Lois Clarke and James Garner tied
Love at First Sight
James Garner believed in instant connection, saying meeting Lois Clarke felt like a “thunderbolt.”
They met at a political barbeque on August 1, 1956, where he was immediately drawn to her.
A Fast Romance
After spending time together every day for two weeks, they chose to marry.
They eloped in a Beverly Hills courthouse on August 17, only fourteen days after meeting.
Facing Doubts
Friends and family were shocked.
They pointed out differences in “religion, personality,”
and even height, but the couple felt their opposites balanced each other.
Garner lovingly adopted Clarke’s daughter Kim, and together they raised their daughter Greta.
A Lasting Bond
The pair faced normal struggles, including a short separation in the 1970s that Garner blamed on work stress.
They reunited quickly and stayed together until his death in 2014—proving their critics wrong and leaving behind a rare, long-lasting Hollywood love story.
