Thirty Years of The Rockford Files: An Inside Look at America's Greatest Detective Series (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Covers every aspect of the classic series ... Like improved software, it's well-worth 'upgrading' to this new edition." -- Lee Goldberg, Edgar Award-nominated Television Writer/Producer and Bestselling Mystery Novelist

"This book not only gives a detailed account of 'Rockford,' but a good look at the television business in general." -- Jim McAllister, The Independent

A new edition of Robertson's already-definitive Rockford book ... with more than twice as [much information] as the previous edition. -- The Thrilling Detective

Product Description

“An important history in the entertainment world.”
—The Salisbury Post

“The most comprehensive episode guide ever seen in any book.”
—Television Chronicles

“Another great work by Robertson…He’s still the standard by which TV reference should be judged.”
—Popocalypse World of Fun

He looked like Steve McGarrett. He dressed like Joe Mannix. But Jim Rockford acted like no detective we’d ever seen—and television audiences have loved him for over 30 years.

Fueled by innovative writing, unforgettable characters, and the star power of James Garner, The Rockford Files (NBC, 1974–1980) is one of the most popular, successful and endearing TV series ever made. Winner of five Emmys, including Best Actor (Garner) and Best Dramatic Series (1978), Rockford came back with a splash in 1994 as a series of movies on CBS. Reruns of the original Files have played continuously throughout the world since 1980, while the CBS movies have been a staple on cable since 2001.

Get the inside scoop on this landmark series in Thirty Years of The Rockford Files, featuring insight from series star James Garner; commentary from the show’s principal writers, producers and actors; interesting factoids about the original NBC series and the CBS reunion movies; original artwork; rare, behind-the-scenes photographs; and much, much more.

Visit the author's web site: www.edrobertson.com

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Product Details

• Paperback: 497 pages
• Publisher: ASJA Press (February 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595342442
• ISBN-13: 978-0595342440
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #52,473 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Companion Guide! , May 4, 2005

By	Flynn M. (Los Angeles, CA. USA) - See all my reviews

I've been a "Rockford Files" junkie almost as long as the series began its original network run in 1974 and it's still my favorite show of all time. When the first edition of this book "This is Jim Rockford" was released ten years ago I was amazed at the amount of research that went into making it one of the best books on the history on any television show I'd ever read. It was so chock full of detail, from the draft notes of series creator Roy Huggins' original concept from 1972 to the return of "Rockford" to network television in 1994, that I was sure there was nothing more that could be said on the subject of "Rockford."

Well, I was wrong! With this updated version Robertson has dug even deeper, providing the reader with over 200 pages of new facts and information on the original NBC series (much of which wasn't available ten years ago), plus detailed analysis of the eight "Rockford" reunion movies that aired on CBS in the late 1990s. The new edition also includes an honest and critical perspective on the career of James Garner: why he excelled as Jim Rockford, and why he remains one of America's most cherished film and television actors. There's also invaluable insight from "Rockford" insider Rob Howe, behind-the-scenes photos of Garner on the set you don't normally see, and a further look at the various internal conflicts with the studio which were very telling and rather surprising in light of the show's continued success.

THIRTY YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES is not only a complete history of "Rockford" on television, but an important chapter in the history of television. With the first season of "Rockford" due out on DVD later this year (finally!), this book is the perfect companion guide. I highly recommend it.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate Rockford Files book, December 9, 2005

By	H. Argun (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Thirty Years of the Rockford Files has everything that you would ever want to know about (in my opinion) the greatest television series ever. The book is an updated version of Robertson's original book "This is Jim Rockford..." which was written over 10 years ago. Thirty years has much of the same info. as the original book with plenty of interviews of cast and crew members as well new photographs. There is an episode guide which is as comprehensive as they come and there is also an expanded summary of information regarding the 8 CBS Rockford File movies. All in all, this book is a must for all Rockford Files fans, along with the season 1 DVD set which has just come out.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "This is Jim Rockford...", August 18, 2006

By	Terry Sunday (El Paso, Texas United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

With the classic 1974-1980 NBC detective show "The Rockford Files" finally coming out on DVD, the time is right for a comprehensive series guide book such as Ed Robertson's "Thirty Years of The Rockford Files." As portrayed by veteran actor James Garner, hard-bitten (and hard-luck) private detective Jim Rockford virtually defined the genre for many years. The show was incredibly popular at the time, and has played continuously in reruns ever since--hence the "Thirty Years" in the title. Garnering five Emmy Awards, including a Best Actor for Garner and a Best Dramatic Series, "The Rockford Files" was one of the most successful and unforgettable television series ever made.

"Thirty Years of The Rockford Files" is packed with "insider" information about the show. It includes rare behind-the-scenes photographs, interviews with writers, producers, directors and actors, fascinating trivia, the story of "the world's most famous Firebird" and complete episode guides for all six seasons. The description of each episode typically spans a few pages, and includes a cast list, a transcript of the humorous telephone answering machine message that opens each show, a plot summary and a discussion of interesting features of the episode. The plot summaries are very brief, usually just a short paragraph. At first I thought they were too short, but after watching a few episodes and then reading the related summaries, I concluded that they are "just right." Interestingly, most of them don't reveal the resolution of the mystery--you'll have to watch the episode to find out how it ends. Mr. Robertson also briefly summarizes the eight post-series Rockford movies that aired on CBS, and includes a short section on the two "Rockford Files" novels by Edgar-Award-winning mystery writer Stuart Kaminsky that appeared in 1996 and 1998. Finally, he discusses four of the ten unproduced scripts from the sixth season, which ended after only 12 (instead of 22) episodes after James Garner became ill.

If you're buying "The Rockford Files" DVDs as they become available, you'll definitely want to pick up a copy of this book. Of all the television series and movie "companion" books, this is one of the best. Very highly recommended for all Rockford fans.