The Garner Files

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NY 2011 Cloth-backed Boards First Printing Fine. Near Fine Dj 8vo Actor James Garner's incredible story: leaving an abusive home at 14, earning 2 Purple Hearts in the Korean War ... before beginning an acting career spanning 60 years. Photo illustrated; introduction by Julie Andrews. Dust jacket has a tiny tear at the top front o/w fine. Read more Show Less

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More About This Book

Overview

After suffering physical abuse at the hands of his stepmother, Garner left home at fourteen. He became Oklahoma’s first draftee of the Korean War and was awarded with two Purple Hearts before returning to the United States and settling in Los Angeles to become an actor. Working alongside some of the most renowned celebrities, including Julie Andrews, Marlon Brando, and Clint Eastwood, Garner became a star in his own right, despite struggles with stage fright and depression. In The Garner Files, this revered actor and quintessential self-made man recalls “trying to decipher” William Wyler with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine, breaking Doris Day’s ribs, having a “heart-to-heart and eyeball-to-eyeball” with Steve McQueen, being “a card-carrying liberal—and proud of it,” and much more

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

In his early years, James Garner did not seem destined for screen stardom: For one thing, his birth name (James Scott Bumgarner) seems almost singularly uncinematic; for another, relentless physical abuse by his stepmother left him with intense self-doubt and depression. His career in the Merchant Marines ended with bouts of seasickness, but he redeemed himself with a Korean War stint in the Army that earned him two Purple Hearts. The Garner Files covers all these bracing events, but it also treats us to entertaining stories about his experiences on Maverick and The Rockford Files and his lively interplay with actors including Marlon Brando, Clint Eastwood, Audrey Hepburn, Steve McQueen, and Julie Andrews. A memorable autobiography of an unforgettable actor.

Publishers Weekly
Though Garner fans are aging—inevitable, since the star himself is 84-years-old—there are plenty who'll snap up this enjoyable memoir. Having gained a loyal following through TV series such as Maverick and The Rockford Files, and films including The Great Escape and The Notebook, Garner has remained in the public eye for more than six decades. Wherever you fall on the Garner spectrum, there's plenty to love in this book. Garner (or more likely Winokur) has a knack for telling a story and finding the perfect quote to tie it all together. Summing up his difficult childhood, which included an alcoholic father and an abusive stepmother, Garner says he lived through "The Depression. In Oklahoma. In the dust. After that, studio executives don't bother you at all." He fell into acting because "a woman pulled out of a parking space in front of a producer's office" and he pulled in. In describing meeting his wife, Garner says he "fell in love for the first and last time on August 1, 1956." Even if this charming book has some choppy and random moments, it still resembles a conversation with an old friend who loves to tell colorful stories. (Nov.)
More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
With Winokur (The Big Book of Irony, 2007, etc.) Garner tells his life story with the same wry, self-effacing charm that characterized his classic TV characters: the laidback cowboy Bret Maverick and the down-on-his-heels gumshoe Jim Rockford. Raised in Depression-era Oklahoma by an alcoholic father and abusive stepmother, Garner escaped to Hollywood, got his own hit show (Maverick) before he was 30 and made movies. He has stayed married to the same woman for over 50 years. Fate has, for the most part, been kind: "The only reason I'm an actor is that a lady pulled out of a parking space in front of a producer's office." Along the way, he also spent a hellish season in the Korean War and received two Purple Hearts in Korea--though he claims that he "didn't save anybody but myself." Garner praises mentors such as Henry Fonda and Marlon Brando and offers testier assessments of his late neighbor and competitor Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson ("a bitter, belligerent SOB") and Charlton Heston ("stiff as a board"). He gives great inside dope on the technical demands of making of his racing hit Grand Prix (1966), the sheer physical toll action roles can take on the body and the equally brutal business end of Hollywood, where Garner has survived two legendary you'll-never-work-in-this-town-again run-ins with the studios ("It was like being in business with the Mafia, only Universal didn't need a gun, just a pencil"). The author is also full of contradictions. He doesn't believe in glorifying the military but supports a memorial for Korean War veterans, calls himself a coward but continually points out that he never backs down from a fight and claims not to take acting too seriously ("I have to laugh when I hear actors talking about their art") but clearly knows the craft and respects it. Although he can go on too much about how unaffected and genuine he is, Garner comes across as likable on the page as he does on screen.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781451642605
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster
  • Publication date: 11/1/2011
  • Pages: 288
  • Sales rank: 9,457
  • Product dimensions: 6.40 (w) x 9.30 (h) x 1.20 (d)

