The New Year is almost here, along with a new decade. It's a time to look forward, but also back over the years...as Ralph Edwards did on his famous TV series This is Your Life.
Each week, a clueless celebrity guest was delivered to the studio under some clever pretense and was suddenly greeted by Mr. Edwards with a shout of, "_____, this is your life!" Then, a parade of friends, associates and family members would share their memories of the guest of honor.
In June 1958, Mr. Edwards surprised James Garner. Well, not really. JG revealed in his autobiography The Garner Files that he was at home when a car arrived to take his wife Lois and their daughters to the This is Your Life set. JG adamantly insisted to Lois that he didn't want his past rehashed on TV. He changed his mind when she informed him that most of his relatives were being flown in from Oklahoma and he wouldn't want to disappoint them, would he?
On the Maverick set that afternoon, director Richard Bare became "ill" and filming was halted for the day. Since JG was still in costume, he was asked to pose for some publicity photos. The photos were to be shot at NBC, where there supposedly was some new lighting that Warner Bros. wanted to check out. Naturally, JG played along.
Lo and behold, when he arrived at NBC, Jack Kelly was there waiting for him, along with Ralph Edwards. JG said in The Garner Files that he may have looked shocked, but he was only acting.
Below is an image of JG, JK and Ralph Edwards which I scanned from an original negative in the Kellection. Note JK's hair, which was curled to make him look more like JG's brother:
James Garner also said that he actually enjoyed his This is Your Life experience, and he enjoyed the after-party at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles even more. Stay tuned to TDS for a very special look at that party. :)
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