The Rockford Files - what a great show

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by tomhayes, Oct 7, 2006.

  1. tomhayes

    tomhayes Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca
    I've been watching these on TV lately, and I guess I was too young when they originally aired to realize how good this show was.

    It's like he's Marlow, Spenser and Magnum PI rolled up into one.

    They've been showing a lot of the 1979-1980 shows, many of which were written by David Chase. And the last David Chase one i saw was directed by Klinch himslef - ivan Dixon!!

    What I love is the way Jim gets beat up, or taken advantage of in about 33% of the episodes.
     
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  2. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    My favourite episode was the one in which he helps two kids who are planning some kind of a minor heist or something like that stay out of trouble. It sounded like the script writers may've been inspired by a Springsteen song such as "Meeting Across the River". My theory was sort of borne out at the end of the episode when the two characters were off to a Springsteen show and invited Rockford to join them (he declined).

    I've always enjoyed Jim Garner's self-deprecating humour and acting.
     
  3. tomhayes

    tomhayes Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca
    I think that's the one they just showed but the details are different:

    1)Jim Goes to newark and is mugged and has his car stolen
    2)Two "no so wise" guys are trying to get on the good side of an ex-mafia Don (who is Jim's client via his 26 year old niece who we met in an earlier episode)
    3)The two wise-guys find out who has been throwing dead animals onto the ex-Don's (now a born-again Christian) lawn and rough the kid up a bit
    4)Jim Rockford quits the case as soon as he finds out the mafia is involved
    5)The kids dad happens to be the new mafia boss who is trying to get the old Don to talk to the Catholic Church to have his cousin buried on consecrated ground. He orders a hit on the two guys who roughed up his kid and for the old don's house to be shot up
    6)The two guys track down
    7)The new boss has the old boss's niece kidnapped and tries to get the two "not so wise" guys whacked.
    8)The old don tries to get the church to allow the new boss's cousin to be buried there. it does not happen.
    9)Jim shows up (after being mugged at the airport) an advises the Don to stall and maybe go to the FBI.
    10)the two "mooks" decide to go find the body of the new Boss's cousin and steal it to make an exchange. They call Jim and tell him of the plan and where it is happening.
    11)The two guys are caught while trying to steal the body. meanwhile Jim has called the cops and told them where this is all happening.
    12)The two guys survive, the daughter is rescued and on the way to the airport one of the guys says he has been invited to see the daughter at a dance recital and then they are going to a Springsteen concert.

    I thought this episode was a little weak because the couldn't be fleshed out more, but the last monologue from Vito definitely shows strong signs of Chrissy's charactercharacter on the Sopranos.

    This episode had very little Rockford in it. And it was written by David Chase and directed by ivan Dixon. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0688017/
     
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  4. gener8tr

    gener8tr Senior Member

    Location:
    Vancouver, WA USA
    Loved it as a kid! I think they used to follow it with Baretta (reruns) here in Portland back in the mid 80's on KPTV Channel 12.
     
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  5. Marty Milton

    Marty Milton Senior Member

    Location:
    Urbana, Illinois
    This was one of my favorite shows when it aired originally. I have always been a huge James Garner fan. He has always been the ultimate slacker.
     
  6. Green Tea

    Green Tea Sweet Soulful Sounds

    Location:
    ϟ
    Jim Rockford: [answering machine picks up] This is Jim Rockford.
    At the tone leave your name and message, I'll get back to you.

    Angel Martin: Jimmy, old buddy buddy! It's Angel!
    You know how they allow you one phone call? Well, this is it!

    :D
     
  7. pdenny

    pdenny 22-Year SHTV Participation Trophy Recipient

    Location:
    Hawthorne CA
    For anyone in the LA area you can catch Rockfish reruns on KDOC, channel 56 in Orange County weekdays at 10 am (was 9 until recently). I have a 15-ep pileup on my PVR right now :D Always had a crush on Gretchen Corbett :love:
     
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  8. Paul G

    Paul G Senior Member

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
  9. SuiteMadameBlue

    SuiteMadameBlue Rockin' The Paradise

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I totally agree about The Rockford Files. I was also a huge fan of Mannix too and Magnum and Spencer of Hire. I miss those types of shows.

