Event Details

JULIEN'S AUCTIONS IS PROUD TO PRESENT "PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF JAMES GARNER", AN AUCTION TAKING PLACE IN BEVERLY HILLS AND LIVE ONLINE AT JULIEN'S LIVE ON JULY 15TH, 2022

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Part of our “Hollywood Legends” auction happening on July 15th, 16th and 17th, "Property From The Estate of James Garner" will honor the illustrious life and career of the three-time SAG Award nominee, Academy Award nominee, and two-time Emmy Award-winning American actor, producer and internationally renowned television and film star. The auction will take place on July 15th, 2022 in Beverly Hills and live online on Julien's Live.

James Garner, known for his iconic roles in the long-running and popular hit series, Maverick and The Rockford Files, was born James Scott Bumgarner on April 7th, 1928 in Norman, Oklahoma.  Garner got his start in show business as a model in high school and nabbed his first acting role playing a judge in a 1954 Broadway production of The Caine Mutiny Court Martial starring Henry Fonda, who became his mentor.

In 1956, he received a film contract from Warner Bros. where he started getting notice as a supporting film actor, including his role in 1957's Sayonara starring Marlon Brando. But soon after, Garner nabbed the breakthrough role that would make him famous in the Western television series Maverick, in which he played the titular character, Bret Maverick, a professional gambler and reluctant hero. The hit western comedy show ran from 1957-1960, beating The Ed Sullivan Show and The Steve Allen Show in the ratings during its first two years and made Garner an instant household name.

In the '60s, Garner's film career launched in notable roles working with Hollywood's biggest luminaries in films such as 1963's The Thrill of It All and Move Over, Darling opposite Doris Day and in the same year, John Sturges' The Great Escape, opposite Steve McQueen; 1964's The Americanization of Emily, co-starring Julie Andrews with its screenplay written by Paddy Chayefsky; and 1966's Grand Prix directed by John Frankenheimer and co-starring Eva Marie Saint and Yves Montand. The film turned Garner into an avid race-car driver and later drove the pace car at the Indianapolis 500 in 1975, 1977 and 1985 and owned the American International Racing team.

In 1974, Garner found even greater fame and success on television for his leading role as Jim Rockford, a former ex-convict turned Los Angeles private investigator, in the smash hit series The Rockford Files. He appeared in every episode of the series' six seasons as well as performed his own stunts. For the role, Garner was nominated for the Emmy for best actor in a drama series for five consecutive years and won in 1977. The critically acclaimed series and international phenomenon was nominated for Best Drama three consecutive years from 1978 to 1980 and took home the prize in 1978.

On the big screen, Garner starred once again with Julie Andrews in Blake Edward's 1982 comedy Victor Victoria and opposite Sally Field in the 1985 romantic comedy Murphy's Romance, for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Throughout his long career, Garner received 16 Emmy nominations and two wins-one for Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special for the 1986 telefilm Promise, for which he served as executive producer, and the other for Outstanding Leading Actor for The Rockford Files in 1977, as well as induction in the Television Academy's Hall of Fame in 1991. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as a terminally ill doctor opposite Mary Tyler Moore in the 1984 telefilm Heartsounds and won Golden Globes for his roles as a recluse who must rejoin society in 1990's Decoration Day and as a president of a major tobacco company in the HBO movie, Barbarians at the Gate.

Highlights of the auction include:

• James Garner's 1950s period Western-style costume worn in his iconic role as Bret Maverick, on his TV series, "Maverick" (ABC Television, 1957-1962);
• a black felt wool "Maverick" cowboy hat worn by Garner on “Bret Maverick” (Warner Bros. Television, 1981-82);
• Garner’s production-used metal U.S. Marshal badge from the feature film “Maverick” (Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions, 1994), in which he plays the role “Marshal Zane Cooper”;
• Garner’s production used “Sheriff Frank Nichols” leather coat from the TV series “Nichols” (Cherokee Productions, 1971-72);
• a black felt wool hat worn by Garner in the TV series “Nichols” (Cherokee Productions, 1971-72) and the films “Support Your Local Gunfighter” (Cherokee-Brigade Productions, 1971) and “Skin Game” (Cherokee Productions, 1971);
• Garner’s Lucien Piccard watch, which he wore frequently as Jim Rockford on “The Rockford Files” (Roy Huggins-Public Arts Productions, 1974-80), including in the first episode of the series’ fourth season, titled “The Fourth Man”;
• a screen-worn Stetson “Genuine Panama” cowboy hat, worn by Garner in his Academy Award-nominated performance as “Murphy Jones” in “Murphy’s Romance” (Columbia Pictures, 1985);
• a Cartier 18K gold medic link bracelet worn by Garner as “Duke” in the final scene of “The Notebook” (New Line Cinema, 2004) and in many other projects and venues;
• a pair of gunmetal glasses worn by Garner as “Duke” throughout “The Notebook” (New Line Cinema, 2004);
• Garner's circa 1980s Dan Post black ostrich leg leather cowboy boots;
• Garner's 2004 Screen Actors Guild nomination certificate for "Outstanding Performance by A Male Actor in a Supporting Role";
• his navy blue cotton 1980s racing jacket;
• Garner's 1980 California driver's license;
• an award presented to Garner circa 1975 by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for "the placement of (his) star in the / Hollywood Walk of Fame (on) / February 9, 1960";
• Garner’s signed original wall segment from the legendary Palm Restaurant, featuring his caricature;
• a 1950s sterling silver cigarette lighter engraved "Jim";
• Garner’s Cartier 18K rolling ring, worn as “Jim Rockford” on the series “The Rockford Files” (Roy Huggins-Public Arts Productions, 1974-80)
• Garner's decorative gold and diamond monogrammed "J" belt buckle made by Edward H. Bohlin, the famous Western wear maker;
• a 1980 tan leather hand-tooled Western-style belt and large oval-shaped silver-tone metal buckle embossed on the inside "Custom made for Jim Garner from Roy Clark";
• Garner's custom made small straight back hunting knife made by Anza Knives whose metal blade reads Maverick on one side and "Rockfish" on the other -- his character's nickname from The Rockford Files;
• a silver-plated square-shaped trinket box with an engraved image of an Oscar statuette gifted to James Garner by producer Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. in 1988 when Garner was a presenter in the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category at the 60th Academy Awards along with Faye Dunaway;
• an oval-shaped brass belt buckle made for James Garner by noted Studio City, California Western Artist, Al Shelton that reads "Rockford";
• Garner's circa 1960s custom made car racing helmet painted slate blue with a black 'crack' or 'web' design;
• a collection of memorabilia from Garner’s racing team, American International Racing, founded in 1968;
• a 1970s wooden sculpture reading "The Rockford Files" gifted to Garner from a fan that was displayed on his desk for decades;
• Garner's 1977-1978 Academy of Television Arts & Sciences nomination certificate for The Rockford Files;
• Garner's 1993 Golden Globe award for "Best Performance By An / Actor in a Mini-Series / or Motion Picture / Made for Television" for HBO's Barbarians at the Gate;
• signed correspondence from colleagues and friends including Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Sally Field, Doris Day, and others;
• as well as citations, jewelry, and more.