Meet the Author

James Garner has starred in numerous television shows and films, from Maverick and The Rockford Files to The Great Escape with Steve McQueen and Victor Victoria with Julie Andrews.

Jon Winokur is the author of various nonfiction books, including The Portable Curmudgeon, Zen to Go, and Advice to Writers. He lives in Los Angeles.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 26 )

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(10)

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(8)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 26 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 7, 2011

    The Baumgarner Files

    Well, let me see if I can wrte a review on your book. Never done this before. Just want to say how much I have always love you in all your movies. One of my top ten actors of all time. Fun & so entertaining, a natural. All your favorites seem to be my favorites. Love hearing your life story about your family and how you got started. I could identify with you since I was a poor Louisiana girl and went thru some of the abuses that you went thru. Loved your golf stories since I am a golfer and once saw you at The woodlands or Kingwood cc . Wow! Handsome guy. You were having problems with your knees. The problem is that you decided to talk your politics in chapter five......i dont think anybody cares what you think politically in this book. Just wanted to be entertained. You should of left that out of your book even though you have the right to say what you want in another forum. Besides, you don' t seem to be able to step out of the box on issues other than your environment of Hollywood. I love that you are a real family man. Not like so many in LA. Love your loyalty an honesty to people you have learned to trust. I think you get that from your southern background. I am sure you know that a democrat is not the same as it was way back when!! Well, guess I have said way to much. You probably will not even read this. Next time write a book just about politics:)

    7 out of 23 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 30, 2011

    A must for James Garner fans

    You know the acid test on autobiographies. If you like the subject, you will probably like the book. I¿m a James Garner fan. That one gets the sense of Garner¿s voice in this well written, well organized book is a big plus. He just tells it like it is without apology or sugar coating, which is exactly the way I picture him being in his personal life. I¿m an even bigger James Garner fan now. It¿s a good read. If you like Garner, you¿ll learn a lot about him and love this book.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 3, 2012

    Jim's Voice Loud and Clear

    Reading "The Garner Files" is exactly like sitting down with the subject and spending a wonderful day with him. Jim's voice comes through loud and clear, (On the golf course, sometimes louder) Having spent two years on the set of "The Rockford Files" I came to know Jim Garner. There is not an OUNCE of "Mr. Movie Star" in the man. "Family" is a word closely associated with Jim and that also comes through in this easy reading memoir penned with Jon Winokur (The Portable Curmudgeon) From his tough upbringing in Oklahoma, to his stint in the Korean War (where he won two purple hearts) to Broadway and onto to Hollywood, Jim is a "working actor" with a great respect for writers, his fellow actors (albeit one or two) and his crew. I can attest first hand, what you see is what you get in "The Garner Files." When you see Jim on the screen be it movies or television, you're seeing "Maverick" or "Charlie Madison" or "Rockford" you're really not seeing James Garner. Jim works extremely hard at making it LOOK like you THINK you're seeing James Garner. You can call me biased and that's fine...but I will tell you to your face that you will not meet a more decent person than Jim Garner. He hasn't changed in all the years I've known him and that is the beauty of the man. As I said before, "What you see is what you get." Robert Howe

