James Garner

Biography

James Garner was an American actor and producer who found stardom on television as the gambler Bret Maverick in the Western series Maverick, and later as the private investigator Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files, a role that brought him a 1977 Emmy Award. Born in Norman, Oklahoma, he began with a nonspeaking part in the Broadway production of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial in 1954 and moved on to television and feature films. His movies included The Great Escape (1963), The Americanization of Emily (1964), Grand Prix (1966), Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969), Victor Victoria (1982) and Murphy's Romance (1985), for which he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor. He also appeared in Space Cowboys (2000), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) and The Notebook (2004), won three Golden Globes, and wrote a memoir, The Garner Files, published in 2011.

86years old at death

Born April 7, 1928Norman
Died July 19, 2014Brentwood
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
James Scott Bumgarner (birth name)Also credited as James Scott Garner

Movie Career

Films: 51
Career span: 59 years1956 to 2015

Genres

Drama47%, 24 films
Comedy39%, 20 films
Romance25%, 13 films
Action22%, 11 films
Western18%, 9 films

First and latest

Photos

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First role
In 1954, Paul Gregory, a producer Garner had met at Hollywood High School, talked him into a nonspeaking part in the Broadway production of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, where Garner watched Henry Fonda night after night.
Big break
Roy Huggins, the producer, said he cast Garner as the lead in Maverick because of Garner's comedic facial expressions in scenes from "Man from 1997" that Huggins had not written to be funny.
A role that slipped away
Garner got the lead in Darby's Rangers after Charlton Heston turned it down, and the film's success led Warner Bros. to give him two more movies during breaks from Maverick.
A role that slipped away
Field and Martin Ritt had to push Columbia Pictures to cast Garner, who was then seen as a TV actor who sometimes made films. The studio wanted Marlon Brando, but after Field's Norma Rae the studio agreed.
Behind the camera
In 1964, Garner started his own company, Cherokee Productions. It co-produced Grand Prix, a 1966 film directed by John Frankenheimer that also starred Yves Montand and Eva Marie Saint.

James Garner movies on Netflix

Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans2015IMDb rating 6.8as Himself
Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam2010IMDb rating 7.0as Shazam (voice)
Battle for Terra2007IMDb rating 6.5as Doron (voice)
The Ultimate Gift2006IMDb rating 7.3as Howard 'Red' Stevens
The Notebook2004IMDb rating 7.8as Duke
The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration2003IMDb rating 6.1as Pat (voice)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood2002IMDb rating 6.1as Shepard James 'Shep' Walker
Atlantis: The Lost Empire2001IMDb rating 6.9as Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke (voice)
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee2001IMDb rating 7.0as Himself
Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows2000IMDb rating 7.6as Himself
Space Cowboys2000IMDb rating 6.5as Tank Sullivan
One Special Night1999IMDb rating 7.2as Robert Woodward
Twilight1998IMDb rating 6.2as Raymond Hope
Dead Silence1997IMDb rating 6.1as John Potter
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda1997IMDb rating 7.3as Jim Rockford
My Fellow Americans1996IMDb rating 6.5as President Matt Douglas
The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play1996IMDb rating 7.5as Jim Rockford
The Rockford Files: Punishment and Crime1996IMDb rating 7.2as Jim Rockford
Maverick1994IMDb rating 7.0as Marshal Zane Cooper
Barbarians at the Gate1993IMDb rating 7.2as F. Ross Johnson
Fire in the Sky1993IMDb rating 6.5as Frank Watters
My Name Is Bill W.1989IMDb rating 7.3as Dr. Robert Smith
Sunset1988IMDb rating 5.7as Wyatt Earp
Murphy's Romance1985IMDb rating 7.0as Murphy Jones
Tank1984IMDb rating 5.8as Zack
Victor Victoria1982IMDb rating 7.6as King Marchand
The Fan1981IMDb rating 5.8as Jake Berman
HealtH1980IMDb rating 5.6as Harry Wolff
The Castaway Cowboy1974IMDb rating 5.8as Lincoln Costain
One Little Indian1973IMDb rating 6.1as Keyes
Skin Game1971IMDb rating 7.0as Quincy
Support Your Local Gunfighter1971IMDb rating 6.8as Latigo
A Man Called Sledge1970IMDb rating 5.9as Luther Sledge
Marlowe1969IMDb rating 6.4as Philip Marlowe
Support Your Local Sheriff!1969IMDb rating 7.4as Jason
How Sweet It Is!1968IMDb rating 5.9as Grif
Hour of the Gun1967IMDb rating 6.6as Wyatt Earp
Duel at Diablo1966IMDb rating 6.5as Jess Remsberg
Grand Prix1966IMDb rating 7.2as Pete Aron
36 Hours1964IMDb rating 7.4as Major Jefferson F. Pike
The Americanization of Emily1964IMDb rating 7.3as Lt. Commander Charles E. Madison
Move Over, Darling1963IMDb rating 6.9as Nicholas Arden
The Great Escape1963IMDb rating 8.2as Hendley 'The Scrounger'
The Thrill of It All1963IMDb rating 6.9as Gerald Boyer
The Wheeler Dealers1963IMDb rating 6.5as Henry Tyroon
Boys' Night Out1962IMDb rating 6.5as Fred Williams
The Children's Hour1961IMDb rating 7.8as Dr. Joe Cardin
Alias Jesse James1959IMDb rating 6.4as Bret Maverick (scenes deleted)
Up Periscope1959IMDb rating 6.4as Lt. J.G. Kenneth M. Braden
Sayonara1957IMDb rating 7.0as Captain Mike Bailey
The Girl He Left Behind1956IMDb rating 5.1as Preston

