The Rockford Files

The Rockford Files

The Rockford Files is an American television drama series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network between September 13, 1974, and January 10, 1980, and has remained in syndication to the present day. Garner portrays Los Angeles–based private investigator Jim Rockford, with Noah Beery Jr. in the supporting role of his father, a retired truck driver nicknamed "Rocky". The show was created by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell. Huggins created the television show Maverick (1957–1962), which starred Garner, and he wanted to recapture that magic in a "modern day" detective setting. He teamed with Cannell, who had written for Jack Webb productions such as Adam-12 and Chase (1973–1974, NBC), to create The Rockford Files. The show was credited as "A Public Arts/Roy Huggins Production" along with Cherokee Productions in association with Universal Television. Cherokee was owned by Garner, with partners Meta Rosenberg and Juanita Bartlett, who doubled as story editor during most of The Rockford Files run. In 2002, The Rockford Files was ranked No. 39 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

Year:
1974
6,741 Views

[last lines]

Ruth Beetson-White:
Jim, listen. I know you didn't get the best deal out of this. Well I tell you what, if money's your problem I think I may have a solution. First I want to thank you for saving my life, and I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with a way to express my gratitude, and I finally did.

[she lifts her hand from where it's been resting on his shoulder and begins to play with the hair above the nape of his neck]

Jim Rockford:
[smiles] You don't really have to do anything, I mean...

Ruth Beetson-White:
Oh, yes, I do. As you may know, I'm always on the lookout for a good man.

Jim Rockford:
I've heard it said...

Ruth Beetson-White:
And now that I'm going to be devoting full attention to the fight business, the dealer management job's wide open; I'd bet you'd look terrific in a red blazer...

Jim Rockford:
Not a chance.

Ruth Beetson-White:
Baby, come on! Think of it! You know, you could do the Spanish speaking commercial. You'd become a celebrity!

Jim Rockford:
I'm sorry, but I don't tap dance.

Ruth Beetson-White:
[looking into his eyes] At least have dinner with me, huh? We could go to my place...

Jim Rockford:
I'm sorry, Ruth, but I'm a little old-fashioned, you know. I, uh, I like to open the doors and light the cigarettes and make the passes.

Ruth Beetson-White:
[she takes her hand away] A-a-a-h, you're right! I'm sorry! There I go, again! I'm sorry, really...

Jim Rockford:
[smiles again] Ah, it's okay...

Ruth Beetson-White:
[puts her arm around his shoulders] We'll go to your place.

Gerald A. O'Malley:
[Jim calls Mr. O'Malley - a slightly paranoid survivalist with a bomb shelter out back of his property. Jim calls him, pretending there's about to be a nuclear attack, in order to get Mr. O'Malley safe, by having him get into his shelter] Hello?

Jim Rockford:
[Usiing a southern drawl] Mr. Gerald A. O'Malley?

Gerald A. O'Malley:
Yeah?

Jim Rockford:
Yeah, this is Roger Martel, sir. Kern County civil defense.

Gerald A. O'Malley:
[Happy and eager to do his part'] Yes sir! What can I do for you?

Jim Rockford:
Government agencies have informed us that the Che Guevera unit of the ALF is planning to detonate eight jerry-rigged nuclear devices in Bakersfield, unless some federal prisoners are released by daybreak this morning.

Gerald A. O'Malley:
Now, wait a minute. What's the yield, man? What's the yield? Am I in the kill radius?

Jim Rockford:
We are not sure what the yield is, but you're correct in your assumption. You are in the kill radius.

Gerald A. O'Malley:
Well, you're very calm about it! I've written you people letter after letter about this kind of thing, and you've ignored it! Now - now you're, you're certain that she's going to blow?

Jim Rockford:
Just in case, sir, my advice would be to proceed immediately, and I repeat, immediately, to your bomb shelter. We've already had some leaks on this, and as your neighbors may come seeking protection from you, and no doubt they would be armed and desperate...

