Re: RARA-AVIS: Harry O & Rockford: Literary Influences Coming and Going

From: Mark Sullivan ( DJ-Anonyme@webtv.net)
Date: 23 Aug 2003


Kevin wrote:

"It's a coin toss -- Rockford was maybe a bit more clever, Harry O maybe a little darker, more melodramatic, . . ."

Which is probably why I (slightly) preferred the latter, but loved them both.

". . . but both are sadly missed."

Truly.

"Too bad HARRY O, as far as I know, has never been released in syndication."

At some point about a decade or so ago, it ran in reruns late on Sunday nights in the DC area. Don't remember if it was a cable network or just picked up by a local station. I think the latter.

"That's what the MYSTERY channel should be running instead of that cheesy MIKE HAMMER series ("I, the Fromage") tape loop."

Or TV Land or Nick at Nite. (Don't get the Mystery Channel on my cable package.)

"You can't even find Harry O stuff on video or DVD, whereas I'm sure it's only a matter of time before you can buy a Rockford Box Set."

Five or six episodes were available on VHS, including the pilot with a different Rocky. And Bill, since you so obviously love mysteries about the art world (as do I), you should check out The Big Rip-Off. A subplot offers a very amusing take on the art market. There was another episode with an artist who refused to answer Rockford's questions until after he bought a painting he had just insulted.

Out of curiosity, has anyone read Stuart Kaminsky's (it was him, right?) Rockford File novelizations? Any good?

I remember that the jacket copy of Art Bourgeau's first couple of books compared them to Rockford and Angel. It got me to read them. The first two weren't very good, but the next two, especially the one set at an Elvis Convention, were pretty amusing. (I know, why did I read a third if the first two weren't very good? Well, I had to read the third for an article I was writing, so I had to read the other two first because I'm anal that way.)

Mark

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