James Garner At the Press Conference Following His Being Presented the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award

 James Garner At the Press Conference Following His Being Presented the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award

Post by The Official James Garner Fan Page.

November 7: James Garner Corridor (Photo credit: allisonmeier)

James Garner Exhibit Visit (Photo credit: Pioneer Library System)

 
James Garner Exhibit Visit (Photo credit: Pioneer Library System)

James Garner Exhibit Visit (Photo credit: Pioneer Library System)

James Garner Exhibit Visit (Photo credit: Pioneer Library System)

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Projections Movie Blog - James Garner: Hometown "Maverick" Still Embraces Humble Norman Beginnings

Projections Movie Blog » James Garner: Hometown ‘Maverick’ still embraces humble Norman beginnings

James Garner: Hometown ‘Maverick’ still embraces humble Norman beginnings
Posted on May 7th, 2012 at 7:19 pm | 2 Comments | Classic Movies, Movie books, Movie business

BY GENE TRIPLETT

He learned to drive on the bumpy back roads of Cleveland County when he was a high-spirited kid of 10, and by the time he was 50 he was doing “reverse 180s” on the streets of Hollywood in a Sierra Gold 1978 Pontiac Firebird.

James Garner as Bret Maverick

That’s a trick driving maneuver where “you’re going straight in reverse at about 35 miles an hour, you come off the gas pedal, go hard left, and pull on the emergency brake. That locks

the wheels and throws the front end around. Then you release everything, hit the gas, and off you go in the opposite direction,” James Garner explains in his memoir, “The Garner Files.”

The stunt — seen fairly regularly on the hit 1970s detective series “The Rockford Files” — was performed by Garner himself.

The Norman-born film star seldom used stuntmen, from his early, star-making stint as an itinerant frontier gambler on the ’50s TV sensation “Maverick,” through a successful acting career on both the small and big screens that’s spanned five decades.

But he’s never forgotten his Oklahoma roots, and in a recent email interview with The Oklahoman he said his fondest memories of his home state stem from “growing up in Norman, where you’d walk down the street and know half the people you saw.”

Born James Scott Bumgarner on April 7, 1928, in the hometown of Sooner football, he lived his earliest days in a tiny nearby burg that few people have ever heard of — Denver, OK. It’s underwater now, covered by Lake Thunderbird, but in the depths of the Depression it was a single building — a country store run by Garner’s dad.

“Population 5,” Garner writes in his memoir. “Dad, mom, my two brothers, and me. It was a combination hardware store-mail drop-service station on an old country road. Store in the

James Garner as Jim Rockford.

front and two bedrooms and a kitchen in the back, and that was it. We didn’t have indoor plumbing.”

His father, Weldon “Bill” Bumgarner, was of European ancestry, and his mother, Mildred Meek Bumgarner, was half Cherokee. She died when Garner was 4, and he and his brothers were split up and sent to live with relatives until his father eventually remarried.

A violently abusive stepmother nicknamed “Red” and being bounced from home to home didn’t make for easy life as a kid.

“I might have had some bad times when I was a kid but, you know, everybody does,” Garner said in a 2001 interview with The Oklahoman. “You just live with it … I think I had some fun times in Norman High. And I did a lot of working when I was a kid. I had to work a lot.”

In fact, when his father finally split with Red and took off for California, Garner was on his own and supporting himself at 14.

But he took his fun from high school sports, excelling in football, basketball, shot put, discus and track. When basketball season ended, Garner usually left or was expelled from the halls of education, which was all right with him because he didn’t care to play baseball.

Where he did love to play was behind the wheel of a hot automobile, a passion that hooked him early.

"The Great Escape"

“That was the big deal — everybody get a car and chase each other.”

Garner managed to steer clear of trouble with the law, but he indulged in his share of mischief, pulling one particular prank that earned him the nickname “Slick.”

“A bunch of us were hanging out in front of Woolworth’s in Norman,” Garner recalled in the recent email interview. “There was a row of vending machines and just to show off, I said, ‘I bet I could steal one of those.’

“The gang dared me, so I sidled over to a peanut machine, swept it up in one arm, and kept walking with it right down Main Street. Everyone was so impressed at how smooth it was, they nicknamed me ‘Slick.’ (I didn’t know what to do with the peanut machine, so I took it back to the store.)”

When he was 16, Garner dropped out of school and joined the Merchant Marine, but that only lasted a year because of a susceptibility to seasickness.

Garner followed his father’s example and headed for Los Angeles in 1945, where he stayed with his Aunt Grace Bumgarner and briefly attended Hollywood High, then trade school while working in a filling station.

The next five years were back and forth between California and Oklahoma, during which Garner worked in chick hatcheries and the oil fields, as a truck driver and grocery clerk, and

even as a swim trunks model for Jantzen, before the Army gave him the distinction of becoming the Sooner state’s first draftee in the Korean conflict.

Author Jon Winokur (“The Portable Curmudgeon”) has known Garner for more than 20 years, but knew little of the actor’s rugged childhood or his combat experiences until the two

"The Thrill of It All" with Doris Day.

men began collaborating on Garner’s memoir.

“I had no idea how extensive (Garner’s Korean service) was,” Winokur said in a recent phone interview. “He was in a unit that was thrown into the front lines when the Chinese Communists crossed the 38th Parallel in 1951, and his unit was the first thing they ran into, and they were decimated. They had something like 60 percent casualties in a very short time, and (Garner) was wounded a couple of times … and got a Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster, which he never talked about very much.”