Gerald A. O'Malley:
Oh, shut up! I've got 1 million things to do here! [O'Malley slams down phone]

Jane Patten:
Poor little animal - gave his life to make this.

[she bites into her burger]

Jim Rockford:
You know, I've just about had it with you!

Jane Patten:
What's the matter?

Jim Rockford:
I'm tired of your philosophising and moralizing and whining...

Jane Patten:
Whining?

Jim Rockford:
Yeah, you want to give a sermon about a hamburger and you've got the gall enough to eat it!

Jane Patten:
Ordinarily I wouldn't touch meat, but I'm hungry. And even Bhagavad Gita says...

Jim Rockford:
Oh stow it, okay! You know if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place! Your flakey attitude! You hand me problems at every turn. You can't even remember anything, now I'm buying you your meals. What can you do, lady?

Jane Patten:
My consciousness doesn't lend itself to problem solving like yours, okay! I'm into an alternative lifestyle. I'm a seeker after truth. Now what's so wrong with that?

Jim Rockford:
You're alternative lifestyle comes out of somebody else's pocket. You mooch, you borrow, you hardly work, but it doesn't go along with it there. They're fascists, unmellow, competitive; all that love and freedom is just another way of saying me first!

Jane Patten:
It is not!

Jim Rockford:
Yes it is! You just don't have a sense of responsibility, that's all there is to it!

Jane Patten:
What I mean is I'm not into a structured living or accumulated things. I'm into my consciousness!

Jim Rockford:
Consciousness! You're practically unconscious 24 hours a day! What you're into is having someone else do your thinking for you. There's Gordon Borchet, Baa Baa the Bhagavad Gita. Next it's going to be Sam Levenson or Francis the Talking Mule for all I know. They have all the answers, right. Don't you have any answers of your own?

Jane Patten:
Those are pathways to bliss...

Jim Rockford:
Hmm, maybe. But you don't practice them, you just talk about them. You've flipped from Ashram to water tank and back! Are you any happier for it? Look around you. You see a lotta bliss out there?

Jane Patten:
I don't think I've done so bad for being 32 years old.

Jim Rockford:
You're 40. I've seen your driver's license.

Jane Patten:
I was 40, but I'm making positive affirmations! I'm 32... I'm youthing myself.

Jim Rockford:
You're 40.

Jane Patten:
But I don't want to get old...

Jim Rockford:
Well neither do I.

Jane Patten:
But you see we don't have to. Not if...

Jim Rockford:
There's nothing you can do about it. That's the way it is. I'm sorry to be the bearer of the bad news. There's no easy answer, you know. No quickie nirvana. You don't like it, tough, join the club!

Eddie LaSalle:
[Jim has entered the room of a seedy hotel and is searching it when the occupant suddenly returns - carrying a gun] Hang it up! Get on your feet Rockford!

[he searches Jim]

Jim Rockford:
Hey, what do you want with me and my father?

Eddie LaSalle:
Sit down! One day you pukes are going to realize some of us on the other side don't care about your juice and your connections in Washington!

Jim Rockford:
What are you talking about?

Eddie LaSalle:
I'm talking about Ted DeAngelo, who after a life of disappointment puts on his three-piece suit and with his badge in his hand, jumps out a ten-storey window in 'Frisco cause he just can't stand it no more. I'm talking about guys like Nessie, who paid for the funeral and died broke.

Jim Rockford:
Nessie?

Eddie LaSalle:
Elliot and me put maybe fifty, maybe more, of you smartheads in our fruit jar, but you just kept coming back.

Jim Rockford:
Elliot Ness? Are we talking about the Elliot Ness. 'Cause if it's any consolation to you mister, Elliot Ness was one of my childhood idols!

Eddie LaSalle:
So you pay him back by hooking up with Coppobianco, huh?

Jim Rockford:
Coppo-who?

Eddie LaSalle:
Coppo-who! Coppo-who! That's priceless! Come on! We're going downtown!

Jim Rockford:
I'm not going anywhere with you, mister.

Eddie LaSalle:
You know what Eddie said when we dropped the net on him and Coppo and them others?

