The Rockford Files Cast Then and Now (2021)

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Click below to check the trivia question https://bit.ly/3rEeMxk The Rockford Files was one of the most successful detective dramas of its time, and remains in syndication even 40 years after its conclusion. Today, we're taking a look at the Rockford Files cast then and now to see how they've changed through the years. 00:00 - Intro 0:19 - Jack Garner as Captain McEnroe 1:23 - James Luisi as Lt. Doug Chapman 2:29 - Gretchen Corbett as Beth Davenport 3:35 - Tom Atkins as Lietenant Alex/Thomas Diehl 4:40 - Stuart Margolin as Angel Martin 5:47 - Joe Santos as Sergeant Dennis Becker 6:50 - Noah Beery Jr. as Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford 7:55 - James Garner as Jim Rockford Like this content? Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/factsverse?su... Or, watch more videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... The Rockford Files is an American detective drama television 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, Joseph Rockford, 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. In 2002, The Rockford Files was ranked No. 39 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. In contrast to most television private eyes, Rockford wears low-budget "off the rack" casual clothing and does his best to avoid physical altercations (although he is more than able to hold his own in a fistfight). He rarely carries his Colt Detective Special revolver, for which he has no permit, and prefers to talk his way out of trouble. He works on cold cases, missing persons investigations, and low-budget insurance scams, and repeatedly states that he does not handle "open cases" to avoid trouble with the police. (This self-imposed rule of Rockford's was relaxed in later seasons.) He has been a P.I. since 1968, and his usual fee is $200 per day plus expenses($200 at the series' beginning in September 1974 was the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $986 by March 2018). The show went into hiatus late in 1979 when Garner was told by his doctors to take time off because of numerous knee injuries and back trouble, as well as an ulcer. He sustained the former conditions largely because of his insistence on performing most of his own stunts, especially those involving fist fights or car chases. Because of his physical pain, Garner eventually opted not to continue with the show some months later, and NBC cancelled the program in mid-season. It was alleged that Rockford had become very expensive to produce, mainly due to the location filming and use of high-end actors as guest stars. According to sources, NBC and Universal claimed the show was generating a deficit of several million dollars, a staggering amount for a nighttime show at the time, although Garner and his production team Cherokee Productions claimed the show turned a profit. Garner told a story to Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show that the studio once paid a carpenter $700 to build a shipping crate for a shoot-out on a boat dock, though there were shipping crates on the dock. The script often called for Garner to damage his car, so the car could be sold, repaired, and repurchased for each episode. Do you think you know a lot about TV? Try our quiz and enter to win $500! Click below to check the trivia question https://bit.ly/3rEeMxk

SHOW LESS

The Rockford Files - Episode: Pastoria Prime Pick - The town called Pastoria in this episode is really Lone Pine, CA - Dow Villa Motel located at 310 South Main Street, Lone Pine, CA

Two things you can always count on in a Rockford Files episode were a car chase and Jim Rockford using a payphone, long before the cell phone era.

 In the above still image, James Rockford is eating at one of the cafes location on South Main Street in Lone Pine, CA. Neither this restaurant or the one seen through the open door are still around in Lone Pine. 

In all 3 of the above still images from the episode "Pastoria Prime Pick"  the motel shown is what is now known as the Dow Villa Motel located at 310 South Main Street, Lone Pine, CA

The above image is the Dow Villa Motel (2011) located in Lone Pine, CA

In the above three images, Smith Evans (Now she is Smith Wordes) played Rita, the underage mayor's daughter.

Born	September 18, 1955 in USA
Died	October 19, 2020 in Sinai, South Dakota, USA  (Cancer)

Mayor Karen Sanders was played by the late Kathie Browne.

Born: Sep 19, 1930 and died on April 8, 2003. 

Husband: Darren McGavin - Lead actor in Kolchak - The Night Stalker TV Series

Left: Sheriff Cliff Gladish was played by Richard Herd, who was born Sept 26, 1932 and is still alive as of this writing in 2016 - Right: County Prosecutor Gilbert Univaso was played by Don Billett, who was born Dec 26, 1935 and is still alive as of this writing in 2016.

The cranky mechanic Vern Soper was played by the late Warren J. Kemmerling - He died at age 80 in 2005.

The nylon masked thugs: Far left: Luis Delgado - a regular actor on the Rockford Files and the brother-in-law to Roy Huggins, one of the show's producers. He died in 1997 at 71.

Far Right: Bruce Tuthill, born July 26, 1943 and still with us as of this writing in 2016.

Middle: Unknown & Unaccredited

Waitress was played by Barbara Collentine, she was born on June 17, 1924 and is still with us as of this writing in 2016 at age 91. Retired Sheriff Emmett was played by the late Bill Zuckert who died in 1997 at age 81.

Judge Cline was played by a returning favorite to the Rockford Files, Bill Quinn, who died in 1994 at age 81. He appeared four times on the Rockford Files.

