Lois Clarke was the wife of American actor and producer James Garner for 58 years. Born in Los Angeles, California, in 1927, she stayed almost entirely out of the public eye during a career that took her husband through six decades in Hollywood. Garner became a household name through Maverick and The Rockford Files, and later through The Notebook. 

Clarke married him on August 17, 1956, and remained his wife until he died in 2014. She had two daughters, Kimberly and Gigi, and lived until October 2021. Her life outside that marriage was rarely documented, which is exactly why so many details about her get repeated without much clarity. This article lays out what is actually known.

Who Is Lois Clarke?

Lois Josephine Fleischman Clarke was born in 1927 in Los Angeles, California. She held American nationality and spent almost her entire adult life connected to one name: James Garner. Clarke worked as a homemaker rather than pursuing a public career, and her daughters Kimberly and Gigi were the center of her private world.

Early Life and Education

Clarke grew up in Los Angeles as an only child. Her father reportedly worked as a train conductor, and her mother stayed home to raise her. She joined her high school’s drama club and played soccer, and she also spent time dancing outside of school.

She matriculated in 1945. There is no record of her attending college afterward, and details about her early education largely end there.

Lois Clarke’s First Marriage and Daughter Kimberly

Before meeting Garner, Clarke had already been married once. Her first husband’s name was never made public, and the marriage itself is barely documented. That relationship produced her daughter Kimberly, who was born with polio and was still recovering from it when Clarke met Garner. Garner would later adopt Kimberly and give her his last name.

Career and Professional Life

Clarke reportedly worked as a waitress in her twenties before she met Garner. Once they married, she stopped working outside the home entirely. Unlike her husband, she never built a public career or professional identity of her own, and no further employment history exists beyond that early waitressing period.

How Lois Clarke Met James Garner

Clarke and Garner first crossed paths in July 1956 at a friend’s poolside barbecue. Nothing romantic happened between them that day. A few days later, they ran into each other again at a rally supporting Adlai Stevenson’s 1956 presidential campaign.

Garner asked her out that night, and she said yes. The two went to dinner together almost every evening for the next two weeks. By the end of those two weeks, they had already decided to get married.

Marriage to James Garner: Date, Ceremony and Early Years

Garner and Clarke married on August 17, 1956, in a private ceremony at the Beverly Hills courthouse. Only a handful of close friends attended. It was the first marriage for both of them, and it came together in just fourteen days from their first real date.

Garner formally adopted Kimberly around this time, giving her his surname. From the outside, the marriage looked unlikely to last given how quickly it happened. It ended up lasting 58 years.

Family Objections and Religious Differences

Garner’s family did not approve of the marriage at first. Clarke came from a Jewish background, while Garner had been raised Methodist. She was a city girl from Los Angeles, and he came from a small town in Oklahoma. He was athletic and outdoorsy, while she preferred staying indoors.

Neither Clarke nor Garner considered themselves religious, so the difference in upbringing never became an issue between them. In his memoir, The Garner Files, Garner wrote that the traits his family saw as weaknesses in the relationship, the couple saw as strengths.

James Garner’s Protectiveness and the Lee Marvin Incident

Garner was reportedly very protective of his wife. At one event, actor Lee Marvin allegedly flirted with Clarke while the couple was together. Garner described being furious about the incident in his memoir, saying it was nearly enough to make him confront Marvin directly.

Marriage Separations: 1970 and 1979

Garner and Clarke separated twice during their marriage. The first separation happened in 1970 and lasted around three months. Garner later said this wasn’t caused by problems between them, but by the stress of his acting career.

A second separation followed in 1979, during the run of The Rockford Files. The physical demands of the role and pressure from the studio took a toll on his home life. The couple reconciled in September 1981 and stayed together until Garner’s death in 2014.

Children: Kimberly and Gigi Garner

Clarke and Garner raised two daughters. Kimberly was adopted from Clarke’s first marriage, and Greta “Gigi” Garner was born on January 4, 1958, as their biological daughter.

Gigi studied at the film school at the University of Southern California. She later worked as a recording artist in England, writing songs for Word Records and landing three chart-topping songs in 1995. Inspired by her father’s role on The Rockford Files, she trained and became a licensed private investigator, and she wrote a book called The Cop Cookbook based on that experience.

Gigi eventually moved into jewelry design and built an A-list client base that included Penelope Cruz, Orlando Bloom, Halle Berry, and Sandra Bullock. Her pieces have appeared on shows like Desperate Housewives and The O.C.

Early Married Life and Warner Bros. Contract Struggles

The young couple rented a small apartment in Sherman Oaks to stay close to the studio where Garner worked. Their daughter Kim’s polio treatment added financial pressure early in the marriage, and Garner became the family’s sole breadwinner almost immediately.

