The National Enquirer Strikes (Out) Again!

This is for those who may have seen or heard about the latest fiction about Jim published in the esteemed National Enquirer. Something like "James Garner's Fight for Life" of some similar sleazy headline. Fear not, fellow Garnerphiles - it's the Enquirer's usual clap trap.

Jim is fine. In fact, he just finished doing some voice work as The Wizard in a half hour Captain Marvel show. Here is the real deal from Jim's long time assistant, Mary Ann Rea:

"There's not too much to say about the N.E. article. You can put it out on the web site - that Jim has not suffered any mini-strokes, no convulsions, none of that stuff since the stroke in May of '08. He also does not slur his words; his speech was not affected one iota by the stroke. He does use the wheelchair, if he has to walk far - his arthritis is very painful and using the wheelchair eases some of the pain."

M.A.

I guess that says it all - with many thanks to Mary Ann for providing us with the truth. Again.
 

James Garner as Maverick - Nicole Hamilton

A few days ago I got an email from another Garnerphile named Nicole Hamilton. She told me about what a great fan of Jim's she was and how much she enjoyed this blog.

She is an artist, and she invited me to her site where she had done this wonderful piece called James Garner as Maverick.

If you like this, please follow the link to her site yourself and see how it really looks in High Definition! You will be amazed just like I was.It's always super to meet another longtime Garnerphile, but one as talented as Nicole is a special treat.

Suspect Wins Over Detectives With 'Rockford Files' Reference

April 23, 2009 | Issue 45•17

Ed note: I guess I'll have to try this if I ever get arrested myself!


PASCO, WA—Having just arrested him on suspicion of aggravated assault and robbery, Pasco police officials dropped all charges against Carl Bradley, 46, after the man made multiple amusing references to The Rockford Files, a 1970s detective series starring James Garner. Just moments after Bradley asked whether the interrogating officer was working for "$200 a day, plus expenses," a roomful of officers began joyously exchanging plotlines and quotes from their favorite episodes. "It's just nice to meet a guy who appreciates The Files like we do," officer Brad Nuter said. "How could anyone who can recite every single answering-machine gag possibly have beaten two newlyweds with the butt of his gun over $30? This man has a code, just like Jimbo Rockford." Following Bradley's release, investigators detained a vagrant who was overheard misquoting the radio banter from the opening credit sequence of Adam-12.

Image via Wikipedia

Happy Birthday, Jim!

I ran across this post in the Cartoon Cave by Pete Emslie. What a nice birthday greeting for Jim, huh? Not to mention that wonderful sketch! I have Pete's birthday page for Jim from last year on this blog, but you can just follow Pete's link below. Well worth a click!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Happy Birthday James Garner!

Here's a guy I never get tired of sketching, and I've done quite a few of him over the years. As I've mentioned before, James Garner is my all-time favourite actor. Last year on his 80th birthday I wrote a more detailed tribute to the man, which can be found here. When I'm looking to just relax in front of the TV and put on an old series from my youth, nothing beats watching an episode of "The Rockford Files". Garner was just so great as Jim Rockford, the LA private detective who lived in a beat up mobile home permanently parked on the beach, never quite sure whether he'd get enough work to cover that month's expenses.

Read the rest of this post here

Oklahoma Today Says, "Jim Dandy"

This is from Oklahoma Today, published in early 2006. I don't think I could add anything to what Jim himself says. Click on the article for full size view.

James Garner in Oklahoma Today Magazine

Retro Thing: Picture Frame With That Charmer, James Garner

 This blog caught my eye because I have this picture also - only I got mine when it was first in the stores.


There are a couple of things of interest going on within the glitzy gilt of this picture frame, so I hope that you'll indulge a few random thoughts. First, if you'll look in the upper right corner, you'll see that it took 20-30 years for this frame to be marked down from 88 cents to 80 at the thrift store where I got it. Second, check out the example photo - it's James Garner from his days in the 50's TV classic "Maverick". By the way, if you haven't cast an eye across a fistful of Maverick episodes, you don't know what you're missing. Arguably TV's first anti-hero, the series made the whole enterprise of television look good, and made Garner into a national treasure... but I digress.
Check out the name of the picture frame's purveyor - "Korvettes". Korvettes was a national chain of discount department stores that pre-figure today's bargain giants like Wal-Mart. Starting out as a five and dime store, the chain eventually grew into a number of large stores, and were the first large retailers to plunge into the American suburbs in the 50's and 60's. Korvettes used innovative (some would say sneaky) approaches to discount prices (there used to be strict laws about chain stores selling products below the manufacturer's suggested retail price).
I grew up with a Korvettes store until it was replaced by Kmart in the late 70's. One unusual aspect of the Korvettes I knew was that they had a very nice electronics department in bold contrast to their other rather cheap merchandise. They were the last place I knew of that had listening booths to let you preview a record before you bought it. Check out this commercial for Korvettes that focuses on their large assortment of electronic goodies. I spotted a number of products that we've covered here on Retro Thing, but no sign of my cheapie Maverick picture frame.

The Rockford Files - The Final Season

Crimespree Cinema: DVD Review: The Rockford Files: Season Six

Thursday, January 29, 2009

          Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Release date: January 20th, 2009

MSRP: $39.98

Stars: James Garner, Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos

I'm an unabashed James Garner fan and The Rockford Files season six is among his best. By this, thelast season, he's so comfortable in the role he could have done it inhis sleep, but seems to add greater and greater depth to the character. Co-stars like Lauren Bacall, Tom Selleck and Mariette Hartley from thehugely successful Polaroid camera commercials they did together a few years before didn't hurt either. The stories for the most part were a reason to bring Jim and his crew together but that was plenty. And some, like Katheryn Harrolds reprisal of the blind Psychologist and deep love interest Megan, are downright tender, as is Noah Beery's caring but somewhat befuddled father role as Rocky.

For the one or two of you who have been living in a Yurt in Lower Slobovia the last several decades, or are too young, I'll give a brief backstory. Ex-con Jim Rockford is a Private Investigator (a neat trick in itself) barely hanging on. He lives in a trailer in the low rent
district of Malibu. He has a friend, Angel, another ex-con who if he were your or my friend we would throw under a bus A.S.A.P. (My Editor said that would have made a great episode explaining why Jim didn't). Jim is not your usual iron jawed, steel fisted P.I. He gets the stew
knocked out of him at regular intervals and will fight if he has to and run when he can. The anti-hero hero that was a hit because he played you and me only better.

I'm not going to belabor the point. This is good stuff and stands up well considering it's thirty plus year age.

There's something for everyone here from comedy to angst and you youngsters owe
it to yourselves to check it out. Us old schoolers already know.

Order season six of The Rockford Files.

Lee Crawford

P.S. There are no special features.

For more reviews from Lee, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Posted by MysterLynch at 2:08 AM

Labels: DVD Review, Lee Crawford, television

Visiting The Troops - 809th Engineer Battalion, Camp Ruam Chit Chai, Thailand

Photo Gallery - 809th Engineer Battalion, Camp Ruam Chit Chai, Thailand

809th Elephant Mascot

Photo Credits:   ¹²  
Richard McBrien,

Co C - 809th Engr Bn

James Garner

"Flew in from Korat, stayed a few hours with the Troops, ate with us and shook hands!"

James Garner visits Troops in Troops in the North!

"One of the nicest movie stars anywhere in the world!

Shook hands with every Trooper!"



²⁰ Photo Credits:

Bill Sweeney, 281st MP Co