IMDB shows James Garner appearing in 3 episodes from 1962 near the end of the shows run. I was under the impression he quit in 1960. In what capacity did he return to show? Was it just a cameo or something?
shareNo. James Garner did not appear in any Maverick episodes in 1962.
James Garner left the series in March 1960 after filming the last
episode, "The Maverick Line."
"The Maverick Line" was scheduled to be the first episode of
the fourth season. But because Garner wasn't returning to the show,
that episode was held up and aired later on Nov 20, 1960, as the tenth episode of the fourth season.
Roger Moore replaced James Garner in the fourth season as Beau Maverick,
Bret and Bart's cousin.
When Roger Moore's contract ran out mid-season with WBs, he left the series.
Robert Colbert played another brother Brent in only two episodes of the fourth season.
During the fifth season, rather than adding another Maverick, Jack Kelly
alone, played Bart in all the new episodes.
Reruns of earlier Garner episodes were alternated with the new Bart episodes.
James Garner's name was used in the opening credits of those new episodes, but in the new episodes, Jack Kelly's name appeared first.
That might be the cause of the confusion with IMDb.
Thank you.