This is not the greatest Rockford, but it is fun. It's also a great one for "Rockford" insiders, who know the show's origins began with another 1973-74 show called "Toma" that Cannell wrote and produced. It was about the exploits of a Newark, NJ supercop named David Toma, who had an outsized ego.
Clearly Cannell is satirizing the enormous ego of the real David Toma. When the star of "Toma," the late Tony Mustante wanted out of that show after just one season, David Toma insisted taking over the role playing himself. His only acting experience was as an undercover cop and showing up on the TV show in non-speaking roles each week. The network and Universal declined such a generous request.Instead, they completely retooled the show with Robert Blake as "Baretta." Gone were the straightforward family life with hot wife Susan Strasberg and nice kids. Blake replaced all that with shtick. We got a "deese" and "dose" single guy who lived in a fleabag hotel with a pet cockatoo and an old drunk for a best friend.
Toma later he went on to become an anti-drug counselor. Some of his crying, screaming rants are on You Tube.
Clearly Cannell is satirizing the enormous ego of the real David Toma. When the star of "Toma," the late Tony Mustante wanted out of that show after just one season, David Toma insisted taking over the role playing himself. His only acting experience was as an undercover cop and showing up on the TV show in non-speaking roles each week. The network and Universal declined such a generous request.Instead, they completely retooled the show with Robert Blake as "Baretta." Gone were the straightforward family life with hot wife Susan Strasberg and nice kids. Blake replaced all that with shtick. We got a "deese" and "dose" single guy who lived in a fleabag hotel with a pet cockatoo and an old drunk for a best friend.
Toma later he went on to become an anti-drug counselor. Some of his crying, screaming rants are on You Tube.