James Garner’s own memoir finally answered a question that had followed him for decades: what really happened between him and Doris Day behind the scenes of their two beloved comedies? The answer was not the scandal many might have expected, but a painful accident that Garner carried with him for nearly fifty years. Garner and Day first worked together in 1963’s *The Thrill of It All*. Garner played Dr.
Gerald Boyer, a man whose quiet family life is upended when his wife, played by Day, becomes a television spokeswoman for a soap company. The film’s comedy depended on the believability of the couple, and audiences immediately responded to the natural rhythm between the two stars. Their chemistry was strong enough that the studio paired them again that same year in *Move Over, Darling*. The film had an unusual history, having been originally developed for Marilyn Monroe’s unfinished project *Something’s Got to Give*.
After Monroe’s death and the collapse of that production, the story was reworked for Garner and Day, placing them in an even more complicated comedic situation where Day’s character returns home after being presumed dead for five years, only to find her husband has remarried. During filming of *Move Over, Darling*, a scene required Garner to lift Day from a bed and carry her across the room. Wanting the moment to look energetic and natural, Garner grabbed her around the waist and lifted her quickly, unaware of how much force he was using. Day did not stop the scene or complain at the time, and production continued without incident.
It was not until the next day that an assistant director quietly informed Garner that he had broken two of Day’s ribs. Garner was shocked. He had no idea he had hurt her, and he was especially struck by the fact that Day had kept working without turning the accident into a public conflict. He later recalled the incident in his 2011 memoir, *The Garner Files*, written with John Wukovits.
By that point, nearly fifty years had passed, but the memory remained clear. Garner admitted the responsibility was his and noted an unusual detail from the production: he had been dealing with his own physical injury at the time and was working while held together with adhesive tape. What stayed with Garner most was Day’s reaction. She could have stopped the production or confronted him, but instead she continued working, apparently understanding that the injury was unintentional.
Her later comments about him were notably warm. She described Garner as a wonderful actor, very genuine, funny, and nice. Even after he had accidentally broken her ribs, she spoke about him with affection and praised their time working together. There is no documented evidence that either actor held a grudge or refused to work with the other again.
Their careers simply moved in different directions. In the same year he worked with Day, Garner appeared in *The Great Escape*. He later starred in *Grand Prix* and, in 1974, took on one of his most famous television roles as Jim Rockford in *The Rockford Files*. Day continued appearing in successful romantic comedies during the 1960s before moving into television with *The Doris Day Show* in 1968.
Eventually, she stepped away from Hollywood almost completely, turning her attention to animal welfare. Garner and Day remained in contact over the years and spoke on the phone. Garner was famously not fond of talking on the telephone, and Day would tease him about why he never called her first. In his memoir, Garner praised Day’s comic timing, comparing the experience of working with her to dancing with Fred Astaire.
He also acknowledged that she was a very attractive and charismatic woman, despite her wholesome screen image. Garner made it clear that he wished they had been able to make more films together. Both stars had opportunities to describe their relationship long after their movies were behind them. Neither used those opportunities to accuse the other of hostility.
Instead, they remembered their work together positively and continued to speak about each other with respect. Garner died on July 19, 2014, at the age of 86. Day spoke publicly about his death and remembered him as a wonderful actor and a joy to work with.
She also recalled how naturally the two had connected from the moment they first met, confirming that they had remained friends and continued speaking over the years.