Over 400 mementos from the late actor James Garner’s iconic career are now up for auction.
Garner made his mark in Hollywood with memorable roles, including Bret Maverick in the 1950’s Western series Maverick, as the dapper private investigator Jim Rockford in the 1970’s hit show The Rockford Files and playing and older Ryan Gosling in the 2004 film The Notebook.
Now his daughter Gigi Garner has put her father’s memorabilia from his decades-long career up for auction, with proceeds to benefit the animal rescue charity she founded to honor her dog-loving father.
‘I knew it was time. It’s been eight years since my father passed away and I just knew it was the right time. I have had these items since 2014 and after my mom passed away last year, I felt it was time to share my father’s treasures with his fans,’ Gigi Garner, 64, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.
‘They weren’t doing any good sitting in a box in a closet. The fact that the proceeds will benefit The James Garner Animal Rescue Fund I created in honor of my dad makes me feel good about letting things go.’
A total of 447 items are up for grabs at the famed Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, including Garner’s trademark wardrobe from the 1950’s Maverick with a current bid of $9,000.
The black cowboy hat Garner wore for his role as Bret Maverick has a current bid of $1,250 and the eyeglasses he wore in The Notebook has a current bid of $500.
Hollywood legend James Garner’s most prized possessions from his iconic career are up for auction. His daughter Gigi Garner tells DailyMail.com that it was time to share her famous father’s prized positions with his fans. She plans on donating the proceeds to the James Garner Animal Fund which she founded in 2019 to honor her father who died at the age of 86 in 2014
Gigi told DailyMail.com that her father took impeccable care of his memorabilia which includes his wardrobe made famous by his iconic television and film roles. ‘I knew it was time. It’s been eight years since my father passed away and I just knew it was the right time,’ she said
Among the items up for auction are the eyeglasses Garner wore in the 2004 film The Notebook. The current bid is $500
Garner’s clothes from his memorable movie and television roles are on display at Julien’s Auction House in Beverly Hills. Anyone can participate in the three-day auction which begins Friday, July 15 and runs thru Sunday, July 17
James Garner’s script from The Notebook (lower left hand side) is also up for auction with a current bid of $350
Garner is pictured holding his young daughter Gigi. Gigi told DailyMail.com that her dad was a huge dog lover and that there were always lots of pups around while she growing up. Garner pictured with a grey poodle
Garner made his mark in Hollywood with memorable roles, including Bret Maverick in the 1950’s Western series Maverick
‘My dad took meticulous care of his memorabilia,’ Gigi revealed to DailyMail.com. ‘Every item is unique and has a story behind it, like his favorite custom made black leather reading chair. He read every single script in that chair. He spent all of his time in the chair. I have a premium on that chair, so if I don’t sell it I won’t be upset. I love that chair.’
The current bid for the reading chair is at $3,500 and expected to get as high as $20,000. The three-day online auction kicks off July 15 and runs until July 17. Coincidentally, Mr. Garner passed away on July 18 in 2014.
Gigi did indeed keep one thing – her father’s wedding ring.
‘I kept one thing of my dad’s that had real sentimental value for him and that was his wedding ring,’ said Gigi.
Other items up for auction include a custom-made gold and diamond belt designed by Edward H. Bohlin that was gifted to Garner.
According to Gigi, whoever ends up with the pricey belt will get quite the deal. At an estimated worth of $23,000, the final bidding price is only expected to get as high as $12,000.
Additional items include Garner’s driver’s license, his passport and even his credit cards.
Gigi created the James Garner Animal Rescue Fund in 2019. The organization provides aid and support to other animal rescues, including shelters, fosters, individuals and vets. All proceeds will go to the charity.
Other items up for auction include a custom-made gold and diamond belt designed by Edward H. Bohlin that was gifted to Garner. Gigi is pictured standing next to her famous father at the Indy 500 in 1985. He’s wearing the belt buckle that’s now up for auction
The black cowboy hat Garner wore for his role as Bret Maverick has a current bid of $1,250. The current bid for Garner’s reading chair is at $3,500 and expected to get as high as $20,000. ‘He read every single script in that chair. He spent all of his time in the chair,’ Gigi said
Gigi said, ‘One of the most interesting things in the auction is the light brown cowboy hat from the movie Murphy’s Romance which got my dad nominated for an Academy Award.’ A costume from Maverick is also up for auction
Additional items include Garner’s driver’s license, his passport and even his credit cards
‘This charity is so important to me because it carries on his legacy into the future through animals,’ Gigi said.
‘Dogs were everything to my dad. He absolutely loved dogs. I remember this one time he was trying to quit smoking cigarettes, so he and his best friend relocated to the desert for some time living in a motorhome, and this little puppy from out of nowhere befriended my dad. Of course, he brought him home and named him Nicotine. Nicki for short. That was just the type of person he was, always helping animals and doing what he could,’ Gigi explained.
‘Both my parents loved dogs. They were crazy dog people,’ Gigi added. ‘They loved animals. They had three dogs, Brett, Belle and Beau were all characters from Maverick. He spent all of his time at home with them. He adored those dogs. He slept with them. They were Australian Silkies. But we had so many dogs growing up.’
Gigi said, ‘One of the most interesting things in the auction is the light brown cowboy hat from the movie Murphy’s Romance which got my dad nominated for an Academy Award.
‘That was his favorite hat and he wore it all the time. My dad had a lot of hats and they are all up for auction.’
Gigi created the James Garner Animal Rescue Fund in 2019. The organization provides aid and support to other animal rescues, including shelters, fosters, individuals and vets. All proceeds will go to the charity
Garner is pictured with his daughter Gigi and his wife of 57 years Lois Josephine Fleischman Clarke at Disneyland. Lois passed away last year
James and Gigi are pictured in the late 1980’s while filming a Mazda commercial that aired debuted during the Super Bowl. ‘I have shared my dad with everyone for my whole life and I am going to continue to do so,’ she said
‘My dad passed away at age 86 and he kept very good care of everything, his wardrobe, all of his racing memorabilia, there’s a watch he used to wear on the Rockford Files all the time, there’s all of his jewelry and the glasses that he wore in The Notebook.
‘There’s just an amazing amount of stuff. He was absolutely meticulous and kept everything in special places.’
‘I have shared my dad with everyone for my whole life and I am going to continue to do so.’
Born in Oklahoma as the youngest of three, the legendary actor was also a serviceman for the Merchant Marines, the National Guard, and the Army where he was awarded two purple hearts in Korea.
The acting veteran’s final screen role was opposite Abigail Breslin in the 2007 family drama The Ultimate Gift.
He died in 2014 of cardiac arrest after suffering poor health following a stroke in 2008.
The auction is open to fans worldwide at: https://www.julienslive.com/auctions/catalog/id/428
