- THE HOUSE ON WILLIS AVENUE (Two-hour episode)
Original Air Date: February 24, 1978
Synopsis. Rockford and greenhorn investigator Richie Brockelman probe the suspicious circumstances surrounding the accidental death of their mentor, veteran P.I. Joe Tooley, who died in the middle of a case involving a series of properties housing an extensive computer system. After questioning Tooley’s last client, political activist Albert Steever, Rockford and Richie determine that Tooley had run afoul of Garth McGregor, an electronics expert who plans to install a national computer network capable of providing access to personal information on more than 250 million Americans—for his own means. Rockford and Richie try to pull the plug on McGregor’s operation.“The House on Willis Avenue” was the second pilot for the Richie Brockelman, Private Eye series, which ran in Rockford’s time period for five weeks in the spring of 1978. Stephen J. Cannell had originally introduced Richie in The Missing 24 Hours, a 1976 TV-movie starring Dennis Dugan and Suzanne Pleshette.
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.