The Rockford Files "The Countess" 9/27/1974

[Adam H. Kerman]

Susan Strasberg gives an excellent performance as a woman who hires
Rockford to obtain evidence that she's being blackmailed by Carl (Dick
Gautier). She's famous for being the daughter of Lee, who began giving
her acting lessons before she left the crib.

Deborah (Strasberg) finds her life spinning out of control after Carl
gets murdered. Deborah was a nice girl from southern Illinois who
unintentionally witnessed distributions of drugs by organized crime and,
because it was her boyfriend, got charged to pressure her into
testifying. She fled, wisely. She and a European count married; he died.
She married another wealthy man she's been trying to hard her background
from. Carl knew her from the old days and even knew a corrupt policeman
who gave him a copy of her arrest record.

Rockford starts to wonder if he's been set up by Deborah for Carl's
murder.

There's an amusing series of coincidences. Dennis has Jim on the phone,
trying to stall him, as Diel insists that they're going to get an arrest
warrant on Rocford. Jim realizes what Dennis is doing and walks outside
as two well-dressed goons pick him up. Jim asks them for the warrant,
not realizing they aren't plain-clothes cops. He gets taken to see
Sorrell who wants Jim's story and explains the bureaucracy of organized
crime in getting permission to assasinate someone. Jim tries to explain
that Carl was killed by organized crime. "I'm IN organized crime."

The cops who were sent to pick Jim up witness the kidnapping, so cops
eventually rescue Jim from the Mob.

First appearance by Tom Atkins. He's a detective lieutenant. How he got
promoted is unknown. He's a Hitchcock-style cop. In this, he's Alex
Diel. In later episodes, his first name is Tom. In some episodes, his
last name is Diehl. No one checks continuity, although you'd think the
actor would say something.

Beth has a nice scene intimidating Diel to get Rockford out, demanding
that Diel charge first-degree murder! Rockford, considering it's his
life, thinks Beth is being reckless.

Because there are witnesses and Rockford was fighting with Carl, Diel
wants to charge Rockford with murder, even though he was shot by a
sniper from a high cliff. The script makes no sense, that it was somehow
a bullet that could have been used in a handgun. No handgun could have
made that shot, and autopsy should have been able to tell that it wasn't
a shot from a handgun.

James Cromwell gets his very first acting credit as a tennis instructor.

[A Friend]

In article <ui8tao$4feq$1...@dont-email.me>, Adam H. Kerman

<a...@chinet.com> wrote:

> Susan Strasberg gives an excellent performance as a woman who hires
> Rockford to obtain evidence that she's being blackmailed by Carl (Dick
> Gautier). She's famous for being the daughter of Lee, who began giving
> her acting lessons before she left the crib.

I knew her slightly. She was a sweetie, and I have no higher praise.