1. TO PROTECT AND SERVE (Part 1)
    Original Air Date:     March 11, 1977
    Synopsis. New York attorney Michael Kelly hires Rockford to locate his fiance Patsy Fossler, who apparently fled to Los Angeles after she abruptly canceled their wedding a few days earlier. After two thugs from the East Coast who are also looking for Patsy break into Rockford’s trailer and beat him up, Jim tries to quit the case. Kelly, however, not only refuses to let Rockford quit, but threatens to kill him if he can’t find Patsy within twenty-four hours. The matter becomes clearer to Rockford once he tracks down Patsy. Kelly represents New York crime lord Joseph Manett, who was recently acquitted of jury tampering charges. Because Kelly told Patsy about many of the Manett family dealings, Manett wants her silenced for his own protection. Rockford must therefore protect Patsy from both his client and Manett’s goons. Complicating the situation: Lianne Sweeney, a meddlesome “police buff” whose efforts to assist the investigation nearly get Rockford and Patsy killed. This episode marks George Loros’ first appearance as East Coast mobster “Anthony Boy” Gagglio, the character that David Chase has since said was a prototype for New Jersey mobster Tony Sopranos in The Sopranos (HBO, 1999-2007). Loros, who had a recurring role as Raymond Curto on The Sopranos, reprised Anthony Boy in the fifth-season episode “The Man Who Saw the Alligators.”  Loros also played another tightly-wound bad guy in “The Dog and Pony Show,” as well as a good guy in “Only Rock ’n’ Roll Will Never Die.”

    LEARN MORE about this episode in the revised third edition of 45 YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES, featuring more than sixty new pages of never before published information about both the original Rockford Files and the CBS reunion movies, including twenty new interviews and six new appendices. 25 percent of the net proceeds from the sales of 45 YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES will be donated to The James Garner Animal Rescue Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds to help rescue organizations, shelters, individuals, fosters, and veterans with emergencies, evacuations, medical care, adoptions, training, pet supplies, shelter, rehabilitation, boarding, transportation, food, and other pressing needs. JGARF is one way for Garner fans to honor Jim’s memory and extend his legacy. Plus… if you order 45 YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES directly from Black Pawn Press, you will receive an exclusive bonus gift. Go to Rockford45.com for more details.