The Rockford Files is an American detective (private investigator) television drama that had its first run on the NBC television network between September 13, 1974 and January 10, 1980 and has been in constant syndication to the present day. The show is notable for the quality of its writing (mainly from Stephen J. Cannell, Juanita Bartlett, and David Chase), the easy charm and charisma of James Garner, who starred as Jim Rockford, and an agile Pontiac Firebird.

The show was created by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell. Huggins had produced the television show Maverick, which had also starred Garner, from 1957 to 1962, and wanted to try and recapture that magic in a "modern day" detective setting. He teamed with Cannell, who had written for Jack Webb productions such as Adam-12 and Chase (1973–74, NBC), to create Rockford. The show was credited as "A Public Arts / Roy Huggins Production in association with Cherokee Productions and Universal Studios" (later NBC Universal). Cherokee was the name of Garner's own company, which he ran with partner Meta Rosenberg and Juanita Bartlett, who doubled as story editor during most of Rockford's run.

The series' memorable theme by composers Mike Post and Pete Carpenter received Top 40 radio airplay, went to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, stayed 44 weeks on the charts, and won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement. Knight, Judson.blank">Mike Post - at eNotes.com Post and Carpenter - Grammy.com

In 2007, the series began airing on _Sleuth.

Series about an ex-con-turned-private-investigator named Jim Rockford who would rather run away than fight and would rather go fishing than work. He isn't a coward, and he isn't lazy--just a bit on the cautious side, that's all. And he bears a very strong resemblance to Western TV hero Bret Maverick. Rockford is sometimes aided (and sometimes deterred) in his cases by friends Dennis Becker (a police detective), Angel (his cowardly former cellmate) and pretty Beth Davenport (his lawyer). Written by Marty McKee

Jim Rockford is a private investigator is this television serial. The cases he takes usually turn out to be more difficult and dangerous than he initially imagines, and he often ends up in situations over his head. Occasionally, his father shows up to help him. Written by Tad Dibbern

Jim Rockford, an ex-con pardoned for an armed robbery he didn't commit, is a private investigator specializing in closed cases. He is sometimes assisted by his father Joseph (a.k.a. Rocky), his best friend Sgt. Dennis Becker of the LAPD, his lawyer/girlfriend Beth Davenport, and his former cell-mate Evelyn "Angel" Martin. Written by Brian Washington