Legend of the West
Aug. 8th, 2014 11:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dedalus_1947Who is the tall, dark stranger there?
Maverick is the name.
Ridin’ the trail to who knows where,
Luck is his companion,
Gamblin’ is his game.
Riverboat, ring your bell,
Fair thee well, Annabel.
Luck is the lady that he loves the best.
Natchez to New Orleans,
Livin’ on jacks and queens,
Maverick is a legend of the west.
(Theme song of Maverick: 1957)
James Garner died last month, on Saturday, July 19, 2014. He was 86 years old, and had previously suffered a stroke in 2008. I think I was saddened by his death because he was such a part of my childhood. Garner was the first adult T.V. and movie star who I truly related to as a youth, when I first saw him in Maverick in 1957. Bret Maverick signaled a new type of hero for me. He was not the cut-out, one-dimensional, childhood hero I enjoyed watching in the late 50’s, like Superman, the Lone Ranger, Davey Crockett, or Zorro. James Garner played a charming but complex, adult hero who defied simple characterization. Bret Maverick was self-deprecating, humorous, smart, and human. He was the new kind of protagonist who did not see himself as fearless, brave, or courageous. In fact, Bret would rather talk than throw punches, deal cards than shoot guns, and altogether avoid conflict and dangerous situations whenever possible. Bret was the reluctant hero who rarely “got the girl”, and didn’t always win. His greatest romances tended to be with women he competed with, rarely out-foxed, and always respected. With its timeslot on Sunday nights on ABC, Maverick was the first “adult” western TV series I was allowed to watch as a child. Programs like Gunsmoke and the Naked City were taboo to me, in those strict days of parental censorship. Although Garner shared the billing for Maverick, and alternated episodes, with Jack Kelly, he was the star who carried the show with his rugged good looks and personality, and made it a highly rated hit until 1960. After only three brief years as Maverick, Garner left Warner Brothers over a contract dispute and pursued a full time, independent career in movies. He was one of the first TV stars to make this transition successfully.
I loved James Garner’s movies. Even on the big screen, he was able to consistently come across as such a friendly, likeable and relatable figure. He proved to be a formidable actor as well. He stood out in his role as a Marine captain, playing opposite Marlon Brando in Sayonara in 1957, was traditionally heroic as Col. William Darby in the WWII movie, Darby’s Rangers in 1958, and clearly captivated Natalie Wood in the 1960 romantic comedy, Cash McCall. But his real breakout film roles came in 1963 when he starred as the All-American “scrounger”, in The Great Escape, and the loveable coward opposite Julie Andrews in The Americanization of Emily.
The characters that James Garner played were the perfect models for me. As a teenager in a Catholic high school, I was desperately searching outside my family for positive male figures to imitate. I had outgrown the “good boy” types portrayed in Leave It To Beaver, Ozzie and Harriet, and the Donna Reed Show, and I was not inclined toward the “bad boy” types characterized in Marlon Brando and James Dean movies. Instead, James Garner offered a Third Way – not an anti-hero, like Clint Eastwood, but a non-heroic, regular guy, who was still good-looking, smart, funny, and could step-up, if called for, to deal with difficult situations. He was the type of man I wanted to be for a long time. By the time James Garner returned to TV, starring in the Rockford Files (1974-1980), I had outgrown my early need for role models, and would only occasionally watch his show. Interestingly enough, I happened to catch the episode when the show spun off a new character that would soon carry on the tradition of the non-heroic/regular guy. Tom Selleck, in Magnum P.I. (1980-1988), continued many of the mannerisms and style that made Garner’s TV characters so successful. Thomas Magnum was the Bret Maverick of the 80’s.
I suppose teenagers are always looking for people to imitate and copy who are outside their immediate environments. The men and women they grew up with in their families, or their circle of friends and acquaintances, seem too familiar and ordinary. Stories and novels offered me one method to study male characters and types, but television provided a more contemporary vehicle to observe men and women who seemed more real. I’m glad that James Garner appeared when he did in my life. He portrayed characters that satisfied all of my secret yearnings and questions about male role models. Garner became the dad, uncle, teacher, and hero I wanted to imitate and become. I’ll always remember him in that way. Rest in Peace Bret Maverick.
