NBC to Redo 'The Rockford Files'

[Brian Damage]

NBC, Universal Media Studios and Steve Carell's Carousel Television have tapped "House" creator-exec producer David Shore to shepherd a redo of the classic 1974-80 gumshoe drama that starred James Garner and put Stephen J. Cannell on the map as a writer-producer.

Garner's Emmy-winning portrayal of the ex-con private eye who lived in a trailer in Malibu (and usually worked as hard to get his clients to pay up as he did on solving cases) turned Jim Rockford into one of the most indelible characters of the smallscreen. Shore said as a fan of the show himself, he's well aware of how high the bar is set for the remake.

"It's one of the shows that made me want to become a writer," Shore said. "I had no interest in adapting any old stuff, but this was the one exception."

Shore's just starting to think about an approach to bring "The Rockford Files" into the present day, but he intends to stick with the basic foundation of a private eye in L.A. just trying to make a living.

"What makes 'Rockford' timeless is that he's vulnerable, he's flawed. He's used to hustling and getting hustled," Shore said. "Sometimes he's a hero and sometimes he runs away."

The idea for a "Rockford" revival came from Carousel, which inquired about the rights to the Universal TV property after Carousel cut a production pact with Universal Media Studios in January. Laura Lancaster, NBC/UMS' exec veep of drama, knew that Shore was a big "Rockford" buff, and the match was easily made.

"The minute I heard this I said, 'Let's get it on for midseason' ... but we're going to take our time and get it right," said Angela Bromstad, prexy of primetime entertainment for NBC Entertainment and UMS. "We know that David has the right sensibility as a writer to take on this kind of big character."

The original "Rockford" was co-created by Cannell and Roy Huggins, a prolific and influential TV scribe who created "Maverick," the offbeat Western that made Garner a star in the late '50s, and "The Fugitive," among other shows.

"Rockford," which earned the Emmy for drama series in 1978, was a training ground for a number of future biz heavyweights, including scribes David Chase, Juanita Bartlett, Chas. Floyd Johnson and thesps Dennis Dugan and Tom Selleck. Show's strong supporting cast included Noah Beery Jr., Stuart Margolin, Joe Santos and Gretchen Corbett.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006650.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

[Marvo301]

To me James Garner is the one and only Jim Rockford. And lets face it remakes are never as good as the original so I wish they would leave this TV classic alone.

[Stuck In The '70's]

NBC can not come up with an original idea of their own. The Bionic Woman, Knight Rider and now The Rockford Files. I can't wait for B.J. and the Bear. lol

[catlover79]

NBC can not come up with an original idea of their own. The Bionic Woman, Knight Rider and now The Rockford Files. I can't wait for B.J. and the Bear. lol
They never learn!! They'd be better off airing reruns of the original show!!

[Marvo301]

They never learn!! They'd be better off airing reruns of the original show!!
Now that I would watch!

[catlover79]

Now that I would watch!
Me too!! Plus, James Garner is familiar to many of today's young women due to his role in The Notebook - I think some of them would enjoy him in his younger days. Besides, NO ONE can do that theme song better!! So there.

[Marvo301]

Me too!! Plus, James Garner is familiar to many of today's young women due to his role in The Notebook - I think some of them would enjoy him in his younger days. Besides, NO ONE can do that theme song better!! So there.
Not to mention that many people know James Garner from his role on "
Eight Simple Rules"!

[catlover79]

Not to mention that many people know James Garner from his role on "
Eight Simple Rules"!
That's true - I'd forgotten he was on that show.

[Jude The Obscure]

NBC--give the remakes of old hit shows a rest......

remake shows that didn't work the first time, cuz people won't remember them from the first go round :lol:

Stuff like Richie Brockelman, Private Eye (a forgotten Rockford spinoff) or Me and the Chimp :lol:

[Schmoopie]

I think the title of this thread is wrong. It should say "NBC to RUIN 'The Rockford Files'"!!!

I LOVED that show; especially the theme song! Awesome!! That would be really cool if they showed the classics!

Andrea

[catlover79]

I think the title of this thread is wrong. It should say "NBC to RUIN 'The Rockford Files'"!!!

I LOVED that show; especially the theme song! Awesome!! That would be really cool if they showed the classics!

Andrea
Yeah - they can just rerun their schedules from the mid-80s and they'd get better ratings!!

[Dr. Thong]

ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGE: Hi, this is Jim Rockford. Leave your name and number after the beep. I'm trying to stop NBC from remaking my show.

