{
  "id": 16396345,
  "title": "After Maverick, James Garner Starred In A Lesser-Known '70s Western Series",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/after-maverick-james-garner-starred-in-a-lesser-known-70s-western",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-25T00:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TVLine",
    "slug": "tvline",
    "url": "https://www.tvline.com/2292169/maverick-james-garner-star-70s-western-series-nichols/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "James Garner, a legendary Western star, reprised his role as Bret Maverick on a 1950s television series. A decade later, he returned to the Western genre for a lesser-known NBC show called Nichols, which aired for only one season in the 1970s. However, Nichols struggled to find its footing, primarily due to Chevrolet's withdrawal of sponsorship after backlash from an executive's wife. The show also faced competition from the 1972 presidential election coverage and was moved to a new night in the middle of its run. Despite these setbacks, Garner maintained a positive outlook on the series, even using Nichols' demise as a dramatic climax.",
  "summary": "James Garner made a name for himself as a TV star thanks to Maverick, but even he couldn't save this '70s Western from fading into obscurity.",
  "key_points": [
    "James Garner reprised role as Bret Maverick in 1970s TV series.",
    "Nichols struggled due to Chevrolet sponsorship withdrawal and election coverage.",
    "Garner saw Nichols' demise as dramatic series climax."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The short lifespan of Nichols illustrates how corporate sponsorship withdrawals and intense political competition can derail a veteran actor's attempt to revitalize a genre on network television.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}