Winokur said he also discovered the extent of Garner’s generosity and altruism. Early evidence of this can be seen in a 1951 snapshot from Korea of a fatigues-clad Garner and a small boy, provided to The Oklahoman by his daughter, Gigi Garner, who included this explanatory note:

“Here is a wonderful photo of my father and an orphaned boy he named ‘Jocko’ that my Dad looked after during the Korean War.”

Winokur said, “He puts himself in other people’s shoes. …I guess that’s really true empathy that he has.”

Another revelation for the author, from interviews with Garner’s friends and associates, was “the number of people whose lives he has enhanced through his generosity. … Something that came up again and again was how tremendously generous he is, both financially and in other ways.”

After Korea, Garner returned to L.A. and continued searching for a way to make a living that he could live with, while helping his father lay carpet.

He even went back to Norman long enough to attend a semester at the University of Oklahoma, having passed the high school equivalency test in the

"The Americanization of Emily"

service. But when bad knees prevented him from playing Sooner football, it was back to California.

He resisted suggestions from others that acting might be worth a try. After all, he had the tall, dark, handsome look down pat, but he was just too shy and introverted.

“I wouldn’t do it. I just wasn’t interested. And then, I don’t know, one day I got tired of laying carpets. And a guy offered me a job and I took it.”

The job was a nonspeaking role in the Broadway play “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial” in 1954. He decided he didn’t like the stage much, but the contacts he made led to a $150-a-week contract with Warner Bros., and his first on-camera dramatic role with Clint Walker in the TV series “Cheyenne” in 1955.

Garner, Paul Newman at the races.

Prominent big screen roles followed in “Toward the Unknown” (with William Holden) and “The Girl He Left Behind” (with Natalie Wood) before his breakthrough came in 1957, supporting Marlon Brando in Joshua Logan’s “Sayonara.”

It was during that filming in Japan that the studio tapped him to star in one of its new Western TV series — “Maverick.”

Many actors had tested for the role, but Garner says he was picked “because I was under contract to them. And I was cheap.”

Garner’s naturally easygoing affability and smooth, wry delivery of witty dialogue caught on with viewers, the show became Warner’s biggest TV hit, and Bret Maverick was the most famous card-playing cowpoke in America by the end of the ’57-’58 season.

But he wasn’t exactly in the chips. He was getting a paltry $500 a week.

“People said, ‘Well, what’re you going to do? They’re really rippin’ you off’ … I said, ‘They’re not going to make me unhappy. We’ve got the number one show on the air … These people aren’t stupid.’ I didn’t think they were, but they were.”

At great risk to his career, Garner sued Warner Bros. to get out of his contract, and won. He left the show and the studio after the third season, and the series lasted another two years without him.

But that didn’t matter to Garner, who was one of the first TV stars (then considered second-class citizens in the Hollywood community) to make a successful transition to feature films, along with people such as Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and his good friend, Clint Eastwood.

Garner would later work with all three, first with McQueen and Bronson in the 1963 war classic “The Great Escape” and much later with Eastwood in 2000′s “Space Cowboys.”

McQueen and Garner became neighbors in the ’60s and socialized a bit, both sharing a love for auto racing. What Garner didn’t know for many years was that McQueen harbored keen professional and personal jealousies toward him.

“I was never aware of it until we were racing in Baja, and he was in a different category than I was, so we weren’t really competitors,” Garner recalled in the 2001 interview. “And yet, every place he got to he said, ‘Where’s Garner? Where’s Garner? How far ahead is he?’ You know, he tore up a race car trying to catch me.

“Then Neile, his wife at the time, said, ‘He’s always been jealous of tall, dark men.’”

James Garmer, Sally Field in "Murphy's Romance."

Garner’s many other big-screen successes include “The Children’s Hour” (with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine), “The Thrill of it All,” “Move Over Darling” (both with Doris Day), “The Americanization of Emily” (with Julie Andrews), “Grand Prix” (with Eva Marie Saint), “Support Your Local Sheriff” (with Joan Hackett), “Skin Game” (with Louis Gossett Jr.), “Victor Victoria” (with Julie Andrews) and “Murphy’s Romance” (with Sally Field), for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

At the same time, Garner continued to ply his trade on television with TV movies and series, most notably as the amiable, tongue-in-cheek, ex-con detective of “The Rockford Files” (1974-1980) which led to yet another lawsuit over money. Universal ended up settling out of court, paying Garner an undisclosed amount in withheld profits and punitive damages.

Legally, Garner can’t reveal the size of the settlement, but for weeks afterward his wife Lois “had to keep telling me to wipe the grin off my face,” he writes in his memoir.

“One of the things that’s really remarkable about my dad is that there are very few actors in Hollywood or anywhere that have been able to go from film to TV, back to film, back to TV” without diminishing his A-list stature, daughter Gigi Garner said in another recent phone interview.

“He’s a very rare bird in that area,” she said, adding that she and her father are planning to produce a couple of film projects together through their Cherokee Productions company.

James and Lois Garner, married 55 years, also raised another daughter, Kimberly, from Lois’ first marriage.

Garner said in an email that “The Notebook” (2004) is one of his three favorites of his own films “because it was about everlasting love. I believe in everlasting love.”

His other favorites: “‘My Name is Bill W.’ (1989) because over the years people have told me that seeing the story of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous had helped them. ‘The Americanization of Emily’ (1964), because it was written by the great Paddy Chayefsky and because it was about the futility of war.”

His least favorites: “‘Mister Buddwing’ (1966), the worst picture that I ever made, and ‘A Man Called Sledge.’ Sludge.”

Not many blemishes on his own assessment of his lengthy and remarkable career.

