» » Deux cent dollars plus les frais To Protect and Serve: Part 1 (1974–1980)

Deux cent dollars plus les frais To Protect and Serve: Part 1 (1974–1980) Online

Deux cent dollars plus les frais To Protect and Serve: Part 1 (1974–1980) Online
Original Title :
To Protect and Serve: Part 1
Genre :
TV Episode / Crime / Drama / Mystery / Thriller
Year :
1974–1980
Directror :
William Wiard
Cast :
James Garner,Noah Beery Jr.,Joe Santos
Writer :
Roy Huggins,Stephen J. Cannell
Type :
TV Episode
Time :
1h
Rating :
7.8/10
Deux cent dollars plus les frais To Protect and Serve: Part 1 (1974–1980) Online

Rockford is hired to find a missing woman, only to discover that she is also being sought by a New York crime family.
Episode cast overview, first billed only:
James Garner James Garner - Jim Rockford
Noah Beery Jr. Noah Beery Jr. - Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford (as Noah Beery)
Joe Santos Joe Santos - Dennis Becker
Joyce Van Patten Joyce Van Patten - Lianne Sweeny
James Luisi James Luisi - Lt. Doug Chapman
Leslie Charleson Leslie Charleson - Patsy Fossler
Jon Cypher Jon Cypher - Michael Kelly
George Loros George Loros - 'Anthony Boy' Gagglio
Pat Finley Pat Finley - Peggy Becker
Luke Andreas Luke Andreas - Syl
James Coleman James Coleman - Officer Haydu
Luis Delgado Luis Delgado - Officer Billings
Charles Parks Charles Parks - Officer Drum
Jason Ledger Jason Ledger - Sgt. Salcedo
Bob Peterson Bob Peterson - Bartender

One of many episodes where there is a mob figure, either in person, or by reference, with a name ending with "ette" (Pinette, Frishette, Binette, Gillette, and a few other). In this case, the mob figure is Joseph Minette, and Patsy Fossler's on the run from the Minette crime family.

When Patsy tells Rockford she is no longer interested in marrying her fiancé, Rockford responds by saying, "Tricia's wedding didn't cause this big of a stir." He's talking about Patricia Nixon's White House wedding. This was also a bit of an inside joke as Leslie Charleson bears a striking resemblance to Tricia Nixon.

The Becker's son, Scotty - who's often mentioned but rarely seen (though he will appear - as a grown man, in the The Rockford Files: Godfather Knows Best (1996) reunion movie), is running for president of the 6th grade in this episode.

Peggy reveals Mildred Pierce (1945) is one of Dennis' favourite films.

Lou Frizzell had previously worked with James Garner in his prior series, Nichols: Eddie Joe (1972)

Rockford's phone number is 555-2368.


User reviews

Reggy

Reggy

Dennis goes to the scene of a hostage situation and ends up shooting the perp when he fails to surrender and comes out guns blazing. Unlike most TV Supercops, killing somebody, even a justified shooting, really bothers Dennis. Leeann Sweeney (Joyce Van Patten), a police buff/groupie tries to come to his aid and then some.

In the meantime, Jim is trying to find Susan, a missing fiancé for a New York lawyer named Michael Kelly. However, it turns out Kelly was a mob lawyer and the reason he's looking for her is that he told her too much. Syl (Luke Andreas) and Tony (George Loros)a couple of New York boys of Joseph Minnette (yes, the Minnette family again!) are also looking for her.

This episode is full of nice little scenes: Dennis involved in a shooting; LeeAnn hitting on just about any cop she can get to talk to her; Dennis being ordered to invite Jim over to his house to pump him for information about Kelly; and a cookout where everyone seems to get mad at everybody else. Pat Finley is back as Dennis' wife, Peggy and she's solid as always, giving the show and Dennis' character a shot of reality and humanity. She also played Emily's sister Ellen on "The Bob Newhart Show". George Loros is much better here as a mob bad guy than he'd be later in the series as an old prison buddy of Jim's who's now a go-fer for a rock star. He's later show up on David Chase's hit series "The Sopranos" (Apparently Chase has a long memory!) Jim's brother Jack makes a brief appearance as the Jolly's Catering Service guy.