[TJL]

NBC can not come up with an original idea of their own. The Bionic Woman, Knight Rider and now The Rockford Files. I can't wait for B.J. and the Bear. lol

You're right. Didn't NBC just fire thier programming cheif because the best thing he could come up with was inferior remakes?

The only way they can make a new Rockford Files work is if they find a really good leading man to play the part. Don't give me some snarky prettyboy who thinks a five o'clock shadow and bedhead is character development.

;)

[MickeyMac]

Everyone has already said what I wanted to say, so the only thing I can add is that the people over at NBC are idiots.

[catlover79]

Everyone has already said what I wanted to say, so the only thing I can add is that the people over at NBC are idiots.
:clap :clap :clap

[catlover79]

ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGE: Hi, this is Jim Rockford. Leave your name and number after the beep. I'm trying to stop NBC from remaking my show.
:nod: :cool:

[Dr. Thong]

C'mon people! In all fairness, let's look at NBC's track record with these remakes.

Remember their 2007 remake of The Bionic Woman? Now you tell me that wasn't--

(pauses to think)

Oh, crap! Umm, never mind.:(

[James28]

Answering Machine Message: This is Jim Rockford. At the tone, leave your name and message and I'll get back to you.

Some NBC executive: Thia is an anonymous executive from NBC. Our network is going to remake your TV show for a new generation in the future. It would debut in the 2010-11 television season and it may run for five seasons. After that, we may do a finale for the series, the original series didn't have one.

If I left a message at the answering machine, it would be like this:
James Terrell: This is James from Austin. I loved the original series, but NBC should not go ahead with this remake, not even for any future generations. I'd be better off watching the DVDs of the original series. I hope the new version ends up being an absolute failure.

[robyrob]

did someone say NBC is going to do a remake of BJ and the Bear - AWESOME!!!!

[James28]

^^No, sir--it was just a suggestion/rumour.

[FanofRetroTV]

someone didn't learn there leason after the new bionic woman failed!

[Dr. Thong]

someone didn't learn there leason after the new bionic woman failed!

And the bad Bionic Woman ended up having to get a job at CTU on 24!

[catlover79]

And the bad Bionic Woman ended up having to get a job at CTU on 24!
OUCH. :eek: :lol:

[Marvo301]

No one could ever replace the original cast of The Rockford Files! (James Garner, Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos, Gretchen Corbett, Stuart Margolin) And no one ever should! This was a once in a lifetime occurence of the right actors and the right material and the right writers coming together at the same place at the same time. And that can't be duplicated. And NBC should never have tried!

[Dr. Thong]

OUCH. :eek: :lol:

I had forgotten until I saw a Katee Sackoff fan page that she had been the "bad" Bionic Woman. I always liked the bad one better.;)

Thread drift: We've gone from The Rockford Files to Bionic Woman to 24.

[JamesG]

C'mon people! In all fairness, let's look at NBC's track record with these remakes.

Remember their 2007 remake of The Bionic Woman? Now you tell me that wasn't--

(pauses to think)

Oh, crap! Umm, never mind.:(

Also, a year later NBC tried the new "Knight Rider" that was gone after a season.

Justin Bruening left his popular role on "AMC" for primetime tv and look what happened...

[Stuck In The '70's]

And the bad Bionic Woman ended up having to get a job at CTU on 24!
and Jack killed her in cold blood. What a way to go. :lol:

[Stuck In The '70's]

No one could ever replace the original cast of The Rockford Files! (James Garner, Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos, Gretchen Corbett, Stuart Margolin) And no one ever should! This was a once in a lifetime occurence of the right actors and the right material and the right writers coming together at the same place at the same time. And that can't be duplicated. And NBC should never have tried!
That's what these Network Executives don't understand. It's not the name that made these shows great. It's the characters and the actors. You can't redo a classic and expect it to be as good. Most of the time they are just awful.

[Dr. Thong]

and Jack killed her in cold blood. What a way to go. :lol:

She deserved it. I cheered when Dana got what was coming to her.

[Rezny@gmail.com]

NEWS FLASH!!!! For now(and hopefully,forever)the reboot of "The Rockford Files"has been scrapped,and is not on NBC's fall scedule.As for NBC at midseason,who knows?

[catlover79]

This is what NBC's schedule will be come fall:

[Marvo301]

This is what NBC's schedule will be come fall:
That's the best NBC has looked in years!!!:lol:

[catlover79]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Dr. Thong]

NEWS FLASH!!!! For now(and hopefully,forever)the reboot of "The Rockford Files"has been scrapped,and is not on NBC's fall scedule.As for NBC at midseason,who knows?

YES!!!

[catlover79]

YES!!!
:yeahthat