At the time, Garner was locked into a restrictive Warner Bros. contract that had already changed his last name without asking him. The studio dropped “Bumgarner” down to “Garner,” a change he accepted for Kim’s sake. If he turned down a role, the studio could suspend him without pay and add time onto his contract.

About James Garner: Career and Background

James Scott Bumgarner was born on April 7, 1928, in Norman, Oklahoma. He served in the California Army National Guard and was sent to Korea with the 5th Regimental Combat Team, where he was wounded twice and received two Purple Heart medals.

His acting career began in 1956 with a small TV appearance in Warner Brothers Presents. He broke out playing Bret Maverick in Maverick, which ran from 1957 to 1962. From 1974 to 1980, he starred as Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files, a role that earned five Primetime Emmys among 27 award nominations.

Garner appeared in nearly 100 movies and TV shows over his career, including The Great Escape, Grand Prix, and the Oscar-winning Victor Victoria. He earned an Oscar nomination in 1986 for Best Actor for Murphy’s Romance, and he later starred as Duke in the 2004 film The Notebook alongside Gena Rowlands and Rachel McAdams. In 2004, the Screen Actors Guild gave him its Life Achievement Award.

Physical Appearance: Height, Weight and Looks

Clarke was reportedly a small woman, standing around 4 feet 8 inches tall. Garner once described her as “beautiful and sweet,” comparing her look to a fuller-figured version of Audrey Hepburn.

Lifestyle, Hobbies and Charity Work

Clarke spent much of her time on charitable causes. She was involved with SHARE, a charity organization run by wives of Hollywood figures that raised money and support for underprivileged children and war veterans.

She loved animals and volunteered at a local shelter. She also enjoyed travel, visiting more than 30 US states with her husband along with trips through parts of South America and Europe. She read fashion magazines regularly and enjoyed shopping for clothes.

Conflicting Biographical Details Explained

A few numbers around Clarke’s life get repeated inconsistently online. The version most widely supported places her birth in 1927 in Los Angeles, making her 94 at the time of her death in October 2021.

Net Worth

Clarke did not build her own independent net worth. James Garner’s estate was valued at roughly $20 million at the time of his death in 2014, built almost entirely from his decades-long acting career. That wealth passed to Clarke after his passing.

Lois Clarke’s Life After James Garner’s Death (2014–2021)

After Garner died, Clarke largely withdrew from public life. She lived quietly, reportedly spending time in New York surrounded by her daughters, and made no notable public appearances during her final seven years.

James Garner’s Death in 2014

James Garner died at his home in Los Angeles on July 19, 2014, at age 86. His publicist confirmed the cause as a heart attack brought on by coronary artery disease, closing out a marriage that had lasted just under 58 years.

Lois Clarke’s Death in 2021

Lois Clarke died on October 30, 2021, at age 94. Her daughter Gigi announced the news on Twitter, sharing a black-and-white photo of her parents and asking for privacy during the moment.

Tributes and Legacy

Following her husband’s death, Gigi created the James Garner Animal Rescue Fund in his honor, since he had been a lifelong dog lover. She has continued to speak about both her parents as grounded, loving people whose 58-year marriage stood apart from typical Hollywood relationships.

Conclusion

Lois Clarke spent nearly six decades married to one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors while keeping almost everything about her own life private. What is clear is the outline of a marriage that started fast, survived real strain, and lasted until Garner died in 2014. Clarke followed him seven years later, leaving behind two daughters who continue to shape how their parents are remembered.

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FAQs

Who was James Garner married to? 

James Garner was married to Lois Josephine Fleischman Clarke. They wed on August 17, 1956, at the Beverly Hills courthouse after meeting at a party earlier that year.

Is James Garner’s wife Lois still alive? 

No, Lois Clarke is not still alive. She passed away on October 30, 2021, at the age of 94.

How old was Lois Clarke when she died? 

Lois Clarke was 94 years old when she died in October 2021, having been born in Los Angeles in 1927.

What was Lois Clarke’s cause of death? 

Lois Clarke’s specific cause of death was not made public. Her daughter Gigi announced the passing without detailing the exact cause.

How many children did James Garner and Lois Clarke have? 

James Garner and Lois Clarke raised two daughters together, Kimberly Garner and Greta “Gigi” Garner, one adopted and one biological.

Did James Garner and Lois Clarke ever separate or divorce? 

They separated twice, once in 1970 for three months and again in 1979, but reconciled in September 1981 and never divorced.

Was Lois Clarke Jewish? 

Yes, Lois Clarke came from a Jewish household, while James Garner was raised Methodist, though neither considered themselves religious as adults.

How did James Garner and Lois Clarke meet? 

They met in July 1956 at a friend’s poolside barbecue and reconnected days later at a rally for presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson.