Popular Culture Review Vol. 12, No. 2, August 2001 | Page 81
The R ockford Files
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tive. The key to its success was its star. James Scott Bumgarner was James Scott
Gamer was James Scott Rockford, and while he wasn’t the strongest, smartest, or
most realistic private eye, he was certainly the cleverest. He was, in short, the most
enjoyable to watch.”9 In a world of fast-ball private eyes and cops, Rockford was
a curve.
While The Rockford Files certainly did much to demystify the hard-boiled
American detective, the final coda occurred in 1983 when James Gamer, suffering
from a number of physical problems, filed suit against Universal Studios for $22.5
million, charging he had been defrauded by the studio of his just earnings from
The Rockford Files which was still going strong in syndication across the country.
Studios have long engaged in creative accounting in determining the profitability
of programs. In 1985 Gamer wrote that, “Rockford, I believe, has been the most
successful series I ever had. It was the most fun and to come out with a total loss
really dimmed my eagerness. It broke my heart. They’re bad people. I don’t like to
work with bad people. It hurt me physically, financially, and mentally.”10
Both sides finally reached an out of court settlement on March 31, 1989.
The exact terms of the settlement are confidential, but Gamer may have received
as much as $14 million from the agreement. According to Barron's magazine,
Universal decided to settle rather than having to explain in court its unusual ac
counting practices.11 Throughout the entire ordeal, G