- Has closed a deal with Touchstone TV, producer of the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter to continue on the comedy as a regular. (December 29, 2003)
- The producers of ABC's 8 SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER have recruited Garner to help shore up the series after the death of its lead actor, John Ritter -- Garner will step in as father of newly widowed Cate Hennessy (played By Katey Sagal) and grandfather to her teenage children. (October 17, 2003)
- Garner is giving $500,000 to help aspiring actors at the University of Oklahoma -- Garner's gift will be used to endow a $1 million faculty chair in the university's School of Drama. (April 5, 2003)
- The son of an Oklahoma carpet layer, Garner did stints in the Army and merchant marines before working as a male model.
- In LONESOME DOVE (1989) (mini) he was cast as Woodrow Call but then got the part of Augustus. James Garner was chosen next but bowed out due to health reasons, and Jon Voight turned down the role, so Tommy Lee Jones was cast. However, both James Garner and Jon Voight would portray Woodrow Call in sequels.
- James claimed that during the filming of MAVERICK (1957) one day they had less than an hour until overtime would have to be paid, but they still needed to shoot a complicated fight scene. Spying a group of tall weeds, he suggested that he throw his opponent into the weeds and have the fight proceed with much shaking of the weeds, and people being ejected from the weeds, only to immediately run back in. The results were extremely funny, and thus the cast and crew began to look for funny ways to cut corners, turning the show into a semi-comedy.
- In STINGRAY (1963), Gerry Anderson based his puppet of Troy Tempest on James' facial features.
- Doris Day proved what a trouper she truly was when he accidentally broke her rib (during the massage scene, when he pulls her off of Polly Bergen). Garner wasn't even aware of what had happened until the next day, when he felt the bandage while putting his arms around her. (MORE OVER, DARLING (1963))
- Director Blake Edwards admitted in an interview that he chickened out, and added the scene of VICTOR/VICTORIA (1982) in which James Garner discovers that Victoria is indeed a woman. Originally he was to fall in love with Victoria before he was sure about her gender, hence his line I don't care if you are a man before he kisses her.
- Garner, who plays Zane Cooper in MAVERICK (1994), was the original Bret Maverick in MAVERICK (1957).
- The helmet design that his character uses is that of then-Grand Prix race driver Chris Amon. The only difference was a silhouette of a Kiwi bird that was normally on the side of Amon's helmet (he was from New Zealand) that was left off of Garner's, as his character was an American.(GRAND PRIX (1966))
- THE GETAWAY (1972): The orange Volkswagen Beetle that Steve McQueen, and Ali MacGraw pass as they flee town after the bank heist is driven by James Garner. Garner had been visiting a friend on the shoot and was hired for his vehicular skills by stunt vet Carey Loftin.
- Nickname: Slick -- as a teen
- Had both knees replaced (2000)
- Had quintuple bypass surgery (1988)
- Part Cherokee Indian.
- Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1990.
- Early in his career, he appeared as one of the judges in The Caine Mutiny Court Martial on Broadway. He said his part consisted mostly of listening to the other actors and he said it was a great lesson. He feels listening is just as important as speaking as an actor.
- Served in the Korean War. He earned a Purple Heart after he was wounded while in battle.
- Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries at Screen Actors Guild Awards for LEGALESE (1999)
- Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries at Screen Actors Guild Awards for THE ROCKFORD FILES: A BLESSING IN DISGUISE (1996)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV at Golden Globe Awards for BREATHING LESSONS (1995)
- Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries at Screen Actors Guild Awards for THE ROCKFORD FILES: I STILL LOVE L.A. (1995)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special at Emmy Awards for BREATHING LESSONS (1994)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special at Emmy Awards for BARBARIANS AT THE GATE (1993)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special at Emmy Awards for DECORATION DAY (1991)
- Nominated for Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special at Emmy Awards for MY NAME IS BILL W. (1989)
- Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special at Emmy Awards for MY NAME IS BILL W. (1989)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV at Golden Globe Awards for PROMISE (1987)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special at Emmy Awards for PROMISE (1987)
- Nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for MURPHY'S ROMANCE (1986)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical at Golden Globe Awards for MURPHY'S ROMANCE (1986)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV at Golden Globe Awards for HEARTSOUNDS (1985)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special at Emmy Awards for Heartsounds (1985)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical at Golden Globe Awards for Bret Maverick (1982)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for Bret Maverick (1982)
- Nominated for Best TV Actor - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for The Rockford Files (1980)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for The Rockford Files (1980)
- Nominated for Best TV Actor - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for The Rockford Files (1979)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for The Rockford Files (1979)
- Nominated for Best TV Actor - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for The Rockford Files (1978)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for The Rockford Files (1978)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for The Rockford Files (1976)
- Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor - Musical/Comedy at Golden Globe Awards for THE WHEELER DEALERS (1964)
- Nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series at Emmy Awards for Maverick (1959)
Quotes- "About everything I ever have done, in the way of lawsuits against studios, I've won them all, because I was right every time."
Awards- Golden Boot Awards: Golden Boot (1999)
- Western Heritage Awards: Bronze Wrangler (1996)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role--Mini-Series or Television Movie in BARBARIANS AT THE GATE (1993)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role--Mini-Series or Television Movie, DECORATION DAY (1990)
- Golden Apple Awards: Male Star of the Year (1987)
- Emmy Awards: Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special, PROMISE (1987)
- Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for The Rockford Files (1977)
- Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, THE ROCKFORD FILES (1977).
- Golden Globe Awards: New Star of the Year- Male (1958)
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