#45 There is a similar episode in “Maverick” where James Garner protects a guy from the bad guys. That guy gets the job as sheriff and is very popular with the towns people and marries the rich ranchers daughter in the end and Maverick rides out of town and no one notices him leave....
I think this was the inspiration for Lance White.
I have all the DVD’s of Rockford. One has a 20 minute interview with Steven Cannell where he discusses how he fleshed out the Rockford character.
In just about every episode, Rockford talks about his fee first thing - “$200 a day, plus expenses.”
Cannell said in all the TV private eye shows previous, no one ever discussed fees or money, and he thought that was not realistic. He wanted Rockford to be more of an Everyman, and with bills to pay, loans, and other money worries.
Great interview.