Most movie-goers have their favorite actors and actresses.  As a young boy I looked up to Spencer Tracy.  To me, he was the very symbol of manhood. 

Over the years I have seen many great actors.  Within the past several decades I have been very impressed by the work of Tom Hanks.  I consider him to be extremely talented.

Perhaps my all-time favorite actor was James Garner.  His roles were not very challenging, and he usually played the same sort of laid-back character in every film.  Nevertheless, I just liked him.  Perhaps it was because we were approximately the same age, and we both served in the 24^th Infantry Division in Korea.  I became a life-long fan after his first appearance as Bret Maverick in 1957.  Later I enjoyed him in the Rockford Files and a variety of other cinematic productions.  He always came across as a very likable person, and I believe that reflected his true persona.

When Garner died in 2014, I felt as though I had lost a friend.

James Garner as Bret Maverick