Walmart's New Health Food Push: Is It Too Hard to Swallow?
Bonds Are a 'Safe' Investment: A Big Lie Gets Even BiggerThis post is part of a series on celebrity spokespeople who ended up doing serious harm to the brands they were hired to promote, or vice versa. See how we rank the 20 top spokesperson fiascos.
A lot of people, including me, thought that actor James Garner gave up the ghost some time ago. Doing the "Rockford Files" TV series must have taken a lot out of him. Then there were all those times he was shot playing Western gambler "Maverick." He was so good at it, he even got a role in the movie version.
Garner's one Oscar nomination was for "Murphy's Romance," in which he played an old man chasing a younger woman, a role for which he seemed particularly well suited.
In April 1988, Garner underwent quadruple by-pass surgery.That worked out OK for him, but he happened to be at that time a spokesman for The Beef Industry Council of the Meat Board and the Cattlemen's Beef Board. Fatty meat was being blamed for a great deal of the cholesterol that was clogging arteries and leading to heart attacks. Garner was not considered much of an effective front man for red meat once the news about his health got out.
Ironic as it may seem, lean meat is now recommended as the protein portion of many diets. Maybe the beef people could bring him back to talk about that.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 24/7 Wall St.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-17-2008 @ 4:00PM
R.M. HOOTEN said...
AFTER QUAD BYPASS SURGERY YOU ARE TOLD TO STAY AWAY FROM RED MEAT AS I WAS AFTER QUAD BYPASS SURGERY ALWAYS LOVED JIM GARNER
7-17-2008 @ 4:51PM
Lola said...
I have always been a big fan of James Garner & hope his health continues to be okay. I still eat beef & chicken & fish, I just try to eat lots of fruits & vegetables as well, and remember that moderation in all things applies to what & how much we eat as it does to everything in life. I still smoke my cigars once in a while, too, until they make it a law here that you can't smoke in your own home any longer. But that's another topic for another day. For now I have the voice of Sam Elliott in the ads for the Beef Council. (Or someone who sounds exactly like him) All the more scrumptious!
7-17-2008 @ 7:40PM
Jason said...
I met James Garner once. He was extremely nice. I hope he lives a long time.
7-18-2008 @ 6:53AM
hard2bfrank said...
James Garner has been a successful spokesman for several companies over the years. He's had a stellar career as an actor. I've always respected him for being a real man instead of punk like many of the actors in my generation.
7-19-2008 @ 2:03PM
Mary said...
I've always liked James Garner. Especially in his TV roll in Maverick and a few movies. To me he's what I would call a real man. Not to many in Hollywood like him anymore.
7-22-2008 @ 11:55AM
F M Richbourg III said...
"Garner's one Oscar nomination was for "Murphy's Romance," in which he played an old man chasing a younger woman, a role for which he seemed particularly well suited." When a writer posts a potentially libelous statement like the above, he should provide some objective proof that it is true.
I seriously doubt that Mr. McIntyre knows what he is talking about, and the beef industry definitely did not when they fired Mr. Garner for having arteriosclorosis--it has little or nothing to do with eating beef, fat or otherwise. I eat it weekly and my arteries are clean as those of a baby. I have been a solid James Garner fan since watching him on "Rockford" for a long time. I believe he was also in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" memorably with that wonderful flying nanny of another movie. SupercalafragelisticExpealadocious! Get control of your health, James; read Suzanne Somers; great stars should never die.
7-31-2008 @ 8:26PM
Suzanne said...
Thank you, Mr. Richbourg, for a very well stated response. I doubt Mr. McIntyre has even seen Murphy's Romance or he wouldn't have made such a ridiculous comment.
James Garner chasing women? He's been married to his first and only wife since 1956 - 52 years. He wasn't a skirt chaser as a young man OR an older one.
One last factoid for the Food Police - Garner's doctors blamed his problems on smoking, not diet. But, I'm sure the Food Police won't let facts stand in the way of their crusade to tell other people what they should eat. At least they haven't so far.
8-08-2008 @ 10:35AM
Lori said...
I just watched Mr. Garner in an hour interview about his life on TCM, especially his career in film. At first I thought, oh this will be boring, I'll watch something else. Then, I thought...out of everyone I've ever known, or in this case, seen...he reminds me so much of my dad who is no longer with me in person. So, I thought I'd just watch a few minutes just to see what my dad might look like today. The hour went by so swiftly, I wanted more!!! I've loved everything I've ever seen him do and this was no exception. Well, it's time for Boys Night Out. I guess I will skip my beloved Young and Restless today. Hope y'all are watching. By the way, he looks fabulous!!!
8-17-2008 @ 2:00AM
Jodi Reavis said...
Dear James Garner,
I watched you at a regular Raders fan as i was a little girl in the San Francisco Bay area. I used to stay late after games just to see you (the rockford files star). I have a good life now!! I just watched the note book again and I cant think more of me and my husband. I loved your role in that movie. I am 41 and my husband 49. I'm afraid my health is faillig faster than my husbands. I know the note book is just a story....but id like to think my husband will take care of me just like you took care of Rachel McAdams. Thank you for playing roles that touch the heart!! James Garner, please contact me. Jodi Reavis, Penn Valley, CA