STORIES One to Watch: Gigi Garner on her father, James Garner

The Edge :  If you had to describe your father in three words, what would they be? 

Gigi : Oh, goodness. The first word that comes to my mind is witty. Yes, my father was very witty, very funny. He was always doing some kind of comedy schtick. He was also extremely generous – sometimes to a fault. And… It’s interesting. I think I would choose ‘fatherly’ as the third word, because apart from my own relationship with him, I think a lot of people also related to him as a father figure.

The Edge : Those are wonderful qualities. And presumably, characteristics that are really valuable in an actor – to put people at ease, to be giving, and even to act as a guide or a mentor…

Gigi : This is true – and he really was generous. A lot of actors don’t read with other actors – they make the script supervisor or somebody else do it. But he always did it himself. 

The Edge : And would you say that was true of him in his personal life as well? What was your relationship like?

Gigi : You know, my father was a very complex individual. He was very jovial and friendly. But he also had an introverted side, which people might not have been as aware of. At home, he wasn’t ‘on’ all the time, as you have to be on camera. But I had a wonderful relationship with my father; he was very much the ‘fun dad’. He was the one that got down on the floor and played with the kids. And if I wanted to do something a bit wild –  jump off the balcony into the pool, for example – he wouldn’t say no.  He would just do it first to make sure it was safe enough. I remember him setting up sprint cars in our hotel room, so we could do some racing in our suite! He was a lot of fun – and very committed to being present.  

The Edge : That sounds like serious fun. And did you share his love for racing? 

Gigi : Absolutely. I mean, anything my dad loved, I loved. But we went to the races together a lot; whenever he was in town, we would go to Riverside Raceway, or Ontario Raceway. He really fell in love with racing when he was being trained by Bob Bondurant, in preparation for the lead in Grand Prix, in 1966; I think the film was definitely the starting point for him. And what’s really interesting is that a lot of drivers said that my dad could have been very successful, if he had wanted to become a professional driver. 

The Edge : What a compliment! And are we right in thinking that he even started his own racing company?

Gigi : Yes! He had his own racing team, called AIR (American International Racing). And he absolutely loved it. He loved NORRA, off road racing… he even came in second in the Baja 1000. He drove in the Baja 500, in the Mint 400. Endurance races, like Le Mans. He did a lot of driving himself, and would go out to support all of his drivers when they were racing, at Daytona or wherever they were competing.

The Edge : Would you say his interest in watches stemmed from this love of racing? 

Gigi : Interesting that you should ask, because I think at the time when he was making Grand Prix in 1966, there was a huge surge of interest in watches around the racing world, new forms of sponsorship and collaboration. And of course, you must have exceptional timepieces and stopwatches for timing in racing. I think his real love for watches started then, because he was using a lot of timepieces in his training, and as he began racing.

The Edge : Do you have any specific memories of the watches he wore?

Gigi : I was only a child, so at first I didn’t really notice that kind of thing…  but eventually, watching him get dressed up, or even in his everyday life, over and over I started seeing the same watches. So I began to take notice. And there was one particular watch: a Heuer Carrera (reference 3647N) that he wore all the time. In everyday life, but also at work on The Rockford Files. Much later, a whole online forum sprang up of people trying to figure out what was printed on the face of the watch, but nobody could figure it out!  And I didn’t realise it was important until a gentleman approached me, and asked me if I had the watch. He wondered if I could have a look to see what was inscribed on the face. And of course, it turned out to be his name! 

The Edge : And did that pique your interest in the collection, to find out a bit more about them? 

Gigi : At that point, I didn’t really understand the significance of my father’s name being printed on the face of the watch. I mean –  it’s James Garner’s ‘James Garner’ watch, right?! [laughs]? I didn’t realise that to watch collectors, that’s a really rare and interesting thing. Then there was a publication that wrote an article on it; they even took the watch apart and had a look inside. I was a bit blown away by that! 

The Edge : Now that’s iconic.  

Gigi : Iconic is the word. I mean, obviously, it’s one of a kind. And I do now know that Heuer rarely ever added anything on the face of their watches. I’ve seen a few other ones maybe with initials or a collaboration logo or something like that, but never anyone’s name.

The Edge : Very true.  So it must have been custom made especially for him? 

Gigi : That’s right. It’s a bit of a mystery still, but somehow he got a Carrera with his name on it. And I believe it’s from the original manufacture, because it’s written in the same font and the same colour ink as the other features. But nobody really knows how he got it. We assume that someone from Heuer, who may have been involved with filming or saw Grand Prix, wanted him to have it. You know, it’s funny, because my dad wore that watch literally all the time at home. And in The Rockford Files constantly – you can see it in the promotional photos and press and things – but it was sort of blurred out, so you couldn’t see what was on the face of the watch. To discover this really unusual feature, it’s a bit of a revelation.

The Edge : This is just the kind of mystery we like.  What a story! He was clearly a watch lover – how extensive was his collection? 

Gigi : It wasn’t a huge collection, but I would say it’s a classic collection. He had a thing for Cartier watches, and he had two Heuer watches that I now have. Most of the watches in his collection would have been given to him, sometimes as a gift from my mother or by friends or coworkers. And five of these watches will be up for auction at Phillips in New York City on June 11th and 12th. 

The Edge : Well that alone is sure to draw a crowd! 

Gigi : I hope so. And it’s also a special event to me personally, because the proceeds from this auction will go to the charity I founded, which is called the James Garner Animal Rescue Fund (JG-ARF). I’ve been rescuing animals for over 30 years, and I started the charity in my dad’s name, to keep his legacy alive. 

The Edge : That sounds like a wonderful way to continue the legacy of the man you’ve described to us – his kindness, his generosity, concern for others – all that really comes through. And as an added bonus, the sale of this watch is sure to make one lucky collector very very happy! 

Gigi : I’m sure it will find a good home! It’s a special thing; it was almost his everyday watch. He wore it to go out, he wore it around the house, for golf tournaments, racing… for whatever reason, he was very, very, very attached to that particular watch. I think it was probably his favourite. 

The Edge : It’s fascinating, because racing is such a critical part of the Heuer Carrera’s history, its origins; and it feels like all of those things he loved have come together in this watch, much as they did for Heuer at the time of its creation. And then there’s the connection with another Heuer fan – Steve McQueen, who your father worked with on The Great Escape. Did they become close after that? 

Gigi : Well, in fact, Steve McQueen was our next door neighbour! And when they came back from filming the Great Escape, they each brought back a Mini Cooper – my dad had a blue one, and Steve had a brown one. We lived on a street that had speed bumps on either side and islands in the middle, and my dad and Steve would race down our street in their minis, completely ignoring the speed bumps. Needless to say, they were very competitive! It was the funniest thing to watch. 

The Edge : Are there any other racing memories you shared with your dad that stand out in your mind now?

Gigi : You know, I do remember the last race I went to with my dad. He drove the Indy Pace car in 1975, 1977 and 1985. And the last time I went to a race with him was in 1985, when he was driving the Pace car for the last time. We had a blast, it was so much fun. And it will always be a very, very fond memory. 

The Edge : What an experience to have shared. Have you been back to the Indy 500 since then? 

Gigi : Not since 1985 – my next trip with TAG Heuer will be my first time back! I’m very, very excited.  

The Edge : We’re really looking forward to it. Before we go, let’s finish by talking a bit about what you feel your father passed on to you personally, perhaps in terms of values, or maybe the impact he had on you just by being himself. 

Gigi : You know, my dad was a pioneer. He was the first actor to ever sue a major studio and win. He sued Warner Brothers over Mad Maverick, because he had principles. He fought certain injustices against actors at the time, on principle, and he won. They told him he’d never work in this town again.  But he ignored them. My dad had seriously good character. He believed in the golden rule, and he treated other people very, very well. And hopefully some of that has rubbed off on me. I try to represent my father and his legacy in the very best way I can. And I feel privileged to be able to share his watches or his personal items with other people, to let those things be enjoyed and treasured. 

The Edge : Well you are doing an admirable job of carrying his legacy forward. Lastly, if it’s not too personal, could you tell us what image comes to mind when you think of your father?.

Gigi : Somebody asked me this question a while ago, and I couldn’t really think of an answer at the time. But now… this may sound like a strange answer, but when I think of my dad, I often think of his hands. I remember his hands so well. You know when you’re a child, your father’s hands are so big. He would always brag that he used to hold me in one hand when I was a baby. And I just remember, when I think of him, his hands. He was so gentle. He was just a gentle soul. He was asked once, ‘How would you like to be remembered?’ And he said, ‘with a smile’. 

Our deepest thanks to Gigi Garner for sharing such illuminating stories, memories, and insight about her father with us. For more information and images of James Garner’s one-of-a-kind inscribed TAG Heuer Carrera, please see the full listing at Phillips.  The watch will be on sale at Phillips Auction House, NYC, in June 2022.