Written by me@grafxflow
Only recently I started watching the The Rockford Files via my Blu-ray player and started placing it in my classic 70's collection along side the likes of Columbo. So for my reference I decided to place the episodes with photos as an easy catchup of my favourite episodes.
Note: You will recognise loads of people who appear in other programes of that era, such as Columbo, Battlestar Galactica etc.
I also can't take the credit for the descriptions since I just copied them from the official boxset.
27 March 1974
Rockford is approached by a young woman trying to find out whether her father was murdered or, as reported, committed suicide.
13 September 1974
Jim Rockford is hired by the heir to a family fortune to find the slayers of his parents, although police are convinced the heir is guilty of the crime.
20 September 1974
When private-eye Rockford succumbs to the pressures of his attorney friend to investigate a homicide involving a screenwriter, he suddenly becomes a target of would-be assassins.
27 September 1974
A wealthy Texan's wife, enjoying the affluent life, is suddenly confronted by a hoodlum who remembers her jumping bail on a minor charge and tries to blackmail her to insure hs silence.
4 October 1974
In doing a favor for a longtime friend, Rockford checks on a philandering husband and finds him dead under mysterious circumstances.
11 October 1974
Rockford disguises himself as a coffin salesman, a psychiatrist and an Internal Revenue agent as he pursues a strange trail left by a missing beauty.
18 October 1974
A tycoon hires Rockford to investigate his prospective son-in-law, suspecting his portfolio is too good to be true. Part 2.
25 October 1974
Rockford believes that an insurance company was taken for $400,000 in settling with the lone survivor of a plane crash.
1 November 1974
A girl hires Rockford to find out who she is, and the baffling trail leads the private eye to Denver and an underworld kingpin.
8 November 1974
Rockford is hired to trail a girl just released from prison, hoping she will lead him to $1 million.
15 November 1974
A businessman hires Rockford to find his missing girlfriend, but doesn't inform the private eye that she's made off with $250,000.
6 December 1974
Hired by a convict's wife to find a fortune hidden on a ranch, Rockford encounters obstacles on both sides of the law in pursuit of the case.
20 December 1974
Kidnappers knock out Jim Rockford while abducting a client from his trailer who was involved in a stock price manipulation.
27 December 1974
Rockford and his client "burglarize" a print shop, searching for clues which will lead to stock market fixing and homicide.
3 January 1975
The operator of a boutique shop hires Rockford again to solve the homicide of her friend, this time involving a state senator and a conman.
17 January 1975
Rockford launches a search for his girlfriend who has disappeared suddenly, and the trail leads to a fugitive syndicate chief.
24 January 1975
A convict hires Rockford under the pretext that he wants to find his girl, when he actually is after her jewelry. Rockford then gets into a battle of wits over a pearl necklace and a pretty woman.
31 January 1975
Rockford does a favor for a former fiancee and is promptly plunged into a tug-o-war between police and the underworld. She persuades him to check on a "friend" under the pretence that she is being victimised by a loan shark.
7 February 1975
Rockford's uncanny knowledge of fashion models' quirks leads to the solution of a homicide which involves a model, a dentist, a photographer and the underworld.
14 February 1975
A playboy who is suspected in the death of his wealthy wife turns to his former prison cellmate, Rockford, to prove his innocence.
21 February 1975
Although police write off a rookie's death as accidental, Rockford reopens the case which causes repercussions in police and underworld circles.
28 February 1975
A stock car driver dies in what police term a traffic mishap, but Rockford, hired by the victim's wealthy mother, reopens the case and uncovers a clever insurance-claim racket.
7 March 1975
Jim is hired to deliver an insurance check to a recording artist, but discovers she is the prisoner of a syndicate who is exploiting her.
12 September 1975
Private-eye Jim Rockford welcomes home his childhood foster brother, who is now worth millions through a franchise scheme, and is induced to protect him from the underworld.
19 September 1975
Jim combats a group perpetrating a fraud on his friend Det. Becker, with a scheme using jack-hammers and an oil rig.
26 September 1975
Jim searches frantically for his father, Rocky, who becomes the target of assassins after he observes an underworld payoff.
