The Rockford Files
Television series about Jim Rockford, an ex-convict-turned-private-investigator who would rather run away than fight and would rather go fishing than work. He isn't a coward, and he isn't lazy -- just rather on the cautious side, that's all. And he bears a very strong resemblance to Western television hero Bret Maverick. Rockford is sometimes assisted (and sometimes deterred) in his cases by friends Dennis Becker (a police detective), Evelyn "Angel" Martin (his cowardly former cellmate) and pretty Beth Davenport (his lawyer).
- 1974-1980
- 6 seasons
- NBC
- Suspense, Drama
- TV-PG
Television series about Jim Rockford, an ex-convict-turned-private-investigator who would rather run away than fight and would rather go fishing than work. He isn't a coward, and he isn't lazy -- just rather on the cautious side, that's all. And he bears a very strong resemblance to Western television hero Bret Maverick. Rockford is sometimes assisted (and sometimes deterred) in his cases by friends Dennis Becker (a police detective), Evelyn "Angel" Martin (his cowardly former cellmate) and pretty Beth Davenport (his lawyer).
Season 1 Episode Guide
23 Episodes 1974 - 1975
Episode 0
Backlash of the Hunter
Wed, Mar 27, 1974 98 mins
Private investigator Jim Rockford is hired by a beautiful young woman to solve the murder of her father, a homeless man found beneath a pier two months earlier. The killing was never solved by the police.
Episode 1
The Kirkoff Case
Fri, Sep 13, 1974 50 mins
Jim's hired by Larry Kirkoff to discover the identity of his parents' killer. There are a number of possible suspects , and the police suspect Larry of the crime, but lack of evidence prevents them from making a case against him. Rockford's investigation runs him afoul of some men who want everyone to go on thinking Larry killed them.
Episode 2
The Dark and Bloody Ground
Fri, Sep 20, 1974 50 mins
Jim reluctantly agrees to work for Beth Davenport. He's hired to help her prove her client, Ann Calhoun's innocent of; murdering her husband, Kevin. Jim digs up info someone doesn't want found out makes someone nervous an attempt 's made on his life.
Episode 3
The Countess
Fri, Sep 27, 1974 50 mins
A woman meets a man on a lonely stretch of highway while Rockford is filming the exchange from a hillside. Jim is working for the woman. Her name is Deborah Ryder and she is being blackmailed by Carl Brego. He has information of her sordid past and ties to organized crime which she doesn't want revealed. Jim is confident he can get Brego off her back, but, things go sour for him when Brego is killed and the police think Jim did it.
Episode 4
Exit Prentiss Carr
Fri, Oct 4, 1974 50 mins
Rockford has been hired by Janet Carr to locate her husband Prentiss. He finds him dead in a hotel bungalow in Bay City. It looks like murder to Jim but later when the police investigate they deem it a suicide. Jim is convinced it was murder and begins to question Janet as to her whereabouts. He doesn't know who to trust...Janet appears reluctant to tell Jim where she was and he thinks the police could be covering something up.
Episode 5
Tall Woman in Red Wagon
Fri, Oct 11, 1974 50 mins
Jim is hired by a newspaper woman to find her missing friend, who then insists on tagging along to "help" his investigation. The missing friend had a sordid past, and several of her old friends want to find her just as badly.
Episode 6
This Case Is Closed
Fri, Oct 18, 1974 99 mins
Jim travels to Newark, and draws the attention of organized crime and the FBI. The FBI is protecting Jim's target because he is a former federal witness. The target is found dead, and Jim's client has some explaining to do.
Episode 7
The Big Ripoff
Fri, Oct 25, 1974 50 mins
Suspecting her ex-lover, Steve, was killed by his wife, a woman hires Rockford. Rockford suspects Steve faked his death, and when he tells her, she stiffs him for his fee and quickly leaves town. Because Rockford plans to get the insurance finder's fee, he follows her to a California mountain town, where it seems everybody - except local artist's model, Marilyn Polonski (Jill Clayburgh) - wants Rockford. gone, ASAP.
Episode 8
Find Me If You Can
Fri, Nov 1, 1974 50 mins
Rockford reluctantly takes a unique assignment: a beautiful mystery woman wants him to find her, to see if someone she fears could also track her down. With a check poised to bounce, the ex-con PI needs the retainer to balance his always-challenged checking account. When Rockford checks with a local police department, he worms out a chilling piece of data: she's been dating Denver Mafia capo-regime, hot-tempered Ralph Correll. But the more Barbara Kelbaker strings along Jim Rockford, the more he's charmed into helping the desperate 30 something.
