Thursday, June 13, 2019

The Rockford Files - Episode: Gearjammers Parts I & II - Allan Motors, Ross Reynolds, Borrmann Steel Co, LaPaz Liquors, Magnolia Auto Repairs, Nolie's Antiques, Taco Bell, Sterpa Realty


In the above two photos you can see "Allan Motors" which was once located at 401 South Victory Blvd in Burbank, CA and Ross Reynolds Fiat & Subaru Auto Dealer which was once located at 338 South Victory Blvd in Burbank, CA. The Ross Reynolds building is now part of  D & D Auto Repairs at 338 S. Victory Blvd which has multiple buildings attached to each other as one business.
The Borrmann Steels sign can be seen in this scene. It is still present at 110 Olive Ave in Burbank, CA. This scene took place under the Golden Gate Freeway.  

Vincent Thomas Bridge, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA



Above Image: A gas station can be seen across the way from La Paz Liquors, it is no longer there.
La Paz Liquors located at 4101 West Magnolia Blvd.
In the interior store image you can see a sign for a six pack of Schlitz for $1.59
That is almost as good as gas being 56 cents a gallon as seen in many scenes of the Rockford Files. La Paz Liquors is still there.




In the four above images various businesses that were located next to Magnolia Auto Works (Now Victory Auto) located at 4220 West Magnolia Blvd can be seen.
Taco Bell (Old style Taco Bell Signs) 4301 West Magnolia Blvd
The Taco Bell is still located there.
The four following businesses are long gone:
Sterpa Realty 4300 West Magnolia Blvd
Grocery Store 4221 West Magnolia Blvd
Nolie's Antiques and Treasures 4209 West Magnolia Blvd
Photo Studio also located at 4209 West Magnolia Blvd
The photo studio may have been named Magnolia Photo Studio.


Thursday, November 22, 2018

The Rockford Files - Episode: Tall Woman in Red Wagon (1974) - Ashbrook and Elmira, California, Fred Harvey's Ranch House Inn, Wayne's Mill Place & North Tourney Road, Valencia, California - James Murtaugh played train conductor Steve McWilliams - Murtaugh guest starred in four Rockford Files episodes - George DiCenzo played IRS Agent Harry Stoner - George DiCenzo past away at age 70 in 2010 - Angus Duncan played Joe Barron Jr. - Duncan guest starred in three Rockford Files episodes and past away at age 70 in 2007 - Jack Stamberger played a train station manager - he past away at age 70 in 1980 - Ryan McDonald played a hotel manager, he will be 84 years old this year, John Crawford played Dr. Kenilworth, Susan Damante played Charlotte Duskey - A big thank you to Terry Guy for help in identifying the train depot used in this episode - Santa Clarita Bank in Santa Clarita, CA

Update 22 November 2018:  I was able to pinpoint the location of the café and the bank. The café where Rockford and Sandra Turkel (Sian Barbara Allen) met is currently located at: Hidden Havana Cuban Café 23548 Lyons Ave. Suite A Santa Clarita, CA 91321 It is within a shopping center at the corner of Lyons Ave. and Peachland Ave. in Santa Clarita. I don’t know what the name of the café was before it became Hidden Havana. The bank (which once had the distinctive sign) is currently Union Bank at 23620 Lyons Ave. in Santa Clarita. You can do Google satellite views set to 3D to zero in on this area. --Don H. 

Need help in the two below photos:

ABOVE TWO IMAGES: The bank sign over the shoulder of Jim Rockford is the key to identifying this filming location. I believe the bank sign is for the Santa Clarita Bank in Santa Clarita, CA.
Anybody remember where this sign once stood? Please let us know by leaving it in the comment section.


ABOVE TWO IMAGES: The train depot use for this episode located in the cities of Ashbrook and Elmira, California - In this episode the Rockford Files used the same train depot for the two aforementioned cities. Thanks to Terry Guy, a viewer of this blog and pro photographer, we have learned that the train depot used was the  Santa Fe Railway station in Pasadena, CA.

