Ed Robertson

This Date in THE FBI History: William Reynolds joins the cast as Special Agent Tom Colby in “The Gold Card,” airing Sept. 17, 1967

THE GOLD CARD
Original Air Date: Sept. 17, 1967
Synopsis. In Willis, Nevada, Erskine enlists the aid of legendary gambler Doc Cameron (played by James Daly) to infiltrate Paul Nichols’ secret poker game and recover a black book that can link Nichols to an interstate system of bookmaking rooms and gambling parlors. But the escapade may endanger the inspector’s life.

LEARN MORE about this episode in THE FBI DOSSIER, everything you wanted to know—and more— about the long-running ABC-TV series produced by Quinn Martin and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. THE FBI DOSSIER is available through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.

This Date in MAVERICK TV History: “Dade City Dodge,” the first of two episodes featuring Mike Road and Kathleen Crowley as Pearly Gates and Marla, airs on Sept. 17, 1961. MAVERICK: LEGEND OF THE WEST: Revised Third Edition is now available both as an eBook and in softcover paperback through Black Pawn Press

DADE CITY DODGE
Original Airdate: September 17, 1961

Synopsis. At a horse race in New Orleans, smooth-talking hustler Pearly Gates (played by Mike Road) and his accomplice, Marla (Kathleen Crowley), talk Bart into betting $5,000 on a long shot. But Pearly never placed the bet—he fled with the money. Following a tip from Marla, Bart heads for Dade City, Texas, where he hopes to catch up with Pearly.

Gates and Marla were two more attempts to fill the void left by Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Diane Brewster when both left Maverick and took their characters with them. Like Dandy Jim Buckley and Marla, both Pearly and Marla are all-out grafters who operate without any kind of ethical code. Maverick, on the other hand, has a conscience, as we see in this episode.

LEARN MORE about this episode in the revised third edition of Maverick: Legend of the West, featuring more than 100 pages of new information about the show that made James Garner a star. 25 percent of the net proceeds from the sales of the third edition 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. The revised third edition of Maverick: Legend of the West is available through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.

This Date in ROCKFORD FILES History: Rita Moreno wins an Emmy for her performance as Rita Capkovic in “The Paper Palace” at the thirtieth Emmy Awards ceremony, held Sept. 17, 1978. THE ROCKFORD FILES also won an Emmy that night as Best Dramatic Series of the 1977-1978 television season. LEARN MORE in 45 YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES, available in softcover paperback and now as an eBook through Black Pawn Press

*Actress Rita Moreno accepting the Emmy for her performance in “The Paper Palace.” Screen grab from the thirtieth Emmys ceremony, held Sept. 17, 1978, courtesy of the Television Academy*

In accepting the Emmy for “The Paper Palace,” Moreno thanked James Garner, executive producer Meta Rosenberg, producer Charles Floyd Johnson, and particularly singled out the writer of the episode—Juanita Bartlett—as “a lady who really knows how to write about ladies.”

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

This Date in THE FBI History: Richard Anderson stars in “The Big Job,” the episode that also marked the first appearance of Shelly Novack as Special Agent Chris Daniels, airing Sept. 16, 1973

THE BIG JOB
Original Air Date: Sept. 16, 1973
Synopsis. Erskine and his new field partner, Special Agent Chris Daniels, travel six states in their effort to identify and locate the three men responsible for breaking into the depository of a nationwide armored car service located in Dallas, Texas.

LEARN MORE about this episode in THE FBI DOSSIER, everything you wanted to know—and more— about the long-running ABC-TV series produced by Quinn Martin and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. THE FBI DOSSIER is available through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.

This Date in ROCKFORD FILES History: James Whitmore Jr. makes his first appearance as Rockford wannabe Fred Beamer in “Beamer’s Last Case,” airing Sept. 16, 1977. LEARN MORE about this episode in 45 YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES, available in softcover paperback and now as an eBook through Black Pawn Press

BEAMER’S LAST CASE
Original Air Date: September 16, 1977

Synopsis. Rockford returns from an aborted fishing vacation in the Caribbean to find that someone has wrecked his car, disturbed his home, used his credit card to purchase several expensive detection devices, and even impersonated him. The culprit: Freddie Beamer, a mechanic at Tony’s Body Shop—and a private detective wannabe. Not only must Rockford clean up the mess Freddie made of his own life, he finds himself having to rescue Beamer (played by James Whitmore Jr.) after Freddie stumbles onto a taxicab company owner’s plot to sabotage his own business.

In this episode, writer/director Stephen J. Cannell borrows a concept from the classic Maverick episode “The Saga of Waco Williams” by pairing Rockford with a character, Freddie Beamer, with a penchant for landing in the middle of situations that Rockford would normally avoid. James Whitmore Jr., who plays Beamer, had just finished production of the first season of the World War II drama Baa Baa Black Sheep (NBC, 1976-1978) at the time he filmed this episode. Baa Baa Black Sheep was Cannell’s first series as an executive producer.