Episode 9
In Pursuit of Carol Thorne
Fri, Nov 8, 1974 50 mins
Jim has been hired to find an elderly couple's missing son, and assumes several guises to check out the man's former girlfriend, who has just been released from prison. But it is a complex case where everybody concerned is conning everyone else.
Episode 10
The Dexter Crisis
Fri, Nov 15, 1974 50 mins
Jim is hired by a wealthy business tycoon to find his mistress who has disappeared with 'property' belonging to him. Accompanied by the girl's roommate, the trail leads to Las Vegas, but things soon develop into much more than a simple missing person case.
Episode 11
Caledonia - It's Worth a Fortune!
Fri, Dec 6, 1974 50 mins
When knowledge of a critically ill convict's hidden fortune comes to light, Rockford becomes involved in helping the con's wife find the treasure before his former partner arrives and demands his share.
Episode 12
Profit and Loss, Part 1: Profit
Fri, Dec 20, 1974 50 mins
Jim investigates a large corporation when one of its executives is kidnapped and the wife of another executive claims the company murdered her husband.
Episode 13
Profit and Loss, Part 2: Loss
Fri, Dec 27, 1974 50 mins
Rockford discovers the investment firm Fiscal Dynamics is a financial fraud and its president Leon Fielder will do anything to prevent him from destroying his company.
Episode 14
Aura Lee, Farewell
Fri, Jan 3, 1975 50 mins
Jim's old friend Sara Butler hires him to find out the real reason her employee Aura Lee Benton died. The police believe it was a drug overdose but Sara is convinced she was murdered.
Episode 15
Sleight of Hand
Fri, Jan 17, 1975 50 mins
Jim's girlfriend suddenly disappears with no clue as to how or why. Lt. Diel thinks Rockford is probably responsible for her disappearance and orders him to stay away from the case. But Jim can't stop until he finds out what happened.
Episode 16
Counter Gambit
Fri, Jan 24, 1975 50 mins
Jim's hired by someone he knew inside, to track down his former girlfriend, who's stolen something of his.
Episode 17
Claire
Fri, Jan 31, 1975 49 mins
Jim receives a call from Claire, a former flame. After being burnt by her several times, he's reluctant to get involved with her again. But she's being hounded by 2 vicious hoods, and she seems truly frightened, so he takes the case. Rockford presses Dennis Becker to fill out Claire's meager story, but he's unable as a pit-bull captain named Highland is breathing down his neck - hard, by making sure his subordinates can't help Jim. Claire's ensnared in something big, so both she and Highland intend to keep Jim clueless.
Episode 18
Say Goodbye to Jennifer
Fri, Feb 7, 1975 50 mins
John Micelli's an old war buddy of Jim', who's now a fashion photographer. He hires Jim to track down a beautiful fashion model, whom the authorities claim is dead; killed in a fiery multi-car accident, but, he thinks otherwise. As Jim starts to look into this, he runs into several intimidating figure who want to make certain she stays that way.
Episode 19
Charlie Harris at Large
Fri, Feb 14, 1975 50 mins
Charlie Harris, Rockford's former cell mate, is suspected of murdering his rich wife and is on the run. He calls on Rockford to find his alibi witness, a mystery woman with whom he was having an affair.
Episode 20
The Four Pound Brick
Fri, Feb 21, 1975 50 mins
A cop dies in an accident that his mother refuses to accept. Rocky offers Jim's services free of charge. After begrudgingly accepting the case he discovers that dirty cops might be involved which then pits him against a very angry Lt. Diel.
Episode 21
Just by Accident
Fri, Feb 28, 1975 50 mins
When a demolition driver rams a fellow daredevil over a cliff, Jim Rockford digs into the murder. The pair were involved in an unknown shady activity, but Rockford's friend-who-won't-admit he's a friend Sgt. Garvey maintains the death was an accident, pooh-poohing Jim's leads. The unflappable Rockford, who's a deadly driver without such professional help, keeps pursuing the case, because the deceased's girlfriend Jeannie Szymczyk and insurance investigator K. Julian Krubm, provide him almost as many clues as the Polish alphabet has consonants.
Episode 22
Roundabout
Fri, Mar 7, 1975 50 mins
An insurance company hires Rockford to locate a missing woman who is due an inheritance. He finds her in Las Vegas where she is an unwitting pawn in a money laundering operation.
