD.: http://youtu.be/gy1QdSi79Ys

Very cool.

[swingslammer]

Just watched Space Cowboys about a week ago. I also like an obscure movie. ..Tank with C Thomas Howell. Garner played a retired Army hard ass who takes on the local red neck sheriff. Reminds me of some real Army guys I know.

RIP James.

[weezer]

, on the Rockford Files he was always calling for Angel, well, they called for you. RIP

[beefyfan]

It is rumored that he bridged the gap in terms of penile size/prowess between Uncle Milty and Huey Lewis.