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

This Date in THE FBI History: Diane Baker stars as “the spy who came into the fold” in “Target of Interest,” airing Sept. 14, 1969

TARGET OF INTEREST
Original Air Date: Sept. 14, 1969
Synopsis. A spy ring for a Code Green Communist nation drives a prominent U.S. diplomat to leap to his death after the attaché refused to turn over an intelligence paper detailing how the United States would respond to the conflict in the Middle East. At Erskine’s behest, Anne Fraser, a double agent (played by Diane Baker), comes out of retirement to help the Bureau infiltrate the ring.

LEARN MORE about this episode in THE FBI DOSSIER, everything you wanted to know—and more— about the long-running ABC-TV series produced by Quinn Martin and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. THE FBI DOSSIER is available through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.

This Date in MAVERICK TV History: Troy Donahue and Adam West star in “Pappy,” airing Sept. 13, 1959. MAVERICK: LEGEND OF THE WEST: Revised Third Edition is now available both as an eBook and in softcover paperback through Black Pawn Press

PAPPY
Original Airdate: September 13, 1959

Synopsis. Dan Jamison (played by Troy Donahue), a friend of the Mavericks since he was a child, calls upon Bret and Bart when he discovers that their dear old “Pappy,” Beauregard Maverick, plans to marry Josephine St. Cloud (pronounced “Sahn Clew”), the eighteen-year-old daughter of a prestigious Louisiana family. Initially more curious than concerned, the boys become suspicious once the St. Cloud brothers take an instant dislike to Bret during a chance meeting in a Texas saloon. Bart decides to infiltrate the St. Cloud family (by impersonating Dandy Jim Buckley) and soon discovers that Pappy’s life is in danger.

James Garner played Pappy Maverick just once in the original series, but he reprised the role many years later. Garner again donned a gray wig and mustache to pose for the portrait of Pappy featured in Bret Maverick.

LEARN MORE about this episode in the revised third edition of Maverick: Legend of the West, featuring more than 100 pages of new information about the show that made James Garner a star. 25 percent of the net proceeds from the sales of the third edition 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. The revised third edition of Maverick: Legend of the West is available through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.

This Date in ROCKFORD FILES History: James Woods, Julie Sommars, and Abe Vigoda star in “The Kirkoff Case,” the premiere episode of the ROCKFORD FILES series, airing Sept. 13, 1974. LEARN MORE about this episode in 45 YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES, available in softcover paperback and now as an eBook through Black Pawn Press

THE KIRKOFF CASE
Original Air Date: September 13, 1974
Synopsis. Larry Kirkoff (played by James Woods) was indicted for the double murder of his parents. However, he was never convicted because the prosecution couldn’t place him at the scene of the crime, and the police never found the murder weapon. Larry hires Rockford to find evidence that would clear him of both crimes. Although Jim believes Kirkoff is guilty, he can’t quite resist the potential payoff: a $20,000 fee if he cracks the case. Rockford discovers that the Kirkoff murders may be linked to a real estate fraud. But he also finds that his investigation could have fatal ramifications after mobsters work him over and warn him to drop the case.

Other guest stars include Julie Sommars (The Governor and J.J., Matlock), Roger Davis (Dark Shadows, Alias Smith and Jones), and Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller). Vigoda, as mob kingpin Al Dancer, has one of the funniest lines in the episode in his lone scene with Garner. After Rockford refers to Muzzy Vinette as a “goon,” Dancer corrects him: “This is the age of public relations. Mr. Vinette is not a ‘goon.’ He is a ‘labor organizer.’”

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

This Date in THE FBI History: Frank Converse and Andrew Prine star in “Death on Sunday,” airing Sept. 12, 1971. This episode was one of several FBI episodes that was filmed on location at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

DEATH ON SUNDAY
Original Air Date: Sept. 12, 1971
Synopsis. In San Francisco, professional quarterback Paul Talbot finds himself engaged in psychological warfare with convicted extortionist Irwin Lynch on the eve of the league championship game. Lynch, a borderline psychotic whom Talbot arrested eight years before when he was an MP with the army, threatens to kill the football star unless he is paid $125,000.

LEARN MORE about this episode in THE FBI DOSSIER, everything you wanted to know—and more— about the long-running ABC-TV series produced by Quinn Martin and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. THE FBI DOSSIER is available through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.

This Date in ROCKFORD FILES History: Jim Hampton stars in “The Aaron Ironwood School of Success,” airing Sept. 12, 1975. LEARN MORE about this episode in 45 YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES, available in softcover paperback and now as an eBook through Black Pawn Press

THE AARON IRONWOOD SCHOOL OF SUCCESS
Original Air Date: September 12, 1975

Synopsis. Aaron Ironwood, an orphan who once lived with the Rockfords for many years, is now a self-made multi-millionaire who travels around the country giving motivational seminars that promote “Dare to Win,” a $5,000 program that purports to teach people the secrets of his success. But Aaron (played by Jim Hampton) is also a fraud artist, and Jim becomes his latest victim. After agreeing to take over control of Aaron’s company temporarily, Rockford discovers that Ironwood is wanted by both federal agents and the mob.

According to this episode, Becker is fifth on the list for lieutenant (“If I do well, I can make lieutenant in two or three months”). Although it took him a little longer than anticipated, Becker finally earned his promotion in the fifth-season episode “Kill the Messenger.”
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

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