Jim Rockford:
Don't shoot?

Eddie LaSalle:
He said me and Coppo's going to sink this case in court. And he did too. That was back when we was busting distills and running them through barns with a special truck Nessie paid for out of his own pocket, with a plow on the front!

Jim Rockford:
Hey I hate to appear short-tempered, mister, but what the hell does this have to do with anything? You sit up here, you're eating dog food, you're planting bugs on innocent citizens, and all because some guy call Ted DeAngelo jumped out a window ten years ago? Am I missing something? That doesn't make sense!

Eddie LaSalle:
I'm the guy who has the list and who, just 'cause he got pensioned off, isn't going for no state handouts. I'm going to get Coppobianco...

Jim Rockford:
Who?

Eddie LaSalle:
Your father's partner, Vincenti Coppobianco. Coppobianco means Whitehead. That explain it your you, mister?

Jim Rockford:
Sure explains the garlic!

Jim Rockford:
[Rockford bends down and looks into open car window of rival P.I. Kirmit Higby] Hi Kirm, it's good to see you crawling out from under your rock from time to time.

Kermit Higby:
I thought I gave you a good lesson last time, Rockford. What's wrong? Don't you remember how I spread your nose out for you?

Jim Rockford:
Oh I remember; lucky punch. I'm not worried. Generally you can hit the ground with your feet.

Kermit Higby:
Well maybe you need to be taught another lesson.

Jim Rockford:
Looks that way, let me help you. [Rockford pulls back on the car door as Higby opens it, then slams it against Higby's wrist when he tries to get out, putting him in instant agony] Clumsy, clumsy Kirm. Ah well, it looks like you've got a couple of choices: either you can tell me what you're doing following me and why you knocked me out in Susan's room, or you can sit here with your hand in the door while I sharpen my right cross. Which is it?

Kermit Higby:
[In pained voice] I didn't knock you out...

Jim Rockford:
Okay Kirm, I'm going to let your dentist rebuild your whole mouth.

Kermit Higby:
Suit yourself...

Jim Rockford:
[Raising his fist Rockford is ready to punch Higby but falters as he looks at Kirm's pained expression, giving in to his softer side] Ah damn! [He pulls back, slapping the car door]

Kermit Higby:
[as Rockford reaches in and takes the car keys] If it had been me I'd have beaten you to death.

Jim Rockford:
Yeah, I know... [ then slams the car door against Higby's wrist once more for good measure before walking away]

Jim Rockford:
[a few scenes later Higby's car runs into Rockford's rental on a Nevada highway. Rockford jumps angrily out of his car and runs around to Higby's window, reaching in and grabbing him by the tie] Higby, I couldn't hit you before, but you just changed all that! [He pulls back his fist but falters again, making Higby grin] Ah what the hell! [He slugs Higby in the face, knocking him out. He then walks back to his car, looking in at his two female co-occupants] I think there's a reason I didn't do that before: I think I broke my hand!

Evelyn 'Angel' Martin:
[Rockford's Firebird pulls up in front of a dilapidated bungalow somewhere outside of L.A. He and Angel climb out, Angel talking with enthusiasm] Huh? What do you say? Is this what you asked for? Huh? [He laughs excitedly]

Jim Rockford:
Yeah, perfect... I couldn't have done better myself. How much?

Evelyn 'Angel' Martin:
Look at that. You said no neighbors, right? Well, right over here is an empty lot and right on this side is an empty house, huh?

Jim Rockford:
All right, Angel, how much?

Evelyn 'Angel' Martin:
Listen, I got all the papers here, and all signed legal... binding...

Jim Rockford:
[sounding testy] Angel...

Evelyn 'Angel' Martin:
Well, you know, Willie wasn't in love with the idea of renting it in the first place. Well, I mean a man's home is, uh... you know. But it's cause, you were friends at Quentin... he said to say hi.

Jim Rockford:
[Impatiently] Hi... how much?

Evelyn 'Angel' Martin:
[Uneasily] Ah... A hundred a day...