These days, arthritis prevents him from indulging in two of his greatest passions, driving and golf, and he hasn’t appeared in a film since 2007.

At 84, Garner’s health history has included chronic knee problems that required numerous operations, quintuple bypass surgery in 1988 and a stroke in 2008. And all of those stunts were bound to have left some damage as well, not to mention sore knuckles from decking the occasional jerk, such as the producer who was stealing story ideas from “The Rockford Files,” and “A Man Could Get Killed” costar Anthony Franciosa for bullying the stunt crew.

But Winokur said don’t write Garner off just yet.

“He’s hangin’ in there,” the author said. “He’s had some issues from which he’s recovered and he’s in good spirits. The problem is his mobility. As you can imagine, he’s got arthritis in about every place you can have it, and that puts a hitch in his get-along. He’s had one stroke, four years ago in May which really didn’t leave him with any permanent damage … No plans at the moment, but I would not count him out. I mean he loves to work and he’s so great. I wouldn’t want to bet against him.”

The work ethic dates back to that rough and tumble Oklahoma boyhood, when Garner had to fend for himself. It’s served him well, and he’s paid his home state back by returning for numerous personal appearances and benefits over the years.

In 2003, he donated $500,000 to endow the James Garner Chair in the School of Drama at the University of Oklahoma. It was the first endowed chair in the drama school’s history.

And he’s gotten love in return.

In 1990, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

In 1995, Garner received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Oklahoma.

In 2006, the City of Norman erected a 10-foot, bronze statue of Garner as Bret Maverick, which stands across from the old Sooner Theatre, where Garner used to sit through Saturday matinees idolizing his heroes, Gary Cooper, John Wayne, James Cagney, and Henry Fonda, whom Garner saw in “The Grapes of Wrath” when he was 12 or 13.

In his memoir, he says he was amazed at the time that they had actually made a movie about people like him, but he didn’t like the term “Okie.” He still doesn’t. Thinks it’s derogatory.

What has being from Oklahoma meant to him?

“Everything!” he said in his email. “I’m so proud of it, I almost start conversations, ‘Hi, I’m Jim from Oklahoma.’ … Oklahoma is friendly and full of nice people.”

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A Thank You To James Garner

Maverick's Daughter

mavrock1:

I just found this lovely article online and I thought I would share it  ;)

Please Thank Them Before They Go: James Garner

We need to thank the people who provide good things for us to enjoy or benefit from before they go. People on this earth do wonderful things and then they fade into obscurity or pass away without anyone getting a chance to say ‘thanks’ until after it is too late for them to hear about it. It’s now time to change all that.
Today, we are giving thanks to legendary American actor, James Garner.

• A Korean War veteran, Garner earned two Purple Hearts while serving in the U.S. Army.

• The Oklahoma native was first known for his role as Bret in the 1957-1960 comedy Western series Maverick.

• His 1970s series, The Rockford Files, earned him a new generation of fans and an Emmy Award for Best Actor.

• His film roles over the years have included Grand Prix, The Americanization of Emily, The Great Escape, Support Your Local Sheriff, Murphy’s Romance, Victor, Victoria, Maverick, and Barbarians at the Gate.

• After his role in Grand Prix, he owned a share of the car racing team, the American International Racers, racing at LeMans, Sebring, Baja, and Daytona.

• He drove the pace car at the Indianapolis 500 in 1975, 1977, and 1985.

• He appeared in a memorable campaign for Polaroid with former Rockford Files co-star, Mariette Hartley.

• He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

• He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1985 movie, Murphy’s Romance.

• In 1990, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

• He won the Most Valuable Amateur Player at the 1990 AT&T Golf Tournament.

• He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1995 from the University of Oklahoma, a school he has supported for a number of years.

• In 2003, the James Garner Chair in the School of Drama at the University of Oklahoma was established.

• He joined the cast of 8 Simple Rules after the untimely death of John Ritter.

• In February 2005 he received the Screen Actors Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award

• A statue of the actor was unveiled in 2006 in his hometown of Norman, Oklahoma.

  
Thanks, Mr. G

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• The Garner Files: A Memoir (volokh.com)
• Lessons From James Garner (garnerphile.blogspot.com)

Happy Birthday, Jim! 83 Years Young!

In honor of the 83rd birthday of one of the classiest acts in show biz history, I'd like to present this wish to Mr. James Garner. Born April 7, 1928 in Norman, Oklahoma, this dirt poor, bare-foot farm boy has emerged as one of the most beloved most respected performers of his generation.

Not bad, Jim...

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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

Oklahoman makes AOL’s Top 50 TV Hunks list

Oklahoman makes AOL's Top 50 TV Hunks list

James Garner in Maverick He rates higher than Johnny Depp and Mario Lopez on AOL’s countdown of TV’s hottest hunks of all time. He’s also ahead of these gorgeous guys: David Boreanaz, Luke Perry, Rob Lowe, Jimmy Smits, Dean Cain and John Schneider.
He is James Garner, who was born in Norman and went on to star in “Maverick” and “The Rockford Files.”
Garner ranks 16th on the list. The AOL editors picked Patrick Dempsey at No. 1.
Here are the 34 TV stars Garner topped in the poll, as well as the 15 picked ahead of him.

