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James Scott Rockford (variously referred to as "Jimmy" or "Jimbo" or "Jim") might have been the anti-Mannix. Joe Mannix, hero of his eponymous 1960s series, charged a hundred dollars a day plus expenses; though he often waived fees for those who really needed his help (once, for a very dangerous case, two old ladies settled their account with ten). Rockford charged 200 dollars a day and let it be known up front (though he often got roped into cases anyway, against his will). Despite his lower rates, Mannix lived in a fine two-story place and had a secretary. Rockford lives in a trailer and has an answering machine--and a low credit rating, and often people from the bank breathing down the back of his neck. Mannix always dressed well with ties and sports coats. Rockford dressed casually and with his shirttail out (he's often seen tucking it in). Mannix had a rocky relationship with his father (the little-seen Victor Jory) while Rockford had a close relationship with his father, Rocky, who appears in nearly all the episodes. Mannix had many friends on the police force and, from time to time, actually mobilized the police and rode shotgun with them. Rockford had one friend on the force (Becker) who treated him rudely at times; and Rockford was more likely to find himself under arrest than riding with the cops. Also, "Mannix" was a slick production that even had a special checkerboard sign-off to commercials. "The Rockford Files" often looks slapdash and even amateurish, especially on some commercial cuts that look like they were made arbitrarily rather than accurately timed.And some "Rockford" episodes have eerie echoes of Mannix episodes (I've seen all the episodes of both shows many times and I hear the echoes).But Rockford had one main difference: in many episodes, it was genuinely funny. "Mannix" never was funny. Rockford had been in prison (framed) and he had a sometimes-sidekick called "Angel" who was forever getting him into trouble. "Angel" (Evelyn) Martin (Stuart Margolin) raised "The Rockford Files" to the level of a classic, the way Larry, Darryl and Darryl did for "Newhart." A gifted comic, Margolin is nearly always hilarious, and the writers gave him beautifully-written lines."Mannix" and "The Rockford Files" aired at very different times. In the 1960s of "Mannix" funny shows lasted half an hour, while dramas (cop/detective/cowboy/doctor/lawyer) shows were an hour--and they were serious dramas!By the 1970s, lines were blurred. Comedies dealt with issues (and were therefore sometimes not funny at all) while hour-long shows began showing their silly side. "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" starred Darrin McGavin as a reporter stalking (and staking, when necessary) creatures that go bump in the night. "Charlie's Angels" featured three (often changing) gorgeous women detectives. "The Rockford Files" blended humor with drama, helped along mightily by James (Scott) Garner's laid-back, smiling style ("Mannix" rarely smiled; he had a large repertory of sneers). Garner's Rockford could be a descendant of his characters from "Maverick" and "Support Your Local Sheriff." Garner was always best as a smiling, low-key con artist who could work either side of the law equally well, and that's what he gives us in "Rockford." Like some other well-known actors (Roger Moore, for instance), Garner's acting range is limited; but like Moore he manages to play his range like a virtuoso.As mentioned above, "The Rockford FIles" is not the slickest show out there, and its ragged edges are sometimes annoying. Its incessant car chases show lots of variation, but they have too many tire squeals on dirt roads and plowed fields. And, most annoyingly, some actors (Joe E. Tata, Ken Swofford, Joan van Ark, John Wyner, MIchael Lerner,&c) reappear too often in different roles. And it's even worse for lesser-known actors Garner apparently likes (including his real-life brother, who appears in nearly 30 episodes).As with most shows, a few episodes are real dogs. And because it's hardly the slickest production out there and has a 1970s look to it, visually "The Rockford Files" doesn't hold up well and is hard to look at. But the scripts are often marvelous, with quite unexpected turns of phrase devised to get honest laughs. But (and here's a flaw in "Mannix" as well) too often Rockford doesn't depend on detection per se, but gets bounced along between the police and the all-too-present mob, and then pulls a solution out of his hat at the end.Finally, there's the thing for which Rockford was most famous: he rarely saw a payday. His clients often stiffed him, or cheated him out of finder's fees; and in many episodes he's working to get himself out of trouble and fighting for his life. Newcomers to the series will enjoy the multifarious ways Rockford gets hoodwinked out of his fees.Overall, despite its flaws, "The Rockford Files" stands head and shoulders above most other detective shows, mainly due to Garner's winning performance as Rockford. It's worth a watch.
phillipammar
Stephen J. Cannell created and contributed to so many TV shows that I've lost count. But The Rockford Files was his best in my opinion. Check out Cannell's bio and you'll be amazed. He died too young but wrote more in his years than anyone else I know of. You can't go wrong with The Rockford Files. James Garner was the perfect choice for the title character. Jim Rockford was sarcastic, funny, smart and tough when need be. He always got the job done and was the type of Private Investigator that America loved. And they still do thanks to cable TV and DVD's.
bkoganbing
I'm of the opinion that The Rockford Files did nothing less than save James Garner's career. I yield to no one in my admiration for this man as an actor. I read somewhere that it was said of him he makes every thing he's in just a little bit better by being there.But it was clear that his movie career at the time he was offered The Rockford Files was waning, he was not getting the good parts he once had on the big screen. What to do, but go back to television where Maverick had made him a big star.Though Garner's character and personality were certainly an integral part of the show, what I think set The Rockford Files apart was the terrific writing of each and every episode and the creation of some indelible characters. The best of course was Stuart Margolin as Angel Martin who was con man. Margolin did four or five episodes a year with The Rockford Files and he pulled Garner into one of his crazy schemes in every episode and Garner had to be resourceful to get them out.Garner was an ex-convict who apparently took a fall for some other people. His prison experience certainly toughened him and he went into the private detective business when paroled.Naturally the LAPD as do other police agencies don't like private eyes as a general rule and ex-con PIs really gets their collective backs up. Jim Rockford had a running battle with Lieutenant Chapman played beautifully by James Luisi who was never convinced Garner was on the up and up. Rockford had a good friend in Joe Santos as Sergeant later Lieutenant Dennis Becker who ran interference for him.He also had the support of his dad, Noah Beery, Jr. who was a retired truck driver and who occasionally got roped into some of Garner's cases as well. And he had a pretty lady lawyer Gretchen Corbett and with his relations with the cops, Garner had to have her on speed dial.Gretchen Corbett got a great career role in Beth Davenport. I'm not sure why she's not mentioned more as a feminist icon, a successful female professional if there ever was one on television.And other semi-recurring characters were folks like Isaac Hayes as Gandolf Finch another prison buddy, a man of few words and a demeanor that made Mr. T look like a friendly tour guide. Tom Selleck was here also as another private eye, Lance White, who kept getting credit for some of the grunt work Garner put in. This part led him to his own television series Magnum which in fact was patterned a lot on The Rockford Files. The show was rich with characters.The Rockford Files to me is perfect series television, entertaining without condescension to the lowest common denominator. After physical problems forced the cancellation, James Garner came back in the nineties to do several Rockford television films. They were good, but face it Garner was getting old and tending to the gut a bit more.With his recent stroke and the fact he's now 80 years old, I don't think another Rockford Files is in the cards. I wish it weren't so