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Notebook2004 Drama, Romanceas Duke
IMDb rating 7.8702K votes
The Great Escape1963 Adventure, Drama, Historyas Hendley 'The Scrounger'
IMDb rating 8.2280K votes
Atlantis: The Lost Empire2001as Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourkevoice
IMDb rating 6.9150K votes
Maverick1994as Marshal Zane Cooper
IMDb rating 7.0126K votes
Space Cowboys2000as Tank Sullivan
IMDb rating 6.591K votes
Victor Victoria1982as King Marchand
IMDb rating 7.626K votes
Support Your Local Sheriff!1969as Jason
IMDb rating 7.415K votes
The Ultimate Gift2006as Howard 'Red' Stevens
IMDb rating 7.324K votes

Most often with

John Sturges directed two of these films, Blake Edwards two and Burt Kennedy two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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James Coburn

Henry Jones

Clint Eastwood

Julie Andrews

Jim Backus

Lauren Bacall

John SturgesDirector, 2 films

Blake EdwardsDirector, 2 films Burt KennedyDirector, 2 films

Films together

James Coburn4 films together, 1963 to 2001
James Coburn's page
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee2001IMDb rating 7.0Garner as HimselfCoburn as Himself
- Maverick1994IMDb rating 7.0Garner as Marshal Zane CooperCoburn as Commodore Duvall
- The Americanization of Emily1964IMDb rating 7.3Garner as Lt. Commander Charles E. MadisonCoburn as Lt. Commander Paul "Bus" Cummings
- The Great Escape1963IMDb rating 8.2Garner as Hendley 'The Scrounger'Coburn as Sedgwick 'Manufacturer'
Henry Jones4 films together, 1956 to 1971
Henry Jones's page
- Skin Game1971IMDb rating 7.0Garner as QuincyJones as Sam
- Support Your Local Gunfighter1971IMDb rating 6.8Garner as LatigoJones as Ez
- Support Your Local Sheriff!1969IMDb rating 7.4Garner as JasonJones as Henry Jackson
- The Girl He Left Behind1956IMDb rating 5.1Garner as PrestonJones as Hanson
Clint Eastwood3 films together, 2000 to 2001
Clint Eastwood's page
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee2001IMDb rating 7.0Garner as HimselfEastwood as Himself
- Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows2000IMDb rating 7.6Garner as HimselfEastwood as Himself
- Space Cowboys2000IMDb rating 6.5Garner as Tank SullivanEastwood as Frank Corvin
Julie Andrews3 films together, 1964 to 1999
Julie Andrews's page
- One Special Night1999IMDb rating 7.2Garner as Robert WoodwardAndrews as Catherine
- Victor Victoria1982IMDb rating 7.6Garner as King MarchandAndrews as Victoria Grant
- The Americanization of Emily1964IMDb rating 7.3Garner as Lt. Commander Charles E. MadisonAndrews as Emily Barham
Jim Backus3 films together, 1956 to 1963
Jim Backus's page
- The Wheeler Dealers1963IMDb rating 6.5Garner as Henry TyroonBackus as Bullard Bear
- Boys' Night Out1962IMDb rating 6.5Garner as Fred WilliamsBackus as Peter Bowers
- The Girl He Left Behind1956IMDb rating 5.1Garner as PrestonBackus as Sgt. Hanna
Lauren Bacall3 films together, 1980 to 1996
Lauren Bacall's page
- My Fellow Americans1996IMDb rating 6.5Garner as President Matt DouglasBacall as Margaret Kramer
- The Fan1981IMDb rating 5.8Garner as Jake BermanBacall as Sally Ross
- HealtH1980IMDb rating 5.6Garner as Harry WolffBacall as Esther Brill
