S01/E02: STREETCAR JONES

Patrons are arriving and quickly filling a small, but quaint jazz club called The Big Eye where a jazz combo led by an older pianist known only as “Lodi” (pronounced LOW-DIE) is playing on stage. Lodi also serves as Master of Ceremonies. On stage he introduces the next performance as that of Martin Swift and the stage curtains open. Sitting at a piano and appearing to be looking straight out at the club’s seated gathering with eyes open, Swift falls forward dead out of his piano bench onto the stage floor with a knife protruding from his back. And (as expected with these old black and white shows) women seated nearby let out a scream as if they were the ones being murdered. 

In the next scene, the same jazz band is now assembled and playing in the corner of a funeral home beside the casket containing Martin Swift as Peter Gunn approaches. Gunn was called in by Lodi who hires him to investigate the death of Martin Swift. (Isn't that a job for police?) Lodi admits that nobody was very fond of Swift. Also, that police believe a talented musician called Streetcar Jones is responsible; however, Lodi seems to imply that it could have been anybody. “Mr. Gunn, you’re going to find out that Streetcar had a good reason to slip it to Marty Swift. You’re going to find out also that most of us did too.” Lodi scoops up in the palms of his hands some loose change and bills from what appears to be a tip collection bowl he calls “Kitty”—complete with a little kitten figurine attached to it—and spills the money into Gunn’s cupped hands with a promise of more “tonight” during their shows. As Lodi begins playing piano and the rest of the combo join in, Gunn drops the money back into the bowl before walking away, seemingly implying that he will take on the case pro bono.

Peter Gunn visits Lieutenant Jacoby’s office at the police station asking about Streetcar Jones. Jacoby has Streetcar locked up on suspicion because he had been making threats about killing Martin Swift and was seen hanging around in the alley outside The Big Eye club shortly before Swift was killed. Jacoby seems frustrated that Jones hired a very expensive lawyer named Gerald Norris (though there’s never an indication in the show that Jones was wealthy by any means). Gunn asks to speak to Streetcar. Down in the holding cell, Streetcar Jones was apparently allowed to have a pair of xylophone playing mallets with him when locked up and he’s using them to tap on the jail’s iron bars to create a tune. Jones speaks with typical jazz or beatnik jargon of the time. Gunn tells Jones that he was hired by Lodi to get him out of jail. “Lodi? There’s a cool ol’ cat. Swings way back.” Jones admits he had a hatred for the murdered man, Martin Swift, but he never killed him. Streetcar also tells Gunn that Swift stole his and other musician’s composed works and passed them off as his own.

Back at The Big Eye club, Gunn and Edie are seated at a table enjoying Swing music played by Lodi’s band. They are approached by Streetcar Jones' lawyer, Gerald Norris, and Norris’ daughter, Sally, an attractive blonde woman. Sally Norris asks Edie for permission to dance with her boyfriend, Peter Gunn, to which Edie replies with a big smile, “How’d you like to step outside?” As Gunn dances with Sally, Gerald Norris sits with Edie at her table. Gunn and Sally chat on the dance floor. Sally claims she listens to Streetcar Jones’ records, but doesn’t know him personally. In a very flirtatious tone, she invites Gunn to visit her and have a listen to her private record collection.

As Gunn and Edie are about to enter his home, lawyer Gerald Norris pulls up in his car. Gunn approaches the car, leaving Edie to go into the home on her own. Norris wants Gunn to stop investigating the murder. Gunn tells Norris he suspects Marty Swift was killed for something other than just stealing other musician’s works. Gunn refuses to take Norris’ advice. Moments later he is beaten up by two thugs.

Back at Mother’s, not yet open for the night, in what appears to be the following day, pianist Emmett is rehearsing at the piano with Edie seated beside him. Lt. Jacoby walks in and takes a seat at the bar for some coffee. Mother is also seated at the bar doing paperwork and bartender Barney seems to be getting things ready on the other side. Peter Gunn is on the payphone talking to someone named Charlie.

