"Peter Gunn" Rough Buck (TV Episode 1958) Poster

(TV Series)

(1958)

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8/10
Good scenes
akyngcls10 May 2010
I enjoy watching 52 year old Peter Gunn shows more than anything new that is on TV now. This episode is a reason why. I don't normally like boxing stories but this one had me hooked from the beginning. Though Gino's drunk act was a little too much, there are two scenes to watch more than once in this episode. Early on Pete goes into Edie's dressing room. We see her buttoning her dress and Pete is framed between her arm and side. There ensues a nice little bit of dialogue between the two until interrupted by Mother with a situation for Pete. The second scene is towards the end Gino has to fight two thugs in the ring, well directed and real looking fight. Worth watching for these two moments.
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6/10
A Tough Boxing Film-Noir-Like Tale
ccthemovieman-17 January 2010
Overacting by an actor helped bring down this otherwise-good episode, a tale of a successful boxer whom everyone liked getting murdered one night. His team was "Tony Triano," and he was much beloved in the city. His younger brother or stablemate (I wasn't sure how they worded that) "Gino," is a suspect because everyone knows how jealous Gino is of Tony. However, Gino yells, screams, gets drunks, yells more, gets dramatic to the point of ludicrousness, etc. and convinces Pete there may be someone else behind this senseless killing. Antony Carbone, the actor who plays Gino, overdoes all the theatrics.

En route to finding out the real killer, we run into some super-tough hoods, an ex-moll of Tony's and assorted other low-lifes from the world of boxing.

The ending to this is clever. I liked it, and it made the final scene in the boxing ring memorable.
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8/10
Good Guy and Wrong Guy
biorngm30 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The best of the earlier episodes as the pace is steady, the story well written, the cast is perfect, less film noir, less bar scenes, no smoky rooms, more apartment, boxing gym, Jacoby's office and back alley. Pete and Jacoby are on the search for Tony's killer, a professional job meaning it cost somebody considerable dollars, eliminating suspects while pointing at others. After following the leads surrounding the hit both the PI and the lieutenant put their heads to conclude something not occurring to them at the onset. Watch this episode unfold, see where it gets the title name, see it wasn't who you might have thought, but who masterminded it and why. I don't want to give away the secrets, but you can see the hit, who made it, but the clues are all laid out eventually bringing about a great conclusion. Enjoy the intrigue with the action.
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Sub-Par
dougdoepke26 April 2016
Rather flat early entry. Pete's hired to find out who killed a popular young boxer. The trail is shorter than usual and without the usual colorful characters to spice up proceedings. Likely these flaws stem from a series that's yet to find its footing. At least we get brief shots of the luscious Edie (Albright) and the gender-bending Mother (Emerson) who unfortunately died soon into the series.

In a role as friend of the murdered boxer, actor Carbone gets an extended scene. Unfortunately, it amounts to over-the-top histrionics that also amounts to over- dramatized padding. Then too, there're no surprises to the plot, and that's along with a poorly staged climactic scene. Fortunately, this entry is not typical of what turned out to be an innovative and generally superior series.
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6/10
Okay
grantss5 August 2022
Not great but reasonably entertaining. By now Peter Gunn has become quite formulaic. Hamstrung by trying to fit a film noir-type drama into 26 minutes there's no time for plot or character development.

It's just 1. Murder 2. Peter Gunn arrives (and often meets potential next victim) 3. Peter Gunn meets (and is often threatened and/or assaulted by) main suspect 4. Peter Gunn regroups 5. Showdown 6. Peter Gunn prevails (sometimes with the help of Lt Jacoby).

This is no exception. The action scenes and Edie / Lola Albright make this watchable.
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8/10
Gunn and the Boxer
gordonl5622 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
PETER GUNN – "Rough Buck" – 1958 A popular boxer is shot-gunned from a moving car as he leaves his club late one evening. P.I. Peter Gunn (Craig Stevens) is a family friend and decides to have a look into the matter.

