S01/E07: LYNN’S BLUES

At the start of the pre-title sequence, Roger Dwyer arrives at the Plaza Apartments building where nightclub singer Lynn Martel resides and gets on the elevator. On a floor above, a gangster called Babe Santano wedges a knife into the side of the elevator door and presumably triggers a switch causing the elevator doors to open (it is unlikely any elevator door can be opened in that manner. And how did Santano know it was Roger Dwyer who got on the elevator?). Once the elevator doors are opened it causes the elevator to suddenly stop (that does happen to be accurate). Roger thinks the elevator malfunctioned and got stuck and rings the alarm button, alerting the lobby doorman. Meanwhile, Santano loads a silencer onto a gun and reaches down to open the elevator roof hatch where he proceeds to shoot and kill Roger inside the elevator. Santano shuts the elevator doors and the elevator moves back to the lobby instead of continuing up to the floor he was headed (probably not accurate with regard to how an elevator operates). When the doors open, the lobby doorman is shocked to find a dead body on the floor.

Three nights later, Lynn Martel is at a nightclub singing a tune on stage and Peter Gunn is seated on a stool at the bar watching her perform. Gunn was sent there by his girlfriend Edie to check on Lynn, who Edie says might be in some kind of trouble and needs help. Lynn Martel is unable to finish the song on stage; she becomes emotional and runs back to her dressing room. Gunn follows as the band on stage plays the next song. The dressing room door is partially open and Lynn can be heard sobbing. Gunn pushes the door open a bit further and enters, observing Lynn having a drink as she cries. Lynn tells Gunn to let Edie know she is okay and insists on him leaving her alone. Santano, who happens to manage the club, enters the room and nods to Lynn for her to leave the room. Santano then threatens Gunn with a knife and tells Gunn to leave and not bother Lynn again.

At the police station, Gunn goes to Lt. Jacoby’s office for information on Santano. Jacoby explains that Santano is a “watch dog” for mob boss Nat Krueger and that Lynn Martel is Nat Krueger’s girlfriend; “You can call it that,” Jacoby says. Jacoby informs Gunn that three nights ago a man named Roger Dwyer was killed in Lynn Martel’s apartment house and the investigation shows Roger was there to see Lynn. As it turns out, Krueger considers Lynn Martel a possession of his and will have any man killed who becomes romantically involved with her. (The previous episode had the same circumstance; two episodes in a row where a murder has the same motive.) Jacoby also says he has men watching the apartment building.

Peter Gunn arrives outside Mother’s where the door has a “CLOSED” sign. Gunn removes a key from his pocket and opens the door. The band is playing a loud and wild jazz tune on stage (even though the establishment is closed? And there are patrons seated at some of the tables). Edie waves at Gunn while seated on a piano bench shared with Emmett who is playing the piano. Gunn and Edie move over to a quiet spot to discuss her friend Lynn Martel. Gunn tells Edie that Lynn is drinking heavily; Edie says “she never had a drop” in the five years she’s known her.

Defying Santano’s order, Peter Gunn shows up at his club again and approaches Lynn sitting at a table and still drinking (a bottle of Lawson’s Blended Scotch Whiskey is on the table). Aside from a bartender, she’s the only one there, making it seem this club is also closed for the night. Nat Krueger shows up with Santano beside him and orders Lynn to go wait in the car. Santano punches Peter Gunn and when he goes to fight back Krueger pulls a gun, causing Gunn to halt. Krueger tells Gunn he doesn’t want to see him in the club again (a way of saying to stay away from Lynn) and allows Gunn to leave.

Gunn heads over to the Plaza Apartments where Lynn Martel lives and goes up the elevator. After ringing Lynn’s doorbell gets no answer, he smells natural gas and kicks the door in. Lynn is on the couch nearly dead after turning on the fireplace gas line, filling the room with gas. Gunn tries to shake her awake and she resists. He runs to open a window. (Okay, at this point, wouldn’t it be a lot smarter to simply carry her out of the apartment and as far away from there as possible?) Gunn, who is known for ultimate coolness, seems to panic and forcefully walks Lynn over to the window yelling at her to breath in fresh air. He then starts pacing her across the room and back like a madman. Gunn yells at her not to lose hope. Lynn tells Gunn that Santano killed Roger Dwyer on orders from Nat Krueger. When Gunn asks why, Lynn replies, “He owns me.” She says she was very much in love with Roger (who we still don’t know ANYTHING about; only that he was the man killed at the start of the show). They had been together for a month and trying to keep Krueger from knowing about it. Gunn tells Lynn he will take her over to Edie’s. (Not the police station to offer what she knows about Roger’s murder?)

