Sketch of the Day: James Garner

 

James Garner 

(born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor and producer. He starred in several television series over more than five decades, including popular roles such as Bret Maverick in the 1950s Western series Maverick and as Jim Rockford in the 1970s private detective show, The Rockford Files.

He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, including The Great Escape (1963) with Steve McQueen, Paddy Chayefsky's The Americanization of Emily (1964) with Julie Andrews, Grand Prix (1966), Marlowe (1969), Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969), Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971), The Castaway Cowboy (1974), and with Toshiro Mifune, Blake Edwards's Victor/Victoria (1982) with Julie Andrews, and Murphy's Romance (1985) with Sally Field, for which he received an Academy Award nomination. Garner's career and popularity continued through another decade in movies like Space Cowboys (2000) with Clint Eastwood, and The Notebook (2004) with Gena Rowlands. and his TV sitcom role as Jim Egan in 8 Simple Rules (2003-2005).