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 30, 2011

    Enjoyable reading

    My husband and I have enjoyed this book. We thought we would never see Mr. Garner's biography. Both of us enjoyed watching Maverick and Rockford files -- originally and in reruns. We loved Mr. Garner's movies also. Note to the Poor Louisiana girl: when you read a biography you learn about another person. You are free to write your own biography and express your own view of the world.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 27, 2011

    Very readable

    Great view of what it was like to be an entertainer. Loved stories about great escape, maverick and Rockford. Politics-not my favorite. Also- I would have preferred if the chapter on drugs was left out. I do believe marijuana is still illegal and admitting that not only have you done this for 50 years-buhat that you continue to do it is inappropriate. That being said -I really enjoyed the book.

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 27, 2012

    Loved this book!

    I admit to being a Garner fan since Maverick, but I think I would have enjoyed this book anyway. It really is like sitting down and having a nice conversation with a person who is friendly and down to earth.

    Some have objected to his mentioning his political views. Huh? This IS an autobiography after all! I don't think he belabored the issue, but it certainly is a legitimate subject in an account of one's life. Strangely, the only ones I've seen complaining are those who disagree with him. Come on, people. Everyone isn't going to agree with you on anything. Everyone has a right to their opinion. It's interesting to note that Garner's life-long best friend, Bill Saxon, who is mentioned a lot in this book, is a Republican.

    On the issue of smoking pot because it helps his arthritis pain, it is LEGAL in California please remember. If it would help my own arthritis, I'd try it too. Probably safer than the prescription pain pills I take now. ;)

    Seriously, read the book. It's funny, poignant and paints a real picture of a man I've admired for 55 years. I admire him even more now.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted November 21, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Check this out

    Learned so much

    1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 16, 2012

    Fan

    I have only read the sample. Will buy complete book this week. It is a great read can't wait to read the whole book!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 29, 2012

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  • Posted April 23, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Good Book!

    This was a good book, interesting life of James Garner.

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  • Posted April 13, 2012

    James Garner has been my favorite actor for as long as I can rem

    James Garner has been my favorite actor for as long as I can remember. My favorite TV series was The Rockford Files and my personal favorites among his movies are Murphy's Romance, (I could watch that one 50 times - smile). The Notebook and The Ultimate Gift. For those who made comments about leaving out the section about Politics, etc. - when you write your autobiography - you should be able to say whatever you want to in it and personally - I happen to "agree" with him so I enjoyed that chapter. I enjoyed "every" chapter! I can so relate to his stage fright and not wanting to speak in front of a live audience. I was a singer for many years and started out performing live and had some record releases, but I was such a nervous wreck before each live performance, it just wasn't worth it to me. I ended up having my own little recording studio in Florida where I did songwriter demos for songwriters around the country on a mail order basis. Like Jim being comfortable with the camera in a movie studio, I was also comfortable with a microphone in a recording studio - but just "hated" being out in front of a live audience, so I can really relate to the way he feels about a lot of things. I'm SO happy he did this book. I enjoyed every page of it!!! Thank you, Jim, for sharing a part of your life with us and if you write any other books, I'll be first in line to buy one! ......also, Happy birthday a few days late...my granddaughter was also born on April 7th and on April 7th of every year, I think of "both" of you. I've just never known where to mail your birthday card! (smile)

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 21, 2012

    Still love James Garner but...

    I still love James Garner and ROCKFORD but this book tells you nothing you don't already know : Jim was a nice guy and pretty much like his characters. Reads like a money grab which isn't in character. Not everyone needs to write an biography. For James Garner, maybe everything that needed to be said was... on the movie and t.v. screens.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 22, 2012

    Great man and actor!

    As a child growing up watching The Rockford Files...I really enjoyed this book. His deep,sexy voice and mannerisms came through the words of the book just right. Thank you

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    Posted October 27, 2011

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    Posted December 8, 2011

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    Posted February 25, 2012

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    Posted November 16, 2011

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    Posted January 9, 2012

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    Posted November 17, 2011

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