BELOW ARE SOME EXTRA STILL IMAGES FROM THIS EPISODE OF THE ROCKFORD FILES

The exterior courthouse scene was filmed at the Inyo County (CA) Courthouse - 168 North Edwards Street, Independence California - Above still frame from the scene and below as the courthouse is seen today in 2016.

UPDATE: Bill Anderson has pegged the location of the YMCA & Bishop Bus Stop filming location - Look below for the update

ABOVE IMAGE: A small blooper - The above images show Jim Rockford at his motel door. The room only has one entry/exit door. In one scene the door has a deadbolt lock above the doorknob and wood paneling on the wall. The next scene has the door with just a doorknob and plasterboard walls.

 

ABOVE THREE IMAGES: This episode is about saving the park with the bell from being sold by the City of Parma. Somebody from Wrightwood California is going to have to let me know if that really was or is such a park in their town.

UPDATE ON THE BELL'S LOCATION

12/07/2013 - Thanks to many of the kind residents of Wrightwood, CA who supplied us with so much information about their beautiful town!

The park & bell are located in Griffith Park, California

 ABOVE IMAGE: The original DON OSTER REALTY in Wrightwood California. They are still listed on the Internet as being in operation.

 ABOVE IMAGE:  UPDATE: This location was identified by Bill Anderson!
5142 Tujunga Ave. North Hollywood, CA
EAST VALLEY YMCA

ABOVE IMAGE: The "FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH" which also housed the "TIMBERLINE LIONS CLUB"

12/06/2013: Entrance to the Wrightwood Community Center - Thanks to John

ABOVE IMAGE: The late great Mary Munday played the cranky old city hall clerk. 

  

ABOVE IMAGE: Parma Sheriff,  the late Henry Beckman, walks past the old Standard Gas Sign.

 Henry Beckman joined the Canadian military service in WWII by changing his birth date, before he was 18, and served from 1939-1945. Less than 7% of his group survived the Normandy Invasion.

ABOVE IMAGES: Jim Rockford inside the "TEHACHAPI BELLE" restaurant. In this scene Jim talks about how bad the food is there... so needless to say the named used for this restaurant was fictional and not the real name of this eatery. 
12/05/2013: Now Identified -
The Yodeler Restaurant in "downtown" Wrightwood, California.
6046 Park Dr
Wrightwood, CA 92397

ABOVE IMAGE: The Parma Sheriff Office. The address on the wall is correct, 1300 Highway 2 Wrightwood CA. The "Parma Sheriff" sign is fictional.
12/06/2013: Used to be the Wrightwood Travel Agency building now occupied by a motorcycle tour company called Admo - Thanks to John

ABOVE IMAGE: As always the Rockford Files has a beautiful actress in this episode - Sandra Kerns played a news reporter by the name of Carrie Osgood

ABOVE FOUR IMAGES: A trip in time gone by in Wrightwood, California. What a beautiful town. I am placing this location on my travel wish list!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE IMDB WEBSITE TO SEE A COMPLETE LIST OF THE CAST FOR THIS EPISODE

Two things you can always count on in a Rockford Files episode were a car chase and Jim Rockford using a payphone, long before the cell phone era.

 In the above still image, James Rockford is eating at one of the cafes location on South Main Street in Lone Pine, CA. Neither this restaurant or the one seen through the open door are still around in Lone Pine. 

In all 3 of the above still images from the episode "Pastoria Prime Pick"  the motel shown is what is now known as the Dow Villa Motel located at 310 South Main Street, Lone Pine, CA

The above image is the Dow Villa Motel (2011) located in Lone Pine, CA

In the above three images, Smith Evans (Now she is Smith Wordes) played Rita, the underage mayor's daughter.

She was born Sep 18, 1955.

Mayor Karen Sanders was played by the late Kathie Browne.

Born: Sep 19, 1930 and died on April 8, 2003. 

Husband: Darren McGavin - Lead actor in Kolchak - The Night Stalker TV Series

Left: Sheriff Cliff Gladish was played by Richard Herd, who was born Sept 26, 1932 and is still alive as of this writing in 2016 - Right: County Prosecutor Gilbert Univaso was played by Don Billett, who was born Dec 26, 1935 and is still alive as of this writing in 2016.

The cranky mechanic Vern Soper was played by the late Warren J. Kemmerling - He died at age 80 in 2005.

The nylon masked thugs: Far left: Luis Delgado - a regular actor on the Rockford Files and the brother-in-law to Roy Huggins, one of the show's producers. He died in 1997 at 71.

Far Right: Bruce Tuthill, born July 26, 1943 and still with us as of this writing in 2016.

Middle: Unknown & Unaccredited

Waitress was played by Barbara Collentine, she was born on June 17, 1924 and is still with us as of this writing in 2016 at age 91. Retired Sheriff Emmett was played by the late Bill Zuckert who died in 1997 at age 81.

Judge Cline was played by a returning favorite to the Rockford Files, Bill Quinn, who died in 1994 at age 81. He appeared four times on the Rockford Files.

BELOW ARE SOME EXTRA STILL IMAGES FROM THIS EPISODE OF THE ROCKFORD FILES