 The character of Rockford was originally written in an unproduced  script for the ABC series _"Toma" (1973)_ (qv). That script was  rewritten as the pilot for the "Rockford Files." Both ABC (who  initially rejected the script for "Toma") and NBC had problems with  the "Rockford" scripts. Executives at both networks thought the  dramatic series scripts were too funny. The writers were always  ordered to take out the funny lines. The writers and eventually the  star refused.