Stephen H. Ryan - The Essential James Garner

The Essential James Garner

The Essential James Garner

Stephen H. Ryan Paul J. Ryan

ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD

Lanham Boulder New York London

Published by Rowman & Littlefield

An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706

www.rowman.com

Unit A, Whitacre Mews, 26-34 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AB

Copyright 2018 by Stephen H. Ryan and Paul J. Ryan

All rights reserved . No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Ryan, Stephen H., 1961 author. | Ryan, Paul J., 1964 author.

Title: The essential James Garner / Stephen H. Ryan and Paul J. Ryan.

Description: Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Includes filmography.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017054685 (print) | LCCN 2017059356 (ebook) | ISBN 9781442278219 (electronic) | ISBN 9781442278202 (hardback : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Garner, JamesCriticism and interpretation.

Classification: LCC PN2287.G385 (ebook) | LCC PN2287.G385 R93 2018 (print) | DDC 791.43/092dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017054685

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Printed in the United States of America

For

Isabella Anne Ryan

Anne Herkins Ryan

Anne Rea Freeman

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, we want to thank and acknowledge our family. Each of them has supported us not only in the writing of this book but in countless other ways whose value cant be measured.

Thanks to our mother, Anne Herkins Ryan (the epitome of a renaissance woman).

Thanks to our father, John L. Ryan Jr. (one of the most intelligent men weve ever known).

Thanks, admiration, and love to our incredibly supportive sisters:

Aryna Ryan, who led the creative way when her first book was published a few years ago

Amy Ryan Rued, who has been an unwavering source of inspiration and encouragement

Alicia Ryan Karanian, who may not realize how much she means to us

Likewise, to our equally supportive brothers:

John L. Ryan III, who has sustained us in various ways, all of which are truly appreciated

Michael G. Ryan, a master of social media who never fails to herald our accomplishments

No one could ask for better siblings, and were grateful to each of them.

Thanks also to Neil Battiste, Jack Rued, John Karanian, Joyce Ryan, and Hagit Glickman.

Thanks as well to our nieces and nephews: Meghan, Rachel, and Jordan Karanian; Taylor and Spencer Ryan; Thomas H. Ryan; and Jacob Ryan.

A special thanks to Gigi Garner for graciously reviewing the proofs and providing input.

Stephen and Paul

First, of course, is my coauthor and brother Stephen. We talked about writing a book for many years. It was Stephens idea to write one about my favorite actor and that product sits in your hands (or on your e-reader). We share a very similar sense of humor, and boy did we need it creating this bookand to get through being brothers so close in age.

Thanks to James Garner, who not only inspired this work, but provided us with countless hours of entertainment, both before and during the writing of this book. When Garner passed away in 2014, several family members and friends called or texted me to confirm I heard of this, knowing how much I had admired Garners work. Thanks to those same friends who no doubt would have supported me on this project had I disclosed to them my efforts on making this book a reality.

And then there is my pride and joy, and my only child, Isabella Anne Ryan, who no doubt will pen a book all her own one day. She was supportive in her own way with the writing of this book, including helping me with some of the sections. I would like to believe I will inspire her all her life.

Paul J. Ryan

Although Paul and I have acknowledged our siblings, nieces, and nephews, I wanted to pay a particular shout-out to my brother-in-law John Karanian and to my nieces Meghan, Rachel, and Jordan, whose close proximity has meant much to me over the years. Ive said it to them in person but I reiterate it here: I admire their gifts of empathy and kindness, no doubt instilled in them by Alicia and John K.

I also feel especially close to my nephew, Spencer Are You Finished with the Book Yet? Ryan, who shares my irreverent sense of humor (What do you mean by that, Brian?).

And thanks to my delightful nieces Taylor and Isabella, whom Im proud to say are also my goddaughters. Each in her own way is a special young lady, and I continue to marvel at their accomplishments.

A great deal of thanks goes to my brother Paul, who gave me the motivation to finally write something more substantial than marketing copy for a book.

Thanks to my colleagues at Rowman & Littlefield (ne Scarecrow), present and past, who make my job a little bit more manageable, and sometimes fun, in particular Jayme Bartles, Neil Cotterill, Sally Craley, Bethany Davis, Kicheko Driggins, Glenda Green, Lara Hahn, Jackie Hicks, Deb Hudson, Christen Karniski, Edward Kurdyla, Kim Lyons, Kate Powers, Kelly Rogers, Jon Sisk, Piper Wallis, Devin Watson, Dustin Watson, Lois Wesley, Jessica Wetzel, and Patricia Zline.

Special thanks to Jessica McCleary, production editor extraordinaire, not to mention, friend. After working together for fifteen years and on roughly five hundred books, it doesnt necessarily get any easier, but it does get doneone way or another! Thanks for making me look better!

Thanks also to my authors/series editors Cynthia J. Miller and Bob Batchelor. After being the recipient of your acknowledgments more than a few times, Im grateful for the opportunity to return the favor.

Last but not least, thank you to a great group of supportive friends who have been there for me at one time or another, and continue to champion me in his or her own special way: Becki Chalmers, Andrea Freeman, Leil Garner, Rick Hall, LeVan Hawkins, Nicholas Kelly, John Lee, Kevin McGettigan, Laura Mitchell, Kiev Murphy, Thomas Murphy, Karen Randell, Jesus Rosario, and Lisa Talenti.

And to Anne Freeman: No Hallmark card can capture what your friendship means to me! Thanks and love always!

RIP Erin Drew, Evie Powers, Maggie Ryan, and Martha Ryan.

Stephen H. Ryan

Introduction

It could be said that James Garner had three careers on-screen: as a television star, as a movie star, and as a made-for-television movie actor . In his more than five decades of film and television roles, Garner is best remembered as the star of two very successful television series, Maverick and The Rockford Files . Its indisputable that Maverick made the actor a star, but television in the 1950sparticularly westernsmade stars out of many actors. Taking control of his career, Garner parlayed television stardom into big-screen successes. Between the end of his Maverick run and the start of The Rockford Files , Garner appeared in more than twenty films, including classics and near classics like The Great Escape , The Americanization of Emily , and Support Your Local Sheriff! From the 1950s to the present, Hollywood has typically confined an actor to one medium or the other, whether by design or chance. Although its more commonplace today for actors to cross back and forth between mediums, James Garner achieved that balance decades ago. After The Rockford Files concluded its run in 1980, Garner appeared in fifteen more features, along with steady appearances in television films and series. In all, James Garner appeared in more than forty feature films over the span of fifty years, from Toward the Unknown in 1956 until The Ultimate Gift in 2006.