Maverick is the name.
Ridin’ the trail to who knows where,
Luck is his companion,
Gamblin’ is his game.
Riverboat, ring your bell,
Fair thee well, Annabel.
Luck is the lady that he loves the best.
Natchez to New Orleans,
Livin’ on jacks and queens,
Maverick is a legend of the west.
(Theme song of Maverick: 1957)
James Garner died last month, on Saturday, July 19, 2014. He was 86 years old, and had previously suffered a stroke in 2008. I think I was saddened by his death because he was such a part of my childhood. Garner was the first adult T.V. and movie star who I truly related to as a youth, when I first saw him in Maverick in 1957. Bret Maverick signaled a new type of hero for me. He was not the cut-out, one-dimensional, childhood hero I enjoyed watching in the late 50’s, like Superman, the Lone Ranger, Davey Crockett, or Zorro. James Garner played a charming but complex, adult hero who defied simple characterization. Bret Maverick was self-deprecating, humorous, smart, and human. He was the new kind of protagonist who did not see himself as fearless, brave, or courageous. In fact, Bret would rather talk than throw punches, deal cards than shoot guns, and altogether avoid conflict and dangerous situations whenever possible. Bret was the reluctant hero who rarely “got the girl”, and didn’t always win. His greatest romances tended to be with women he competed with, rarely out-foxed, and always respected. With its timeslot on Sunday nights on ABC, Maverick was the first “adult” western TV series I was allowed to watch as a child. Programs like Gunsmoke and the Naked City were taboo to me, in those strict days of parental censorship. Although Garner shared the billing for Maverick, and alternated episodes, with Jack Kelly, he was the star who carried the show with his rugged good looks and personality, and made it a highly rated hit until 1960. After only three brief years as Maverick, Garner left Warner Brothers over a contract dispute and pursued a full time, independent career in movies. He was one of the first TV stars to make this transition successfully.
I loved James Garner’s movies. Even on the big screen, he was able to consistently come across as such a friendly, likeable and relatable figure. He proved to be a formidable actor as well. He stood out in his role as a Marine captain, playing opposite Marlon Brando in Sayonara in 1957, was traditionally heroic as Col. William Darby in the WWII movie, Darby’s Rangers in 1958, and clearly captivated Natalie Wood in the 1960 romantic comedy, Cash McCall. But his real breakout film roles came in 1963 when he starred as the All-American “scrounger”, in The Great Escape, and the loveable coward opposite Julie Andrews in The Americanization of Emily.
The characters that James Garner played were the perfect models for me. As a teenager in a Catholic high school, I was desperately searching outside my family for positive male figures to imitate. I had outgrown the “good boy” types portrayed in Leave It To Beaver, Ozzie and Harriet, and the Donna Reed Show, and I was not inclined toward the “bad boy” types characterized in Marlon Brando and James Dean movies. Instead, James Garner offered a Third Way – not an anti-hero, like Clint Eastwood, but a non-heroic, regular guy, who was still good-looking, smart, funny, and could step-up, if called for, to deal with difficult situations. He was the type of man I wanted to be for a long time. By the time James Garner returned to TV, starring in the Rockford Files (1974-1980), I had outgrown my early need for role models, and would only occasionally watch his show. Interestingly enough, I happened to catch the episode when the show spun off a new character that would soon carry on the tradition of the non-heroic/regular guy. Tom Selleck, in Magnum P.I. (1980-1988), continued many of the mannerisms and style that made Garner’s TV characters so successful. Thomas Magnum was the Bret Maverick of the 80’s.
I suppose teenagers are always looking for people to imitate and copy who are outside their immediate environments. The men and women they grew up with in their families, or their circle of friends and acquaintances, seem too familiar and ordinary. Stories and novels offered me one method to study male characters and types, but television provided a more contemporary vehicle to observe men and women who seemed more real. I’m glad that James Garner appeared when he did in my life. He portrayed characters that satisfied all of my secret yearnings and questions about male role models. Garner became the dad, uncle, teacher, and hero I wanted to imitate and become. I’ll always remember him in that way. Rest in Peace Bret Maverick.
JAMES GARNER ON AND OFF
Date: 2014-08-08 08:27 pm (UTC)