Peter Gunn

[MagnumsLeftShoulder]

I've recently discovered Peter Gunn on Me-TV. It's only on once a week (Sunday in the middle of the night), but what a cool show! I went looking for it online and someone has posted the first 2 seasons on youtube. Here's a link if any Magnum maniacs are interested :
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... lV5IcekMDs


I assume Bellasario was a fan of the show and was referencing it when he named his character Magnum. I wonder if Selleck was a fan of it, too? Some of Craig Stevens' mannerisms remind me of Magnum's. Also, I've watched about 10 episodes and Gunn seems to screw up, get beat up, and just get lucky as much as TM.

[iancamp]

You really liked Peter Gunn? I thought I was the only one crazy about this show. Can you tell me your experience about the show. I am really exited to hear it.

[ConchRepublican]

Welcome iancamp!

[Little Garwood]

I always preferred Johnny Staccato, which boasted some amazing B&W photography, NYC location shooting, and stellar Elmer Bernstein theme and underscore. In a way it is the antithesis of Peter Gunn in that Staccato's star, John Cassavetes, played things "hot" compared to Craig Stevens' cooler-than-anything approach. Different characters, different shows. I like all those "Swingin' Detectives" of the late 1950s and Peter Gunn is no exception! It's a sub genre of its own, IMO.

[marlboro]

This show is surprisingly violent. Shootings, electrocutions, arsonists - all sorts of fun stuff.

[KingKC]

I thought it had one of the best theme songs ever.

[Steve-O]

I thought it had one of the best theme songs ever.

Yes, another great piece by Mancini. There's a nice version of the theme on YouTube by the Prague Philharmonic.
From a progressive pov, I like ELP's version as well.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

I thought it had one of the best theme songs ever.

Hi Guys,
I have also for the first time gotten a extended look at Peter Gunn courtesy of it being run on ME-TV. The soundtrack is excellent and as KingKC noted, the title song might be one of the all time great tunes in the American Songbook.
Co-star Lola Allbright was just about the most seductive woman ever on TV, in my humble opinion.
Given the time constraints the writing is crisp, fast paced and despite censorship they time and again would get away with slyly indicating "naughty" subjects and themes.
For instance any hip person would recognize that Hal Smith's(Otis on Andy Griffith) florist role was gay as well as was one of the series leads.
This was made clear in the recently aired episode Skin Deep.
Gunn's sultry singer girlfriend Edie(Lola Allbright) is waiting for him in the nearly deserted nightclub Mothers, in the wee hours.
Mother(Hope Emerson) being a matronly middle aged lady who could pass for Alan Hale in drag, only tougher.
Edie is at the bar, sadly reading her fortune with a Tarot card deck.
Peter Gunn enters and asks, "problem"?
Edie: "According to this I should be with Lawrence Welk! Want me to do yours?"
Edie flips over a card for Pete, sighs "I could kill myself" and reads Pete's fortune, "you will meet a beautiful woman, blonde, very rich".
Mother enthusiastically interjects, "I should have a deck like that".
They didn't write like that on Bonanza.

"When Shemp pours on the charm, no dame can resist him!"- Moe Howard

[marlboro]

"When Shemp pours on the charm, no dame can resist him!"- Moe Howard

"Can I help it if I ain't Cousin Basil?"

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

"When Shemp pours on the charm, no dame can resist him!"- Moe Howard

"Can I help it if I ain't Cousin Basil?"

Your're a sick man, Marlboro. How many other Shemp fans could have linked those two quotes together so quickly?
Your rejoinder compelled me to look up the Stooges on You Tube and I found colorized Stooge flicks that looked great!
They have come a long way with that tech since that butcher job they did to Laurel & Hardy's March of the Wooden Soldiers.
Realistic colorization finally achieved, Steven Spielberg stated that before long they could make new John Wayne films with
computer tech.
So I guess we could one day see some new Magnum episodes with the "original" cast!
Why, the Three Stooges could even stay at Robins Nest and wreck the joint,
Moe saying "why I'll murderlize you wise guy" and then poking Higgins in the eyes.
Or TC could call on the Stooge's law firm, "Dewey, Cheatem and Howe".
I think we have opened up a whole new vista for Magnum Fan Fiction.
The Three Stooges and Magnum are perfect together, Romeo and Juliette were clearly mismatched by comparison.

[MaiTaiMan]

Peter Gunn complete series on DVD comes out this month...I pre-ordered a set a couple months ago on Amazon. It’ll ship on the release date. I’ve never seen Peter Gunn before...I’m excited to get to see it finally! I’m surprised it was only a 30min show, though. It sounds like it could have been an hour long crime drama...Perry Mason, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside 6, etc...were all an hour. Love and have all those too!

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Hi Guys,
I kept reading that while Peter Gunn is a excellent series, T.H.E. Cat from 1966 is better, though it only ran one year.
You Tube now has episodes 1, 3 and 6 so I watched them tonight and Holy Smokes, T.H.E. Cat is even cooler than King of Cool Peter Gunn.
Lalo Schifrin's score is right up there with Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn efforts, which for me would have been heresy to say before I actually heard it tonight.
Robert Loggia stars as Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat, who

" Out of the night comes a man who saves lives at the risk of his own. Once a circus performer, an aerialist who refused the net. Once a cat burglar, a master among jewel thieves. Now a professional bodyguard. Primitive... savage... in love with danger. The Cat!"

Like Peter Gunn, Cat hangs out at a jazz club, Casa del Gato(House of the Cat) which is run by his buddy Pepe, a gypsy. And like Gunn his girl is a singer.
The great character actor RG Armstrong plays the one handed police Captain McAllister.
Just the look of Pepe and McAllister add to the atmosphere, these aren't the usual cookie cutter characters churned out by lazy writers.
I always wondered why Hollywood producers and actors held Loggia in such high regard, now I get it. And why this series is such a cult hit.
I look forward to when Universal releases this puppy on DVD.

Lt. Tanaka is grilling Luther Gillis and Higgins on why they were caught on a wharf with the engulfed in fish corpse of murder victim Warren Brummer -
"I want answers! What about Warren Brummer?"
Luther: "I think he was working for scales."

[MaiTaiMan]

Peter Gunn complete series on DVD comes out this month...I pre-ordered a set a couple months ago on Amazon. It’ll ship on the release date. I’ve never seen Peter Gunn before...I’m excited to get to see it finally! I’m surprised it was only a 30min show, though. It sounds like it could have been an hour long crime drama...Perry Mason, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside 6, etc...were all an hour. Love and have all those too!

This was my post from last August. I received and went through my Peter Gunn set, and it was awesome! Fun, yet “dark” for its time, but captivating as well! Full of action and suspense, but very interesting and fascinating plots too! I still agree with my original post above, that it could & should have been an hour long crime drama...and I think it could’ve gone longer. Amazing crime show, and I highly recommend this for any crime/mystery/cop drama lover and/or collector!

[terryfromkerry]

Mother : " What's the matter, don't you have a home ? "
Peter Gunn : " Maid's night out. "

Aloha MaiTaiMan,

On reading your post I managed to find the pilot and loved it. It was like opening a time capsule retro gift. Made in 1958. Written and directed by Blake Edwards, music by Henry Mancini and Craig Stevens is so cool ( like Cary Grant does Sam Spade ) and then throw in a young Jack Weston. It was a real treat to watch. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Chris109]

Cary Grant was THE man, wasn't he?