Present today in the TAG Heuer suite at the Indianapolis 500 will be Gigi Garner, daughter of the late, great actor James Garner, a man who deserved the spotlight but never behaved like he wanted it. Garner’s easy-going manner and man-of-the-people attitude probably removed his mystique for many, and therefore robbed him of some of the adulation he deserved.
But he’s never lost his appeal to me, and I suspect countless more like me. My mother and grandfather adored Garner for his role in Maverick. I love him for, among other projects, The Rockford Files (its theme tune is the ringtone on my mobile), and while I was too young to appreciate the show first time around, I watched endless repeats in the ’90s and regularly devour the 122 episodes I now have on DVD. Oh, and I believe the humor in Support Your Local Sheriff! still stands up today.