3 October 1975
Though assassins fail to get Rocky the first time, they continue their effort while Rockford and the police zero in on a bizarre hijacking scheme.
10 October 1975
Jim Rockford's search for a missing model uncovers a homicide trail through a leading fashion studio.
17 October 1975
While trying to recover $10,000 stolen by a salesman, Rockford uncovers a huge land swindle.
31 October 1975
A woman private eye dupes Rockford into working as her decoy on a phony case.
7 November 1975
Jim is hired by a magazine writer to help her free a convict she's convinced is innocent of homicide.
14 November 1975
Jim is tricked into helping collect a debt owed to his cellmate Angel and together they become the targets of an underworld mobster.
21 November 1975
Rockford investigates the "traffic" death of his old Army commander at the request of the officer's daughter, and uncovers an arms smuggling ring.
28 November 1975
While waiting for his car to be repaired in the small town of Pastoria, Rockford uncovers a criminal scheme concocted by the local prosecutor, the sheriff and the mayor.
5 December 1975
A bookkeeper hires Rockford to find her missing brother, a stockbroker who is also being sought by federal agents.
19 December 1975
Rockford poses as a newspaper publisher when he infiltrates a "charity" club for a mysterious client who suspects a rigged gambling operation.
9 January 1976
A one-time prostitute, now well married, holds the key to a slaying of the wife of a former cellmate of Rockford who has served 20 years for the crime.
16 January 1976
A small-time quarterback makes Rockford the target of both mobsters and federal agents when he implicates him in a blackmail scheme.
23 January 1976
A suave eastern lawyer hires Jim to investigate charges of larceny in the western office of a company he represents.
30 January 1976
An ex-convict trying to go straight hires Rockford to combat efforts by his former associates to move in on his legitimate business.
6 February 1976
Attorney Beth Davenport enlists the help of Rockford when she discovers that some of her clients have activities that extend into the underworld and she has become the target of an assassin.
13 February 1976
Rockford purchases a rare sculpted bird and the art treasure involves him with an international smuggling ring.
20 February 1976
Rockford searches for the granddaughter of Rocky's old pal, Pete Preli, but his investigation uncovers a plot to gobble up real estate, including Preli's property in a rundown end of town.
12 March 1976
A double-dealing old friend of Rockford's - a cop turned private eye - tries to help a questionable client obtain a basketball franchise.
19 March 1976
A real estate entrepreneur uses her former boyfriend - an unwitting Jim Rockford - to transport counterfeit money for a grandiose land scheme.
24 September 1976
An airline stewardess becomes the target of an assassin for no apparent reason, until Rockford's sleuthing reveals an explanation.
1 October 1976
A phony psychic fingers Jim in the death of a dope pusher while ostensibly helping the police solve the slaying - but he's really only furthering his efforts to rob the dead man.
8 October 1976
Jim and Rocky become custodians of a 9-year-old girl who has apparently been abandoned by her father.
15 October 1976
Jim's efforts to return a half million dollars stolen from an oil company by his fiancee's repentant father runs into complications.
5 November 1976
Jim searches for his friend Angel, whose windfall riches from real estate are actually part of a tax swindle plan.
12 November 1976
Rocky's luck is short-lived after he hits a bonanza in an oil rights lottery. Two toughs rough him up, demanding that he sign away his rights.
19 November 1976
Rockford is summoned before a grand jury concerning the alleged kidnapping of a union official, and before he is through they cite him for contempt and put him in a federal prison.
26 November 1976
Angel's wedding plans turn out to be a ploy in a gigantic real estate scheme, and the Armenian brothers of the bride set out to get revenge.
10 December 1976
An old Army buddy inveigles Rockford into accepting a client who says she is looking for her missing sister, but the trail leads instead to stolen art objects.
17 December 1976
Jim Rockford is hired by an insurance company to check out an accident claim, and finds himself in the middle of a syndicate's gun-running operation.
24 December 1976
Rockford's attorney pressures him into helping her brilliant cousin who is suspected of slaying his boss, and Jim's investigation uncovers a web of bribery and conspiracy in a multinational corporation.