ABOVE IMAGE: Train Station / Depot at Pasadena, CA - Terry Guy Wrote the following:

That picture was taken within the last two weeks of Amtrak service to that location.  The line from downtown Los Angeles out to Pasadena had been purchased by the Los Angeles County Transportation Agency for conversion into an electrified light rail line, and the Amtrak trains would switch to a more southerly routing into L.A. after January 14, 1994.  

Trains on what is now known as the MTA Gold Line still stop here, but the station building has been converted into a restaurant and is hemmed in by multistory, mixed-use, retail/residential buildings.  Attached is a picture I took of it in 2010. 

ABOVE IMAGE: Fred Harvey's Ranch House Inn, Wayne's Mill Place & North Tourney Road, Valencia, California

ABOVE IMAGES: Some amazing Hollywood talent - LEFT TO RIGHT - Fellow Chicagoan James Murtaugh played train conductor Steve McWilliams - Murtaugh guest starred in four Rockford Files episodes - George DiCenzo played IRS Agent Harry Stoner - George DiCenzo past away at age 70 in 2010 - Angus Duncan played Joe Barron Jr. - Duncan guest starred in three Rockford Files episodes and past away at age 70 in 2007 - Jack Stamberger played a train station manager - he past away at age 70 in 1980 - Ryan McDonald played a hotel manager, he will be 84 years old this year.

 ABOVE IMAGE: Conductor (unaccredited)
  ABOVE IMAGE: Mob Thugs (unaccredited)
 ABOVE IMAGE: Waitress (unaccredited)

ABOVE IMAGE: John Crawford played Dr. Kenilworth


 ABOVE IMAGE: Susan Damante played Charlotte Duskey

Thursday, August 2, 2018

The Rockford Files - Episode: This Case Is Closed - Episode Blooper


During the first segment of this episode Jim Rockford was being tailed by another private investigator. Jim loses this tail by going into a gated parking lot. In the above image you can see the two camera men and the two movie cameras on tripods as the scene shows the parking lot entrance/exit gate.

Friday, May 11, 2018

The Rockford Files - Episode: Aura Lee, Farewell - Opening scene - Sea Shore Inn Fish House on Pacific Coast Highway


Here is another scene that we need help with. I digitally enhanced the restaurant's sign in the bottom photo. The restaurant was named SEA SHORE INN - FISH HOUSE. It appears to be on the Pacific Coast Highway. Anybody remember this restaurant and its location? Thanks! 

We have solved yet another location mystery. Loyal viewer Don H. has identified this location as 17300 Pacific Coast Hwy
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Thank you Don H. for your assistance again...

BELOW: Some better quality images of the Sea Shore Inn Fish House as seen in another TV series: Ghost Story (TV 1972)- The Concrete Captain



Friday, March 23, 2018

Oldest living actor/actress that appeared on the Rockford Files TV Show passes away - Connie Sawyer was 105 years old - Played Mrs. Fornechefsky in the 1978 episode "The Gang at Don's Drive-In"

Viewer Chad S. informed us that Connie Sawyer passed away at age 105 on 01/21/2018
Godspeed.....
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In the above still image from the 1978 Rockford Files - Episode: "The Gang at Don's Drive-In" Connie Sawyer played the role of Mrs. Fornechefsky, whose daughter was murdered at age 18. Ms. Sawyer was 66 years old at the time. She is still acting today at 104 years old.

Saturday, April 1, 2017

The Rockford Files - EPISODE: GUILT (1979) The Factory Auto Repairs - "Independent Rorschey Repairs" 13332 West Washington Blvd Culver City California - James Import Motor Service - Burger King 13334 West Washington Blvd (Now Demolished)

ABOVE IMAGE: THE FACTORY auto repairs - It's slogan on the wall says, "Independent Rorschey Repairs" 13332 West Washington Blvd which was located next to the now demolished Burger King 13334 West Washington Blvd. - THE FACTORY is now James Import Motor Works.. The Burger King was recently demolished for a large residential condo or apartment building.  

