My Ten Favorite TV Characters: Jim Rockford (#6)

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It's time for another look at one of my all-time favorite TV characters. As you can tell by the list, none of these characters are "new", and there are nine TV series represented in the ten favorites (yes, one show has two characters on the list). I haven't watched episodic TV in a long time; in fact, I'm considering dropping cable and just subscribing to the networks for the sports I love (baseball and hockey -- not watching the NFL until their players learn to stand [their right to protest; my right to protest their protest]). But anyway, here's the next character. #6: Jim Rockford You may have had a guy named "Fonzie" running around in a leather jacket, thinking he was "cool," but let me tell you, The Rockford Files was THE epitome of cool in the 70s. It had a great opening theme song, an absolutely hilarious opening sequence ("This is Jim Rockford, at the tone leave your name and message and I'll get back to you," followed by a different voice message every week), and one of the greatest private investigators ever, Jim Rockford. Magnum might have had better looks and a prettier locale, but he wasn't fit to be a pimple on Jim Rockford's rear end when it came to being a detective. This show was so great. Much like Burke's Law, The Rockford Files was more like a 60-minute comedy than a "drama," even though that's how they had it pegged in the TV Guide. Jim, a pardoned ex-con, wasn't that busy a PI, but when he was, he got the job done. Smart -- street smart, thanks to a stint in the pen on a bogus charge -- Jim Rockford knew how to avoid confrontation. But he still had them, lots of them, thanks to his good friend (ha), Angel the con man. This is one of the truly classic series of the 1970s, and it really deserves to be in syndication somewhere. If you've never seen it, treat yourself. If nothing else, you'll love the opening theme. Jim Rockford Portrayed by James Garner From The Rockford Files NBC, 1974-1980 The Grammy-winning top 10 theme song by Mike Post: