James Garner stars as Jim Rockford, a private detective with an edge- he’s an ex-con who was wrongly imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. His unusual perspective enables him to discover evidence that could overturn verdicts, which doesn’t exactly win him friends in the police department. Jim’s services don’t come cheap- $200 a day plus expenses! Then again, living in a trailer on an LA beach and driving a hot Pontiac Firebird aren’t exactly frugal lifestyle choices. Always going above and beyond to solve a case, sometimes using illegal ploys and risking bodily harm, he never loses his sense of humor.

CAN YOU SPOT
Rob Reiner, Tom Selleck, Suzanne Somers, Lou Gossett Jr., Linda Evans, Rick Springfield

DID YOU KNOW
Sopranos creator David Chase was once a writer/producer for Rockford

Jim Rockford’s license plate 853-OKG stands for August 1953, when Garner got his first acting job. OKG is a nod to his home state, Oklahoma.

AWARDS
1977 Emmy Awards: Best Actor in a Drama
1978 Emmy Awards: Outstanding Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actress (Guest Star): Rita Moreno
1979 Emmy Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama: Stuart Margolin
1980 Emmy Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama: Stuart Margolin