Rockford50Fest
Written by Jim Suva
Two years ago, Lew Messinger contacted several people about having a Rockford Fest celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Rockford Files. Thus started the planning of the Rockford50Fest.
Lew recruited Pat McKinney, Robert Howe, Brian Bernsen, Bill Anderson and Jim Suva. As members of the show committee, they worked as a team to organize, publicize, contact members of the cast and crew and put together a wonderful tribute show and luncheon.
On Friday September 13, 2024, attendees started to arrive at The Best Western Hotel in Thousand Oaks, California. This hotel was a filming location in the first season of The Rockford Files, in the episode entitled “Sleight of Hand”. For this episode, the hotel was named the Buena Vista Inn. Brian had a replica sign made for the event which was on display in front of the hotel’s main entrance.
Friday night began with the attendees organizing a gathering in the hotel library for drinks and socializing. There were approximately 150 attendees from all over the United States, Canada and even Germany!
Saturday morning started with a complimentary breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant. Meanwhile, in the parking lot there were two screen-used Rockford Files Firebirds, both of which were used as sound cars. The 1977 belongs to Pat McKinney, and the other was the 1978 Barrett-Jackson auction car. We also had a 1977 replica of Rocky’s pickup truck and several other replica Rockford Firebirds on display.
Lew welcomed everyone to the event at 9 am. Followed by Jim Suva talking about his own 1977 Firebird, the fans he meets at the car shows that he has attended over the years.
The Keynote speaker, Jon Winokur, who co-wrote “The Garner Files”, spoke about Jim Garner and how they wrote the book together. It really gave the audience new insight into James Garner.
Other speakers included Rob Howe, who worked on The Rockford Files. He spoke enthusiastically about meeting Jim and what it was like on the set. Rob was instrumental in getting the actors that showed up in person, who worked on the show, as well as those who were unable to attend in person, but sent video messages.
Those that spoke about their personal experiences with Jim and The Rockford Files included:
Chester Grimes, Actor, who played a biker in two episodes, as well as appearing in one of the Rockford Movies in the episode “Return of The Black Shadow”. Chester was also Jim’s personal driver later in his life.
Milt Kogan, Actor and Doctor in real life, was in three episodes of Rockford, last appearing as Angel’s brother-in-law in the episode “The Empty Frame”.
Elayne Heilveil, Actress, who appeared in two Rockford episodes. She last appeared as Angel’s bride in the episode “Rattler’s Class of ‘63”.
Geoff Chang, Cameraman, worked on two of the Rockford movies in the 1990’s, one of which was “Friends and Foul Play”.
Pat McKinney, Rockford Collector. Pat talked about his three screen used Firebirds and how he got them. Pat also had on display a number of his Rockford items that he has collected over the years, including the Holy Grail of Rockford items, the actual screen-used cookie jar! What Pat had on display was only a small portion of his remarkable Rockford collection.
Attendees enjoyed a catered lunch of tacos, hot dogs, pasta salad and green salad. Some were lucky enough to be sitting at the table with Roydon Clark’s family. Roydon was a close friend, and Jim Garner’s stunt double. He had worked with Jim since the days of Maverick in the 1950’s. He also served as the Second Unit Director on The Rockford Files. Hearing stories from his family was a real treat. What a wonderful family!
Thanks to Rob Howe, attendees watched video messages from Gretchen Corbett, Hector Elizondo, and William Daniels. All spoke fondly about Jim and their time on the show. Rob had his granddaughter, Keenah, read a special message sent by Kathryn Harrold.
Bill Anderson and Brian Bernsen were in charge of the audio-video equipment for the Fest. Bill worked closely with the hotel to make sure all the equipment was compatible. Bill had the well-deserved best seat in the house, right up front!
In the afternoon, there was a panel discussion, which detailed the production of a Rockford Files episode. Rob Howe, Elayne Heilveil and Geoff Chang participated with questions and answers. It gave the attendees great insight into the making of the show!
Brian Bernsen spoke about the filming locations that he and Pat McKinney have found, as well as providing addresses and the directions for the next day’s private location tour. Brian also made up a number of replica signs, from the episode “Sleight of Hand”.
During the event a number of Rockford-related items were given away as free raffle prizes. Pat McKinney donated five blue replica Rockford Files crew jackets that he had made. One lucky attendee received a copy of the script for the episode, “The Dark and Bloody Ground”, autographed by Gretchen Corbett.
Fans had the opportunity to ask questions and have their pictures taken with the guests, as well as getting autographs.
At the end of Saturday afternoon, attendees gathered outside of the hotel entrance and had group pictures taken.
Early Sunday morning, some attendees travelled to the Paradise Cove Beach Café at Paradise Cove for a delicious breakfast, and to visit the home of Jim Rockford’s trailer. After breakfast, the group went to the pier, to recreate the scene from, ”A Good Clean Bust with Sequel Rights”. Each person got to sit in a lounge chair and pose like Jim did in that episode. Everyone had a great time sitting in the chair. Some final pictures were taken.
