The House on Willis Avenue (24 Feb. 1978)

When a fellow P.I. is killed on the Ventura freeway, Jim and Richie Brockelman team up to find out if it really was an accident.

Director:

Hy Averback

Writers:

Roy Huggins (creator), Stephen J. Cannell (creator),

Stars:

James Garner, Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos

Cast

Episode credited cast:
James Garner	...	Jim Rockford
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford (as Noah Beery)
Joe Santos	...	Dennis Becker
Jackie Cooper	...	Garth McGregor
Simon Oakland	...	Vern St. Cloud
Howard Hesseman	...	Al Steever
Philip Sterling	...	County Supervisor Tom Nardoni
Pernell Roberts	...	B.J. Anderson
Dennis Dugan	...	Richie Brockelman
Paul Fix	...	Joseph Tooley
Irene Tedrow	...	Mary Tooley
Lou Krugman	...	Sam Detonis
Brett Hadley	...	Computer Operator
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hank Brandt	...	Mr. Davis
Nancy Conrad	...	Receptionist

Storyline

When a fellow P.I. is killed on the Ventura freeway, Jim and Richie Brockelman team up to find out if it really was an accident.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 February 1978 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 30, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Roy Huggins-Public Arts Productions, Cherokee Productions, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The show concludes with a message from the U.S. Privacy Protection Commission discussing the possibility of more privately created computer networks in the future.

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Goofs

When the microphone in Joe Tooley's office is activated by Rockford's entry, it is labeled 35679KLM. When the agent reports it, he says "35679KLW."

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Quotes

Richie Brockelman: Look, this guy actually lives in a trailer.
Jim Rockford: Well what does that mean?
Richie Brockelman: Well, it just seems to me that living in a trailer is at the bottom.
Jim Rockford: I live in a trailer!
Richie Brockelman: [he quickly backpeddles] Well, you know, not exactly the bottom, more like the middle. And of course, depending on what kind of trailer, it could be the upper middle. For instance I saw one in a magazine a couple of months ago. It could expand out into a two thousand foot home. Now a guy living in a place like that has the world by the...
Jim Rockford:

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Connections

References The Rockford Files: Profit and Loss, Part 1: Profit (1974)

User Reviews

Joe Tooley had loyal friends

I don't think any television series introduced so many wonderful characters to the viewing public as did The Rockford Files. Even in a brief appearance Paul Fix who mentored James Garner in the private eye business gets himself killed when he gets to deep into something he does not understand, he's got both Jim Rockford and Richie Brockelman to back him up. As Sam Spade said quite eloquently, when your partner is killed you're supposed to do something about it. How much more true for a mentor.

It's quite a caper that Garner and Dennis Dugan jump into. An LA county supervisor is under the thumb of a conglomerate planning to build a giant computer complex for storage of information for nefarious purposes. Jackie Cooper is putting the thing together, but Philip Sterling the supervisor stands in the way until he's blackmailed. Another supervisor Howard Hesseman is fighting a rear guard action.

Pernell Roberts plays Cooper's muscle, but in a really memorable role is Simon Oakland who is yet another private eye trying to muscle in on the action to wherever it leads. He has a memorable confrontation with Garner and Dugan.

This together with the usual Rockford Files regulars makes up for a memorable episode.