James Garner vs. Glen A. Larson
Mark LoPresti
from Castle Rock was hired to oversee it. We got to talking one day and I
mentioned to him that if there was one star I'd like to meet it would be James
Garner. He went onto tell me an interesting story.
He told me that Glen A. Larson was producing "Alias Smith and Jones" on the
Universal lot at the same time that James Garner was producing his then current
show. (He forgot what show; obviously it had to be "Nichols") Anyway, legend
has it that Mr. Larson directly stole the entire plot of an episode from
Garner's show. A complete carbon copy. Upon finding out, Jim promptly
confronted Larson and kicked his ass good! The Castle Rock guy said it's a very
famous bit of Universal lore. Anyone know (Rob, you out there?) if this is a
true story or not? And if it is, has anyone seen the two episodes in question?
(assuming they both made it to air). I've always wondered about this and
there's no better place to find out than right here!
Mark LoPresti, Buffalo NY
______________________
"War makes absolute total sense. It's the incredible lack of caring
and appreciation for human life and freedom leading to war that makes
the least sense of all." - 1150
Dan Morisseau
>
> He told me that Glen A. Larson was producing "Alias Smith and Jones" on the
> Universal lot at the same time that James Garner was producing his then current
> show. (He forgot what show; obviously it had to be "Nichols")
It is my somewhat hazy and notoriously inaccurate recollection that
"Nichols" was filmed in and aired in '72 - by which time wasn't "Alias
Smith & Jones" long out of production? Somebody with a better memory
and/or access to suitable references set me (and the record) straight,
please.
--
Dan Morisseau, N7ZXL - N 38°34'53", W 90°22'32", 680'
On the sunrise side of Mo-Pac's famous Kirkwood Hill!
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"Political correctness is nothing more than tyranny with manners"
RNeill22
>"Nichols" was filmed in and aired in '72 - by which time wasn't "Alias
>Smith & Jones" long out of production? Somebody with a better memory
>and/or access to suitable references set me (and the record) straight,
>please.
Nichols ran during the 1971-1972 season. Alias Smith & Jones had its final
season during 1972-1973, with its final original episode airing in January
1973, plenty of time for Glen Larson to pilfer scripts.
Raymond Strait's biography of James Garner tells a different version of the
Garner-Larson altercation on pages 315-318. In this variation, Larson was
stealing Rockford Files scripts for other unspecified shows.
According to Strait's book, Garner discussed the incident in a 1983 CNN
interview. Here's a quote from the book:
"He stole twelve scripts from 'Rockford,'" Jim told CNN's Sandi Feeman, "and
put them into another series. Before we caught him he already had one on the
air."
