# Rockford Files... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 17, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411 "2009-09-17T05:06:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/41 "2009-09-21T17:07:43Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > My favorite Rockford moment was when he said _klaatu barada nikto_ to some big goon who was about to beat him up. While I didn’t see that episode, just imagining it make me laugh. I’d go with Robert Downey Jr. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/42 "2016-03-19T02:56:44Z")
Bumped. Joe Santos, who played Sgt. Becker, has died: [http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/18/entertainment/actor-joe-santos-dies/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/18/entertainment/actor-joe-santos-dies/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/43 "2016-03-19T03:04:07Z")
I hate it when a great show is made over , it’s never the same , there is no that could take James Garner place ! He was one of a kind ! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/44 "2016-03-19T03:30:06Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > I hate it when a great show is made over , it’s never the same , there is no > that could take James Garner place ! He was one of a kind ! Whoa. Is someone remaking the Rockford files, Jimmy? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/45 "2016-03-21T17:04:46Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Bumped. > > Joe Santos, who played Sgt. Becker, has died: [http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/18/entertainment/actor-joe-santos-dies/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/18/entertainment/actor-joe-santos-dies/index.html) Too bad no one bumped it when Garner died. I almost suggested he could play Rocky in a remake, but I guess not. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/46 "2016-03-21T17:11:13Z")
Maybe in a Weekend at Bernie’s way… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/47 "2016-03-21T21:39:38Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Whoa. > Is someone remaking the Rockford files, Jimmy? [Maybe.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=554399) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/48 "2016-03-21T22:39:18Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [Maybe.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=554399) I think it got as far as a pilot, but I’ve never seen it. I heard about Joe Santos’s passing. Can someone do a wellness check on Stuart Margolin? Damn, the greats are just dropping like flies these days. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/49 "2016-03-21T23:17:55Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Can someone do a wellness check on Stuart Margolin? [Alive and well](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Margolin), with less hair at 79. > [@answering machine](#): > > Jimmy, it’s Angel. > You know that phone call the police let you make? > This is it. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/50 "2016-03-22T00:42:30Z")
I make no claims about its quality or anything else, but the CBC series Republic of Doyle [Republic of Doyle - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Doyle) was designed as an homage to Rockford and had Margolin as a guest star playing an Angel-like character. The hero drives a 1968 Pontiac GTO, rust and all. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/51 "2016-03-22T02:28:22Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > The hero drives a 1968 Pontiac GTO, rust and all. Rockford had a Firebird, once driving his lawyer’s Porsche 914. “DON’T…red line it, Jimmy.” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/52 "2016-03-22T03:29:07Z")
Without looking it up, what was Rockford’s license plate number? 853-OKG ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/53 "2016-03-22T04:12:01Z")
I agree that The Rockford Files was a show largely about Jim Garner Jim-Garnering. But I’m not offended by giving it another go, though I think Bruce Campbell is likely to remain the top suggestion. As for Angel, that should be somebody you are going to want to punch anyway. So, Steve Gutenberg. At one point I saw probably the entire run of the show from somebody’s VHS, and I think of it every time I see a bad guy cause their own downfall by trying to kill a guy who was trying not to get involved in the first place. Suddenly, the hero who thought he didn’t have a case, and/or didn’t care has not only a motive but an important new clue. Happened to Rockford all the time. Nearly getting killed is his main crime-solving technique. And oh my god, fucking Eddie Coyle has better friends than this guy. Mind you, having Rockford for a friend is no picnic either. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/54 "2016-03-22T04:25:18Z")
I had this sudden thought that Will Smith might make a pretty good Rockford. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/55 "2016-03-22T10:57:12Z")
I learned recently that I work with someone who was a distant relative of James Garner’s. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/56 "2016-03-22T14:04:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > I’m not offended by giving it another go, though I think Bruce Campbell is likely to remain the top suggestion. > > As for Angel, that should be somebody you are going to want to punch anyway. So, Steve Gutenberg. Outstanding! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/57 "2016-03-22T14:28:46Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I had this sudden thought that Will Smith might make a pretty good Rockford. Aw, hell no! Maybe Ving Rhames for Gandy? Also, please ditch Angel. Gawd, I hated that guy. Can’t Stuart Margolin play anyone different? I hated his character in Magnum, as well, and that was just a one-time role. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/58 "2016-03-22T14:37:47Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Also, please ditch Angel. Gawd, I hated that guy. Can’t Stuart Margolin play anyone different? I hated his character in Magnum, as well, and that was just a one-time role. Angel: Am I my brother’s keeper? Rockford: The answer to that is supposed to be yes! ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/59 "2016-03-22T14:49:13Z")
I loved this show. Any attempt at a remake would be blasphemy. It would end up being just another detective show or movie that shared a name with a classic but very little else. Garner _was_ Rockford and there can be no other. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411/60 "2016-03-22T14:56:43Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > I agree that The Rockford Files was a show largely about Jim Garner Jim-Garnering. But I’m not offended by giving it another go, though I think Bruce Campbell is likely to remain the top suggestion. > > As for Angel, that should be somebody you are going to want to punch anyway. So, Steve Gutenberg. > > At one point I saw probably the entire run of the show from somebody’s VHS, and I think of it every time I see a bad guy cause their own downfall by trying to kill a guy who was trying not to get involved in the first place. Suddenly, the hero who thought he didn’t have a case, and/or didn’t care has not only a motive but an important new clue. Happened to Rockford all the time. Nearly getting killed is his main crime-solving technique. > > And oh my god, fucking Eddie Coyle has better friends than this guy. Mind you, having Rockford for a friend is no picnic either. The Friends of Eddie Could…highly recommended. God I miss Robert Mitchum. Also check our Out of the Past… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockford-files/510411.md?page=4)