Below 2017

Friday, January 20, 2017

The Rockford Files - EPISODE: Nice Guys Finish Dead (1979) Filming Locations: San Fernando Road - Lindy's Liquor, Sir Sico Restaurant, Simmons Market, K&A Parts and More!

BELOW PHOTO: In this episode of the Rockford Files "NICE GUYS FINISH DEAD" 1979 - Jim Rockford (James Garner) teamed up with Lance White (Tom Selleck), Freddie Beamer (James Whitmore Jr.) and pictured in the second photograph, Vern St. Cloud (Simon Oakland) in one great episode of the Rockford Files.



ABOVE PHOTO: Actor Larry Manetti appeared in this episode. Larry Manetti would later team back up with Tom Selleck on the TV series Magnum P.I.

ABOVE PHOTO: You have to give the Rockford Files casting department credit because they always had some of the most beautiful actresses on this TV series. In the above photo, this unaccredited actress handed Vern St.Cloud the name of the Goodhue Award. I will not spoil this episode by telling who won the award.

 ABOVE PHOTO: 8400 Block of San Fernando Road in 1979

 ABOVE PHOTO: Simmons Market located at 8361 San Fernando Road - displaying the beautifully hand painted Pepsi logo on the side of their store and also on the overhead street sign. 

ABOVE PHOTO: Sir Sico Restaurant located at 8351 San Fernando Road.
Have you ever ate there? Let me know please!
I added the photo of the matchbook to the above image.

Frank R. Sica; Called a Major Crime Figure of 1940s and '50s - Owner of Sir Sico

(1987) Memorial services were conducted Thursday evening in Burbank for Frank R. Sica, the youngest of three brothers considered by police to be major California crime figures during the late 1940s and early '50s.
Sica, 70, who died last Saturday after a lengthy illness, was the owner until early last year of the Sir Sico restaurant in Sun Valley.
Beginning in 1959 he fought a lengthy battle to obtain an entertainment permit for that establishment. For seven years it was opposed by the Los Angeles Police Commission on grounds that he had a lengthy record of arrests for gambling and that he was associated with "known criminals"--his brothers.
He finally won that permit after Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Alfred Gitelson noted that Sica already had a liquor license and that addition of a piano bar had no relation to any allegations of bad character.
The brothers in question, Joseph and Alfred Sica, were described in a state Special Crime Commission report of that era as having left the notorious Mickey Cohen mob to join that of rival gangster Jack Dragna.
Joseph and Alfred Sica were indicted by a federal grand jury in January, 1950, with Abraham Davidian and 13 others on charges of operating the then-biggest heroin smuggling ring in Southern California.
Davidian turned state's evidence, but was murdered in Fresno before the trial. Prosecution of all defendants was abandoned, prompting U.S. District Judge Peirson M. Hall to criticize prosecutors for their failure to track down the killer or killers in that and three other dope case killings.
Frank Sica leaves two other brothers, Jimmy and Nunzio; his wife, Mary; sons Gary, Bob and Ron as well as sisters Ann DeVito and Jennie Sica.

ABOVE PHOTO: Lindy's Liquor located at Vineland and San Fernando Road.

ABOVE PHOTO: Bus ad for "seeyouaround", any idea who this advertising campaign was for?

 ABOVE PHOTO: The vintage "BUS" sign was shown in this episode. Anybody have any idea where this sign was once located?

ABOVE PHOTO: Rockford & crew drive past K&A Parts at San Fernando Road and Penrose. K&A Parts are still located there at 8557 San Fernando Road!

ABOVE PHOTO: Yes I saved the best for last. Freddie Beamer couldn't concentrate on being hypnotized by Brandy Alexander. I wonder why????
The sexy and chesty Brandy Alexander was played by the beautiful actress Erica Hagen.