Ep 15. The No-Cut Contract

The Rockford Files is an American detective drama series that aired for six seasons from 1974 to 1980. It starred James Garner as private investigator Jim Rockford, who relies on his wit and instinct to solve cases in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles.

Season 2 episode 15, The No-Cut Contract, follows Rockford as he takes on a case for a retired professional basketball player named Leroy "Stuff" Burnett (played by Moses Gunn). Burnett's former agent, Max Dolan (played by Robert Webber), contacts Rockford and asks him to retrieve a contract that Burnett signed during his years in the NBA. Dolan claims that the contract, known as the "no-cut" contract, entitles him to a percentage of Burnett's earnings for life, even though Dolan has not represented Burnett for years.

Burnett is now a successful businessman, but he is haunted by the no-cut contract, which he signed when he was young and naive. He feels that Dolan has been exploiting him for years and wants to free himself from the contract. However, Dolan insists that the contract is legally binding and threatens to sue Burnett if he tries to break it.

Rockford initially thinks that the case is simple and agrees to help Burnett retrieve the contract. However, things quickly become complicated when Dolan turns up dead, and Rockford becomes the prime suspect. The police believe that Rockford killed Dolan to prevent him from pursuing the no-cut contract, and Rockford must clear his name while also helping Burnett deal with the fallout from the contract.

As Rockford investigates the case, he discovers that Dolan had many enemies, including other former basketball players whom he had represented. Rockford also learns that Dolan was involved in a shady real estate deal that may have led to his death. Rockford's investigation takes him into the high-stakes world of professional sports and real estate, where he must navigate deceitful agents, corrupt businessmen, and violent criminal enterprises.

Throughout the episode, Rockford uses his trademark sarcasm and dry humor to outsmart his adversaries and stay one step ahead of the police. He also relies on his wits and his network of contacts, including his lawyer friend Beth Davenport (played by Gretchen Corbett) and his ex-convict friend Angel Martin (played by Stuart Margolin).

In the end, Rockford solves the case and clears his name, but the aftermath of the no-cut contract leaves Burnett with mixed feelings. He realizes that he cannot escape the mistakes of his past and must learn to live with the consequences of his actions. The episode ends on a bittersweet note, with Rockford driving off into the sunset and Burnett contemplating his future.