Revealed: James Garner's Total Wealth - Is the Star a Billionaire? Net Worth 2026: Career Earnings & Assets

Many fans are curious about James Garner's financial success in 2026. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.

What Was James Garner's Net Worth?

James Garner was an American film and television actor who had a net worth of $20 million at the time of his death in 2014. James Garner was best known for his starring roles on such television series as "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files." He was also a leading man in numerous movies over the decades, including "The Great Escape," "Grand Prix," "Marlowe," and "Murphy's Romance," for which he earned an Academy Award nomination. Later, in the 2000s, Garner appeared in films such as "Space Cowboys" and "The Notebook."

Early Life and Military Service

James Garner was born James Scott Bumgarner on April 7, 1928, in Denver, Oklahoma. His father was Weldon, a German American widower, and his mother was Mildred, who passed away when Garner was five. He was raised Methodist with his older brothers Jack and Charles. Following the end of World War II, Garner went to live with his father in Los Angeles and attended Hollywood High School. Later, returning to Oklahoma, he enrolled at Norman High School, where he played basketball, football, and golf, and competed on the track team. During his senior year, James dropped out.

After having worked as a merchant mariner in the United States Merchant Marine, Garner enlisted in the California Army National Guard. He served his first seven months in California and then went to Korea for 14 months as a rifleman with the 5th Regimental Combat Team. Among other honors, he was awarded a Korean Service Medal, a United Nations Service Medal for Korea, and a Purple Heart.

Career Beginnings and "Maverick"

In 1954, Garner's friend Paul Gregory encouraged him to take a nonverbal part in the Broadway production of "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial." Following this, James was cast in commercials and in larger television roles. Although he was passed over for the leading role in the Western series "Cheyenne," Garner still made an appearance on that show's 1955 pilot episode. The next year, he made his feature film debut in "The Girl He Left Behind" and "Toward the Unknown."

After appearing in "Sayonara" withMarlon Brandoin 1957, James had his breakthrough role as professional gambler Bret Maverick on the ABC Western series "Maverick." A massive hit, the program beat both "TheSteve AllenShow" and "TheEd SullivanShow" in its time slot, and made Garner a household name. The series ran until 1962 and earned the actor an Emmy Award nomination.

In summary, the total wealth of James Garner reflects strategic moves.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.