Gunn heads back to The Big Eye and sits at a table with the lawyer’s daughter, Sally Norris. Gunn tells her how Lodi has informed him that she is one of his biggest customers. Sally says, “Oh, I contribute to the kitty now and then.” To which Gunn replies, “He tells me it’s something like two or three times a week,” seemingly indicating that’s more than normal. On stage, Lodi introduces Streetcar Jones, now out of jail. The stage curtain opens and Streetcar proceeds with playing a masterful jazz tune on the xylophone. He is joined by Lodi on piano and the rest of the band. Sally is very surprised to see that Streetcar is not in jail anymore. Gunn tells Sally that Streetcar is a free man now due to new evidence and she gets nervous, but tries to cover it up with a smile. Gunn proceeds to disclose his findings in the investigation; that three years earlier, in Buffalo, a well-known sax player was killed by his wife. A prominent young woman whose father was an attorney who got her off on self-defense. Sally now knows that Gunn is talking about her and she replies, “There was never any question.” Gunn says that’s because there was a witness that testified on her behalf, Martin Swift. Meanwhile, over the past three years, Sally Norris’ bank account shows money being paid to Swift adding up to about $100,000. Gunn let’s her know that he doesn’t condone Swift blackmailing her, but murder is worse. Gunn assures Sally that the case will surely hold up in court, despite her lawyer father on her side. Sally reaches across the table and caresses Gunn’s face and tells him she had told the thugs not to hurt his face. The same two thugs that attacked Gunn approach the table and Sally tells Gunn he should just leave with them quietly. As Gunn is escorted out of the club, Lt. Jacoby gets up from a table and follows them out. Obviously, Gunn and Jacoby had planned ahead, knowing the outcome of meeting with Sally Norris would lead to an attempt on Gunn’s life. Outside the club, Jacoby with gun in hand, yells out at the thugs whom reach for their guns. Gunn belts one of them with a punch and the other is shot dead by Jacoby as he tried to get some shots off. Gunn goes back into the club where he leads Sally Norris out, likely into the hands of police for her arrest. On stage, Lodi and Streetcar Jones proceed with playing the next number.

QUOTES:

At the police station, as Gunn is about to leave through Jacoby’s office door…

Lt. Jacoby: “How’d he ever get a name like Streetcar?”

Gun: “The way I hear it, when he plays, all you’ve got to do is get on and ride” (with emphasis on the word “ride”).

At Mother’s, Jacoby and Gunn discuss Gunn being attacked while he is looking through a phone book and never looks up as Jacoby speaks…

Lt. Jacoby: “How about a description, anyway? Just for the sheer joy of it.

Gunn: “Tall, dark hats, nasty disposition.”

Lt. Jacoby: “That makes it easy.”

NOTES:

This marks the second of two episodes—the first two episodes of the series—where it appears Gunn worked for free, having returned Lodi’s loose change offer back to the “Kitty” tip bowl.

At Lt. Jacoby’s office, he is clearly heard saying the name “Gerald Norris” when referring to the lawyer, and when the lawyer introduced himself at The Big Eye he clearly said Gerald Norris, yet in closing credits the character is listed as George Norris (played by Carlyle Mitchell).

What was the purpose of lawyer Gerald Norris taking Streetcar Jones as his client, knowing that Jones being framed for the murder of Martin Swift will keep his daughter out of prison? Was his intention to sabotage the defense? And who exactly hired Norris or asked him to take on the case was never made clear.

Why was it a problem for Sally Norris to contribute to the band's Kitty tip bowl several times a week?

UPDATE 10/08/2020: It was made clear by Gunn when speaking to Sally Norris at the table that her contributions to the Kitty bowl is what allowed her to "wander [around the club and backstage]; no one would pay any attention", allowing Sally Norris to stab Martin Swift in the back just prior to his performance.

The character, Lodi, was played by actor Leigh Whipper. Born in 1876, Whipper was 82 years old when this episode first aired. According to IMDB.com, he was also in fact an accomplished pianist.

The character Streetcar Jones was played by Carlo Fiore. There is an interesting write-up about Fiore on IMDB.com and his friendship with the legendary actor Marlon Brando, about them rooming together and how Fiore depended on Brando for most of the bit parts he got in film. That article can be seen HERE.

One may wonder if the police department in this town is so incompetent that a private detective must take charge of solving a murder.

Soon after the battle outside The Big Eye club between Jacoby and Gunn and the two thugs, as Gunn reenters the club many patrons are seen running out toward the sound of gunfire. That doesn’t seem like a smart thing for anyone to do. In the real world, people would run away from gun fire.

Once again, the location of the Peter Gunn series (at least in this first season) may seem to take place somewhere in New York. Gunn tells Sally Norris about an incident that occurred “in Buffalo” three years before. It is unlikely someone would simply refer to that particular city solely as “Buffalo” if they weren’t already in New York. It would be more likely for someone to say “Buffalo, New York” if the person speaking was in another state.

Even if the two thugs had managed to kill Peter Gunn, as ordered by Sally Norris, surely he had already disclosed his findings to police, which is how Streetcar Jones got released from jail. Meaning Sally would still be found guilty in a court of law and killing Gunn would have simply been out of revenge.

DECEASED: Martin Swift stabbed in back by Sally Norris (stabbing not shown). Lt. Jacoby shoots hood hired by Sally Norris.

Total Gunn Kills: 0 - Series Total: 0 

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NEXT BLOG: S01/E03: “THE VICIOUS DOG”

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