Biography
An enormously likable and well-respected star since the early 1950s, James Garner was an Oscar-nominated American actor with a knack for playing lovable rogues in scores of films and television series. Though his rugged good looks made him a capable leading man in features like "The Great Escape" (1963), "The Americanization of Emily" (1964), and "Grand Prix" (1969), Garner found his greatest fame on the small screen; most notably in two …
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Career Milestones
| Served in the Army and fought in the Korea War; awarded the Purple Heart after being injured | ||
1944 | Signed up for the Merchant Marines at age 16 | |
1945 | Joined his father in Los Angeles to attend high school | |
1954 | Persuaded by high school friend Paul Gregory to take a non-speaking role in the Broadway production of "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial" | |
1955 | TV debut was a small role in the ABC series, "Cheyenne" | |
1956 | Cast opposite Natalie Wood and Tab Hunter in "The Girl He Left Behind" | |
1956 | Made feature acting debut in "Toward the Unknown" | |
1957 | Appeared with Marlon Brando in "Sayonara" | |
1957 | Starred as Bret Maverick on the popular ABC Western, "Maverick"; also directed several episodes | |
1958 | First leading role in a feature film, "Darby's Rangers" | |
1963 | Cast opposite Doris Day in both "The Thrill of It All" and "Move Over, Darling" | |
1963 | Joined Steve McQueen in the WWII film, "The Great Escape" | |
1964 | Cast opposite Julie Andrews in Arthur Hiller's "The Americanization of Emily" | |
1966 | Cast in John Frankenheimer's racing drama, "Grand Prix" | |
1967 | Starred as a most impressive Wyatt Earp in John Sturges' "Hour of the Gun" | |
1969 | Starred in the comedy "Support Your Local Sheriff" from director Burt Kennedy | |
1971 | Played the title role in the TV Western, "Nichols" (NBC) as an army deserter reluctantly turned sheriff | |
1974 | Played private investigator Jim Rockford on the popular NBC drama, "The Rockford Files"; also directed several episodes | |
1981 | Reprised role of professional gambler for the revival series, "Bret Maverick" (NBC) | |
1982 | Re-teamed with Julie Andrews for Blake Edwards' "Victor/Victoria" | |
1985 | Played as a small town pharmacist romancing Sally Field in "Murphy's Romance"; earned Best Actor Oscar and Golden Globe nominations | |
1985 | Played the leading role in the CBS miniseries, "Space" | |
1986 | Debuted as a producer with the 'Hallmark Hall of Fame' presentation, "Promise" (CBS) | |
1989 | Co-starred with James Woods (who played the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous) in the CBS TV-movie, "My Name Is Bill W." | |
1991 | Returned to TV as a con man who fills his late ex-wife's city council seat on the short-lived series, "Man of the People" (NBC) | |
1994 | Played Zane Cooper in the modern day film version of "Maverick"; starred Mel Gibson as Bret Maverick | |
1994 | Reprised role of Jim Rockford in a eight highly-rated CBS TV-movies | |
1995 | Played Captain Call in the CBS miniseries "Streets of Laredo," a sequel to Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove" | |
1996 | Teamed with Jack Lemmon playing two former presidents in "My Fellow Americans" | |
2000 | Co-starred with Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones and Donald Sutherland in "Space Cowboys"; also produced and directed by Eastwood | |
2000 | Had a recurring role on season six of the CBS drama, "Chicago Hope" | |
2002 | Played a US Supreme Court Justice in the short-lived CBS series, "First Monday" | |
2003 | Joined the cast of the ABC sitcom, "8 Simple Rules" after the death of John Ritter | |
2003 | Played the father of Sandra Bullock in the film adaptation of "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" | |
2004 | Co-starred with Gene Rowlands as husband and wife in Nick Cassavetes' "The Notebook"; earned a SAG nomination for Supporting Actor | |
2007 | Played the mysterious Red Stevens in "The Ultimate Gift" | |
2009 | Lent his voice to the computer animated sci-fi film, "Battle for Terra" | |
Awards
1957 | Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor |
1959 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor In a Leading Role (Continuing Character) In a in Maverick |
1963 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in The Wheeler Dealers |
1976 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in The Rockford Files |
1977 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama in The Rockford Files |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in The Rockford Files |
1978 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama in The Rockford Files |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in The Rockford Files |
1979 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama in The Rockford Files |
1979 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in The Rockford Files |
1980 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in The Rockford Files |
1982 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in Bret Maverick |
1982 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Video Tape Editing For a Limited Series or a Special in Lily For President |
1984 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Heartsounds |
1985 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Murphy's Romance |
1985 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Murphy's Romance |
1986 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Promise |
1989 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special in My Name Is Bill W. |
1989 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In a Miniseries or Special in My Name Is Bill W. |
1990 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Decoration Day |
1993 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Barbarians At the Gate |
1993 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In a Miniseries or Special in Barbarians At the Gate |
1994 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Breathing Lessons |
1994 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In a Miniseries or Special in Breathing Lessons |
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in The Rockford Files: I Still Love L.A. |
1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in The Rockford Files: Godfather Knows Best |
1999 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Legalese |
2004 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Life Achievement |
2005 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in The Notebook |