7 January 1977
Jim is taken by a father-daughter team of con artists who rob him and others of $200,000 at a private poker party.
14 January 1977
Rockford's clients are fellow private investigators who are being illegally forced out of business by a conglomerate agency which goes to elaborate means, including homicide, to stamp out competition.
21 January 1977
Rockford helps an old friend get out of a senior citizens hospital where his daughter and son-in-law have committed him.
28 January 1977
Jim Rockford succeeds in freeing T.T. Flowers from the sinister rest home where his scheming daughter and son-in-law had him committed, but the old man panics.
11 February 1977
Det. Becker is suspended from the force when he is suspected of dealing drugs, but when Rockford investigates he uncovers a narcotics ring complete with a crooked cop.
18 February 1977
A prison crony of Rockford's, at Jim's suggestion, goes to work for a former parole officer turned detective who is secretly trying to deprive Rockford of a large fee.
25 February 1977
A young Vietnamese woman, working for an American family, hires Rockford to locate her brother, a refugee. The trail leads to a bizarre kidnapping plot involving three ex-soldiers, a CIA agent and a stolen Army payroll.
11 March 1977
A police buff causes problems for Det. Becker when she involves herself in Rockford's search for a mobster lawyer's missing fiancee.
18 March 1977
Rockford plots the spectacular rescue of a young woman whom mobsters are trying to eliminate, but an enthusiastic police buff reveals the location of the woman's new hideout.
25 March 1977
Jim is hired by attorney Beth Davenport to locate a missing witness who will provide an alibi for her client, a football player accused of homicide.
1 April 1977
When Rocky suddenly starts receiving large amounts of money in the mail, both federal agents and mobsters are interested.
16 September 1977
While Jim Rockford is on vacation, a fantasizing mechanic assumes his identity, uses his credit cards, and manages to foil a Mafia takeover of the taxicab business.
23 September 1977
A best-selling author hires Rockford to investigate threats against her life, but Jim becomes the murder assailant's next target.
30 September 1977
Troubles mount for Jim when his gun is found at the scene of a homicide, and his alibi - that it was stolen from his cookie jar - adds little to his defense.
14 October 1977
Jim helps his friend Gandolph Fitch protect Fitch's girlfriend from her brutal ex-husband and finds himself confronting a dangerous gang of counterfeiters.
21 October 1977
A terrified young woman seeks Rockford's aid, pitting him against agents of a crime syndicate and an intelligence organization.
4 November 1977
A comic leaves Jim hanging with a homicide charge rather than admit to poilce that he has a file-card box of jokes.
11 November 1977
Rockford does a favor for a hippie-type girl camped at the beach, and his good deed turns into a nightmare, placing his life in jeopardy.
18 November 1977
Jim becomes involved with an old murder case, the French state police and German gangsters in a search for a priceless missing painting.
25 November 1977
Rockford is hired by a small town's citizens as a hit man to find and dispose of a girl who could reveal their tax dodge to the IRS.
2 December 1977
Angel, slated to testify against a syndicate hit man, lives it up in posh hotels under police protection until the suspect is freed on a technicality.
9 December 1977
Rockford masquerades as a wealthy oil baron and risks his life to check out a company's claim that it has developed a new offshore oil recovery device.
16 December 1977
Rockford pursues a vacationing family who are unaware that they are in possession of an extremely valuable stolen diamond.
23 December 1977
Jim is duped by a seemingly deranged scientist, who puts him through an elaborate stress exercise under the guise of investigating a homicide.
6 January 1978
Rocky's partner in a roadside restaurant business is plagued by a vengeful, retired FBI agent.
13 January 1978
A washed-up author inveigles Jim into researching a project involving the graduating class of '62, and in the process Rockford uncovers a homicide.
20 January 1978
A "Professional Escort" hires Rockford to investigate when she is assaulted by two men for no apparent reason.
27 January 1978
After receiving a death threat, Jim decides that the caller meant to contact a playboy whose name is listed next to his in the telephone book.
3 February 1978
Rockford is mistakenly abducted by the CIA and involved in a plot to help an heiress escape from her husband.
