“I don’t like to watch me on the screen. I don’t think I’m very good.”
– James Garner 

Most everybody else had a different opinion.

There was a purity about James Garner – as plain and pure as the driven rain.
People sensed it … and liked it.

 

Some Trivia: 

Lost his mother when he was 5, and he & his two brothers were split up & sent off to live with relatives.He has two brothers, Jack Garner & Charlie Bumgarner. Jack died in 2011 and Charlie died in 1985.

Before he was an actor, he had 75 odd jobs including pumping gas to modeling men’s clothing.

Had both knees replaced.

Had quintuple heart bypass surgery.

Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1990.

Had helped organize Martin Luther King’s famous “March on Washington” civil rights demonstration, four years before going to Vietnam. (1963).

James Garner

April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014 

Who was that tall dark stranger there … ?

Leaving things a lot better than when he found it … 

Western Heritage Awards

1996 Won Bronze Wrangler Television Feature Film / Streets of Laredo (1995)
Shared with: Suzanne De Passe (executive producer), Robert Halmi Jr. (executive producer), Larry McMurtry (executive producer), Diana Ossana (executive producer), Larry Levinson (producer), Joseph Sargent (director), Sissy Spacek (principal actor), Sam Sheppard (principal actor)

Inducted Hall of Great Western Performers

In 1990, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Golden Boot Award

Academy Awards, USA

1986 Nominated Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role / Murphy’s Romance (1985)

Screen Actors Guild Awards

2005 Won Life Achievement Award

2005 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role / The Notebook (2004)
1999 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries / Legalese (1998)
1996 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries / The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise (1995)
1995 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries / The Rockford Files: I Still Love L.A. (1994)

Golden Globes, USA

1995 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV / Breathing Lessons (1994)
1994 Won Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV / Barbarians at the Gate (1993)
1991 Won Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV / Decoration Day (1990)
1987 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV / Promise (1986) For playing “Bob Beuhler”.
1986 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical / Murphy’s Romance (1985)
1985 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV / Heartsounds (1984)
1982 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical / Bret Maverick (1981)
1980 Nominated Golden Globe Best TV Actor – Drama / The Rockford Files (1974)
1979 Nominated Golden Globe Best TV Actor – Drama / The Rockford Files (1974)
1978 Nominated Golden Globe Best TV Actor – Drama / The Rockford Files (1974)
1964 Nominated Golden Globe Best Motion Picture Actor – Musical/Comedy / The Wheeler Dealers (1963)
1958 Won Golden Globe Most Promising Newcomer – Male Together with John Saxon and Patrick Wayne.

Primetime Emmy Awards

1994 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special / Breathing Lessons (1994)
1993 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special / Barbarians at the Gate (1993)
1991 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special / Decoration Day (1990)
1989 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Drama / Comedy Special Hallmark Hall of Fame
Shared with: Peter K. Duchow (executive producer), Daniel Petrie (producer)
For episode “My Name Is Bill W. (#38.3)”.
1989 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special
Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) For episode “My Name Is Bill W. (#38.3)”.
1987 Won Primetime Emmy Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special
Promise (1986) Shared with: Peter K. Duchow (executive producer),
Glenn Jordan (producer), Richard Friedenberg (co-producer)
Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special / Promise (1986)
For playing “Bob Beuhler”.
1985 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special / Heartsounds (1984)
1982 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series / Bret Maverick (1981)
1980 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series / The Rockford Files (1974)
1979 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series / The Rockford Files (1974)
1978 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series / The Rockford Files (1974)
1977 Won Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series / The Rockford Files (1974)
1976 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series / The Rockford Files (1974)
1959 Nominated Primetime Emmy
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series / Maverick (1957)

Bambi Awards

1999 Won Honorary Bambi Lifetime Achievement
1977 Won Bambi TV Series International / The Rockford Files (1974)

Golden Apple Awards

1987 – Male Star of the Year / Promise (1986) – Shared with James Wood

Thanks Jim …. you are missed already.