Posted on 07/20/2014 9:28:50 AM PDT by rktman
Legendary actor James Garner -- star of "The Rockford Files" and "The Notebook" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell us an ambulance was dispatched to the actor's home in Los Angeles around 8PM Saturday evening ... and he was found dead when they arrived on scene.
(Excerpt) Read more at tmz.com ...
I love this exchange Garner has with his liberal son in the movie “How Sweet It Is”:
Liberal son: Love’s all over the world Dad. It protects us all.
James Garner Well, I’ve been all over the world son. Take a gun.
Seeing Rockford’s Firebird do that 180 reminds me of an episode of “Smallville”. My Daughter gave me the first 7 seasons on DVD and Blu-Ray.
In one episode the producers are narrating it as an extra. One of them mentioned that John Schneider was one of the best drivers he ever saw. He said their stunt director told them he could do a 180 as well as anyone.
Thanks for that YT link. That was one of my favorite
Garner scenes too.
Before the Raiders moved to LA in the early 80s and they
lost me as a fan for good, Garner spent a lot of time on
the sidelines in Oakland. My attitude about him was always
ambivalent because I liked his movies and hated his left
wing politics. He used to do TV commercials supporting
left wing statewide initiatives and opposing GOP prop-
ositions.
He was great in Barbarians at the Gate, a 1993 TV movie. He played against type with great relish and verve.
Sad to hear of his passing.
That TV film Garner did with James Woods in which they played brothers was outstanding. Both gave great performances.
When he started on “Maverick,” he was getting $200/week! An interviewer asked him, “Was that good pay in those days?” He answered, “It was not.” And no residuals, at least for a long time.
I think he got a new agent, and a new contract with Warner Bros.
It’s shocking what people were paid on TV in the early days. On most sitcoms, it was about $1000/week, or a little more. Lucy and Desi made about $8000/week, and that was astronomical.
More than a few TV shows have soundtrack releases, many that didn’t have anywhere near the run or strength of Rockford. There is enough incidental music for a 2 or 3 CD set.
Rockford was one of the best TV shows ever made. I would put Nichols way up on the scale. It is good watching. It deserved a longer run.
The “Rockford Files” has been my ringtone for the last 5 years. Everytime somebody hears it for the first time they have the same reaction “wait, I know that, is that the Rockford Files? That’s awesome!”
RIP.
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