We're slowly losing them - our television heros
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — James Garner
ThePowerToArouseCuriosity — 11 years ago(July 20, 2014 05:11 PM)
I grew up in the 1970's and I can tell you that this era was one of the best in television. Rockford Files, Bionic Man and Bionic Woman, eventually the Dukes of Hazzard and The Equalizer.
These people were some of the finest actors to ever appear on television - and we're slowly losing them to old age. Who doesn't remember sitting in front of the television and watching The Bionic Man at night, or Dukes of Hazzard with your parents?
Show me a show today that not only you can watch with your family, but also has family values. Bionic Man taught us compassion for people who were different, Rockford Files taught us you can be tough without resorting to violence. Heck, we even had lunch pail boxes with our idols on them.
Today we've got 300 channels of reality crap where young people are given free alcohol and locked in a house with cameras all over it, and we watch the drama unfold. You tell me if we've progressed or regressed.
I decided to get back into The Rockford Files this year. I borrowed James Garner's autobiography from the library. I even searched for a contact to get in touch with him and thank him for being part of the best generation of television, and being part of my childhood.
Sadly I never got the chance. So tonight I'm going to compose my thank you's to Lyndsay Wagner and Lee Majors because time is so short and we're slowly losing our heroes from our childhood.
IMDB - where I can relive my TV shows from the 70's and find new messages posted just hours ago. -
jay121-882-989465 — 11 years ago(July 20, 2014 05:31 PM)
Hi mate, great words.
Losing childhood actors and actresses, makes you realise how precious life is and how short we really have in this world.
Like you, I grew up in the 1970's and 1980's. TV was so much better than now. Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, Magnum, Equaliser, Rockford Files. Great actors, great shows.
What have we got now ? NCIS, that's about it.
Loads of crap reality shows. Infinitely forgettable. Just lazy programming by the Networks.
James Garner on screen was a class act.
He wasn't afraid to upset a few Hollywood bigwigs behind the scenes.
I for one will mourn your passing. Go free my friend. Your magic will forever live on in your TV and films.
R.I.P. Mr James Garner -
niani6 — 11 years ago(July 20, 2014 06:18 PM)
Hi ThePower and jaycount me #3 on that list of growing up in the 70's/80's when tv had soul and wasn't about flashy style, schizo-shaky camera shots and how hot the actors are. The story lines were good, people could act and they took their time to properly tell a story. Boy have times changed.
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in_my_trailer — 11 years ago(July 20, 2014 06:23 PM)
I'm with y'all who enjoyed those classic '70s and '80s shows (esp. the '70s). There really were some excellent shows then - like MAS*H, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, "All in the Family," and "St. Elsewhere."
Today we still have some top-notch entertainment. All is not lost, but precious little of it is on the "big 3" networks, which was all we had back then. Cable TV offers some really stellar programming. Just consider "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men," and "The Wire," as only a few examples.
I cannot place Lindsay Wagner and Lee Majors (or Linda Carter, for that matter) in the same class as James Garner. But they were very good in their fantasy roles. -
fun-niji — 11 years ago(August 24, 2014 09:27 AM)
R.I.P. To James Garner and everyone who've passed away.
Just saw this list and although I wasn't around in the 70s, I recognise and have seen some of the shows of some of the actors and actresses on this lists. Just last year I was checking up on Bob Hoskins and Mickey Rooney and thinking of Shirley Temple.
Wow.. -
ThePowerToArouseCuriosity — 11 years ago(July 21, 2014 01:10 AM)
What bothers me the most is reading his autobiography and getting to the part where he closes with how he wants to be remembered - the answer "with a smile".
I read that and thought, yes he's getting older and won't be around forever. I'd better get busy and write to him to thank him for the show that I really enjoyed, The Rockford Files. I couldn't find a way to reach him and then a month later he's gone.
For the last two months I've been immersing myself in Rockford Files shows and thinking, "He's still alive, I'm not watching this show and thinking about the man who WAS, but the man who IS".
Damn. so I wasted no time writing to Richard Anderson (Oscar Goldman) and Lindsay Wagner. Maybe not as exceptional acting, who can say but I hate losing these fine actors from the 70's. It makes me feel we're moving forward away from that era where all we'll have left are memories and no living actors. And the actors of today are well just not comparable.
IMDB - where I can relive my TV shows from the 70's and find new messages posted just hours ago.
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Diamond97 — 11 years ago(July 21, 2014 08:25 AM)
I miss those great shows of the 70s and 80s:
Rockford Files
The Love Boat
The Jeffersons
Sanford and Son
Three's Company
Laverne and Shirley
Happy Days
One Day At A Time
All in The Family
Good Times
Fantasy Island
Charlie's Angels
Hart to Hart
Vegas
Alice
Cagney and Lacey
Hill Street Blues
St. Elsewhere
LA Law
Mama's Family
The Carol Burnett Show
Trapper John M.D.
Starsky and Hutch
Baretta
Police Woman
Get Christie Love
The Cosby Show
227
The Incredible Hulk
Who's The Boss
Mork and Mindy
Too Close For Comfort
Fall Guy
The Dukes of Hazard
Dallas
Dynasty
Falcon Crest
Knots Landing
Magnum PI
Miami Vice
Hotel
Barnaby Jones
Scarecrow and Ms. King
The Golden Girls
The Facts of Life
Different Strokes
What's Happening
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Fall Guy
The Greatest American Hero
Amen
Wonder Woman
The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries
Gimme a Break
Friday the 13th: The Series
Tales From the Darkside
A Different World
Remington Steele -
vestdennis — 11 years ago(July 21, 2014 10:23 AM)
I was in high school when The Rockford Files was on prime time. It was my favorite TV show period back then (Sanford & Son my favorite TV comedy). I also loved The Streets of San Francisco & Barnaby Jones but Rockford was way ahead of the rest!
James Garner was so real, so believable as Jim Rockford (and anyone else he played). His handsome good looks, Oklahoma accent & easy-going manner & sense of humor were his trademarks. I have every season on DVD b/c today so much on TV isn't worth watching. -
Boricanator — 11 years ago(July 21, 2014 10:43 AM)
Today we've got 300 channels of reality crap where young people are given free alcohol and locked in a house with cameras all over it, and we watch the drama unfold. You tell me if we've progressed or regressed.
I understand how you feel. I hate these reality TV shows more than you. However, I think you are being unfair to todays TV. We've had great shows with cutting edge writing, acting and directing. Here are a few.
Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, the Goodwife, House of Cards and several others. This cutting edge TV has been a relief for those of us tired of the same repetitive things in movies.
So, let's enjoy the wonderful things both eras have to offer. -
ThePowerToArouseCuriosity — 11 years ago(July 21, 2014 07:46 PM)
The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad are the exception to today's television. I'm referring more to the reality crap such as Kardashians, Big Brother, Jersey Shore, scripted talk shows like Springer. It's utter crap.
Nor do I think you coiuld really watch TWD/Breaking Bad with your children after supper.
IMDB - where I can relive my TV shows from the 70's and find new messages posted just hours ago.
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ceiag — 11 years ago(July 21, 2014 11:58 AM)
Like you, I always planned to let Jim know how much he meant to me, but didn't. I think he would have been politely unimpressed.
I have been a fan since the early Maverick days, when I was too young to know why he impressed me so much. I have Rockford on disc, but I will have to leave watching it for a while.
RIP and condolences to Lois & Gigi & Kimberley
xxx