Stevens pays a quick visit to the family, brother, Art Batanides, mother, Grazia Narciso and father Tito Vuolo. Also with the family is the dead mans best friend, fellow boxer, Anthony Carbone. Stevens ask if there had been any problems with other boxers, the mob etc. Everyone seemed to have liked the dead man.

Stevens is talking the matter over with police Lt. Herschel Bernardi when he gets a phone call. Carbone is drunk and causing trouble at Hope Emerson's jazz club, "Mother's". Stevens has a quick drive over to see what the problem is. Emerson tells him that several large gentlemen had just dragged Carbone out to the alley.

Stevens hits the back lane and interrupts two thug types, Chuck Couch and Boyd "Red' Morgan, who leave the drunk, bloody and beaten Carbone lying in a heap under a lamp-post. The two thugs jump in a car and drive off. Stevens dumps the mess into his car and drives him to his apartment. He cleans Carbone up and asks what the thumping was about.

Carbone mumbles something about his boxing manager, Ken Lynch and that the murder was his fault. He also mentions the name of Lynch's girl, dancer, Larri Thomas. Carbone then stumbles out into the night.

Stevens hunts down Thomas and pays a visit to the girl. She asks what he is doing at her place. She tells him that a man saying he was Stevens had called and asked if Carbone was there. Carbone had gone straight to the dancer's place when he left Stevens.

Carbone was to meet the caller at the boxing club. Our man Stevens leaps into his beast and roars to the club. There he finds boxing manager Ken Lynch holding a gun on Carbone. At the same time the thugs, Couch and Morgan are giving Carbone a general curb stomping.

Steven quickly disarms Lynch which allows Carbone to defend himself. The thugs discover that a somewhat sober Carbone is a tougher go. Carbone soon pounds the baddies to pulp.

The Police are called in to collect Lynch and company. We now discover that Thomas had been stepping out with Carbone behind Lynch's back. Lynch was not amused and hired the droppers to take out Carbone. The gunmen though, had shot the wrong man in error in the dark.

Great episode! Long time Hollywood stunt-men, Morgan and Couch had hundreds of film and television credits between them. (B/W)
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8/10
Spartan detective drama
TomSunhaus30 December 2009
This is character driven drama with the players doing an excellent job. Ken Lynch and Herschel Bernardi are excellent without over-acting. Antony Carbone plays a suffering friend well. The production design reminds me of an early, BW Avengers episode with minimal sets and the focus on the words & actions of the characters.

Blake Edwards himself directed (and co-wrote). He knows the context of his series well and confidently keeps the actors in the moment. A comedic bit is added about half way through that shows Edwards' comedic tendency without detracting from the overall flow. This is one of the best examples of episodic television.
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8/10
Palooka
darbski24 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS*** Guy fools around with crooked boxing promoter, hired guns kill the wrong guy (shining armor boxer); Gunn goes to work, and finds a tired floozie that Mr. Bad just loves. Now, frankly, I like naughty girls myself, so, I see the attraction - to a point. That point is exactly when they have REALLY bad friends, or really bad habits. The fun can get nasty, really fast, then. Speaking of fast, even a professional palooka is still a professional, and reflexes and training will come into play, when needed. He should have been able to do more damage to the hired dirtbags than he did; okay, he DID shoot one of them dead. On THAT subject, the throat chop that Gunn gave Mr. Bad, probably killed him, too (crushing the hyoid bone, and chocking him to death. Ya gotta watch that martial arts, stuff, ya know? Did anyone else notice that Mother hired 2 (two) waitresses? In a little dump like that, how's she gonna pay 'em? Lola's always cool, and the floozie is sexy cheap (one night stand) date; I'll give it an 8.
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5/10
Rough Buck
Prismark1029 June 2021
Less of the jazz music in smoky nightclubs.

It's still a flat episode although it starts off with a gruesome killing of boxer Tony Triano that everyone liked.

Peter Gunn is asked to investigate. The histrionic acting from the guy who plays Gino should be a clue that the wrong man was killed.

As it's the case. Gino fooled around with the wrong woman and someone did not like it.

Not sure what to make of the ending. It was ludicrously done but at least it was efficient. Gunn chops down a bad guy and Gino seems more efficient with a gun than his fists.
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