Peter Gunn (TV Series) Dream Big, Dream Deadly (1960) User Reviews

Cal Went Without

[biorngm · 8/10 · 17 July 2021]

One of the better stories with a good character actor in a supporting role, Regis Toomey as Cal Sellers where Cal asks Pete to help find his partner's killer. Pete reviews the three-year-old bank heist case with Jacoby, discussing Cal in the process. Gunn tracks down the written clue, it was not on Cal's partner nor in their office so they look, finding it in the church near to where the murder took place. The clue was a location the stolen money was hidden with two individuals scooping the loot up for transport to a more secure spot. Pete shoots both occupants, one dead the other is a brute resurfacing to shoot it out with Cal, where Cal catches a fatal bullet dying in Pete's arms.

Average Episode, but with Madame Spivy

[dougdoepke · 12 October 2015]

The plot's pretty standard—a PI buddy of Pete's is killed, and the PI's buddy hires Pete to get the killer before the killer gets him. Pete and Jacoby think they know who's behind it but have no proof. The ending almost surprises but then the script relents. Catch the usual great hook where the muscle man uses his scary prowess. Also, there's the usual colorful array of characters, like the gender- bending Madame Spivy as a pinball roughneck, and James Fairfax as the skeletal Needles a tattoo artist. Edie does a songbird number, nuzzling it up with the handsome Pete. Also, good to see movie vet Regis Toomey picking up a payday in a role he could probably do in his sleep. Except for the characters and the noir, however, there's not much other reason to catch this fairly routine episode.

In passing—Be sure to check out the inimitable Madame Spivy in one of Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962) best episodes called Specialty of the House (1959). It may make you think twice about going out to eat.