Once upon a time in television, comedy was comedy, drama was drama, and that was that. Heroes were supposed to act in a certain way. Genres such as private eye shows were held to be sacred. The Rockford Files (NBC, 1974-1980) changed all of that, leaving its mark on 1970s television while also influencing two generations of TV writers, TV shows, and TV heroes.
Fueled by innovative writing and the star power of James Garner, The Rockford Files was the perfect melding of a character, Jim Rockford, and an actor-Garner-who understood that character better than anyone else. Winner of five Emmys, including Best Actor (Garner) and Best Dramatic Series (1978), Rockford was also the perfect television show because it offered something for everyone. Women loved Rockford because of his hang-dog looks and deep brown eyes. Men loved him because he could throw a punch (even when it hurt his hand) and drive a car faster than anyone else. Plus there was Rockford’s relationship with his dad, his Pontiac Firebird (a character unto itself), the wacky phone messages that began each episode, and the many singular characters that our hero encountered every week in the unique populace known as Los Angeles. Get the inside scoop on this landmark series in 45 Years of The Rockford Files, featuring insight from series star James Garner; commentary from the show’s principal writers, producers, and actors; behind-the-scenes details and interesting factoids; and more. This revised third edition includes approximately sixty pages of new information about both the NBC Rockford Files and the eight CBS Rockford movies, including more than twenty new interviews; six new appendices, including a look at the efforts to re-imagine Rockford in 2010; additional photographs; and a heartwarming new foreword by Jim’s daughter Gigi Garner.