"The Rockford Files" (1974) TV series 1974-1980

Creators:

Stephen J. Cannell
Roy Huggins
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

13 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

The cases of an easy going private investigator.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Detective | Answering Machine | Sting Operation | Malibu

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

James Garner	...	Jim Rockford (122 episodes, 1974-1980)
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford #2 / ... (121 episodes, 1974-1980)
Joe Santos	...	Police Det. Dennis Becker / ... (109 episodes, 1974-1980)

Series Directed by
William Wiard		(28 episodes, 1975-1979)
Lawrence Doheny		(12 episodes, 1974-1976)
Ivan Dixon		(9 episodes, 1975-1979)
Jerry London		(8 episodes, 1974-1977)
Russ Mayberry		(7 episodes, 1974-1977)
Reza Badiyi		(7 episodes, 1977-1979)
Meta Rosenberg		(6 episodes, 1976-1978)
Lou Antonio		(5 episodes, 1974-1976)
Jackie Cooper		(5 episodes, 1975-1976)
Jeannot Szwarc		(3 episodes, 1975-1977)
Stephen J. Cannell		(3 episodes, 1977-1979)
Corey Allen		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Stuart Margolin		(2 episodes, 1974-1977)
Alexander Grasshoff		(2 episodes, 1974)
Harry Falk		(2 episodes, 1978)
Arnold Laven		(2 episodes, 1978)
John Patterson		(2 episodes, 1979)
Lawrence Dobkin		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Stephen J. Cannell		(122 episodes, 1974-1980)
Roy Huggins		(122 episodes, 1974-1980)
Juanita Bartlett		(35 episodes, 1974-1979)
David Chase		(20 episodes, 1976-1979)
Gordon T. Dawson		(9 episodes, 1975-1979)
Rudolph Borchert		(5 episodes, 1975-1980)
Chas. Floyd Johnson		(4 episodes, 1975-1978)
Don Carlos Dunaway		(4 episodes, 1975-1976)
Edward J. Lakso		(4 episodes, 1975-1976)
Lester Wm. Berke		(3 episodes, 1976-1980)
Donald L. Gold		(3 episodes, 1976-1980)
Walter Dallenbach		(2 episodes, 1976)
James Crocker		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
William R. Stratton		(2 episodes, 1977)
David Taylor		(2 episodes, 1977)
Rogers Turrentine		(2 episodes, 1979)
Marshall Lindemann		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Stephen J. Cannell	....	supervising producer / producer (112 episodes, 1974-1979)
Meta Rosenberg	....	executive producer (112 episodes, 1974-1979)
Chas. Floyd Johnson	....	producer / associate producer / ... (91 episodes, 1975-1980)
David Chase	....	producer / supervising producer (66 episodes, 1976-1980)
John David	....	associate producer (22 episodes, 1978-1980)
J. Rickley Dumm	....	associate producer (16 episodes, 1978-1979)
William F. Phillips	....	associate producer (12 episodes, 1974-1975)
Juanita Bartlett	....	producer / supervising producer (11 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jo Swerling Jr.	....	supervising producer / associate executive producer (6 episodes, 1974-1975)
Lane Slate	....	producer (3 episodes, 1975-1976)

Series Original Music by
Pete Carpenter		(108 episodes, 1974-1980)
Mike Post		(108 episodes, 1974-1980)
Artie Kane		(2 episodes, 1974)
Dick DeBenedictis		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Andrew Jackson		(80 episodes, 1976-1980)
Lamar Boren		(29 episodes, 1974-1976)
Steve Yaconelli		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
George R. Rohrs		(40 episodes, 1974-1979)
Diane Adler		(28 episodes, 1976-1979)
Buford F. Hayes		(16 episodes, 1974-1977)
Rod Stephens		(14 episodes, 1977-1980)
John J. Dumas		(7 episodes, 1974-1975)
I. Robert Levy		(4 episodes, 1975-1976)
Fred Baratta		(2 episodes, 1974)
Edward A. Biery		(2 episodes, 1974)
Jerry Dronsky		(2 episodes, 1977)
John Kaufman		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Dodie McLean		(7 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Art Direction by
Robert Crawley Sr.		(103 episodes, 1974-1980)
Robert Luthardt		(2 episodes, 1974)

Series Set Decoration by
Robert L. Zilliox		(88 episodes, 1975-1980)
Gary Moreno		(10 episodes, 1974-1975)

Series Costume Design by
Charles Waldo		(37 episodes, 1974-1978)
Kent Warner		(32 episodes, 1978-1980)