    I love this link on Jim Rockford :)

    http://www.thrillingdetective.com/rocj.html
     
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  10. Jeff H.

    Jeff H. Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern, OR
    I used to love The Rockford Files too! That was part of my Friday night TV watching ritual for years. Had no idea that David Chase had been a writer for the series. Interestingly enough, I was watching The Sopranos episode the other day where AJ's teacher's car gets stolen and Tony has Paulie and Big ***** looking for it. After mentioning to someone that "it's for the kid's teacher", ***** hangs up the phone and says "I'm f***** Rockford over here!":laugh:
     
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  11. Solaris

    Solaris a bullet in flight

    Location:
    New Orleans, LA
  12. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
  13. JohnBeas

    JohnBeas Forum Resident

    I still watch this occasionally on superstation WGN - it runs every weekday at 9am. Those of you tempted to buy it online might want to wait for a sale - both seasons showed up on Amazon about 6 weeks ago at $20 each.
     
  14. Marty Milton

    Marty Milton Senior Member

    Location:
    Urbana, Illinois
    I agree with that. It never stooped to gimmicks to try to boost their ratings. It kept true throughout its run.
     
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  15. Andrew T.

    Andrew T. Out of the Vein

    Location:
    ....
    "The Rockford Files" is indeed a great show...I watched it a lot when it was rerun on A&E in the early-to-mid '90s.

    James Garner's acting was top-notch, and the series often managed to balance drama, action, and comedy into a well-balanced whole. Angel's moments alone were often priceless. :D

    I've been a bit hesitant to buy the DVDs due to the quality-control issues I've heard about with Universal's television DVDs. How do the "Rockford Files" sets fare?
     
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  16. Capt. Cadillac

    Capt. Cadillac Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dearborn, Mich.
    Man oh man, finally a thread in which my avatar will be appreciated. It is amazing how great this show was right from the first few episodes. When I finally get to L.A., my only must sees are Disneyland, the Capitol Records Tower, and Paradise Cove!
     
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  17. DjBryan

    DjBryan New Member

    Location:
    USA
    Wasnt Richie Brokelman (sp) a spinoff? I liked that breif show
     
  18. Larry Mc

    Larry Mc Forum Dude

  19. Tone

    Tone Senior Member

    Great show!........ James Garner is excellent and it really captures the look and feel of Southern Califorina in the early 70's.

    I was there in those years and I get nostalgic watching Rockford. So laid back and all those wide open spaces (well compared to now.)...... Southern California really was a great place in the 60s and 70s.

    Tone
     
  20. gates69

    gates69 Music Junkie

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I love this show as well. :righton:
     
  21. sadie

    sadie New Member

    Location:
    Illinois
    The show was great fun to watch growing up. James Garner is a wonderful actor who I think gets overlooked too much.

    Sadie
     
  22. pdenny

    pdenny 22-Year SHTV Participation Trophy Recipient

    Location:
    Hawthorne CA
    Most folks would be quite surprised to learn what Dennis Dugan's been up to the past 20 years or so!
     
  23. Marty Milton

    Marty Milton Senior Member

    Location:
    Urbana, Illinois
    Yes, it was. That character appeared in a couple of episodes of Rockford Files. I didn't read the post right before this before I posted this.
     
  24. Jack White

    Jack White Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    The best detective show ever.

    James Garner is great.
     
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  25. Solaris

    Solaris a bullet in flight

    Location:
    New Orleans, LA
    I remember seeing this show off and on as a kid, but I've just started watching the series from the beginning on Netflix.

    WOW what a great show this is. The two parters are outstanding, particularly the one I just saw entitled "Profit and Loss," with Ned Beatty co-starring. Rockford doesn't have all the answers, makes a lot of mistakes, sometimes goes to jail for a day or two, but his aim is true. Jim Rockford is a fantastic character -- world weary and cynical, yet decent -- and James Garner is brilliant.
     

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