AOL’s Top 50 TV Hunks
◊50. Wentworth Miller (”Prison Break”)
◊49. Alex O’Laughlin (”Moonlight”)
◊48. Jack Wagner (”Melrose Place”)
◊47. David Boreanaz (”Bones”)
◊46. John Corbett (”Sex and the City”)
◊45. Jon Hamm (”Mad Men”)
◊44. Luke Perry (”Beverly Hills, 90210″)
◊43. Paul Michael Glaser (”Starsky & Hutch”)
◊42. Patrick Duffy (”Dallas”)
◊41. Mario Lopez (”Saved by the Bell”)
◊40. Chace Crawford (”Gossip Girl”)
◊39. David Duchovny (”The X-Files”)
◊38. David Hasselhoff (”Baywatch”)
◊37. James Denton (”Desperate Housewives”)
◊36. Michael Landon (”Bonanza”)
◊35. Rob Lowe (”Brothers & Sisters”)
◊34. Gary Dourdan (”CSI”)
◊33. Jonathan Rhys Meyers (”The Tudors”)
◊32. Lyle Waggoner (”The Carol Burnett Show”)
◊31. Jimmy Smits (”NYPD Blue”)
◊30. Dean Cain (”Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”)
◊29. Jared Leto (”My So-Called Life”)
◊28. Lee Majors (”The Six Million Dollar Man”)
◊27. Eric Dane (”Grey’s Anatomy”)
◊26. Chris Noth (”Sex and the City”)
◊25. Blair Underwood (”Dirty Sexy Money”)
◊24. Eddie Cibrian (”Third Watch”)
◊23. Johnny Depp (”21 Jump Street”)
◊22. John Schneider (”The Dukes of Hazzard”)
◊21. Harry Hamlin (”L.A. Law”)
◊20. Jason Lewis (”Sex and the City”)
◊19. Matthew Fox (”Lost”)
◊18. Jensen Ackles (”Supernatural”)
◊17. Benjamin Bratt (”The Cleaner”)
◊16. James Garner (”Maverick”)
◊15. Ashton Kutcher (”That ’70s Show”)
◊14. Erik Estrada (”CHiPs”)
◊13. Pierce Brosnan (”Remjington Steele”)
◊12. Chad Michael Murray (”One Tree Hill”)
◊11. Don Johnson (”Miami Vice”)
◊10. Tom Selleck (”Magnum. P.I.”)
◊◊9. Michael Vartan (”Alias”)
◊◊8. Mark Harmon (”NCIS”)
◊◊7. Taylor Kitsch (”Friday Night Lights”)
◊◊6. John Stamos (”Full House”)
◊◊5. Tom Welling (”Smallville”)
◊◊4. Taye Diggs (”Private Practice”)
◊◊3. Josh Holloway (”Lost”)
◊◊2. George Clooney (”ER”)
◊◊1. Patrick Dempsey (”Grey’s Anatomy”)

–Penny TV
Posted: 10 Dec, 2008 |
Categories: Oklahomans on TV By: television.

James Garner 'doing well' after stroke - CNN.com

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- James Garner, who was hospitalized late last week after suffering a minor stroke, is doing well and should be going home shortly, the veteran television and film star's publicist said Tuesday.

James Garner, shown in 2006, was an Oscar nominee for "Murphy's Romance" opposite Sally Field.

The star of such TV shows as "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files" went to the hospital after becoming ill at home Friday, said his publicist, Jennifer Allen.

"He's still in the hospital, but my understanding is he is doing well and will be going home soon. When, exactly, we have not been told yet," Allen said.

Garner, who turned 80 last month, rose to prominence in the 1950s as the star of "Maverick," playing a wry riverboat gambler who was quicker with a quip than a gun and, unlike his Western counterparts, was faster still to run from trouble than to face it. The show aired from 1957 to 1962, but Garner, who was nominated for an Emmy as Bret Maverick, left in 1960 to pursue a film career.

He has appeared in such films as "The Children's Hour," "Victor/Victoria" and "The Great Escape" and was nominated for an Oscar in 1985 as the small-town pharmacist opposite Sally Field in "Murphy's Romance."

Garner returned to television full-time in the mid-1970s playing Jim Rockford, a modern-day private detective who, like his "Maverick" character, also was not afraid to run instead of fight. He won an Emmy for the role in 1977.

Garner also reprised his Maverick role in the short-lived "Bret Maverick" series in the 1980s.

More recently, he played Katey Sagal's father in the sitcom "8 Simple Rules ... for Dating My Teenage Daughter." Garner joined the cast in 2003 after John Ritter, who played Sagal's husband, died during the show's second season.

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Film festival at Sooner honors James Garner’s visit to Norman

The Norman Transcript - Actor James Garner, who is best known to some for his roles as the Western man Brett Maverick and the cool private eye Jim Rockford, will pay his hometown, Norman, a visit Oct. 16-18. Weekend events with Garner will be hosted by the Norman Film Society, which includes OU, The City of Norman, the Downtowners Association, Campus Merchants and the Sooner Theatre.

The Sooner Theatre will host the James Garner Film Festival Oct. 17-18. The public is invited to a presentation for Garner as well as a double feature, with films chosen by Garner himself, Oct. 17 at 7:45 p.m. at the Sooner Theatre, 101 E. Main St.

Beginning at 7:45 p.m., Garner will be recognized for his invaluable contribution to films and will be presented with a key to the City by Mayor Ron Henderson. The double feature will follow at 8 p.m. and costs $20, which includes one free popcorn.

There is no confirmation Garner will be at the Sooner later than the award ceremony, said Amy Wood, marketing director of the Sooner Theatre. “Garner is a very private man, so it’s a great honor for him to agree to speak to the audience,” she said. “So many different generations know who James Garner is. From his TV career, to his older films to some of his newer films with Mel Gibson — he spans such an age group that it really hits a vast audience here in Norman."

The James Garner Film Festival will continue Oct. 18 at 9:30 a.m. with a showing of one of Garner’s favorite Westerns at the Sooner Theatre, which is open to the general public. Admission is free on a first-come, first-serve basis (555 seats are available).

