- COUNTER GAMBIT
Original Air Date: January 24, 1975
Synopsis. Insurance agent Edgar Burch (played by M. Emmet Walsh) hires Rockford to recover a $250,000 pearl necklace that was stolen by Moss Williams (Eddie Fontaine) three years before—shortly after Williams asked Jim to locate the woman who supposedly stashed the pearls. Rockford decides to play both sides of the fence, but instead gets burned. The “stolen” necklace was never stolen. Williams hired Burch to get Rockford to find the pearls so that he can steal them and frame Jim for the theft. With the help of Valerie Thomas, the owner of the pearls (played by Mary Frann), jewel appraiser Manny Tolan (Ford Rainey), and his old stir mate Angel Martin, Rockford sets out to clear himself.“Counter Gambit” marks Stuart Margolin’s first appearance as Angel since the pilot movie. Margolin appeared in twenty-nine episodes, winning two Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor along the way.
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
Ed Robertson
Author ● Journalist ● Radio Host ● Collaborative Writer
James Garner Animal Rescue Fund
This date in ROCKFORD FILES history: John Saxon stars in “A Portrait of Elizabeth,” airing Jan. 23, 1976. 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
- A PORTRAIT OF ELIZABETH
Original Air Date: January 23, 1976
Synopsis. John Saxon stars as Dave Delaroux, Beth’s client—and new boyfriend. Delaroux, the controller for the local branch of a national corporation, wants Rockford to determine whether someone in his office has been stealing cashier’s checks. Although Rockford is suspicious—and a little jealous—of Dave, he agrees to look into the matter and finds nothing amiss. Meanwhile, Dave, who along with two men swindled a San Diego bank out of $2 million (using cashier’s checks from his company), not only frames Rockford for that crime, but uses Rockford’s gun to kill his two partners. The real kicker, however, is that Rockford has an alibi he can’t use: Beth, who cannot reveal anything that could incriminate Dave without violating attorney/client confidentiality.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 MAVERICK TV history: “Dutchman’s Gold,” inspired by the Top 40 song of the same name, aired on Jan. 22, 1961
- DUTCHMAN’S GOLD
Original Airdate: January 22, 1961
Synopsis. After winning half-ownership of a saloon, but needing money to keep the business afloat, Beau becomes partners with a mysterious gold prospector known only as The Dutchman.
Mala Powers (Outrage) guest stars in an episode based on “Dutchman’s Gold,” a spoken-word recording that became a Top 40 hit for Walter Brennan in April 1960.
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, shelters, individual, 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 both in softcover and, very soon, as an eBook through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.
This Date in ROCKFORD FILES History: Rita Moreno stars in “The Paper Palace,” the first of her three appearances as Rita Capkovic, airing Jan. 20, 1978. 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 PAPER PALACE
Original Air Date: January 20, 1978
Synopsis. EGOT winner Rita Moreno stars as Rita Capkovic, a career prostitute who aches for genuine friendship: She’s so lonely that she often wheels an empty cart around a supermarket just to socialize with other people. After meeting Rockford at a disastrous dinner party with Dennis and Peggy Becker, Rita finds herself needing his help after two French-speaking men nearly kill her. Rita Moreno won an Emmy for her performance in this episode. That made her one of just three actresses—Barbra Streisand and Helen Hayes being the other two—to be honored with all four major awards in the entertainment industry: the Emmy, the Grammy, the Oscar, and the Tony. (Colloquially speaking, that feat is known in the trades as an EGOT.)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.” We’ll see Moreno again as Rita in “Rosendahl and Gilda Stern Are Dead” and “No-Fault Affair,” both of which were also written by Juanita Bartlett.
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 MAVERICK TV history: William Reynolds stars in “Rope of Cards,” the episode that introduced viewers to Maverick Solitaire, airing on Jan. 19, 1958
- ROPE OF CARDS
Original Airdate: January 19, 1958
Synopsis. Maverick meets Twelve Angry Men as Bret finds himself the only juror who votes to acquit a man who stands accused of murder.
