The Rockford Files (1974–1980)

James Garner: Jim Rockford

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Jim Rockford : Yeah well, we got snarled up in a case in August. I ended up doing 90 days on a county honor farm.

  Lance White : Well, I'm sorry about that Jim, but I had my client's interests to protect, and you did break into that hotel room.

  Jim Rockford : What client? Who where you working for? Nobody seemed to know.

  Lance White : Well, that was kind of a strange one, those three little boys hired me.

  Jim Rockford : The triplets? They were only eight years old.

  Lance White : Yeah well, when their folks were killed by the mob, I kind of took 'em in. Finally, I made arrangements for them to live on a friend's farm in Vermont.

  Jim Rockford : Isn't that nice? A happy ending. We all got to go to a farm.

• Jim Rockford : [to the hood who has just kidnapped him]  Does your mother know what you do for a living?

• Jim Rockford : What's wrong?

  Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford : I am THROUGH talking to you! Look at you, an inch or two to the right and you'd be missing that eye!

  Jim Rockford : Yeah, but look at it this way, an inch or two to the left and he'd have missed me completely.

• [Rockford knocks out a thug with one punch] 

  Jim Rockford : Ow! If I could do that without a roll of quarters in my hand, I'd be a terror.

• Jim Rockford : Freeze, turkey!

• 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.

• Jim Rockford : [grabbing Angel by the lapel and throat, and walking him back against a fence]  Angel, you are driving me crazy, you understand me? I'm going crazy, I can't take it anymore!

  Angel Martin : Jimmy!

  Jim Rockford : Years and years and years, I'm goin' out of my mind! With your stupid and ridiculous lies and games, year after year!

  Angel Martin : You're jammin' my windpipe!

  Jim Rockford : [ripping his hands from Angel's neck, showing Angel his trembling hands]  Look at me, look at me, look at me!

  Angel Martin : Jimmy?

  Jim Rockford : Just don't say anything, just don't - say - anything!

  Angel Martin : Jimmy?

  Jim Rockford : [exasperated]  What?

  Angel Martin : [pulls up a stick from a pack which Jim begrudgingly snaps out of the pack]  I'm sorry. A stick of fruit gum?

• Jim Rockford : A senator and a bus driver? What's the connection?

  Lance White : This is just a hunch but I'd say the bus driver had something on the senator. Like maybe the senator was having an affair with the bus driver's wife.

  Jim Rockford : Lance, where did that come from?

  Lance White : It didn't come from anywhere Jim, it's just a hunch. I get a hunch; it turns out to be right and the case is solved. I don't know how you make a living as a private eye, Jim. You don't seem to know any of this stuff.

• Armand Teasdale : I am a good judge of people, and that is a fine young man, with a remarkable character.

  Jim Rockford : No doubt about it, Lance is perfect. It's his only flaw.

• Jim Rockford : Hey, I'm sorry Dad, you just caught me at a bad time. Reading that detective fiction doesn't help. I mean things aren't like that you know? They're not black and white. They're aren't any heroes left, they die young. (pointing to a book cover) His gun is deadly? Mine's in a cookie jar.

• Beth Davenport : And Jim, try to be nice.

  Jim Rockford : Are you kidding? You don't mouth off to anything that big. He looks like 190 pounds of gristle.

• Dennis Becker : Step back, Jim. This is information is for police department personnel only.

  Jim Rockford : Boy, mention the Nazis around you and it rubs off.

• Jim Rockford : Why didn't you get me 'Little Eddie' or 'The Greek?'

  Angel Martin : They said they wouldn't do it. They said the last time they were in a con with you, it blew sky high. What does he mean by calling me a halibut?

  Jim Rockford : It's a fish that swims at the bottom.

  Angel Martin : I don't like him.

• Jim Rockford : But I will need a diversion so I can get back to Bloomberg's room and try to talk to him.

  Angel Martin : Ohh. Now we're getting to the nitty-gritty. Now it's beginning to make sense. 'Come on over to Rocky's, Angel.' Serve my favorite food. First time I been invited over here for so much as a glass of water.

  Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford : I could use a little help in the kitchen with the coffee and dessert.

  Angel Martin : Forget about the dessert, you don't buy Angel Martin with a couple of drumsticks and some redeye gravy.

• Karen Hall : You met up with the Surete; they actually followed me. That's why I had that horrible feeling I was being watched. And they're the ones who ransacked my room.

  Jim Rockford : Oh no, not nearly so simple. Your room was ransacked by an Olympic wrestling champion and a German ex-neurosurgeon.

  Karen Hall : What? Who are they?

  Jim Rockford : That's multiple choice. They're were either two former members of Wermacht Intelligence, two old friends of your father's or two cops from East Berlin.

• Lance White : I hate it when anybody dies. Even someone like Blackwood. I'm sure he wasn't a bad guy at heart probably.

  Jim Rockford : Oh yeah, you throw out the cocaine busts and what, a little pushing around the high schools and what have you got left? Just a sweet guy with a problem.

• Jim Rockford : [repeated line through the series]  Damn.

• Security Guard : Can I see your security passes?

  Richie Brockelman : Sure!

  Jim Rockford : No!

  [punches security guard]