The Rockford Files - Episode: Resurrection in Black & White (1975) Santa Monica Huntley House's "Gate of Spain Resturant" filming location

 

 

Above Two Images: Jim Rockford selected the Huntley House's Gate of Spain Restaurant to celebrate his "breaking the case". Jim Rockford has dinner with his two clients - Susan Alexander & Dave Kruger played by Joan Van Ark and John Lawlor.

 

 

The above photo is a file photo of Huntley House's Gate of Spain Restaurant.

This is NOT a scene from this episode.

 

 

Above Image: Actors Joan Van Ark and John Lawlor shown as they appeared in 1975 and more recently 2012.

 

 Above Two Images: Interior filming at the Huntley House's Gate of Spain Restaurant.

 

 

 

The Rockford Files - Episode "Crack Back" (1977) Burbank California Court Building

 Thanks to Judy for sending me this information!

 

Above Two Images: In one of the final scenes, actor Howard McGillin playing the role of football player Davey Woodhull is seen on the front stairs of the Burbank California Courthouse giving a press interview. The courthouse is located at 275 East Olive Ave in Burbank, CA.

 

Here is how the Burbank Courthouse looks today in 2012.



The Rockford Files - Episode: Coulter City Wildcat (1976) - Santa Paula CA was used as Coulter City, CA - Royal Oak Motel

ABOVE PHOTO: In the episode of Coulter City Wildcats Jim and Rocky Rockford travel to the fictional town of Coulter City, California. In reality Santa Paula, California was the actual location used for this fictional TV town.

 

ABOVE PHOTO: In this image you can see Jim and Rocky pulling into the Royal Oak Motel in Coulter City, California. This was once a real motel located at 320 W Harvard Blvd. Santa Paula, CA 93060. When I was a child I remember staying at such small town motels while traveling with my family on driving vacations. Slowly many of these family own motels are going away.

ABOVE PHOTO: What the property looks like today (2012) that once was the Royal Oak Motel. It is now called Harvard Place at 320 West Harvard, Santa Paula, CA

A big thank you to Frank C. Girardot, Jr. of the Pasadena Star-News for the nice write-up he gave my Rockford Files Blog

CLICK HERE TO VIEW FRANK C. GIRARDOT'S NEWS ARTICLE WHICH INCLUDED THIS ROCKFORD FILES TV BLOG - THE ARTICLE IS TITLED: "Frank Girardot: Time travel to 1970s Los Angeles via 'The Rockford Files'"

The Rockford Files - Episode: Just Another Polish Wedding (1977) - THE PASTA FACTORY ITALIAN RESTAURANT 415 Washington Blvd - Marina Del Rey, CA

The below photo is from a Rockford Files scene - "Just Another Polish Wedding" - the building is the MARINA TOWER APARTMENTS 415 Washington Boulevard  Marina Del Rey, CA - The red large sign was for the Guerino's Deli Restaurant once located in this building. "THE PASTA FACTORY ITALIAN RESTAURANT" is now located in this corner portion of the MARINA TOWER APARTMENT BUILDING.

The below photo reflects what the MARINA TOWER APARTMENT BUILDING looks like in 2012

BELOW PHOTO: In the same scene from above, a "Musicians Union Local 0174" hall could be seen across the street from the Marina Tower Apartments. I believe the Musicians' Union Office was actually fictitious and only used for the production/filming of this episode. The building they used for this fake union hall is located at 450 Washington Boulevard  Marina Del Rey, CA.

BELOW PHOTO: 450 Washington Boulevard  Marina Del Rey, CA as it is today in 2012.

June 9, 2012 - Happy 80th Birthday to Joe Santos - also known as Sgt & Lt. Dennis Becker from the Rockford Files series

Born: Joseph Minieri on June 9, 1931 in Brooklyn, New York

Mini Biography from www.IMDB.com

Hispanic Brooklyn-born actor Joe Santos started out a football jock at Fordham University and turned semi-pro before finding a new avenue in acting. Success was long in coming, and he paid his dues for years in a number of blue-collar jobs including railroad worker, tree trimmer, cabbie and barkeep while taking acting classes. A soap opera job and work in his cousin Joseph W. Sarno's cheapjack film exploitations (Flesh and Lace (1965), Moonlighting Wives (1966) and My Body Hungers (1967)) in the '60s seemed to lead nowhere. His first real break came with the searing film downer The Panic in Needle Park (1971), getting a part at the urging of his friend and star of the film, the up-and-coming Al Pacino, who had played some softball with Santos. A prime role as a sympathetic sergeant in the acclaimed TV mini-series The Blue Knight (1973) (TV) led Santos in the direction of "good cop" parts, with a long-running role as James Garner's long-suffering friend Lt. Becker on the series "The Rockford Files" (1974) (1974-80). Other series roles in "Me and Maxx" (1980), "a.k.a. Pablo" (1984)--as Paul Rodriguez's dad--and Lt. Harper in the 1985-86 season of "Hardcastle and McCormick" (1983) kept him busy. Missing out on the one big role that might have put him on the map, the beefy and balding Santos remains a durable and reliable supporting player, getting some deserved notice in 2004 with his recurring role of "Consigliere Angelo Garepe" in the hit hitman series "The Sopranos" (1999). He has also dabbled in playwriting, having penned "Sunset Normandie", in which he also starred in.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net


Spouse:
Mary Montero - (31 March 1958 - present) 2 children
MARRIED 54 Years

Trivia:
Cousin of director Joseph W. Sarno.

Father of producer/director/writer Perry Santos.

The Rockford Files - Episode: Caledonia: It's Worth a Fortune! (1974)

ABOVE PHOTO: James Garner as Jim Rockford, Shelley Fabares as Jolene Hyland and Richard Schaal as Leonard Blair

ABOVE PHOTO: Jim Rockford parks his car in front of ROYAL CAR WASH

BELOW PHOTO: Next to the ROYAL CAR WASH is a FORD TRACTOR DEALER

Above Photo: A hired thug approaches Jim's car as they are parked at the above location.

ABOVE PHOTO: (2012 PHOTO) The FORD TRACTOR DEALER has been re-named VALLEY TRACTOR and is located at: 449 Ventura Street (Cal 126) Fillmore, Ca

ABOVE PHOTO: (2012 PHOTO) The ROYAL CAR WASH is still located on Ventura Street right next to VALLEY TRACTOR
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Above Photo: James Garner as Jim Rockford waits with Shelley Fabares as Jolene Hyland at a roadside farm stand.

Above Photo: The wait is over as Richard Schaal as Leonard Blair shows up with his hired thug.

Above Photo: (2012 PHOTO) The roadside farm stand used in this episode of the Rockford Files is still in business today. The above photo is from 2012.

Cornejo’s Produce Stand 768 E Telegraph Rd

Fillmore-Piru, CA 93015