After that some of the attendees did their self-guide tour of Rockford locations near Malibu. Others went back to the hotel to relax and enjoy the rest of the day.
Everyone who attended the Rockford50Fest had a wonderful time. In fact, there are a number of requests to do another Fest next year. Stay tuned!
Special note. These pictures were taken by attendees and myself.
Here is a link to an interview I did at the MCACN show last month about The Rockford Files Firebird. My interview starts at 9:40. Hope you enjoy it.
Rockford Files Firebird J-Turn Model
By Smokey Fegley
In 2018, Smokey Fegley built this model of the famous J-turns that James Garner did on The Rockford Files. His attention to detail is great.
Below are pictures taken by Smokey as he built this wonderful model.
He used a Fonzie head and modified it to make into James Garner, for his model.
The finished model is beautiful. Look at the detail on the dashboard.
Smokey is a true artist and I thank him for creating this model.
The Rockford Files: The Lost Films
By Jim Suva, Photos By Dan Wolfe
In March 1974, The Rockford Files pilot premiered. The show was picked up as a series and Mike Post and Peter Carpenter, renowned musicians and song writers, wanted to do a new style of title sequence for the show. Mike had come up with the theme song and wanted to match it to some photos of the streets of Los Angeles. He hired photographer, Dan Wolfe.
Dan used a long range camera and followed James Garner and Noah Beery around Los Angeles to get the photos needed for the title sequence used on the series opening. The idea was to get non-posed pictures. He wanted the images to look candid and natural.
The photos that were used are instantly recognizable as part of The Rockford Files. They capture Los Angeles in the 1970’s as a time capsule.
Fast forward a few decades. A gentleman named Richard Ivler contacted me to see if I was interested in purchasing several hundred film images from this photo shoot for The Rockford Files. I gladly purchased them from Richard, and have started converting them to digital pictures.
Richard is a big fan of The Rockford Files and got interested in photography because of the opening credits of each episode. He was 14 or 15 years old when he got his first Nikon F2 professional camera and a dark room. Then, in 1975, Richard was in high school and taking a photography class. His teacher had his former student, Dan Wolfe, come into class to do a presentation. Dan showed the class a 35 mm film featuring the opening credits of The Rockford Files. The presentation validated for Richard that he wanted to do more photography.
In the mid-1990s, Richard had a friend who knew Dan Wolfe. Dan was looking for someone to be an Administrator/General Manager to oversee his multiple companies. Richard met with Dan and they spent several hours talking. Richard was given the job, and spent 17 years working for Dan. It was a busy job, since Dan, who is a graduate of Art Center College and is a helicopter and fixed wing pilot, also owned Dan Wolfe Photography, Wolfe Air Aviation, Wolfe Burgers and Pasadena Production studios.
In 2011 Dan Wolfe bought the former Northrop/Grumman complex at Hawthorne Airport and moved his offices and airplane fleet to the offices and hangar. Dan was downsizing and getting rid of old awards, plaques, and files. Richard opened one cabinet and noticed two shopping bags full of rolls of film. Richard asked Dan what he wanted to do with them. Dan said to just trash them. Richard luckily took a look at the film on a light box, and it turned out they were all the outtakes from that original Rockford photo shoot.
Richard took them directly to his car trunk, thus saving the films for history. They would have been lost forever if it was not for Richard. Now it is my job to preserve and share these images with my fellow Rockford/Garner fans. Here are a few of them.
A number of people over the years have asked who this actress is with Jim? We now know, Gayle Hunnicutt is this actress, who appeared with Jim in the opening credits. Gayle had worked recently with Jim on the movie Marlowe.
Jim on the phone and exhausted in the Firebird.
Jim at the Laundromat.
Having fun at the Police Station.
Notice the Manufacturers license plate on the Firebird. This before they put on the 853 OKG plates.
Inside Rockford's Trailer.
Some of the pictures above you have seen on the internet, but I have added some of the other pictures associated with them.
I hope everyone enjoyed these historical photos. I am always looking for items and stories to add to this blog and for my Rockford Collection. If you have anything you think might be interesting, please contact me at: [email protected].
Rest In Peace Stuart Margolin! A great Actor and Director. You will be greatly missed.
James Garner's Heuer Carrera watch that he wore on "The Rockford Files" is going to auction. Here is a link to the story;
Update 6/20/22:
The collection of the late actor James Garner—primarily watches from Cartier—was a highlight of the auction, with a portion of its collective sale value of $223,020 going to support the James Garner Animal Rescue Fund. One of Garner’s lots was a one-of-a-kind TAG Heuer Carrera with a personalized dial that sold for $176,400, nearly six times its low estimate. It was acquired by a collector with deep pockets: the TAG Heuer Museum. Garner was a race car enthusiast, an Indianapolis 500 pace car driver and producer and star of the 1966 movie Grand Prix.
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