John SturgesDirector, 2 films, 1963 to 1967
All films by John Sturges
- Hour of the Gun1967IMDb rating 6.6Garner as Wyatt Earp
- The Great Escape1963IMDb rating 8.2Garner as Hendley 'The Scrounger'
Blake EdwardsDirector, 2 films, 1982 to 1988
All films by Blake Edwards
- Sunset1988IMDb rating 5.7Garner as Wyatt Earp
- Victor Victoria1982IMDb rating 7.6Garner as King Marchand
Burt KennedyDirector, 2 films, 1969 to 1971
All films by Burt Kennedy
- Support Your Local Gunfighter1971IMDb rating 6.8Garner as Latigo
- Support Your Local Sheriff!1969IMDb rating 7.4Garner as Jason
Also three films together4 more actors
- Steve McQueenSteve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans (2015), The Unbeatable Bruce Lee (2001) and The Great Escape (1963)
- Joe SantosThe Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda (1997), The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play (1996) and The Rockford Files: Punishment and Crime (1996)
- Stuart MargolinThe Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda (1997), The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play (1996) and The Rockford Files: Punishment and Crime (1996)
- Elliott ReidMove Over, Darling (1963), The Thrill of It All (1963) and The Wheeler Dealers (1963)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What James Garner's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$863 million

19 of the 51 films have a worldwide figure.

19Worldwide figure
6US gross only
8Never in cinemas
18Figure not found

Top grosser

Atlantis: The Lost Empire2001Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke$186 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 89% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Atlantis: The Lost Empire2001as Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke (voice)
$186M21.6% of the total
2
Maverick1994as Marshal Zane Cooper
$183M21.2% of the total
3
Space Cowboys2000as Tank Sullivan
$129M14.9% of the total
4
The Notebook2004as Duke
$116M13.4% of the total
5
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood2002as Shepard James 'Shep' Walker
$74M8.6% of the total
6
Murphy's Romance1985as Murphy Jones
$31M3.6% of the total
7
Victor Victoria1982as King Marchand
$28M3.3% of the total
8
Grand Prix1966as Pete Aron
$21M2.4% of the total

Move Over, Darling (1963), $12.7 million

The Children's Hour (1961), $3.0 million

$95.7 millionfrom the other 11 films with a worldwide figure, 11% of the total

Awards

Nine awards and honors from 1957 to 2010, three of them major.

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James Garner's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Golden Globes
1957	New Star of the Year – Actor	Sayonara	Won
Emmy Awards
1977	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	The Rockford Files	Won
SAG Awards
2005	Life Achievement Award		Won
Other honors
2010	TCA Career Achievement Award		Won
1978	Off-road Motorsports Hall of Fame		Won
	National Defense Service Medal		Won
	Purple Heart		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored
	United Nations Medal		Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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