Posted on 07/20/2014 2:09:01 PM PDT by rey
There was more to James Garner than just his acting and racing careers. The beloved actor, who died July 19 (read about his career, life and death in this related Inquisitr article) left behind a legacy of political activism.
Like the vast majority of the people in the TV and movie industries, James Garner was a staunch, lifelong Democrat. That’s hardly unusual — according to this article in Suite, Hollywood gives five times more money to Democrats than to Republicans. But where many Hollywood Democrats like to talk the talk, Garner walked the walk — sometimes literally.
On August 28, 1963, Garner was photographed by the New York Daily News walking hand-in-hand with black actress Diahann Carroll during the March on Washington — a peaceful demonstration that was a watershed moment in the Civil Rights Movement. At the time, the very act of a white man holding hands with a black woman would have been outrageous. But that did not matter to James Garner; throughout his career, he stuck to his strongly democratic principles, even incorporating his beliefs into his acting career.
For the 1985 CBS miniseries Space, Garner asked that the political affiliation of the lead character be changed from Republican to Democrat, saying, “My wife would kill me if I ever played a Republican,” according to a 1985 Boston Globe article that is not currently available online, but is cited on Garner’s Wikipedia page.
Interestingly, when principled Democrat James Garner had to work with “ultraconservative” Mel Gibson on the 1994 film version of Maverick, there was no friction between the two actors. He later told The Village Voice: “Mel and I got along fine.
In his 2011 memoir The Garner Files, James dished on Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger, two notable Hollywood Republicans. As quoted in Variety:
“In my opinion, Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t qualified to be governor of California. Ronald Reagan wasn’t qualified to be governor, let alone president.”
Also in his memoir, James recounts being approached about running for U.S. Congress as a Republican in 1962.
“It didn’t stop them when I told them I was a Democrat…. They just thought I could win.”
He was again approached about running for office, this time for Governor of California in 1990, and again turned the opportunity down.
“There’s one difference between me and [Schwarzenegger and Reagan]: I know I’m not qualified.”
What is your opinion of entertainers such as James Garner, Tim Robbins, and Natalie Maines mixing politics with entertainment? Let us know in the comments.
Yup, Jimbo nailed the execrable Austrian Socialist.
Also in his memoir, James recounts being approached about running for U.S. Congress as a Republican in 1962.
“It didn’t stop them when I told them I was a Democrat…. They just thought I could win.”
Charleton Heston was also a Democrat until 1964. Heston supported Stevenson and JFK and marched with MLK Jr in 1963.
A very common combination.
How’s his wife Mariette Hartley holding up?
Right on!
My father was a conservative democrat. I think if he were alive today he would be a conservative independent.
And I believe James Garner was similar. I cannot see him walking hand in hand with Rock Hudson or any homosexual in a pride parade where men walk naked showing their disgusting private parts in view of children. I cannot see him speaking up for the race baiters be they Al Sharpton or Thad Cochran. I cannot see him speaking up for legalizing (amnesty) of millions and millions of lawbreakers. I cannot see him supporting government shoving its health care laws down everybody’s throats or sicking the IRS on political opponents.
He was 86 when he died. I did not see him championing anything democrat in his later years. Even 20 years ago the democrat party was far to the right of where it is today.
A democrat from the era that James Garner lived through is not even close to the democrats of today.
I knew Garner was a lib many years ago. Knowing the politics of certain actors or celebs doesn’t influence my opinion of their work. Garner was excellent at what he did. And however liberal he might have been, he was never the leftist, America-hater many Hollyweird celebs are.
John Wayne did “Rooster Cogburn” with Katherine Hepburn who was about as liberal as they came. They got along just fine from reports I’ve read about the flick.
They were never married, but they had great chemistry in all those ads. Lot’s of folks thought they were.
He was an FDR Democrat.
old school dems are nothing like progressives.
Reagan was an old school democrat.
progressives are the enemy. the parallels to how hydra hid and came to power in the new Captain America movie are extremely close
That’s a joke, right?
I agree with your comments.
Will add I respect him for his 14 months
of combat in the Korean War.Two PH`s.
Saw today he was a Red Devil as I was in VN.
So many great movies he made that will live on.
Don`t agree with his politics,but I will miss him.
RIP
One less dimocrat voter
James Garner may night be a Republican, but he was a great actor . RIP Bret and Jim.
Sorry.
I know too much about Truman to ever consider him even remotely “respectable”.
He was himself a veteran of our armed forces in time of war.
His treatment of some of those who served under him as Commander In Chief was execrable.
I wish FR had an edit button. Night is supposed to be not...
“I know I’m not qualified”
This is supposed to be a citizen run government, so we are ALL qualified.
Ok, here’s how it works in Hollywood...
You have a nice face, someone says, “Hey, you ought to be in pictures”.
You can read a line, you get a gig, you don’t blow it, it results in a contract with an agent.
The agent shills for you, finds roles for you and collects ten per cent. You get a publicist and get some viz.
You land roles where you are told what to say, how to act, what to wear and how to ride a horse and look cool.
This guy was not a real cowboy or detective, didn’t cure cancer and really wasn’t married to Doris Day.
He did serve his country then got lucky in Hollywood. Case closed.
Let’s mourn guys like Salk who made iron lungs obsolete. Cheers!
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