Jim Rockford:
Angel! A hundred dollars a day for that chicken shed!

Evelyn 'Angel' Martin:
[Defensively] You said it was perfect! The key is under the mat!

Jim Rockford:
[sighing he reaches inside his jacket for his wallet] All right, Angel... If I had the time I'd go rent one on my own, but I don't have the time. If I did I would, but you got yourself a deal, huh. [He hands a couple of fifties to his friend] Now I'm going to remember it... And when this whole thing is over I'm going to have a little talk with Willie. See how much of that hundred sticks to your greedy little fingers, and then he's going to remember it. [He climbs into his car]

Evelyn 'Angel' Martin:
[Nervously] Jimmy, you don't have to talk to Willie... [Rockford starts the car] Jimmy! [Rockford puts his foot to the accelerator] Jimmy! Hey Jimmy! I don't have a car! [He watches as Rockford drives off leaving him abandoned on the curb miles from L.A]

Jim Rockford:
Boy, I hate going to these things!

Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford:
Well, the older you get the more of 'em you're gonna go to. You know, it seemed to me that here a while back I was going to the funeral of a good friend once a week. Then a couple of years ago it sort of started to steady out. You know the way I've got it figured, sonny?

Jim Rockford:
Rocky, have you seen my wallet?

Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford:
Now take automobiles. Supposing Detroit was to build a hundred thousand red Fords. Well, at the end of five years you're gonna lose half of them red Fords: it'll be in the wrecking yard. Then, five years later, another thirty percent of 'em are gonna be gone because of accidents or bad driving. Well that means, that after that time is all over, that you're gonna have a coupla of hundred red Fords that, because they was put together good and driven carefully, are gonna be around forever.

Jim Rockford:
I'm looking for my wallet, Rocky. Is it on the desk?

Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford:
You know it wouldn't hurt you none to put your own Ford in neutral, the way you're always chasing around and working on one dangerous case or another! You know you ain't even had time to go fishing or hunting with me? So the way I see it, that is no way for you to rack up a hundred thousand miles on your dash.

Jim Rockford:
Would you like to get your Ford out of my chair, I'm trying to find my wallet! [Rocky gets up from the desk and Jim finds it in the desk drawer] There it is, right in the glove compartment!

Jim Rockford:
[Rockford is at a restaurant with a Lloyds of London representative discussing his reward for having helped recover stolen diamonds - a case that lead to the breaking of three priceless works of art] Mr. Cryder, I don't want to seem anxious, but I was wondering about my five percent recovery fee?

Cryder:
Ohhh yes. I called my people at Lloyds, they agreed.

Jim Rockford:
[smiling] Five percent, a million dollars worth of jewellery, that's fifty thousand dollars isn't it?

Cryder:
Yes... Unfortunately each of the cormorants was insured for fifteen thousand making a total of forty-five thousand.

Jim Rockford:
Well, what has one got to do with the other?

Cryder:
Well they feel that since you were hired to protect them, and since all three were destroyed, that you should... bear the loss...

Jim Rockford:
That's preposterous!

Cryder:
Unfortunately that is how they... feel. So, ah, forty-five thousand from fifty thousand leaves five thousand...

Jim Rockford:
[looking rather peeved] Well I didn't break the damn things!

Cryder:
...I've been doing some perliminary figuring... Now from the five thousand there's of course, ah, English inheritance and English income taxes [he starts subtracting on a pad of paper]... ah yes, we will have to inform your IRS [he chuckles] and there's the rate of exchange to consider and, oh yes, then there's...

Jim Rockford:
One minute, just one minute.

Cryder:
Yes?

Jim Rockford:
Do you think there's going to be enough for me to pick up this tab?

Cryder:
I really don't know, Mr. Rockford, that depends... Do you intend to keep on drinking?