Series Makeup Department
Dave Grayson	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Allen Payne	....	hair department head (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Lester Wm. Berke	....	unit manager (63 episodes, 1974-1978)
Zane Radney	....	unit production manager (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rowe Wallerstein	....	unit manager (4 episodes, 1976)
Sam Freedle	....	unit production manager (3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Bill Carroll	....	unit production manager (unknown episodes, 1979)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Jones	....	assistant director / first assistant director (47 episodes, 1974-1979)
Leonard R. Garner Jr.	....	second assistant director (22 episodes, 1978-1980)
David Menteer	....	assistant director / first assistant director (20 episodes, 1976-1978)
Clifford C. Coleman	....	assistant director / first assistant director (17 episodes, 1974-1979)
Patrick A. Duffy	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1979)
Robert J. Doherty	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1979)
Jan R. Lloyd	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1979)
David L. Beanes	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Lamar Card	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Roydon Clark	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Michael J. Kane	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Cal Naylor	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Craig Binkley	....	property master (68 episodes, 1974-1978)

Series Sound Department
John R. Carter	....	sound / sound mixer (86 episodes, 1975-1979)
Walt Jenevein	....	sound effects editor (69 episodes, 1976-1979)
John B. Schuyler	....	boom operator (11 episodes, 1977)
Vic Carpenter	....	sound (8 episodes, 1974-1975)
Barney Cabral	....	adr editor (unknown episodes)
Albert D. Cuesta	....	sound (unknown episodes)
George E. Marshall Jr.	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts (4 episodes, 1974-1978)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunt double / stunt driver / ... (3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt driver (2 episodes, 1978)
May Boss	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Mickey Caruso	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Roydon Clark	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Jean Coulter	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Regina Parton	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Rick Sawaya	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
James Winburn	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Charles R. Young	....	camera operator (55 episodes, 1977-1980)
Earl C. Williman	....	lamp operator (23 episodes, 1974-1975)
Howard Block	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Reggie Newkirk	....	key first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Steve Yaconelli	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Dodie McLean	....	casting (18 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Waldo	....	costumes / costumes: women (26 episodes, 1974-1976)

Series Editorial Department
Richard Belding	....	editorial supervision / editorial supervisor (23 episodes, 1974-1976)
Steve Johnson	....	colorist (23 episodes, 1974-1975)

Series Music Department
Morrie McNaughton	....	music editor (75 episodes, 1976-1980)
Hal Mooney	....	music supervision (20 episodes, 1974-1976)
Pete Carpenter	....	composer: theme music (11 episodes, 1974-1980)
Mike Post	....	composer: theme music (11 episodes, 1974-1980)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver / production driver (17 episodes, 1976-1979)
Frank Khoury	....	driver (10 episodes, 1974)

Series Other crew
Juanita Bartlett	....	executive story consultant / creative consultant / ... (93 episodes, 1974-1979)
Jack Cole	....	main title design / title designer: main titles (24 episodes, 1974-1977)

Production Companies

• Cherokee Productions
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
• Roy Huggins-Public Arts Productions
• Universal TV

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1974-1980) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MCA/Universal Television (1974) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1980) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Cherokee Productions
• Public Arts/Roy Huggins Productions
• Studios USA Television
• TV Asahi (1975-1979) (Japan) (TV)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (season 6)

Also Known As:

Jim Rockford, Private Investigator (USA) (syndication title)

Runtime:

60 min (123 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Cherokee Productions

Trivia:

Rockford's telephone number is shown to be 555-2368 during the opening credits, as his answering machine message is heard just before the music starts. This was also the phone number shown for the Ghostbusters in their in-movie ad.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Throughout the series, the Los Angeles Police Department responds to calls at Rockford's trailer in Malibu although it is not part of their jurisdiction. The Los Angeles County Sheriff would be the proper agency.

Quotes:

Jim Rockford: [Grabbing Angel by the lapel and throat & 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: I'm sorry. A stick of fruit gum?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Where's Marlowe? (1998)

Soundtrack:

The Rockford Files

The theme song is even played at hockey games....

I remember my father watching "The Rockford Files" when it first came on the air, I was too young to remember it then, but was able to catch it on re-runs on A&E a few years back, and it is currently shown on two channels here in Canada. James Garner is the easy-going, laid back Jim Rockford. He has a big heart, yet always seems to come out on the short end of the stick. Garner does an excellent job as Rockford, and while I haven't seen much of his other work, he seems to play the same character. Some great supporting actors as well. Noah Beery as the worried father Rocky, Joe Santos as his put-upon cop buddy Dennis. One of my all-time favorite characters has to be Angel Martin, played perfectly by Stewart Margolin, the con "buddy" of Jim's. Very clever opening to each show, with the answering machine message. Obviously dated by the styles and settings, but still an excellent series that stands up well today. I'd give the series as a whole a solid 5 out of 5 stars.