Garrett C. Graham

June 1936 - May 2025 After ten years of living with Alzheimers Disease, Gary's departure was peaceful and at home, just the way he would have wanted to say good-bye. Over his long life, he lived in Hollywood, Studio City, Brentwood, Topanga Beach, Santa Monica Canyon, Westlake Village and Montecito. He is survived by Diane, his wife of nearly 50 years, their son Tom, and Gary's much-loved cat Miki, named for famed surfer Miki Dora.

Gary was born and raised in Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. His parents, Jean and Howard Graham, were showbiz performers during the Vaudeville era. It was the Depression and the Grahams moved around a lot, so Gary attended many LA boarding and day schools, including St. Paul's. Later, high school was at Notre Dame Academy in Sherman Oaks when it was still all-boys.

After attending Valley Junior College, Gary joined the Army Reserves and spent summers at Camp Roberts on the Monterey Peninsula. Next up was UCLA where he graduated from their film school. He was also an accomplished gymnast-a "rings man" on the university team.

During summers in his late teens and early 20's, Gary tackled many part-time jobs, including parking cars at the Sportsmen's Lodge in the Valley, and at the Tam O' Shanter Inn in Atwater Village; toiling in a popsicle factory; climbing poles for Pacific Telephone Co., and raising parakeets. He liked to tell the story of how he bought his first car with the money he made in this avian venture.

Gary's 30-year career in the film and TV business started like a movie itself-in the mailroom at Universal Studios. From there he moved on to Foreign Distribution, eventually getting into the studio's camera department as a film loader, then a camera assistant, and finally camera operator. He worked on many popular TV shows of the 70s, and 80s like: High Chapparal, Eight Is Enough, CHIPS, Simon & Simon, Dukes of Hazard, and the A-Team. His film work included: Play Misty for Me, Rio Lobo, Downhill Racer, Big Wednesday, Hard Times, Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here, Charlie Varick, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Electric Horseman.

During all his work years, but particularly in retirement, Gary thrived in the residential real estate market as a one-of-a-kind landlord and fixer-upper. And, when he wasn't working, he was involved with all of son Tom's sports: Little League, soccer, swim team, water polo, surfing.

Gary's Favorites: surfing, jazz, local history and architecture, Newport Beach, lamb chops and corn on the cob, James Dean, hiking the Hollywood Hills, crossword puzzles, chocolate, Aloha shirts with 501s and Vans, Jack's Bar & Grill in Glendale, the Golden Bull and Casa Mia in Santa Monica Canyon.

What We'll Remember About Gary: didn't sing and couldn't dance, but LOVED music; was an inveterate shutterbug taking photos everywhere and all the time; wherever he lived he declared it like being on vacation. He was a good man--son, husband, father, friend, and he was smart, funny, hard-working, generous. You could always count on him; his word was his bond.

Gary was tireless, had energy to spare, was always planning, making, fixing, doing, and now he's at peace. He would say, "That's a wrap."