Sid Loft:
[Dennis and Peggy are having the Loft's - Sid and Eleanor - over for dinner, trying to 'woo' them to help get a permit to build an apartment over their garage. Jim's there, and Dennis brought Rita over. The tension's palpable; Ms. Loft is upset they're eating 'late' - 8p, and Rita's just finished her 'monkey-poo' story] You know, you're crazy about animals, I'm crazy about professions. I really, really interest me. Take modeling. That is what you do, isn't it, Miss Capkovick? You are a model?

Rita Capkovic:
'Capkovic.'

Sid Loft:
'Capkovic.'

Peggy Becker:
[Nervously trying to change the direction of the conversation] I-I, I could have served earlier, but I didn't know. You know, I mean, 7 o'clock, 6:30...

Eleanor Loft:
[Not even making any eye contact with Peggy, her annoyance is apparent] Many people enjoy a late dinner.

Sid Loft:
You and Dennis here, you friends quite awhile?

Lt. Doug Chapman:
[Rita stops in mid-chew, Dennis putting broccoli on his plate, looks at Rita, then speaks - looking at his plate, and almost mumbling] Yeah, for a little while.

Sid Loft:
[the only one smiling] How'd you to happen to meet?

Jim Rockford:
Dennis, I think you forgot the wine.

Lt. Doug Chapman:
Yeah. [Crumples his napkin on the table] Be right back. Excuse me. Thank you.

Sid Loft:
Couldn't have been at the station. I mean, what would a model be doing at the police station? [Sid laughs, Rita glowers silently at Sid]

Jim Rockford:
I'm telling you, Peggy... [Sid's still laughing as Jim's speaking]... Peggy this is really great. I mean, Yorkshire pudding and everything!

Peggy Becker:
[sighs] Uh, thank you [Peggy nervously smiles at jim] .

Sid Loft:
[Sid continues his one-sided conversation, disregarding every attempt to dissuade him from continuing] Of course, I can remember a time I think it was in the 50's. Big scandal. They rounded up all these girls, took them up right off the street [Jim's glowering at Sid] , and every single one of them was carrying a hatbox [Mrs. Loft looks at her husband - still chewing, then looks at Rita, and raises her eyebrows and c*cks her head] , claiming to be a model. [Rita's staring straight at Sid, her face emotionless] Guess what they were? [Rita looks at Peggy]

Jim Rockford:
[Speaking to Peggy, while gesturing with a fork. His voice - sincere to Peggy, also has a definite note of anger - directed at Sid Loft] Do you have any idea how long it's been since I had Yorkshire pudding? [Jim's just about to put a fork-full in his mouth]

Sid Loft:
Prostitues. [Jim doesn't put the fork in his mouth, and turns away in disgust] Every last one of them, a common street walker. [Sid stops leaning forward, and satisfied with his 'story,' reclines back. Mrs. Loft looks at Sid, the. Looks at Rita] Now, I haven't thought about that in years [Rita's face - still unmoving, but, with a depressing cast slowly coming across it] Funny how it jumped into my mind when you mentioned being a model.

Peggy Becker:
[Still trying to put on her game-face, she speaks with a fake chipper tone, and starts to stand] Well, shall we have coffee in the living room?

Jim Rockford:
[Jim walks over to the lifeguard's chair, which is surrounded by a bevy of girls in bikinis] Hey Skip, 'scuse me Skip. You were on duty yesterday. You remember that Road Queen with the big boat on the back that was parked over there. You wouldn't happen know where they went?

Skip Speece:
Ladies?

[the girls drift away]

Skip Speece:
She hit on you too?

Jim Rockford:
Who?

Skip Speece:
Who? Shareen.

Jim Rockford:
You mean the little girl?

Skip Speece:
Was that a humungous little bod? I'm making my morning patrol on the beach in my jeep. She's out there with this headset on, so I stop, warn her about the rip tides

[snickers]

Skip Speece:
You know. Bam! She's coming on to me like...

Jim Rockford:
[inwardly rolling his eyes up to heaven] Oh y-e-eah, those rip tides are terrible! The bottom is just littered with ships!

