James Garner Of 'Rockford Files' And 'Maverick' Dies At 86

ARUN RATH, HOST:

James Garner died last night at the age of 86. The actor was known for his wise-cracking, tough guy characters who were not afraid to bend the rules.

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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: "Maverick," starring James Garner and Jack Kelly.

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RATH: As cool cowboy Bret Maverick, Garner quickly became an icon of the Hollywood Wild West.

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JAMES GARNER: (As Bret Maverick) Burt (ph) tells me you put him up to it. Why?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I can't talk upside down.

GARNER: (As Bret Maverick) You can't talk right side up but you're going to talk even if it's inside out.

RATH: After rocketing to fame on the small screen, James Garner became a movie star in films like "The Great Escape" and "The Americanization of Emily." After 11 years on the big screen, Garner returned to TV for a few more turns as Western sheriff types, then in 1974 got the role for which he's best known.

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GARNER: (As Jim Rockford) This is Jim Rockford. At the tone, leave your name and message. I'll get back to you.

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UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (Spanish spoken).

RATH: James Garner earned an Emmy for his portrayal of private eye Jim Rockford in "The Rockford Files." And when that show wrapped in the '80s, Garner went back to the cinema and earned even more accolades. We're joined now by author Jon Winokur, who worked with the actor on his autobiography, "The Garner Files: A Memoir." Jon Winokur, thanks for joining us.

JON WINOKUR: Thank you.

RATH: So we just mentioned an impressive variety of roles that Garner tackled. And really, it was kind of scratching the surface - by no means a complete list. What legacy does James Garner leave?

WINOKUR: I think he'll be remembered as a guy who made it look very easy. You know, he was once asked by an interviewer how he wanted to be remembered, and he said, with a smile. And I think he's achieved that.

RATH: Garner fell into acting by coincidence. Can you tell us the story?

WINOKUR: Yes, he was pumping gas and there was a soda jerk in the drug store across the street named Paul Gregory who said that he was going to be a producer some day and that Garner should be an actor. Of course Garner just laughed at him. Time went by. He forgot about it. And he came back from Korea only to find that Paul Gregory was now a very successful producer. Garner was working as a carpet installer and looking for a better job. And he sees a sign over a building, Paul Gregory and Associates. And the rest is history.

RATH: Wow, sounds more like fate than coincidence.

WINOKUR: It sure does.

RATH: Now, you mentioned how he kind of made it look easy. And it was almost so effortless you almost feel like you could just walk up and talk to the guy, like he was your buddy. But I imagine there was probably some real work behind that.

WINOKUR: I think there was. He never did let you catch him acting. He was what he seemed to be. Behind that good guy image, there was an even better guy.

RATH: Jon Winokur co-wrote James Garner's autobiography, "The Garner Files: A Memoir." James Garner died last night at the age of 86. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.