Although Garner is not scheduled to be at Saturday’s film screening, the event is something the community of Norman has not had an opportunity to do, Wood said. “This is a unique opportunity for a native to come back to Norman, for us to celebrate his film career and for the public to show their appreciation of his success,” she said.

Wood said people of all ages are going to come see Garner for what they remember him for — “from 50 years ago to 15 years ago. It’s a neat variety and we’re thrilled,” she said.

Jennifer Heavner Baker, artistic director for the Sooner Theatre, said a committee at the Sooner Theatre chose Garner for the festival because he is one of Norman’s favorites. “We just brought back films to the Sooner Theatre a month ago and now we have James Garner,” she said. “It just seemed natural to start with Garner. I’m tickled pink.”

At first, Garner wasn’t sure he would be able to make it to the film festival because of his current production work in England; however, the filming was post-poned and he was able to come for the festival, Wood said.

“I think there are a number of different things people will enjoy about this film festival,” Wood said. “Number one, seeing a double feature in the historic theater. It brings it back what a lot of people remember the theater being — the moviehouse on Saturday afternoons. I think that will be a big draw. Number two, seeing James Garner himself. They’re going to be able to come watch and listen to him talk about his movies.”

The Sooner Theater is lending its space for free for the festival. The City of Norman also donated a film projector to the Sooner Theatre earlier this year, which makes events like the James Garner Film Festival possible, Wood said. “A lot of this would not happen if it were not for the support of the city,” she said. “It not only allows us to do our Sunday films, but we also can do film festivals like this now without any rental fees or costs.”

Although the film titles cannot be named due to advertising restrictions, a screening schedule for the James Garner Film Festival is available at the Sooner Theatre and at www.soonertheatre.net.

When asked which Garner flick was her all-time favorite, Heavner Baker was almost stumped. “Oh my goodness, that’s a hard question for me,” she said. “I love ‘Murphy’s Romance.’ That’s probably one of my favorites. I also love ‘Victor Victoria’ because, you know, I’m Miss Musical Theater.

”The James Garner Film Festival is sponsored by The City of Norman, the Sooner Theatre and the University of Oklahoma.

For more information or for tickets to next Friday’s double feature screening, call the Sooner Theatre at 321-8091 or visit www.soonertheatre.net.

BIOGRAPHY: Born James Scott Bumgarner in Norman in 1928 as the son of an Oklahoma carpet layer, James Garner dropped out of high school at 16 years of age to join the merchant marines. He worked in a variety of jobs and received the Purple Heart when he was wounded during the Korean War.

Garner had his first chance to act when a friend got him a non-speaking role in the Broadway stage play “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial” (1954). The play lead to small television roles, television commercials and a contact with Warner Brothers.

After co-starring in a handful of films from 1956-1957, Warner Brothers gave Garner a co-starring role in the television series “Maverick” (1957). Originally cast as an alternating series between Bart Maverick (Jack Kelly) and Bret Maverick (Garner), the show quickly turned into the Bret Maverick Show.

As Maverick, Garner was cool, good-natured, likeable and always ready to use his wits to get him in or out of trouble. In the early ‘60s, Garner portrayed many character roles similar to “Maverick.” His successful films included “The Thrill of It All” (1963) “Move Over, Darling” (1963) “The Great Escape” (1963) and “The Americanization of Emily” (1964). Garner appeared in the automobile racing movie “Grand Prix” in 1966 and got the bug to race professionally. Soon, this ambition turned to supporting a racing team, not unlike what Paul Newman would do in later years.

Garner found success with his role in a Western comedy “Support Your Local Sheriff!” (1969) and followed it up with “Support Your Local Gunfighter” (1971).

In 1974, Garner became the classic television private eye in “The Rockford Files” (1974), a role that made him a very well-know actor. In 1977, he won an Emmy for Best Actor in his portrayal of Rockford.

In 1985, Garner was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for “Murphy’s Romance.” Three years later, Garner returned to the Western mode and co-starred with the young Bruce Willis in “Sunset,” a mythical story of Wyatt Earp, Tom Mix and Hollywood in the 1920s.

In 1994, Garner reprised his role of the leading Western man in “Maverick,” a movie co-starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster.

Garner continues his acting career to this day. In 2002, he starred with Sandra Bullock in “The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.” Garner’s lastest project, “Notebook,” is due out sometime in 2004. The film, directed by Nick Cassavetes, stars Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling and Gena Rowlands and centers around a lost love from World War II.

— Pop staff

By Helen PryorThe Norman Transcript

Happy To Give Back

I think it's fun - and revealing - to see what Jim's old friends and his hometown newspaper have to say about him.

The Norman Transcript - 4/4/03

Best known for his roles in the popular television series “Maverick” and “The Rockford Files,” actor James Garner won over a whole slew of new fans Thursday when he made a $500,000 donation to the University of Oklahoma to create an endowed faculty chair within the School of Drama.

OU will request matching funds from the State Regents for Higher Education to create the James Garner Chair in Drama, the first endowed position in the drama school’s history. The position will be designated for the director of the school.

As OU President David Boren made the announcement to a packed Weitzenhoffer Theatre, drama students and faculty members jumped from their seats and offered up a standing ovation accompanied by loud cheers.

“I don’t think anyone would dispute he’s Oklahoma’s favorite son,” said Boren. “We’re so proud of him. We’re especially proud to claim him because of the kind of person he is. He has never forgotten his roots.”

