Hello, this is Jim Rockford. At the tone, leave your name and message. I'll get back to you. *beep*

August 28, 2006 7:08 AM

Transcriptions of every opening credit sequence answering machine message from all six seasons of the Rockford Files.
posted by sourwookie (23 comments total)

I love the Rockford Files, and James Garner. He's also an important tool for delineating generations. Say 'James Garner,' to someone my Dad's age and he'll say 'Oh, Maverick.' Someone my age and it's 'Oh, Rockford.' Someone my baby sister's age (20) and it's 'who?'

Garner is the Rosetta Stone on this.
posted by jonmc at 7:20 AM on August 28, 2006

Hey, is that Jennifer's dad?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:24 AM on August 28, 2006

And you think Rockford Files is cool
But there are some things that you would change
If it were up to you
So think about your masterpiece
Watch the Rockford Files
Call to see if Paul can score some weed
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:32 AM on August 28, 2006

I think of him as mostly "Oh, Rockford," and a little bit "Oh, Victor/Victoria[King Marchand.]" Thanks for the link, this is terrific.
posted by runtina at 7:33 AM on August 28, 2006

Who? Oh, the guy from this movie?
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 7:44 AM on August 28, 2006

Yeah, that movie.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:49 AM on August 28, 2006

This is way cool. My answering machine message used to be copied from Rockford's (with "tedw" replacing "Jim Rockford", of course) but I think few if any people got the reference.
posted by TedW at 8:01 AM on August 28, 2006

Find Me If You Can [108] This is the blood bank. If you don't have malaria, hepatitis, or TB, we'd like to have a pint of your blood.

How quaint.
posted by TedW at 8:03 AM on August 28, 2006

Still others remember him as "The Scrounger".
posted by Hypnic jerk at 8:04 AM on August 28, 2006

The really cool people remember him from this (but hopefully not this).
posted by hal9k at 8:25 AM on August 28, 2006

I've wanted to do up my voicemail like this for a long time. This is my big chance. And if I can figure it out, I'll even make the theme song my ringtone.
posted by DonnieSticks at 8:40 AM on August 28, 2006

Jim, this is Andrea at Todd's Food Mart. Listen, there's a guy down here by the name of Angel Martin whose charge $110 worth of groceries to your account. Is that okay with you?

That's been stuck in my head for the last 20 some years. For real.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:40 AM on August 28, 2006

>>I've wanted to do up my voicemail like this for a long time. This is my big chance. And if I can figure it out, I'll even make the theme song my ringtone.<<

Theme song to Rockford's been my ringtone for over a year. ;)
posted by linux at 8:48 AM on August 28, 2006

Theme song to Rockford's been my ringtone for over a year. ;)

Tranmere fan?
posted by jack_mo at 9:04 AM on August 28, 2006

Mr. Garner is awesome in Barbarians at the Gate.
posted by kirkaracha at 9:09 AM on August 28, 2006

Brings back some memories. I also had a really awful 1976 firebird (firechicken) with a pokey 350 and a 3spd slushbox. It was gold too, just like Jim's. I think Jim's was a 74, but there wasn't much of difference to them anyhow.

Ah, those were not the days...
posted by pezdacanuck at 9:20 AM on August 28, 2006

I recommend Twilight, in which he plays an old ex-cop (Paul Newman and Gene Hackman are also in it - kind of an old tough-guys reunion). Grand Prix and How Sweet it Is were both awful, in my opinion, though GP has some curiosity value.
posted by QuietDesperation at 9:54 AM on August 28, 2006

Ha, I use Jim on my answering machine, too.
posted by Joeforking at 10:33 AM on August 28, 2006

Yeah, that movie.

Whoops.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 10:49 AM on August 28, 2006

Great theme song, too. Not as great as The Jeffersons, but close.
posted by SaintCynr at 11:14 AM on August 28, 2006

THIS is a fine movie to remember the Garner for, as well.
posted by stenseng at 12:17 PM on August 28, 2006

I'm pretty sure I actually remember seeing the one where the cleaning lady calls complaining about how the trailer always looks like people have been fighting in it.

Thanks, sourwookie.
posted by soyjoy at 2:15 PM on August 28, 2006

about time someone did this
posted by absalom at 2:58 PM on August 28, 2006