Garner Returning To Series TV on '8 Simple Rules'

Forty-six years after he debuted in Maverick, which might be considered television's first Western sitcom, and 29 years after he first appeared in The Rockford Files, James Garner, 75, will be returning to series TV to play the father of Katey Sagal's character in at least four episodes of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, according to published reports. The ABC sitcom is set to resume production on Monday following the sudden death of star John Ritter in September, and to return to the air in November. Garner also appeared last year in the shortlived series First Monday and was the voice of God in the 2000 series, God, the Devil and Bob.