Peter Gunn Season 3, Episode 27: Short Motive

The Passenger

A sleepy passenger on a late night bus witnesses a man in a second story apartment strangling a woman. When a police investigation finds nothing,the man hires Gunn to find the killer-before the killer finds him.

Mask of Murder

Gunn gets a frantic phone call from Norman Hartley and rushes to Hartley's home - only to find him dead.

The Maitre D'

A gourmand gangster blows up his rival and a gourmet restaurant at the same time. The restaurant's cordon bleu owner helps Edie open her own supper club ("Edie's") and in return Gunn teams up with him to bring the mobster to justice.

The Candidate

The candidate for Governor, Adrian Grimmett, runs on a no-taxes platform. Who could possibly want to assassinate him?

The Judgment

On Halloween Arthur Merrill answers the door prepared to treat the youngsters - but one of them shoots him.

The Death Frame

Eddie Carson, a small time thug, is sure he's going to be bumped off. He tries to get Gunn to help him but the sleuth is unmoved until it's too late.

Death Across the Board

Wealthy Sportsman Harley Bernard would like to know who murdered his stable manager. At first Gunn suspects Frank Rousseau, a gangster who once tried to get Wally to fix a race. The next suspect is a seven-foot giant who tries to strangle Gunn. After being rescued by Lt. Jacoby, Gunn visits TV exercise personality Jack LaLanne who identifies the tall man as the ""Great Gorza.""

Tramp Steamer

The Rico brothers' testimony was responsible for Matt Poliska's deportation, and when Dave Rico is shot, his dying word is Poliska. But Poliska's not supposted to be in the country.

The Long Green Kill

A convicted man being escorted to prison via the train is freed by a confederate. The man's wife contacts Gunn to hire him to recapture her husband. Due to him believing she tipped the police and caused his arrest, she fears her husband will kill her.

Take Five for Murder

Gunn is hired by the manager of teen idol Bobby Jeeter to payoff a blackmailer and find out who is doing the blackmailing.

Big Dream, Deadly Dream

Detective Eddie Sellers comes clost to solving a two-million dollar robbery and pays with his life. His brother Cal, also a detective, is afraid he's next.

Sepi

A young boy tells Gunn that he saw his father beaten up during the night. But when Gunn calls the police, Sepi disappears.

A Tender Touch

An eccentric employee executes a plan to make his bank employer institute a pension plan. He steals the cash in the vault and won't return it until they agree. But a mobster reads of the story and decides to kidnap him and take his money.

Royal Roust

A royal visitor, King Felix, is visiting the city and it's Jacoby's job to escort him through the city jail.

Bullet in Escrow

Ed Stone is released from prison, met by a friend who gives him a gun and makes a call to Peter Gunn.

Jacoby's Vacation

Jacoby tells Gunn that he's going on vacation to some nice quiet place. Gunn tells Jacoby he's got just the place.

Blind Item

A newspaper gossip column item leads to a noted author hiring Gunn to investigate his wife. But the author is murdered, so Gunn seeks to find the killer and starts by investigating the wife. Turns out she has more than one man in her life.

Death Is a Sore Loser

A janitor and his wife see Police Sergeant Lee Davis enter their building and minutes later they hear two shots. They rush to the scene to find Sergeant Davis holding a gun over the body of a dead derelict.

I Know It's Murder

Kevin Daniels asks Gunn to prevent the murder of his mother.

A Kill and a Half

It's ""trick or treat"" night, and Arthur Merrill answers the door to a big surprise.

Than a Serpent's Tooth

A singer, who fifteen years before was found Not Guilty in the questionable shooting death of her gangster husband, hires Gunn to help with a blackmailer. Her psychiatrist was robbed of tapes made during analysis revealing the real story.

The Deep End

Susan Neilson swims out to the deep end of her pool and drowns. Her swimming instructor, Phil Matterson, left her alone, poured himself a drink and ignored her cries for help.

30 min

Portrait in Leather

While ex-heavyweight champ Billy Cochrane is training for a comeback, an attempt is made on his life.

30 min

Come Dance with Me and Die

A cab driver saves a woman from a beating and from being forced into a car by two thugs. Afterwards, she disappears while he goes for help. The cabby tells his friend Gunn about what happened and this leads into the search for a girl who is "trying to get lost". She is a witness against a top hood and is on his hit list.

Cry Love, Cry Murder

The gun used in a murder of a gangster is found in the possesion of a teenager.

A Penny Saved

Ballet dancer Nico Belurin escapes from a home for the mentally ill.

The Murder Bond

The biggest Racket Man in town is out on bail and "blows up". Or did he? The hood's bondsman out $100,000 hires Gunn to find out. A derelict who disappeared with a $90,000 winning Irish Sweepstakes ticket may figure in the case.

The Most Deadly Angel

An unhinged female admirer of Gunn kills to prove it. First is a hood who threatened Gunn. Next is his lowlife brother. Gunn must prove he's not the killer and find out who's next before the hood brothers' father takes revenge.

Till Death Do Us Part

Edward Candell is scheduled to die for the murder of his wife Leona. Tommy McDonald is surprised to hear the verdict - he just saw Leona.

Last Resort

Clinton Hobart, former movie great, is trying to make a comeback. But hard-driving young producer Les Murdock isn't making matters any easier for the old fellow.

A Matter of Policy

Gunman Frank Dineen never objected to killing people for money. This time, however he's going to do a job for himself.

A Bullet for the Boy

Gambling man Paul Mitchell and the son of an American diplomat in Acapulco, is show and wounded while leaving his home.

Death Is a Four Letter Word

Lisa Randolph's well-groomed appearance belies the turmoil of her emotions - as Gunn discovers when he is asked to prevent her from committing suicide.

Deadly Intrusion

Golf instructor Gil Manson is accused by the police of being a hit and run driver. Manson insists he was giving a golf lesson at the time of the accident, but his pupil has mysteriously disappeared.

Voodoo

Abel Gunther a small-time Haitian sugar-cane grower, blames the death of his wife on the spirit world. He has a more praticial explanation for another of his worries - his cane fields have been leveled by fire.

Down the Drain

A man named Paul Condon calls the police and tells them where a cache of stolen jewels can be found. But before any more information can be passed on - Condon is shot down.

Murder on the Line

Cesar Carlyle, a very rich man, hires Gunn to find certain documents which, if made public, could ruin him. Seems the papers were stolen and the theif wants a good deal of money for their return.