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During the 1970s, if you were in trouble, your best move was to call PI, Jim Rockford. For $200 a day, plus expenses, you could get the best detective in TV history to help you out of a jam. I’m talking about, not just private detectives, but also police detectives. Just consider some of his competition during the 70s.
Frank Cannon: Cannon, played by William Conrad, was a 50ish, 300+ pound white guy. While guys with that profile can probably make it as detectives, they aren’t likely to be able to run down very many guys in foot pursuit. I will give credit for an episode where Cannon bellybutted guy. Way to use your assets, Frank. I’d be afraid to hire Cannon for fear he would go into cardiac arrest at an inopportune time.
Mike Longstreet: Longstreet as portrayed by James Franciscus, was a blind insurance instigator. That’s not as far-fetched as you might think. I thought the last two insurance adjusters I’ve dealt with were also blind. Based on my experience with the insurance industry, I’ve got to say no to a blind insurance investigator.
Frank ? Columbo: It seems that Frank is Lt. Columbo’s name, though that’s not definitive. We go from a blind detective to a detective with one eye, and it’s a definite upgrade. It’s hard to argue with the success of Columbo, but there are some things that can be a little off-putting. Columbo pretty well takes his cigar with him everywhere he goes. He seems like a nice guy, but enough with the cigar. I do, however, like the way he agitates the bad guys with OCD behavior. The bad guys he pursues are generally egomaniacs with little patience. Columbo’s behavior really irks them.
Theo Kojack: Telly Savalas, aka, Theo Kojack, had a famous bald head, lollipop, and a catchphrase. The phrase was, “Who loves you, baby?” I always got the impression the one Theo loved the most was Theo. Geezers among us might remember Savalis’ brother also was on the show. His brother, George also played a detective, Curly Stavarvos. Seems like a kind of, in-your-face to his brother. Theo was always just a little too cool for me.
Barnaby Jones: Buddy Ebsen progressed from playing Jed Clampett to detective, Barnaby Jones. I appreciate old guys wanting to work, but I would hate to think my case was on hold while the detective I hired was grabbing a nap.
Enough about the competition, on to the real deal, Jim Rockford. When you hired Rockford, you sometimes got for more than you bargained for. Not always in a bad way.
Jim was sometimes assisted?, by Angel Martin. Angel was sketchy and had little loyalty, but was occasionally helpful to Jim. Angel was like having a chip in your tooth. It’s unsightly and annoying, but after a while, you can get used to it.
When Jim’s father, Rocky, wasn’t trying to get Jim to quit being a detective and start driving a truck, he was a solid ally in Jim’s investigations.
Like all private detectives from the 70s, Rockford had his police contact. In his case, it was Sargent, Dennis Becker. Becker vacillated between acting like he didn’t want to ever be associated with Rockford and acting on hot tips Rockford gave him. All things considered, Becker was a good ally.
If you caught Jim at the right time, you might get some assistance from his sometimes lawyer/girlfriend, Beth Davenport. While Angel, Rocky, Becker, and Beth might be the A-Team, they were at least a decent support group for Rockford.
As Rockford himself, I immediately relate to a guy living in a rundown trailer, has trouble paying his bills, takes clients out to lunch at a taco stand, and occasionally gets beaten up. Rockford was also smart, resourceful, and willing to go the extra mile for a client. (Read that break and enter.) For blue-collar guys, Jim Rockford is very relatable.
To Rockford, success was being able to go fishing or a football game. His lifestyle reflected his attitude. Lots of TV detectives have come and gone since Jim Rockford, but he remains the best of all time.