- 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