James Garner’s price of fame: ruined health for a hit show

Press, 15 April 1980, Page 16

James Garner’s price of fame: ruined health for a hit show

By

JOANNE WILLS

“Even $40,000 a show can’t compensate for the fact that I’m stuffing myself with painkillers every day, and haven’t had an unbroken night’s sleep for years. “I’ve built up a hit show — and ruined my health in the .process. Now I’ve made my positively last appearance as Jim Rockford.” After a headline-making three-week disappearance —he was resting at a secret address in Palm Springs — 51-year-old James Garner, who’s made SIM over the last six years playing the down-at-heel detective Jim Rockford, has finally confirmed why the present series of “The Rockford Files” will be the last. “I’ve had six operations on my knee in the last five years,” Garner' told me.. "I limped through every Rockford episode and I. think it’s time to stop. . “Now I plan to take at least a year off and think about a new TV series in a totally different role.” Despite an offer of an extra $lO,OOO a show, James Garner can’t be persuaded back to “The Rockford Files,’’ which has been at the top of the American ratings for five years and has a regular 11M following in Britain. His knee injuries, caused by a lifetime of doing his own TV and film stunts, have got’ worse over the years, despite constant medical attention. The irony is that “The Rockford Files” is the most non-violent of all the current cops-and-robbers TV shows. “We’ve always insisted on an absolute minimum of rough stuff,” says the series’ executive producer Meta Rosenberg. , “Rockford doesn’t carry a gun, doesn’t start fights and only punches when he has to. “From the beginning, we were determined to make Jim Rockford different — human and fallible . . . a confidence man with a prison record who would much rather talk than fight.” James Garner always said that six “Rockford” series would be his limit. “I’ve still got a soft spot for Rockford,” he says. “But you can’t go on playing the same role for ever. “I would have quit before, but I had to honour mv rnntrart ” •

said that six “Rockford” series would be his limit. “I’ve still got a. soft spot for Rockford,” he says. “But you can’t go on playing the same role for ever. ?T would have quit before, but I had to honour my contract.” When he was. offered the role in 1974 he insisted that it would be played his wav: “I didn’t want to suck lollipops or havecute catchwords,” he says. “That’s fine for actors who want it, but I’d rath-' , er be at ease in a more

realistic sort of character. ‘ “When Rockford gets f clobbered he also gets hurt — none of the others s ever seem to. I wouldn’t 1 call him a coward, but

he’s smarf enough to know that it’s better to win without getting your arm.broken .■? .” .• -.

But James Garner, in 20 years of Hollywood filming, has been hurt on countless occasions, usually through doing stunts himself rather than, using a double. ’ . “Most of them were war pictures. and fast-action Westerns,” he told m.e.

“So when TV was looking for someone to star in “Maverick” in ■ 1957 they seemed to think I was the logical choice. “I stayed with Maverick

for four years. It was a pretty tough show to do. That was when people in the street started taking swings at me. I suppose they thought I was really like the guy I played on TV. “Trouble is, they still do The director of “Rockford Files,” Steve Cannell said: “All people in the public eye get; nuts com-

ing up to them and trying to cause trouble, especially in Hollywood, but Jim Garner seems to get much more than his fair share.” Gamer agrees: “I wouldn’t start a fight with anybody,” he says. “I don’t go to bars, and I’m never looking for trouble. ■ “But I do have a. flashy temper and when someone says the wrong thing, I do tend to let them know it in no uncertain terms.” ■ “Yes, T like to think I can handle such disagreenments peacefully effectively,” says Jim Garner. “I just pick the guy up and throw him out of the door,”- _