Written 7-21-2014
Each decade, I think it’s natural to constantly find new role models – artist, musicians, writers, athletes, some politicians, teachers, and actors among others. You probably heard by now that James Garner (i.e. Jim Rockford) passed away this weekend. It hurts deeply when a role model is now gone forever. I wanted to take a moment to say something about Jimbo’s passing.
First let me digress a little . . .
I was imprinted with basketball at an early age. For a long time I was never any good but I played all the time anyway and sometime around 10th Grade I got to be extremely good. I could play defense, pass, and make shots with the best of them. The more I played the more my teams won, and we kept the courts we were using.
I played a little in high school in Los Angeles but the best part was when we would get some friends together, drive from the San Fernando Valley over to Westwood and watch U.C.L.A practice when John Wooden was the coach. (Yes, that was many moons ago!) I absorbed everything he said, taught, preached about goals, teamwork, and success. Wooden was an efficiency expert. Everything had an ultimate purpose. Saving energy was just as important as using your energy wisely. Most of the modern NBA is missing the craftsmanship that excited Wooden. However, I know he would have been very happy seeing San Antonio Spurs use team basketball this year to recapture the crown!
Often, I continue to view the modern business world through basketball nomenclature:
- Loses the ball in traffic = a colleague that cannot keep a focus during busy seasons.
- Natural Talent = someone who learns faster than everyone else.
- Ball Hog, Gunner = insecure, selfish coworker.
- Passing Lanes = business opportunities.
- Crossover Artist = business manager who can shift gears and accelerate in the opposite direction quickly.
As a shorter basketball player, I loved the crossover move – run right at your opponent, shift your shoulders, and when you opponent matches your movement, then move in the opposite direction. Somehow crossover movement became my magnet. Like a moth to bright lights, I rushed to artist and others who could display that crossover dexterity. With actors, I loved those who had the poise to display both pathos and humor, especially humor.
A little before my time there was Gary Grant but when I was growing up there was Jack Lemmon, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Robert Conrad, Walter Matthau, Robert Redford, Gregory Hines, Rual Julia, Billy Bob Thornton, and James Garner to name a few.
Writers can take enough time to craft their role models in their stories. Athletes can practice and practice to develop their timing so they can become champions and role models. Politicians can try and try again to position themselves in front of growing movements to become role models. Musicians become role models by finding ways to blend their sensibilities into musical sounds we always needed to hear.
However, in my mind, actors have the hardest job of all to become true role models. Their ability to do their job elevates everything – the story, the direction, the location, the writing, and the editing. There is only so much time and attention of their coworkers to record what Jack Lemmon called “magic time.” They have a short window of opportunity to get it right! Consequently, I think many actors take the easy way out. Many of them make a good living by doing one thing very well. With each production they basically display their one trick pony skill over and over again. Bruce Willis, Tom Cruise, Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt, come to mind.
In movies, or syndicated TV, viewing an action hero at work is a fun roller coaster ride. However, in my mind, those actors also comfortable with displaying their humanity through humor are the true role models! Humor is a sharp, pointy instrument. It cuts every which way but many times humor is where truths can ultimately be revealed.
What has always excited me are brave and talented actors, like James Garner, who took the risk to move from high drama to humor, or from humor to high drama in the same production. His crossover skills made it all work but his courage and willingness to be vulnerable made him a true role model for me!
I’ll miss you Jimbo! Thanks for all those wonderful crossover moves!
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/james-garner-rockford-files-maverick-dies-442238
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