Dwarf in a Helium Hat

The fact that Jim Rockford is listed next to Jay Rockfelt in the Los Angeles phone book gets James Garner involved in a case of kidnapping and dog poisoning. The bad guys accidentally call Garner's phone and threaten bodily mayhem to his dog and his sister. As he has neither that does arouse his curiosity.

Which next leads to a scene not particularly relevant to the plot but nonetheless ironic and funny. Garner goes to the cop and not finding his friend Becker there has to deal with Lieutenant Chapman. James Luisi has a real hard on for Garner and with great pleasure tells him the cops aren't interested in his wild stories.

But Garner's not a detective for nothing and his own investigations lead him to a spoiled rich kid named Jay for Julius Rockfelt played by John Pleshette whose main past time is spending the hard earned money that his father Milton Selzer made in the garment business. It's he who has some gangsters on his case for a situation where he insulted some up and coming made guy who is going to get back at him.

Pleshette truly needs a new pair of cement overshoes, but that leads to something that is a common thread in The Rockford Files. Jim Rockford is a man of conscience and often he goes into a situation to help someone out who often doesn't deserve the help. Like Pleshette and as often as not it's because some innocent party is involved like Pleshette's sister. Or even a jerk like Pleshette might not deserve what's coming to him. What it does is make Jim Rockford one of the most admirable of heroes that television ever had.

This episode also features Rick Springfield as a British rock star who Pleshette cultivates, but who spurns him in the end. Not a person of character like Garner.

This is one of the best Rockford Files episodes, don't miss it.