Skip Speece:
So I take a half hour splitzky, you know, I'm steering her to the dugout at the little league field for coup de grace, all of a sudden she starts having second thoughts. Starts telling me about this head case boyfriend she's got back home there. Punk rocker she says. Well this creep wears safety pins all over his clothes. Well Jim, you know I hate to see a nice girl going in the wrong direction.

Jim Rockford:
[cynically] Oh I know you do, Skip. I know all about your work with youth!

Skip Speece:
So I told her, hey look, I said, if you're a real punk then you don't have to be faithful to this guy cause real punks aren't faithful to anybody. But it was no go.

Jim Rockford:
[feeling disgust] You're quite a guy, Skip. Look Skip, they stole my barbacue. You wouldn't happen to know where they went next?

Skip Speece:
You know, Jim, I work hard here everyday, and never so hard that I don't have a little extra time for you. Keeping an eye on that trailer. Telling people to watch out for you car when they pull out. Stuff like that. do you remember me at Christmas time? Ever? Slip me a couple of numbers, even a six pack.

[Jim gives him a couple of greenbacks]

Skip Speece:
I mean I hope you know where I'm coming from. I mean, a lifeguard doesn't have all that many years in him. After 35 the skin goes. You can't...

Jim Rockford:
[impatiently] Where were they headed?

Skip Speece:
The old lady was all hot to see the Hearst Castle.

Jim Rockford:
Well I'll tell you something, Skip. I remember you at Christmas time, I just don't do anything about it!

FBI Agent Gary Bettingen:
[helping Angie Perris, Rockford approaches the bar table of the man who has been following her] Gee, what are you supposed to be?

Jim Rockford:
[smiling] Well, I'm the messenger who's been sent back here to ask very politely what you're doing following that young lady around?

FBI Agent Gary Bettingen:
Un huh. Well you're the guy whose going to be checking into county general in about twenty minutes with a busted jaw and a couple of cracked ribs.

Jim Rockford:
[still smiling, but looking unsure] No kidding. You're going to do that all by yourself?

FBI Agent Gary Bettingen:
Yeah, that's right Groucho. All by myself.

Jim Rockford:
Look, I'm trying to be nice. Why do we have to speak to each other in such violent terms, huh? [Rockford suddenly drives his heel into the other man's foot, then taking him by the head, slams his face down on to the table] I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I guess I should have said one, two, three go, huh?

FBI Agent Gary Bettingen:
[the man reaches inside his jacket, Rockford grabbing his arm, and he slowly pulls out his ID] How'd you like to be booked for assaulting a federal officer?

Jim Rockford:
[the ID says Gary Bettingen, FBI. Rockford smiles sheepishly] Ohhh, look I think I know how we could fix this right now. Why don't I just go and pay my bar bill right now and then fade right out of the picture, huh? You want to say anything to Miss Perris, you just go right ahead.

FBI Agent Gary Bettingen:
Why don't you do that.

Jim Rockford:
[Rockford stands up, still smiling] I will and hey [he offers his hand] if you ever have the chance why don't you just drop around and we'll have a drink. I'd like to make it up to you... [the agent looks uncertain about accepting a handshake] No, no, I'm serious! I'm serious! That was a sucker punch. Hey, you'd been ready, you'd probably knocked me silly!

Barman:
[the man takes his hand and is clobbered by Rockford's left fist, knocking him and his chair on to the floor] Hey! What's going on here?

Jim Rockford:
Here. [Rockford throws money on to the bar and taking Angie, quickly leaves the bar room. A few minutes later in his car he explains why he hit the man] Well I said he had a federal ID. I didn't say he was a fed. He wasn't.

Angela Perris:
How do you know?

Jim Rockford:
Ah, because the picture on his ID was taken against a blue field like your driver's license. Feds have theirs taken against a yellow field. What he did was cut the picture out of his driver's license and paste it into a federal ID, and then encase it in plastic. Nice job, but it was a phony.

Angela Perris:
How can you be so sure?

Jim Rockford:
Oh, because that's what I did. [he shows her his fake FBI ID]


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