US actor James Garner dies aged 86

Actor James Garner, the wisecracking star of Maverick who enjoyed a long career on the small and big screen, has died aged 86.

He was found dead of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, last night, police officer Alonzo Iniquez said.

Officers responded to a call at around 8pm local time and confirmed Garner's identity from family members, Mr Iniquez added.

There was no immediate word on a specific cause of death. Garner had suffered a stroke in May 2008, just weeks after his 80th birthday.

Although he was adept at drama and action, Garner was best known for his witty, low-key style, especially in Maverick and The Rockford Files. In his later years he appeared in films such as The Notebook and Space Cowboys.

He was nominated for an Oscar for the 1985 movie Murphy’s Romance, and remained active well into his 70s. Garner received the highest honor of the Screen Actors Guild, the life achievement award, in 2004.

AP