The Rockford Files (TV Series)

The Paper Palace (1978)

Joe Santos: Dennis Becker

Photos 

Quotes 

• Dennis Becker : [Becker's in the break room trying to console Rita, who's crying because she feels Dennis and all the other cops only want her for info, and aren't sincere when they say they're her 'friends']  Rita, you're looking at things the wrong way. I'm your friend.

  [Between sniffles and tears, Rita just shakes her head 'no'] 

  Dennis Becker : McRainey's your friend.

  [More head shaking] 

  Dennis Becker : Rita, you got nothing but friends here.

  [the door opens; it's Lt. Chapman] 

  Lt. Doug Chapman : Becker?

  Dennis Becker : What? Uh, yes, sir.

  Lt. Doug Chapman : [In an authoritative, annoyed voice]  I want you to get down to the squad room. Get Rockford out of there. Get him out of this station. And whatever he came here to ask you, the answer is 'no'. You got that?

  Dennis Becker : Yes, sir.

  Lt. Doug Chapman : Good.

  [Chapman turns to leave, and notices Rita's sniffling] 

  Lt. Doug Chapman : What the hell are you crying about, Rita? You didn't have change for a five?

  [Rita slams the table, Chapman walks out] 

• Sid Loft : [Dennis and Peggy are having Sid and Eleanor Loft over to dinner, trying to woo them to help get a permit to build an apartment over their garage. Jim's there, and Dennis brought Rita. The tension's palpable; Ms. Loft is upset they're eating *late*--8PM--and Rita's just finished her *monkey-poo* story]  You know, you're crazy about animals, I'm crazy about professions. It really, really interests me. Take modeling. That *is* what you do, isn't it, Miss Capkovick? You *are* a *model*?

  Rita Capkovic : Capkovic.

  [Rita pronounces the 'vic' as 'vitch', not 'vic'] 

  Sid Loft : 'Capkovic'.

  [Sid.pronounces it correctly this time] 

  Peggy Becker : [Nervously trying to change the direction of the conversation]  I-I, I could have served earlier, but I didn't know. You know, I mean, 7 o'clock, 6:30...

  Eleanor Loft : [Not even making any eye contact with Peggy, Eleanor's annoyance is very apparent]  Many people enjoy a late dinner.

  Sid Loft : You and Dennis here, you friends quite awhile?

  Dennis Becker : [Rita stops in mid-chew, Dennis puts broccoli on his plate, looks at Rita, then speaks, looking at his plate, and almost mumbling]  Yeah, for a little while.

  Sid Loft : [the only one smiling]  How'd you two happen to meet?

  Jim Rockford : Dennis, I think you forgot the wine.

  Dennis Becker : Yeah.

  [He crumples his napkin on the table] 

  Dennis Becker : Be right back. Excuse me. Thank you.

  Sid Loft : Couldn't have been at the station. I mean, what would a *model* be doing at the police station?

  [Sid laughs, Rita glowers silently at Sid] 

  Jim Rockford : I'm telling you, Peggy...

  [Sid's still laughing as Jim's speaking] 

  Jim Rockford : ... Peggy this is *really* great. I mean, Yorkshire pudding and everything!

  Peggy Becker : [Peggy sighs]  Uh, thank you.

  [Peggy nervously smiles at Jim] 

  Sid Loft : [Sid continues his one-sided conversation, disregarding every attempt to dissuade him from continuing]  Of course, I can remember a time - I think it was in the '50s. Big scandal. They rounded up all these girls, took them up right off the street

  [Jim's glowering at Sid] 

  Sid Loft : , and every single one of them was carrying a hatbox

  [Mrs. Loft looks at her husband, still chewing, then looks at Rita, raises her eyebrows, and cocks her head] 

  Sid Loft : , claiming to be a model.

  [Rita stares straight at Sid, her face emotionless] 

  Sid Loft : Guess what they were?

  [Rita looks at Peggy] 

  Jim Rockford : [Speaking to Peggy, while gesturing with a fork. His voice--sincere to Peggy, also has a definite note of anger--directed at Sid Loft]  Do you have any idea how long it's been since I had Yorkshire pudding?

  [Jim's just about to put a forkful in his mouth] 

  Sid Loft : Prostitutes.

  [Jim doesn't put the fork in his mouth, and turns away in disgust] 

  Sid Loft : Every last one of them, a common streetwalker.

  [Sid stops leaning forward, and satisfied with his 'story,' reclines back. Mrs. Loft looks at Sid, then looks at Rita] 

  Sid Loft : Now, I haven't thought about that in years

  [Rita's face, still unmoving but with a depressed cast slowly coming across it] 

  Sid Loft : Funny how it jumped into my mind when you mentioned being a model.

  Peggy Becker : [Still trying to put on her game-face, she speaks with a fake chipper tone, and starts to stand]  Well, shall we have coffee in the living room?

• Officer McRainey : [Dennis is taking Rita to the precinct property room so she can pick up her stuff. It's late at night, and both Rita and Dennis are tense, but not Officer McRainey]  You know what she put down for 'occupation'? 'Poet.'

  Rita Capkovic : 'There was a young man from Nantucket... '

  Dennis Becker : OK, Rita. Come on.