Garner, a Norman native and former OU student who still keeps up with the Sooners, choked back tears — hidden by dark sunglasses — and requested a box of Kleenex as he addressed the crowd.

“Oh dear. I’m not good at this,” Garner said, voice cracking and admitting he suffers from agoraphobia. “It’s touching to me, as you can see, that I’m at a time in my life where I can come back here and do this.

”The gift to the university was originally something Garner intended to leave in his will, but longtime friend and OU graduate Bill Saxon convinced him about two months ago to go ahead and make the donation.

Garner said he felt privileged and honored to have the means to make the contribution to his alma mater. He said his family members, former high school teachers and a lot of former Norman business owners would be surprised to learn of the gift.

“Having been raised here and watched this university grow, I’m so proud of it,” he said. “It never entered my mind that I’d be able to do this.”

Garner ended his visit by answering questions from OU drama students, offering them words of advice and signing autographs.

“Acting professionally can break your heart,” he told the students. “If you have it in you and you want it, you’ll do it. Just keep in mind who you are.”

Throughout his 50-year acting career, Garner has kept close ties to Oklahoma, Norman and OU. Several members of his family — the Bumgarners — have been active in the community.

Garner has made gifts to OU since 1979 and lends his stardom to OU’s annual Sooners in the Desert golf event in California, served on OU’s Reach for Excellence Committee and as an honorary member of the Campaign Council to build the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. OU awarded him an honorary doctorate of human letters in 1995.

Garner is scheduled to be in Norman again in October when Norman holds its first film festival. The actor said he may not be able to make the engagement, however, because he’ll possibly be in England shooting his next film.

Transcript Entertainment Editor Tami Watson can be reached at 366-3533 or via e-mail at tamiwatson@normantranscript.com.Tami Watson

The Norman Transcript

Fortunately, Jim was able to make the Film Festival. Details later...

James Garner Is Norman's Gem

The Norman Transcript - 10/20/03

I am sure many people in Norman already know what a down-to-earth, likable, geniunly nice man James Garner is, but I had a first-hand chance to witness it this week during his visit to Norman.

And it’s true. Jim Garner really is Norman’s gem. I spoke with Mr. Garner over the phone for a short interview before his trip to Norman this weekend. His voice and geniune laugh were just as sweet as they are in all of his movies. He was very kind and cooperative to do the interview over the phone, especially since he’s known as a very private man who does not do many interviews. After our conversation, I was beaming.

Garner’s private reception at the depot Friday night was a delight for the star and for all those lucky enough to be invited. Garner graciously chatted with friends, old and new, and even strangers like myself.

Although I had talked with Mr. Garner over the phone, I thought it might be a good idea to introduce myself. I have not met many celebrities in my lifetime, but the ones I have had the pleasure of meeting always stay celebrities in my mind, not real people.When I walked up to Mr. Garner and shook his hand, I felt very at ease. He was a real person to me, a person who grew up in Norman just as I did. He smiled and told me it was nice to meet me and that he remembered our phone conversation. He and his brother Jack, who accompanied Garner on his trip to Norman, were both very gracious, appreciative and friendly to every Norman resident who came their way.

Despite the impression Garner left upon me during the reception at the depot and following at the Sooner Theatre, I know older generations who grew up during Garner’s era appreciate his visits even more. I am more familiar with his later movies such as \“Maverick,” \“Space Cowboys” and \“The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” and have missed out on his earlier works when he portrayed the Western icon Bret Maverick and the cool private eye Jim Rockford.

I missed out on \“Murphy’s Romance” and \“Victor/Victoria” at the Sooner Theatre because I had to work, but now that I’ve met Mr. Garner I have a hankering urge to rent his earlier flicks. I tend to think many people in Norman, especially those who lived in Norman during Garner’s childhood, identify with the actor’s earlier work. Not only do they identify with his early works as an actor, they identify with the person Garner was (and still is) when he roamed the halls of Norman High School and ran down the aisles of the Sooner Theatre.

What a treat to have Jim Garner revisit Norman again. This actor and Normanite spans so many generations it’s hard to think who wouldn’t know him or have seen at least one of his movies. And the added bonus? Despite the initial assumption the star is hiding under those Jack Nicholson red glasses, Norman native Jim Garner completely opens up to the people who share his memories and love of Norman.

Entertainment Editor Helen Pryor can be reached at 366-3533 or via E-mail at helen@normantranscript.comBy Helen Pryor

The Norman Transcript

The Norman Transcript - Dream of Veterans Memorial getting closer to reality

Dream of Veterans Memorial getting closer to reality
The Norman Transcript

Transcript Staff Writer

Don Schulenberg was looking for a hero.

He's found plenty in his quest to build the Cleveland County Veterans Memorial in the southwest corner of Reaves Park. Schulenberg just needs a few more for the dream of a memorial to honor area veterans to begin coming true.

The American Legion state membership chairman and Norman resident has talked to everyone who will listen to promote building the memorial. It's planned to honor Cleveland County's veterans who have served the United States in war and peace and those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedom enjoyed by every American.

Schulenberg and Roy Hamilton told Norman Kiwanis Club members Tuesday that about $200,000 has been raised toward building the memorial, with about $50,000 left to be raised to get started. The memorial is estimated to total about $350,000 according to the City of Norman's Web site at www.NormanOK.gov.

Schulenberg has found heroes like Norman actor James Garner, who was the first draftee from Oklahoma into the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. While in Korea, Garner was wounded twice and awarded two purple hearts.

Garner has supported the project with his own funds to help honor other veterans as well.

Hundreds of others have contributed funds and even profits from the Moore Bingo facility have helped.

