Love Me to Death (27 Apr. 1959)

Mr. Bowers booby-traps his basement, electrocuting his wife when she turns on an overhead bulb. Next, the bullet-headed widower ties the knot with mousy heiress Maggie (Jeanette Nolan). ... See full summary »

Director:

Jack Arnold

Writers:

Blake Edwards (creator), Lester Pine

Stars:

Craig Stevens, Lola Albright, Hope Emerson

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Craig Stevens	...	Peter Gunn
Lola Albright	...	Edie Hart
Hope Emerson	...	Mother
Herschel Bernardi	...	Lieutenant Jacoby
Jeanette Nolan	...	Maggie Goffney Bowers
Robert H. Harris	...	Henry Bowers
Helen Wallace	...	Wilma Goffney
Ellen Corby	...	Irma Goffney
Lucien Littlefield	...	James Bond
Clegg Hoyt	...	Big Mug
Pitt Herbert	...	Sucker
Charles Calvert	...	Card Player
Sid Kane	...	Card Player
Louis Cavalier	...	Card Player
Brandy Bryan	...	Camera Girl

Storyline

Mr. Bowers booby-traps his basement, electrocuting his wife when she turns on an overhead bulb. Next, the bullet-headed widower ties the knot with mousy heiress Maggie (Jeanette Nolan). While Edie warbles "when the lights start lighting the town," Maggie's controlling older sister drives to Mother's in her Model T, to employ Peter Gunn to investigate Bowers. Gunn detects he's an ex-con blackmailer, but the new bride doesn't fret, though her pince-nezed attorney James Bond warns her she'll be the next victim.

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Genres:

Action | Mystery | Crime | Drama

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 1959 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Spartan Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Straight to Baby"
Written by Henry Mancini, Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Performed by Lola Albright

User Reviews

Very Good Episode In Which You Knew Something Wasn't At It Seemed

You just knew things weren't as they looked....and sure enough, they weren't. This was a neat ending, a nice twist to an interesting story filled with action and suspense. Well, at least more than normal.

The introduction gets your attention right away as a woman is electrocuted in her basement, thanks to her husband. As the story starts - apparently some years after that incident - a couple of old biddies come to "Mother's" looking to hire Peter Gunn. Their pathetic sister has married some guy they think is a crook. Well, it turns out to be that guy who electrocuted his former wife. The man does have quite a background, Pete discovers, leaving a number of dead wives, and has spent time in jail for other things. All of this is unknown to the wallflower who married him, a 50-year-old in love for the first time and who doesn't care so long as she has someone.

The sisters get knocked off and someone throws a Molotov cocktail at Gunn. Pete knows the wife is going to be next, giving the man the money he's looking when this latest wife dies..

A showdown ensues and a real surprise happens. Not wanting to use spoilers, I'll leave it there.