James Garner
James Garner
James Garnerwas an American actor, producer, and voice artist. He starred in several television series over more than 5 decades, including such popular roles as Bret Maverick in the 1950s western comedy series Maverick and Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files, and played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, including The Great Escapewith Steve McQueen, Paddy Chayefsky's The Americanization of Emily, Grand Prix, Blake Edwards' Victor Victoria, Murphy's Romance, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, Space...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTV Actor
Date of Birth7 April 1928
CityNorman, OK
CountryUnited States of America
People who don't know me think I'm easy-going, but I'm a pessimist by nature and an old curmudgeon.
When we go home, we're not off work.
There are younger directors, and anybody over 30 is ancient to them, because they're not that old.
I said, 'Well, I'll give myself five years to see if I can make a living at it.' And after five years I was 30 and I said, 'Yeah, I can go another five years on just the reputation I have now' and then I went another five, and another five, and another five, and finally -- at 50 years old -- I said 'You know, I think I have a career,'
An hour series is a killer. It's hard on you physically.
Yeah, I don't have a whole lot of problems.
When people see me in something and say, 'That's just you - that's not acting,' it's the best compliment I can get.
I was a Depression kid, growing up in Oklahoma.
I'm working out every day. I'm in very good shape.
I think people like to see a little larceny in their heroes.
The characters I've played, especially Bret Maverick and Jim Rockford, almost never use a gun, and they always try to use their wits instead of their fists.
It wasn't until I'd turned 50 and had been in the business 25 years that I realized I might actually have a career as an actor.
I've had to work hard at that easy-going manner you see on screen.
There's a lot of room for error with a wound in the rear. It's a wide target.