Lois Clarke and James Garner tied the knot only two weeks after meeting
The love story of actor James Garner and Lois Clarke is a testament to love at first sight. Garner himself swore by the concept, as it defined his own experience when he met Clarke at a political barbeque on August 1, 1956.
He was immediately captivated, later recalling it felt like a “thunderbolt.” Despite being surrounded by people, he spent time with the children in the pool and soon mustered the courage to ask her to dinner.
Their romance moved with remarkable speed. After seeing each other constantly for just two weeks, the couple decided to marry. They eloped in a Beverly Hills courthouse on August 17, 1956, a mere fourteen days after their first meeting.
The sudden marriage shocked their friends and family. Opposed to the nuptials, they pointed out the couple’s many differences, including religion, personality, and a significant height difference.
Despite the doubts, Garner and Clarke believed their differences complemented one another. They saw their contrasting natures as strengths, not weaknesses, building a life together that included their daughter, Greta, and Clarke’s daughter from a previous marriage, Kim, whom Garner adopted.
Like any marriage, they faced challenges, including a brief, three-month separation in the 1970s that Garner attributed to work pressure, not a lack of love. They quickly reconciled, dismissing any rumors of infidelity.
Their bond endured for nearly six decades until Garner’s passing in 2014. Their lifelong commitment proved their initial critics wrong and stands as a beautiful, rare Hollywood love story.