10 February 1978
Jim follows the trail of a banker who has skipped bail, to a mental institution where he unwillingly becomes a patient.
17 February 1978
Rockford investigates the hazing death of a young college friend and, in the process, uncovers a second kidnapping-homicide involving a wealthy Arab student.
24 February 1978
Jim is joined by neophyte detective Richie Brockelman to probe the suspicious traffic death of a semi-retired private eye, and the trail leads to a conglomerate executive and a plot to gain international power through an elaborate computer system.
22 September 1978
A country recording artist is double-crossed by his business manager, who has involved him with rival mobs in the Chinese-American underworld.
29 September 1978
Rita seeks Jim's protection after she witnesses an underworld assassination and is accused of the murder.
6 October 1978
Jim Rockford is framed for the slaying of a notoriously tough hood and must turn for help to a disbarred lawyer to keep from going to jail.
20 October 1978
Rockford's search for a missing girl is hampered by another detective hired to work on the case.
27 October 1978
Jim jeopardizes his friendship with detective Becker when he begins investigating the murder of the deputy police chief's philandering wife.
3 November 1978
Jim is hired by an insurance company to babysit an ex-cop turned TV actor who keeps getting into trouble.
10 November 1978
Jim is hired to protect an Arabian princess from her family after she disgraces them by becoming involved in a real-estate swindle.
17 November 1978
Jim and his old nemesis, Lt. Chapman, are forced to cooperate to recover valuable paintings stolen from the new police commissioner.
24 November 1978
Jim becomes romantically involved with a blind psychologist who is being harrassed by an unknown assailant.
1 December 1978
Rockford investigates charges of bribery and murder against the manager of a promising young boxer.
8 December 1978
Jim becomes the target of a sleazy scandal newspaper while investigating a murder.
5 January 1979
A fashion model friend of Jim is found dead on the ground below her balcony. The police believe it's suicide, but having gotten a desperate phone call from her, Jim believes it's murder.
12 January 1979
Jim, arrested in a stolen car filled with weapons, becomes a pawn in a deadly game of illegal gun-running.
19 January 1979
Jim faces painful memories when investigating the attempted murder of a former girlfriend.
26 January 1979
Rockford ends up in a deadly game of blackmail when he tries to clear a drunk driver falsely accused of murder.
10 February 1979
An ex-con believes Rockford to be responsible for his imprisonment and seeks revenge.
17 February 1979
A friend of Rockford's infiltrates a motorcycle gang to avenge their attack on his sister and Jim.
24 February 1979
Angel poses as a high-priced hit man, but it's Rockford who must save his life when Angel collects the fee but fails to deliver the goods.
3 March 1979
Rockford and his pal Richie Brockelman devise an elaborate scheme to get Richie's father's business back from the hands of gangsters.
13 April 1979
Rockford, hospitalized following an accident, sees a transplant organ removed from an unaware and very much alive donor.
28 September 1979
Rockford's peaceful life is upset by a hard-nosed woman appointed by the court to collect $35,000 in a judgment from the detective for allegedly injuring a neighbor with his car.
12 October 1979
Rockford is hired by a princess to investigate several attempts on the life of her best friend.
19 October 1979
A popular rock star, being sued for half his album profits by his ex-girlfriend, hires Rockford to find his missing producer.
26 October 1979
Rockford shifts his attention to the "palimony" court case involving a rock star's ex-girlfriend, after the performer's best friend is found murdered.
9 November 1979
A blind psychologist whom Jim once dated hires him to find her fiancee, who has disappeared.
16 November 1979
Two young detectives help Jim solve the mysterious slaying of a Senator who was about to address a group of detectives.
23 November 1979
Jim and his father win a Hawaiian vacation, where Rockford is dragooned into a "routine" intelligence errand by his old Army commander, "Howling Mad" Smith.
30 November 1979
A "Professional Escort" Jim helped to get off the streets returns and falls in love with him after suffering a beating at the hands of her sadistic pimp.
7 December 1979
A reporter is slain after mailing Rockford a critical piece of evidence about a labor union-mob connection, but the package gets lost in the mail.
