Gunn (1967)

Interesting facts

• Based on: Peter Gunn

Gunn is a 1967 American neo noir mystery film directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Craig Stevens, based on the 1958–1961 television series Peter Gunn. Stevens was the only regular cast member from the original series to appear in the film; the characters of Gunn's singing girlfriend Edie Hart, club owner "Mother", and police lieutenant Charles Jacoby were all recast for the film. The movie was intended to be the first in a projected series of Peter Gunn feature films, but no sequels followed.

Production

William Friedkin recalled that he met Blake Edwards in September 1966. Edwards told him he was considering a return of the Peter Gunn television show but would begin by making a Peter Gunn feature film. Edwards told Friedkin that Charles Bludhorn, the new head of Paramount thought Lola Albright "too old" to resume her former role of Edie Hart and instead wanted an Austrian actress whom Edwards rejected. Laura Devon was then cast in the role.

Edwards wanted Friedkin to direct the film but Friedkin thought William Peter Blatty's script was awful, explaining the script was like some of the old television episodes cobbled together rather than something new and exciting. Edwards directed the film himself. Blatty was impressed by Friedkin's honesty and asked him to direct The Exorcist (1973).

As for Friedkin's comment that the script was like some of the old television episodes cobbled together, the film borrows heavily from the series pilot - season 1 episode 1, "The Kill" (mobster's death by fake Coast Guard vs fake police, burial, romantic interlude, meeting at racquetball court, bombing at Mother's) - and lifts sequences from three other episodes: season 2 episode 12, "The Briefcase" (girl in Gunn's apartment); season 2 episode 22…

In a 2016 interview, Sherry Jackson told how she was hired for the movie. "A friend took me to lunch in the noisy Paramount commissary while I was wearing the costume from the Star Trek episode, "What Are Little Girls Made Of?". I'm terribly near-sighted and when we walked in, it got quieter and quieter, so I asked what was happening. Turns out, they were all looking at me.

Jackson continued: "But Paramount knew it was not going to be a big hit, so they wanted to use me to promote it. They got Playboy involved and offered me $25,000 to appear in the magazine." When Jackson declined, she says Paramount threatened to release some of the risqué still photos from the movie.

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