James Garner (born James Baumgarner) son of a Oklahoma carpet layer. At the age of 16 James Garner joined the merchant Marines after dropping out of high school. And the Merchant Marines he worked a variety of jobs and was wounded during the Korean war which you received the purple heart. James's first shot at acting came in the form of a non speaking role in the Broadway stage play the Caine Mutiny Court Martial in 1954. The Caine Mutiny Court Martial play opened the door for small roles in television. Eventually this led to a contract when Warner Brothers director David Butler took an interest in James Garner and helped him along. In 1956 this help came in the form of " The Girl He Left Behind " that after a few films in 1956 and 1957, Warner Brothers cast him in a co-starring role in Maverick a western TV series. Garner played Brett Maverick a good natured, cool, likable character that would rather use his wits to stay out of trouble. Maverick was a success for Garner but he left the show in 1960 over a money dispute.
In 1960 Garner made several successful films such as The Thrill of It All, Move Over Darling, The Americanization of Emily, The Great Escape, and Grand Prix. He took an interest in racing after the making of Grand Prix and even supported racing teams.
In 1969 James garner had a big success with Support Your Local Sheriff but the sequel, Support Your Local Gunfighter was not as well received.
Garner return to television after 11 years of filmmaking, in a role similar to the one he played in Support Your Local Sheriff. The show was called "Nichols". James played a sheriff that solved problems with wit rather than gun. When the show was canceled James had Nichols killed so there could not be a sequel. 1974 brought his best known character Jim Rockford in the series the Rockford files where James played a private investigator and in 1977 he won an Emmy for this role. He returned to westerns after making movies like Murphy's Romance And Tank, in Sunset about Wyatt Earp and Tom Mix in 1920s Hollywood.
James Garner's Work:
The Magic Shoe (2008) (pre-production) Grandfather
First Night (2007) Dr. Curtis
Terra (2007) (voice) Doron
The Ultimate Gift (2006) Howard 'Red' Stevens
Al Roach: Private Insectigator (2004) Al Roach
The Notebook (2004) Duke
The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration (2003) (V) Pat
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) Shepard James 'Shep' Walker
Roughing It (2002) (TV) Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) (v) Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke
The Last Debate (2000) (TV) Mike Howley
Space Cowboys (2000) Tank Sullivan
One Special Night (1999) (TV) Robert Woodward
Legalese (1998) (TV) .... Norman Keane
Twilight (1998) Raymond Hope
Dead Silence (1997) (TV) John Potter
Maverick (1994) Marshal Zane Cooper
Breathing Lessons (1994) (TV) Ira Moran
Barbarians at the Gate (1993) (TV) F. Ross Johnson
Fire in the Sky (1993) Frank Watters
The Distinguished Gentleman (1992) Jeff Johnson
"Man of the People" Councilman Jim Doyle (1 episode, 1991)
Decoration Day (1990) (TV) Albert Sidney Finch
My Name Is Bill W. (1989) (TV) Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith aka Dr. Bob
Sunset (1988) Wyatt Earp
Promise (1986) (TV) Bob Beuhler
Murphy's Romance (1985) Murphy Jones
"Space" (1985) TV mini-series Sen. Norman Grant
The Glitter Dome (1984) (TV) Sgt. Aloysius Mackey
Heartsounds (1984) (TV) Harold Lear
Tank (1984) Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Zack Carey
"Bret Maverick" Bret Maverick (5 episodes, 1981-1982)
Victor Victoria (1982) King Marchand
The Long Summer of George Adams (1982) (TV) George Adams
Bret Maverick (1981) (TV) Bret Maverick
The Fan (1981) Jake Berman
HealtH (1980) Harry Wolff
Waylon (1980) (TV) James Garner
"Young Maverick" Bret Maverick (1 episode, 1979)
The New Maverick (1978) (TV) Bret Maverick
The Castaway Cowboy (1974) Lincoln Costain
One Little Indian (1973) Cpl. Clint Keyes
They Only Kill Their Masters (1972) Eden Landing Chief of Police Abel Marsh
Skin Game (1971) Quincy Drew/Capt. Nathaniel Mountjoy, Army Medical Corps.
Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971) Latigo
A Man Called Sledge (1970) Luther Sledge
Marlowe (1969) Philip Marlowe
Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) Jason McCullough
The Pink Jungle (1968) Ben Morris
How Sweet It Is! (1968) Grif Henderson
Hour of the Gun (1967) Wyatt Earp (Tombstone city marshal / U.S. marshal)
Grand Prix (1966) Pete Aron
Mister Buddwing (1966) Mister Buddwing
Duel at Diablo (1966) Jess Remsberg (scout)
A Man Could Get Killed (1966) William Beddoes
The Art of Love (1965) Casey Barnett
36 Hours (1965) Major Jefferson F. Pike
The Americanization of Emily (1964) Lt. Commander Charles E. Madison
Move Over, Darling (1963) Nicholas Arden
The Wheeler Dealers (1963) Henry Tyroon
The Thrill of It All (1963) Dr. Gerald Boyer
The Great Escape (1963) Flight Lt. Hendley "The Scrounger"
Boys' Night Out (1962) Fred Williams
The Children's Hour (1961) Dr. Joe Cardin
Cash McCall (1960) .... Cash McCall
Alias Jesse James (1959) (uncredited) .... Bret Maverick
Up Periscope (1959) .... Lt. j.g. Kenneth M. Braden
Lafayette Escadrille (1958) (uncredited) .... Lufberry
Darby's Rangers (1958) .... Maj./Col. William Orlando Darby
"Sugarfoot" .... Bret Maverick (1 episode, 1957)
Sayonara (1957) .... Capt. Mike Bailey - USMC
Bombers B-52 (1957) (uncredited) .... Voice of Anchor, Search and Rescue Operation
Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957) .... Sgt. John Maitland
"Cheyenne" .... Bret / ... (4 episodes, 1955-1957)
"Conflict" .... Jim Curtis (3 episodes, 1956-1957)
"Zane Grey Theater" .... Lieutenant Jim Collins (1 episode, 1956)
Stars Over Texas (1956) TV episode .... Lieutenant Jim Collins
The Girl He Left Behind (1956) .... Preston
Toward the Unknown (1956) .... Maj./Lt. Col. Joe Craven
"Warner Brothers Presents" (1 episode, 1956)