| Jim Rockford, played by James Gardner, spent five | | | | (played by Joe Santos) did Rockford's legwork looking |
| years in prison for an armed robbery which he didn't | | | | up criminal histories and number plates and in return Jim |
| commit and for which, he was later pardoned.In 1974 | | | | often credited him with solving a case, which helped |
| Rockford arrived on our TV screens, negating our | | | | Becker's career no end.Sgt. Becker also took the part |
| preconceived ideas that PIs were suave, debonair and | | | | of Jim's guardian angel when information provided by |
| earned a lot of money.Rockford was not very good | | | | Angel Martin (Stuart Margolin), one of Jim's prison |
| at investigating and avoided work when he could. He | | | | cellmates, caused more trouble than it provided |
| lived in a trailer and his car was an old Pontiac Firebird. | | | | answers. This was a pretty frequent occurrence and |
| Each episode began with the playing of an answer | | | | when it resulted in Jim's arrest, he would call upon his |
| phone message which went "This is Jim Rockford. At | | | | lawyer Beth Davenport (played by Gretchen Corbett). |
| the tone, leave your name and number and I'll get back | | | | Beth was a one-time girlfriend but the emphasis |
| to you." This was followed by some sort of threat | | | | became more on the "friend".Rockford only took on a |
| from a creditor, often with regard to the repossession | | | | case when the financial pressure from the answer |
| of the Pontiac. Each message was different and had | | | | phone became too great and clients would only come |
| nothing to do with the plot of the episode.Jim's father, | | | | to Rockford as a last resort. He would take on a case |
| Rocky, (played by Noah Beery Jr.) sometimes helped | | | | which appeared to be quite simple, but of course, it |
| out with cases but often tried to persuade Jim to give | | | | never was. His specialization was cases which had |
| up detecting to become a long distance truck driver, | | | | been closed, unsolved, by the police and it was the |
| following in his own footsteps.As with every private | | | | situations which evolved from the apparently |
| detective, Rockford had an inside man at the Los | | | | straightforward cases which caught the imagination of |
| Angeles Police Department. Sgt. Dennis Becker | | | | the viewing public. |