The Rockford Files The Rockford Files The Rockford Files is an American television drama series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network between September 13, 1974, and January 10, 1980, and has remained in syndication to the present day. Garner portrays Los Angeles–based private investigator Jim Rockford, with Noah Beery Jr. in the supporting role of his father, a retired truck driver nicknamed "Rocky". The show was created by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell. Huggins created the television show "Maverick" (1957–1962), which starred Garner, and he wanted to recapture that magic in a "modern day" detective setting. He teamed with
The Rockford Files because of numerous knee injuries and back trouble, as well as an ulcer. He sustained the former conditions largely because of his insistence on performing most of his own stunts, especially those involving fist fights or car chases. Because of his physical pain, Garner eventually opted not to continue with the show some months later, and NBC cancelled the program in mid-season. It was alleged that "Rockford" had become very expensive to produce, mainly due to the location filming and use of high-end actors as guest stars. According to sources, NBC and Universal claimed the show was generating a deficit