Any "Peter Gunn" fans? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Wet Water · 01-30-2010, 11:24 AM

I've recently been able to see this show for the first time. And I discovered an interesting little nugget:

I remember an episode of "Happy Days" where Richie and the gang meet some Beatniks. One of them reads a ridiculous poem, "Hey little boy, With your nose pressed up against the Bakery window, There ARE no jelly doughnuts for your today ... Only death!"

Well, I was watching an episode of "Peter Gunn" last night in which Gunn was in a Beatnik club. Someone was reading a longer work with the following phrases (in order) "nose pressed up against the window", "no jellydoughnuts" and "only death".

Was "Happy Days" making a conscious allusion to "Peter Gunn"? Or were both borrowing from a "beat" character named Joe Gould, who liked to compose ridiculous poems to mock the serious people at poetry readings?

I wonder if anyone has ever noticed this connection before.

MickeyMac · 01-30-2010, 03:38 PM

Yeah I dig this show, but its been so long since I've seen it.

01-30-2010, 11:24 AM	#1
Wet Water Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 30, 2010 Location: Places Posts: 28	Any "Peter Gunn" fans? I've recently been able to see this show for the first time. And I discovered an interesting little nugget: I remember an episode of "Happy Days" where Richie and the gang meet some Beatniks. One of them reads a ridiculous poem, "Hey little boy, With your nose pressed up against the Bakery window, There ARE no jelly doughnuts for your today ... Only death!" Well, I was watching an episode of "Peter Gunn" last night in which Gunn was in a Beatnik club. Someone was reading a longer work with the following phrases (in order) "nose pressed up against the window", "no jellydoughnuts" and "only death". Was "Happy Days" making a conscious allusion to "Peter Gunn"? Or were both borrowing from a "beat" character named Joe Gould, who liked to compose ridiculous poems to mock the serious people at poetry readings? I wonder if anyone has ever noticed this connection before.

01-30-2010, 03:38 PM	#2
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	Yeah I dig this show, but its been so long since I've seen it.