Outside the apartment building, a driver pulls up with Krueger beside him and Santano in the back seat. Santano gets out and goes into the building. A plain clothes officer staking out Lynn’s apartment building quickly uses a police call box on the sidewalk to notify Lt. Jacoby. Gunn and Lynn get into the elevator to go down. After the doors close, Santano rushes over and uses his knife again to open them. Gunn has an arm around Lynn in the elevator (to console her) when suddenly the elevator stops moving. “We’re stuck,” he says. Santano goes into the elevator shaft and sets his feet on the roof of the elevator. Peter Gunn hears it and reaches for his gun, knowing that Roger Dwyer was shot in that elevator. The moment the elevator roof hatch opens, Gunn starts shooting. Santano’s body falls onto the floor of the elevator by Gunn and Lynn’s feet. (In reality, a stuntman doubling for the actor is clearly seen landing on a cushion pad; kind of a goof up in filming).

Outside, police cars show up in opposite directions, trapping Krueger and his driver. The driver gets out of the car and gets into a shootout with Jacoby and cops. The sergeant that rode with Jacoby is struck by gunfire and falls onto the sidewalk. Another cop fires a rifle, killing Krueger’s driver. Jacoby removes Krueger from his car and takes him into custody. The sergeant that went down is seen in a sitting position, assisted by another officer. He’s hurt, but survives. Gunn and Lynn come out of the apartment building to see Krueger held at gunpoint by police as Jacoby places handcuffs on him.

Lynn is singing on stage at Santano’s club (though he is now dead). Gunn and Edie watch Lynn Martel singing from a table as the episode closes with the end of her song.

QUOTES

At Lynn Martel’s apartment after she attempted to commit suicide and Peter Gunn finally regains his cool…

Gunn: “Why don’t you tell me all about it? If you’re still so set on killing yourself, what difference does it make if you tell me?”

More sexual innuendo? Edie asks Peter Gunn if he's going to charge her (for her request to help Lynn). Gunn replies: "Certainly." Edie: "Can I afford it?" Gunn: "We'll figure something out." 

NOTES

Even though Lynn Martel, played by actress/singer Linda Lawson, has tears running down her cheeks following the suicide attempt in her apartment, she looks particularly stunning. Amazingly beautiful.

Linda Lawson, 84 years of age, is still alive today (at the time of this writing), residing in Los Angeles, California. Interestingly enough, Linda’s daughters started a gofundme account in 2018 on behalf of their mother. Apparently, even though Linda Lawson continued her career until 2005, after appearing in numerous television shows and film, also had a successful record album recorded in 1960, and was married to film producer John Foreman who died in 1992, Linda has fallen into poverty. Here is a statement from the gofundme page: Although she is still young at heart and filled with a vibrant spirit, Linda has been forced to slow down in recent years and her social security checks are barely covering her expenses. We’re starting this gofundme campaign to help Linda cover her basic needs (food, housing and medical bills).

Peter Gunn first speaks to Lynn Martel in her nightclub dressing room and tells her that a friend of hers, Edie Hart, asked him to check on her. It seemed a bit odd when she asks, "How is Edie?" as if they hadn't seen each other in a long time, since Edie later tells Gunn that she had coffee with Lynn the day before.

DECEASED: Mobster and night club owner Babe Santano shoots Lynn Martel's boyfriend Roger Dwyer; hit ordered by mob boss Nat Krueger. Gunn shoots Babe Santano. Unnamed cop shoots Nat Krueger's chauffeur during shootout.

Total Gunn Kills: 1 - Series Total: 2 

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NEXT BLOG: S01/E08: “ROUGH BUCK”

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