James Garner Dead: The Notebook, The Rockford Files Actor Dies at 86

After a long, celebrated career on television and in film, actor James Garner died at age 86 on Saturday, July 19. TMZ reports that an ambulance was sent to his Los Angeles home, but by the time it arrived, the actor had already passed away. TMZ said Garner died of natural causes.

Garner rose to fame on the popular series Maverick, playing Bret Maverick in the late '50s. He went on to star in a different show named after his character in the early '80s. Garner became a household name thanks to the '70s show The Rockford Files, in which he played private investigator Jim Rockford.

More recently, fans fell in love with his heartbreaking portrayal of Duke—the older version of Ryan Gosling's character Noah in 2004's The Notebook.

His last noted role was voicing Shazam for several DC Showcase shorts in 2010. The Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco, who starred with Garner on 8 Simple Rules, tweeted, "I say this with a heavy broken heart.was an honor working beside u receiving ur bear hugs every day. [heart] u Grampa Jim."

Garner left behind wife Lois Clarke and daughters Kim and Gigi.

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