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The Rockford Files!


Photo found here.

The Rockford residence: a crappy trailer on Malibu beach. Rockford described it best: "It's cheap, tax-deductible, earthquake-proof and when I get a case out of town, I take it with me."


Rockford was also fond of wearing off-the-rack blazers.

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He advertised in the yellow pages.

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His vehicle of choice, a gold Pontiac Firebird Esprit, was not too shabby. There's a car chase in every episode. My 7 year old always gets excited to see what he calls the "Rockford," when he shifts into reverse, speeds up backwards in a straight line and sharply turns his wheels, leading to a 180 degrees spin. Then Rockford shifts back into forward gear and punches it. According to Wikipedia, Secret Service agents use this one a lot and refer to it as the "J-Turn."

Found here.


The Rockford Files remains one of the best detective/police dramas to date. We love the well-developed characters played by strong actors, and get a kick of out seeing guest actors like Isaac Hayes, Linda Evans and Joan Van Ark.

Photo found here.

Character Angel Martin, played by Stewart Margolin, is one of our favorites. Here's classic Angel:



Writer Juanita Bartlett composed excellent scripts and maintained a unique balance of comedy and poignant drama throughout. You can rent Rockford Files on Netflix or watch seasons 1-3 for free on Hulu.