14 December 1979
Two young men are forced to flee for their lives when their efforts to impress a former syndicate chief backfire.
10 January 1980
When Jim agrees to be a proxy for his friend, a small-town councilman, he is caught between two sinister factions vying for control of the village.
Private Investigator
He is a struggling private investigator operating in the greater Los Angeles area, and played by James Garner.
Jim's Father
A retired truck driver played by Noah Beery Jr. (The role was played by actor Robert Donley in the 1974 pilot episode.)
Sergeant
He is Jim's friend on the Los Angeles Police Department - he was promoted to lieutenant in season five. Dennis was played by Joe Santos.
Jim's Former Prison Friend
Angel is an untrustworthy, pathologically lying con artist whose schemes constantly get Jim in trouble, yet Jim remains his friend. He was played by Stuart Margolin.
Lawyer
She Jim's lawyer and sometime girlfriend (seasons 1–4). She is played by Gretchen Corbett.
Lieutenant
Alex/Thomas Diehl, Becker's superior officer (seasons one-two and four) who also has an antagonistic relationship with Rockford. He was played by Tom Atkins.
Lieutenant
He is Becker's Superior Officer (until Becker's promotion). He and Jim always despise each other. He was played by James Luisi.
Sergeant Becker's Wife
Played by Pat Finley.
Jim's Former Prison Acquaintance
He was a brutal, violent acquaintance of Rockford from his prison days. He almost always calls Jim "Rockfish". He was played by Isaac Hayes.
Private Investigator
He an impeccably dressed, chauffeur-driven, boastful P.I. who is nearly always on a hustle, usually to Rockford's misfortune. He is played by Louis Gossett Jr.
Attorney
Jim's disbarred attorney friend. He was played by Bo Hopkins
Private Investigator
He is a successful private investigator with an uncynical approach to the business. Jim is a bit jealous of Lance and considers him naive and lucky and likely to cause others to get hurt. He was played by Tom Selleck.
Private Investigator
He is a young, idealistic and seemingly naive private investigator who seeks Jim's help from time to time. He was played by Dennis Dugan.
Psychiatrist
She is a blind psychiatrist who hires Jim. Their relationship eventually blossoms into a romance. Jim is upset in a later episode to learn that she has become engaged to another man. She was played by Kathryn Harrold.
Private Investigator
He a blustery, arrogant, and often untrustworthy fellow private investigator. St. Cloud and Rockford grudgingly accept each other's assistance from time to time, trading insults along the way. He was played by Simon Oakland.
Call Girl
She was a call girl and occasional police informant who is targeted by a millionaire businessman because of her friendship with an elderly widow. She is played by Rita Moreno.
Auto Mechanic (Would-be Private Eye)
He is an auto mechanic who aspires to be a Private Investigator, and involves himself in Jim's affairs. He is played by James Whitmore, Jr.
Friend of Rocky
He is a friend of Rocky's, who often performs odd jobs for Rocky and Jim. He is played by Al Stevenson.
Officer
He is seen frequently at the precinct or at crime scenes. The actor who played the part (Luis Delgado) was the brother-in-law of 'The Rockford Files' series co-creator Roy Huggins.
Officer
He was another recurring bit-part officer very occasionally seen at the precinct during seasons two-five. He was played by Bucklind Beery who is the son of Noah Beery (Joseph "Rocky" Rockford).
Captain
Captain McEnroe was played by Jack Garner (Real life brother of James Garner).
