James Garner has died...

[max_tranmere]

James Garner has passed away aged 86, he was most famous for playing Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files, one of my favourite shows when I was a kid. I remember we always talked about it at school and Jim Rockford was a kind of hero of ours. He was also a movie star years ago and appeared in some big films with the likes of Doris Day. RIP James.

[awomanatwork]

Yip Max one of the most naturally gifted actors ... got a lot of enjoyments out of his work.

[andy at handiwork]

Great actor. I read that he was on net (not gross) points for Rockford Files, and despite it being shown for 40 years in countless countries, creative accounting by the studio was used to suggest it never showed a profit from which Garner could benefit.

[Essex Lad]

Funny how things are gauged by age ? Max says best known for playing Jim Rockford (for me too) but to an earlier generation best known as Bret Maverick.

[max_tranmere]

One thing I always enjoyed was the answering-machine messages that appeared at the start of each episode of the Rockford Files. From what I've read on Wikipedia in the last day or so the writers often found it difficult to come up with new messages each time. The Rockford Files was one of my favourite shows growing up. I've copied and pasted this from Wikipedia:

"The show's title sequence began with someone leaving a message on Rockford's answering machine, which were still novel in 1974. A different message was heard in each episode. These frequently had to do with creditors to whom Rockford owed money, or deadbeat clients who owed money. They were usually unrelated to the rest of the plot. As the series went on, this gimmick became a burden for the show's writers, who had to write a different joke every week. Suggestions from staffers and crew were often used."

The answering-machine thing was a novel idea for the show, no one else did it, and it made the show different from others. One of many things about The Rockford Files that made it really good to watch.

[max_tranmere]

James Garner sued over how he was apparently not paid fairly for what he did on the Rockford Files, and over how the studios apparently tried to rip him off. This from Wikipedia:

"In July 1983, Garner filed suit against Universal Studios for US$ 16.5 million in connection with his ongoing dispute from The Rockford Files. The suit charged Universal with "breach of contract; failure to deal in good faith and fairly; and fraud and deceit." It was eventually settled out of court in 1989. As part of the agreement Garner could not disclose the amount of the settlement.

Garner sued Universal again in 1998 for $2.2 million over syndication royalties. In this suit he charged the studio with "deceiving him and suppressing information about syndication." He was supposed to receive $25,000 per episode that ran in syndication, but Universal charged him "distribution fees." He also felt that the studio did not release the show to the highest bidder for the episode reruns."

[max_tranmere]

I'm not that familiar with Bret Maverick, although I've heard that mentioned in coverage about James Garner in the last day or two. When we were at primary school we used to, for some reason, just call the show 'Rockford' - we would say "did you see Rockford last night?" and we'd chat about it. Me and my young pals really loved the show back in the late-70's.

[max_tranmere]

One cool motor? Oh yes!

[max_tranmere]

[Milk Tray Man]

I never got into the Rockford Files at all.

He came across as a nice bloke though and AFAIK there was never any scandal about him.