And for all Schulenberg's contributor heroes who have written checks to move the project closer to reality, it's America's military heroes -- its veterans -- that he most wants to honor.

"We want the sacrifices the veterans have made to never be forgotten, and this memorial will honor their names for generations to come," Schulenberg said last year.

The concept for the Cleveland County Veterans Memorial was created by Norman engineer Bob Goins and Marine veteran Clarence Powell and designed by the architectural team of Rick McKinney, Nathan Coffey, Toni Bragg and Bryan Rainbow of the McKinney Architects Partnership.

"We are just trying to provide a space and a palette where they can include all the men and women from as far back as they can go, as far back as they have records," McKinney said.

The concept was to create a five-faceted granite and bronze sculpture.

"And they've settled on this wonderful eagle with an American flag and it's on an about 11-foot high pylon that's a five-sided pentagon. And it refers to the five branches of our service," McKinney said. "There are sloped granite walls around the perimeter. The plaza itself is a large blue-and-white star out of pavers. And the pylon is in the middle with the eagle in the middle."

Veterans who were killed in action or missing in action starting with World War I will be listed on the center pylon in the center of a five-pointed star about 30 feet across. The plaza as a whole will be about 45 feet in diameter and will be constructed in the first phase.

The names of other veterans in wars will be on smaller monoliths that form a wall around the plaza. Forty-six smaller stars will represent Oklahoma as the 46th state of the United States.

It will be sited in the southwest corner of Reaves Park.

"We've worked it among the big oak trees and it sets in that grassy area very nicely. And it will be fully accessible with parking for handicapped and there will be monuments and introductory plaques that will describe the process," McKinney said. "There will be some very large flags that will be illuminated. The whole plaza will be lit up at night 24/7 and it won't go dark. ... It's coming together very nicely."

Tax-deductible donations may be sent to Cleveland County Veterans Memorial, P.O. Box 249, Norman OK 73070, in the form of checks, money orders or cashiers checks. Checks may be made payable to the Norman Parks Foundation, Inc. a 501 (c)3 not-for-profit organization, noting CCVM in the memo section.

Applications to nominate honorably discharged veterans or those who were killed or went missing in the performance of their duty for inclusion on the memorial may be downloaded at the City of Norman's Web site at www.normanok.gov/parks/veterans_memorial.htm. Veterans should have lived or served in Cleveland County. Qualifying documents are requested to review, which could include assignment orders discharge orders, decoration or award orders or other documents to verify service.

For more information, call Schulenberg at 364-7258 or 615-7813.

The Norman Transcript - Dream of Veterans Memorial getting closer to reality

Norman's James Garner To Lead State Centennial Parade

The Norman Transcript - Norman's James Garner will lead state Centennial Parade

Norman native James Garner will serve as the grand marshal of the Oklahoma Centennial Parade, officials with the Oklahoma Centennial Commission announced this week.

The prarade is scheduled for at 2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 14 in downtown Oklahoma City.

Presented by Noble Corporation, the parade centers around the theme, “Celebrate Oklahoma! A Unique History. An Extraordinary Future.”

The parade will fill downtown Oklahoma City streets with floats, giant helium-filled balloons of state icons and children's favorite characters, performance groups and marching bands.

“Throughout the years, James Garner has been a wonderful ambassador for our state, not only spreading the word about his home state, but also returning frequently to contribute to Oklahoma projects,” said Lee Allan Smith, chairman of Centennial projects and events. “We are proud to feature this Oklahoma treasure in the parade of a century.”

Best known for his roles in television's Maverick and Rockford Files, Garner was born on April 7, 1928 in Norman.

His father, Weldon Bumgarner, was of European ancestry and his mother, Mildred, was one-half Cherokee. After a brief stint in the Merchant Marines at 16-years-old, Garner moved to Los Angeles to join his father.

After serving in the Army during the Korean War, Garner — who won two purple hearts — decided to try his hand at acting. His first on-camera appearance was with Clint Walker on the TV series Cheyenne. His feature film debut came in Toward the Unknown.

He also gave an acclaimed performance as Marlon Brando's friend in the hit film, Sayonara, which led to his first big break - the starring role in the television series Maverick, which brought him true stardom. He shortened his last name to “Garner,” after a studio miscredited him in a film.

Since then, he has starred in roughly 40 films, including The Children's Hour, The Great Escape, The Americanization of Emily (his personal favorite), Grand Prix, Cash McCall, The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, The Great Escape, Move Over, The Notebook, Support Your Local Sheriff, The Skin Game, The Thrill of It All, Victor/Victoria. Next up for Garner will be the 2008 release of the animated feature Terra in which he is the voice of the character Doron.

Garner has also received his share of state honors.

In 1986, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and three years later, was named Ambassador of Cultural Arts for the State of Oklahoma. Graner was inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame in March 1990 and received the Western Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement in Film and Television from the Gene Autry Museum.

In 1995 he received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the University of Oklahoma. In April 2006 a statue of Garner depicting him as “Maverick” was created by the noted artist, Shan Gray. A Centennial project, the statue is now a destination for visitors from all over the world.

The Centennial Parade is free and open to the public. For information about the parade route, parking and shuttles, please visit www.okcentennialparade.com.

Sooner Ties Help Bind Family-Friendly Ultimate Gift

By Matthew Price
Staff Writer

"The Ultimate Gift” has a message for everyone. But the film may find special favor with Oklahomans, as star James Garner and Jim Stovall, author of the original book, both hail from the state.


Garner plays Red Stevens, the benevolent businessman who wants to leave his grandson more than simply money.

