Some truly memorable characters from the Rockford Files come back in this episode about private investigator's convention where a State Senator who was to give a keynote address gets murdered. And it's luckless Freddie Beamer who spots the murderer and the murdered who gets the blame for it.
If you remember James Whitmore, Jr. played Freddie in a previous episode where he appropriates Jim Rockford's identity because he's tired of the dreary life of a garage mechanic and pretends he's a real honest to goodness PI. This is just the kind of jackpot he put himself and James Garner in from the previous episode. Whitmore can't get out of his own way.
On the other hand there's the immaculately tailored and insufferable Lance White played again by Tom Selleck. White is the kind of guy who might be digging a trench in his backyard and discover oil he has that kind of luck. But he charms one and all except Garner who can't stand him. Nevertheless they agree to work together to get Whitmore out of his jackpot.
Simon Oakland who was a boorish PI is the head of the PI Association probably because no one else wants the job. He keeps trying to bury Whitmore and he's got good reason. Vern St. Cloud who is Oakland's character has also shown up in The Rockford Files before.
Best scene in the story is Garner and Selleck taking Whitmore over to a hypnotist to see if his memory can be jogged. Erica Hagen plays the hypnotist and she keeps trying with Whitmore, but he's so dumb he's a horrible subject.
This episode also has Selleck with future Magnum regular Larry Manetti playing Oakland's equally boorish nephew.
It's one of the best Rockford Files episodes. I only wish they had managed to work Dennis Dugan as Richie Brockelman into the story.
If you remember James Whitmore, Jr. played Freddie in a previous episode where he appropriates Jim Rockford's identity because he's tired of the dreary life of a garage mechanic and pretends he's a real honest to goodness PI. This is just the kind of jackpot he put himself and James Garner in from the previous episode. Whitmore can't get out of his own way.
On the other hand there's the immaculately tailored and insufferable Lance White played again by Tom Selleck. White is the kind of guy who might be digging a trench in his backyard and discover oil he has that kind of luck. But he charms one and all except Garner who can't stand him. Nevertheless they agree to work together to get Whitmore out of his jackpot.
Simon Oakland who was a boorish PI is the head of the PI Association probably because no one else wants the job. He keeps trying to bury Whitmore and he's got good reason. Vern St. Cloud who is Oakland's character has also shown up in The Rockford Files before.
Best scene in the story is Garner and Selleck taking Whitmore over to a hypnotist to see if his memory can be jogged. Erica Hagen plays the hypnotist and she keeps trying with Whitmore, but he's so dumb he's a horrible subject.
This episode also has Selleck with future Magnum regular Larry Manetti playing Oakland's equally boorish nephew.
It's one of the best Rockford Files episodes. I only wish they had managed to work Dennis Dugan as Richie Brockelman into the story.