At one point, Jim and Susan are being chased by the New York mob guys and Syl, manages to get off a number of shots at Rockford's car almost at can't miss range without hitting anything. This seems to be a bit unlikely until you remember Tony's the hit man--Cil is just the driver and may not be a very good shot!
anneli

anneli

Jon Cypher an attorney from New York hires Jim Rockford to locate his missing fiancé Leslie Charleson who has got a bad case of jitters and has run away. Charleson has every right to have jitters, she's heard way too much about family business from this consigliere and now she has to be dealt with.

Sad to say that when James Garner finds out what he's really been hired for he's in it up to his neck. Out of concern, but also necessity he's got to rescue Charleson and put her on ice until he can figure a move.

It all might go a lot more smoothly if police buff/groupie Joyce Van Patten doesn't stop interfering. She's attached herself to Joe Santos and that has the Becker family in an uproar.

Van Patten really is a wonder, she's one interesting head case as a woman with no life who lives vicariously. Think she's bad here, wait till you see here at work in Part 2.
Kamuro

Kamuro

Ostensibly this is a story about Jim Rockford unwittingly assisting a mob attorney hunt down his estranged fiancé who "knew too much" about the family business. However, at the heart of this tale is a portrait of a severely fractured human being who becomes a 'cop nut' or 'police groupie' in order to try and give meaning to her otherwise empty life. That's what this great episode is REALLY about, and all the other players revolve around the behavior and actions of this demented character.

Armed with a police scanner, an overdose of self-delusion, and a marked lack of scruples, Joyce Van Patten (sister of Dick Van Patten) turns in a movie quality, Emmy award winning performance as she sadly intertwines herself into a high stakes game to the death involving Rockford, the cops, the mafia, and several innocent bystanders, all who pay a price for this woman's unsolicited involvement.

Just as Stuart Margolin so convincingly disappears into the role of Angel Martin, Joyce Van Patten likewise dons the character of Lianne Sweeny, a woman bent on using any means available to link herself with the LAPD in a way that is deeply disturbing. Every move Van Patten makes on screen is Sweeny. Her walk, her talk, her gestures... every nuance paints the picture of this characters fully resigned desperation. The audience moves from feeling interest toward her, to apprehension, to pity, then to anger and revulsion... and in the end back to pity.

I would rate Van Patten's performance equal to, or even better, than Jessica Walter's personification of a similarly disturbed woman in Clint Eastwood's 1971 chiller 'Play Misty for Me'. It would not surprise me in the least if Van Patten's performance is used in acting school as a reference for both ultimate character submersion as well as a splendid example of how to portray mental illness in such a real, and thus startling, manner.

BTW - Garner and Santos turn in great performances as well! We see a side of Becker never before revealed, and the same could be said of Rockford. Enjoy!
Ginaun

Ginaun

This is a slightly different type of episode that we're used to seeing with this great show, and it absolutely works, mainly because of the strong performances of secondary characters. James Garner is solid as is always the case, but even he gets outshined here, especially by Joyce Van Patten's character; she has a knack of showing up during dangerous police situations, some involving gun battles. We're never quite sure of her motivations, either simply being a good citizen or other reasons, which we never find out. I did like how the ending wasn't wrapped up in a neat little ball, as Lianne(Van Patten)lies on her bed listening to a police scanner, soon after getting yelled at by Dennis and Chapman. When we first see Rockford, he's wearing a very cool brown leather jacket, and he finds Rocky sleeping in front of the television during a college football game. It boils down to Lianne getting involved in Rockford's case of a missing woman, who's wanted by the man who hired Jim, and by the New York mob; a funny scene is when the goons go to visit and rough him up a bit, then Jim kicks one of them in the knee, and the guy screams in pain on the floor because the guy has a plate in his knee. I thought Leslie Charleson was fairly average as the damsel in distress(Patsy), as I didn't detect any real chemistry between her and Garner. Other than that, there are many moments that stand out to me, which include many shots of the Firebird, the trailer, the beach, a boat dock, a cat named Flo, and most of the regulars, excluding Angel and Beth. I highly recommend this episode, mostly for the great performances of Joe Santos and Joyce Van Patten, who add a different element for this great series.