The Rockford Files (1974): The Rockford Files: Backlash of the Hunter

Air Date

Wednesday March 27, 1974

Production Code

81796

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• Guest Cast

  • Lindsay Wagner Sara Butler
  • William Smith (I) Jerry Grimes
  • Nita Talbot Mildred Elias
  • Bill Mumy Nick Butler
  • Mike Steele Danford Baker
  • Michael Lerner Dr. Ruben Seelman
  • Joshua Bryant Captain Harry Dell
  • Pat Renella Morrie Talbot
  • Ted Gehring Captain Norm Mitchell
  • Jack Garner Man in Washroom
  • Claude Johnson Police Officer
  • Mike Steele Reverend Danford Baker
  • Bill Quinn Harry Butler
  • Robert B. Williams Arnold DeMura
  • Robert Donley Joseph "Rocky" Rockford
Episode Cast and Crew Details »

• Jim's 1/4 page advertisement in the Yellow Pages has no telephone number shown!!! This must explain why most clients came to the door as opposed to calling. [edit]
• The Pilot is simply called 'The Rockford Files', but it also airs in a two part format called 'Backlash of the Hunter - separate shows with additional filler scenes to bring the viewing time up to fifty minutes. [edit]
• Three scenes were reused within the the two part version of the pilot, the most glaring being character Jerry Grimes shown in the Mayfair lounge with a poster of Rose Marie in the background, only to be shown later in the episode in a nightclub called Gazzarri's sitting at the same stool with the same poster in the background. [edit]

• Noah Beery Jr was not available to fill the role of Rocky in the Pilot, so the part was taken temporaily by Robert Donley.
  
  Investigation into Robert Donley shows he appeared in one episode each of Kojak and Kung Fu before playing Rocky in the pilot. He also made a guest appearance on episodes of Matlock, Seinfeld, and twice on Mad About You. He had a supporting role in the movie Cocktail (1988). [edit]
• Stuart Margolin is credited as Angel in the 90 minute version of 'the Pilot', but in the two-part version 'Backlash of the Hunter', he goes uncredited. [edit]
• In the two-part version, the answerphone tag is used just as it is in the series; here the message given by Officer Billings (who is yet to appear in the show till season 3) refers to Chapman's party (again yet to appear till season 3). THis answerphone tag is reused in the sixth season's Hawaiian Headache. Luis Delgado appears in the Pilot as the groom!
  
  The two-part version uses the traditional theme used from season 3-6. The movie plays a jazzier version of the traditional theme at the beginning, otherwise there is no familiar opening theme used.
  
  Jim's trailer is situated on the Pacific Coast Highway, where it would live for the first twelve episodes of the first season before moving to its traditional location of Paradise Cove.
  
  The two-part story features a main title theme and pictures the trailer (instead of Jim's desk) for the answerphone tag – the picture clearly shows the trailer at Paradise Cove!
  
  The main title features only pictures of Jim, placing pictures of Jim from the pilot story where other characters usually feature (i.e. Dennis, Beth, Angel or Rocky). [edit]

• Sara Butler: You aren't afraid of him, are you?
  Jim: You're damn right I am! [edit]
• Sara Butler: How much of my own money am I going to earn back?
  Jim: I usually pay my operatives 20 bucks an hour for this kind of thing.
  Sara Butler: I wouldn't do it for less than 50. [edit]
• Jim: You know what's wrong with karate Jerry? It's based on the ridiculous assumption that the other guy will fight fair. [edit]

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