Stovall, a fan of "The Rockford Files” and "Maverick,” said Garner's casting was serendipitous, with the movie coming out during Oklahoma's Centennial, and shortly after Garner was honored with a statue in his hometown of Norman.

"When our casting people brought him to me as a selection, I don't think they ever thought about the fact that we were both Oklahomans, but it was such a tremendous thing,” Stovall, of Tulsa, said.

"He has been just everything you would hope he would be,” Stovall said. "He just instantly became Red Stevens to me.”

"The Ultimate Gift” is the story of Red Stevens and his grandson, Jason. When Red dies, he leaves Jason a mysterious inheritance. To receive the inheritance, Jason must complete 12 "gifts,” to learn lessons imparted by Red in his will.

"Since nearly 4 million people have read the book now, it was very important to me to get all 12 of the gifts in there,” Stovall said. "One of the things we did, while the credits are rolling at the end: Each of the gifts, there's a little vignette that plays from the movie showing what the gift was, just so people know it's all really still there.

"But obviously, to have a commercial movie, we had to have a little romance and a little danger.”

At the heart of the romance, and the danger, is Drew Fuller, who was cast as Jason Stevens. Fuller bought into the "Ultimate Gift” message, and in fact, still takes part in special events promoting the book and the message.

Stovall talks to students across the country about "The Ultimate Gift,” which is taught in many curriculums. Fuller recently appeared with Stovall to talk to the students about the message.

"These are people who made this movie over a year ago, but they still believe in what we're doing and they come out and do things with us,” Stovall said.

Also starring in the movie are Brian Dennehy, Lee Meriwether, Bill Cobbs and Abigail Breslin ("Little Miss Sunshine.”)

"Abigail Breslin, who plays little Emily, when we got her to do this film, it was really before ‘Little Miss Sunshine' had hit and earned an Academy Award nomination, and that was a real gift to us,” Stovall said. "Because right now, we probably couldn't afford to get Abby on a film like this, so that was a great opportunity.”

Stovall said Dennehy's portrayal of Texas rancher Gus Caldwell motivated Stovall to add the Gus character into the sequel to "The Ultimate Gift.”

"Gus was not going to appear in the next book, but once I experienced Brian playing Gus, now he's in the new book,” Stovall said.

The next book, called "The Ultimate Life,” is due out in October and follows the continuing adventures of Jason Stevens.

Stovall was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disorder at age 17; by age 29, he lost his sight. He is founder of the Narrative Television Network, which makes movies and television accessible for the nation's 13 million blind and visually impaired people and their families.

"As a blind person myself, my characters are kind of sketchy to me,” Stovall said. "These characters, since I was involved in making the movie, they came to life and were real people to me. So, it was more fun for me to write the next book.”

Terrorism In The Heartland

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building Bombing From James Garner's 1995 Commencement speech at Oklahoma University ~

"If this tragedy has one bright spot, its that its shown the character, dignity, and strength of the Oklahoma people as they go about their lives. It makes every Oklahoman, no matter where they are, proud to be from Oklahoma. "

A Small Trivia Quiz

Quite a few trivia sites mention that Jim had the nickname "Slick" when he was a teen. Ah, but does anyone know how he came to have that moniker?

If I don't get any guesses - right or wrong - I guess you'll never know...

Just In Time For Jim's Birthday

I just grabbed this off another blog called "Jude's Almost Daily Blog"


Monday, April 2, 2007

Mr. Handsome! (My 2nd Favorite Boss)

Before I had the honor of training my Mr. Edward H. Moler, I went around bragging to anyone and everyone that my favorite boss was none other than James Scott Garner, or Bumgarner if you're from Oklahoma - and you like to pretend you're in the know.

My Mr. Handsome - see picture please, is the epitome of gorgeous both inside and out, and I have to tell you Jim, Moler rivals you in every way - but I do give you the edge in the looks department if only for the way you tip your hat, Sir.

In less than a week Mr. Handsome, Jim Garner, turns 79 and with the soul of the lion that he has always been - I'm sure we'll hear a few more roars out of this guy before too terribly long. I won't give up many of his secrets by telling you that what you saw on television and in the early films was exactly what we saw as his employees, co-workers, friends. He simply is Jim: grits-eating, golf-swinging, eyebrow-lifting-innocent Jim, and there really wasn't much acting going on - well, maybe there was in a few films, the ones where he had to play the bad guy - no one believes that role -- not in a million years. Clever, tricky, sneaky, off-the-cuff, and off-the-edge of the cliff yes, but never a bad guy...maybe just a little bad?

When I left Hollywood for the Plains and pains of Oklahoma, I made the right decision - but I left an incredibly awesome man when I did. One I could have used over and over and over again to gain knowledge compounded upon knowledge - it's just a damn good thing I walked into Mr. Moler's life when I did. It was a great trade guys - and to be honest, Edward H. Moler needed a little spicing up too! I was happy to oblige. Best boss in the world - it was a difficult decision, and the ONLY reason Jim that I had to give the title to Moler was simply that he put up with me as long as he did....I wish you would have begged. I would have been in writer's Heaven by now, instead I'm in Purgatory - waiting..writing..waiting. But the adventures were worth it.

In your words Mr. Handsome (may I borrow them for this?) "Oh Hell! You knew what you were gettin' your own self into!" Big Smile! Big Smile! Big...Big...Big...I love you so much smile. You're simply amazing. You know, if I were born a boy my Mom would have called me James? Well, Matthew James, after Matt Dillon and James Arnez, but I can fudge a little - Thanks for the lessons.

Posted by jude at 12:45 PM


Have a wonderful birthday, Jim. No one deserves it more.