The first of four episodes featuring William Reynolds (The F.B.I., The Islanders, “The Purple Testament” episode of The Twilight Zone), “Rope of Cards” also introduced viewers to “Maverick Solitaire,” where you can take any deck of cards, shuffle it, deal yourself twenty-five cards, and come up with five pat hands practically every time. According to legend, sales of playing cards spiked the day after this episode first aired.
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, shelters, individual, 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 both in softcover and, very soon, as an eBook through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.
This Date in ROCKFORD FILES History: Patricia Crowley and Ted Shackelford star in “Guilt,” airing Jan. 19, 1979. 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
- GUILT
Original Air Date: January 19, 1979
Synopsis. Bittersweet memories of a failed love affair and unresolved feelings of guilt come to the surface when Rockford receives a cry for help from Valerie Pointer (played by Patricia Crowley), the woman he nearly married twenty years before.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 MAVERICK TV history: “Two Beggars on Horseback” aired on Jan. 18, 1959
- TWO BEGGARS ON HORSEBACK
Original Airdate: January 18, 1959
Synopsis. Bret and Bart each carry a $10,000 draft from the Gannet Express Company, only to discover that the company is about to go bankrupt. But Jessamy Longacre (guest star Patricia Barry) has inside information: the Gannet office in Deadwood hasn’t closed yet, and will remain open until a messenger brings the news by stagecoach. For a $1,000 commission, Jessamy will lead the Mavericks to Deadwood—but since the Deadwood office only has enough money to cover only one draft, Bret and Bart race the clock and each other to see who can beat the messenger to Deadwood and cash in on their draft.
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, shelters, individual, 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 both in softcover and, very soon, as an eBook through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.
This date in MAVERICK TV history: “Maverick and Juliet,” the second of two episodes featuring Carole Wells, aired on Jan. 17, 1960
- MAVERICK AND JULIET
Original Airdate: January 17, 1960
Synopsis. Maverick meets The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn meets Romeo and Juliet as Bret and Bart finds themselves embroiled in a bitter feud between two families.
Guest star Carole Wells (Pistols ‘n’ Petticoats) makes the second of her two appearances this season in “Maverick and Juliet.” She shares memories of both her episodes in the revised third edition of Maverick: Legend of the West.
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, shelters, individual, 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 both in softcover and, very soon, as an eBook through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.
This Date in ROCKFORD FILES History: Lara Parker stars in “Sleight of Hand,” a faithful adaptation of the classic Howard Browne whodunit Thin Air, airing Jan. 17, 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
- SLEIGHT OF HAND
Original Air Date: January 17, 1975
Synopsis. Rockford makes an exception to his own rule of never interfering with an open police case when he investigates the disappearance of his girlfriend Karen Mills, who mysteriously vanished in front of her home moments after returning from a trip to San Francisco with Jim and her daughter Julie.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 ROCKFORD FILES History: Rob Reiner and Dick Butkus star in “The No-Cut Contract,” airing Jan. 16, 1976. 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 NO-CUT CONTRACT
Original Air Date: January 16, 1976
Synopsis. Larry “King” Sturtevant, starting quarterback for the Southern Illinois Warriors—a second-rate team in a third-rate pro football league—knows that team owner Dale Fontaine has ties with the Chicago underworld, so he had Fontaine’s conference room bugged to gain leverage in case he ever needed any. Sturtevant recorded a conversation in which Fontaine sold mob information to federal agents; when he learns that Fontaine planned to replace him with another quarterback, Sturtevant threatens to turn over the tapes unless Fontaine cancels the deal. However, when word of the tapes leaks out, Sturtevant finds himself on the run from both sides of the law. The weaselly Sturtevant, who claims he’d stashed the tapes with a private detective, supplies the mob and the FBI with a name he’d randomly plucked
from the Yellow Pages: Jim Rockford.The fourth of five episodes directed by Lou Antonio, “The No-Cut Contract” features Emmy Award-winning actor and Academy Award-winning director Rob Reiner, the Emmy Award-winning actor and future Academy Award-winning director who was starring on All in the Family (CBS, 1971-1983) at the time he appeared in this episode. Reiner’s father, the legendary writer/director and comic genius Carl Reiner, wrote the screenplay for The Thrill of It All, the 1963 comedy starring Doris Day and James Garner.
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.