Pilots
Backlash of the Hunter (2 Episodes)
Season 1
The Kirkoff Case
The Dark and Bloody Ground
The Countess
Exit Prentiss Carr
Tall Woman in Red Wagon
This Case Is Closed (2 Episodes)
The Big Ripoff
Find Me If You Can
In Pursuit of Carol Thorne
The Dexter Crisis
Caledonia - It's Worth a Fortune
Profit and Loss: (Profit) Part 1
Profit and Loss: (Loss) Part 2
Aura Lee, Farewell
Sleight of Hand
Counter Gambit
Claire
Say Goodbye to Jennifer
Charlie Harris at Large
The Four Pound Brick
Just by Accident
Roundabout
Season 2
The Aaron Ironwood School of Success
The Farnsworth Stratagem
Gearjammers: Part 1
Gearjammers: Part 2
The Deep Blue Sleep
The Great Blue Lake Land and Development Company
The Real Easy Red Dog
Resurrection in Black and White
Chicken Little Is a Little Chicken
2 Into 5.56 Won't Go
Pastoria Prime Pick
The Reincarnation of Angie
The Girl in the Bay City Boys Club
The Hammer of C Block
The No-Cut Contract
A Portrait of Elizabeth
Joey Blue Eyes
In Hazard
The Italian Bird Fiasco
Where's Houston?
Foul on the First Play
A Bad Deal in the Valley
Season 3
The Fourth Man
The Oracle Wore a Cashmere Suit
The Family Hour
Feeding Frenzy
Drought at Indianhead River
Coulter City Wildcat
So Help Me God
Rattlers' Class of '63
Return to the Thirty-Eighth Parallel
Piece Work
The Trouble with Warren
There's One in Every Port
Sticks and Stones May Break Your Bones, but Waterbury Will Bury You
The Trees, the Bees and T.T. Flowers: Part 1
The Trees, the Bees and T.T. Flowers: Part 2
The Becker Connection
Just Another Polish Wedding
New Life, Old Dragons
To Protect and Serve: Part 1
To Protect and Serve: Part 2
Crack Back
Dirty Money, Black Light
Season 4
Beamer's Last Case
Trouble in Chapter 17
The Battle of Canoga Park
Second Chance
The Dog and Pony Show
Requiem for a Funny Box
Quickie Nirvana
Irving the Explainer
The Mayor's Committee from Deer Lick Falls
Hotel of Fear
Forced Retirement
The Queen of Peru
A Deadly Maze
The Attractive Nuisance
The Gang at Don's Drive-In
The Paper Palace
Dwarf in a Helium Hat
South by Southeast
The Competitive Edge
The Prisoner of Rosemont Hall
The House on Willis Avenue (2 Episodes)
Season 5
Heartaches of a Fool
Rosendahl and Gilda Stern are Dead
The Jersey Bounce
White on White and Nearly Perfect
Kill the Messenger
A Good Clean Bust with Sequel Rights
A Three-Day Affair with a Thirty-Day Escrow
The Empty Frame
Black Mirror (2 Episodes)
A Fast Count
Local Man Eaten by Newspaper
With the French Heel is Back, can the Nehru Jacket be Far Behind?
The Battle-Ax and the Exploding Cigar
Guilt
The Deuce
The Man Who Saw the Alligators
The Return of the Black Shadow
A Material Difference
Never Send a Boy King to do a Man's Job (2 Episodes)
A Different Drummer
Season 6
Paradise Cove
Lions, Tigers, Monkeys and Dogs (2 Episodes)
Only Rock 'n' Roll Will Never Die: Part 1
Only Rock 'n' Roll Will Never Die: Part 2
Love is the Word - Some Things You can Tell Yourself
Nice Guys Finish Dead
The Hawaiian Headache
No Fault Affair
The Big Cheese
Just a Coupla Guys
Deadlock in Parma
People / Cast
Jim Rockford
Joseph "Rocky" Rockford
Dennis Becker
Evelyn "Angel" Martin
Elizabeth "Beth" Davenport
Alex Diel
Douglas J. "Doug" Chapman
Peggy Becker
Gandolph "Gandy" Fitch
Marcus Aurelius "Gabby" Hayes
John "Coop" Cooper
Lance White
Richie Brockelman
Dr. Megan Dougherty
Vern St. Cloud
Rita Capkovic
Fred Beamer
L.J.
Todd Billings
Al Mazursky
McEnroe plus numerous bit parts
Founder, Grafxflow
I am a Full-stack Developer who also started delving into the world of UX/UI Design a few years back. I blog and tweet to hopefully share a little bit of knowledge that can help others around the web. I build lighting-fast dynamic content engines with Laravel, Winter CMS and Tailwind CSS. Thanks for stopping by!