The beloved star of Maverick, Support Your Local Sheriff, Duel at Diablo, The Rockford Files, Murphy’s Romance, and The Notebook was not just an amazing actor—he was a Superstar Dad! In 1956, After a whirlwind romance with Lois Clark, the pair got married. James Garner soon adopted Lois’s 7-year-old daughter, Kim, and they welcomed their daughter, Gigi, to the fold two years later.

Being a great dad was important to Garner, since he was abused by his father and stepmother for years. His daughter Kimberly has fond memories of him taking her on tour at the Warner Brothers Studio and feeling as though she was in a magical place. “I had the sense Jim was showing me off, which made me feel part of a family with him. I was proud of both of us.”

“My Dad never met a child he could resist,” said Gigi, Jim’s younger daughter. “He was always hands-on, completely present, and totally involved. All my friends adored him too—and not because he was some big Hollywood star, but because I had the most fun dad!”

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