“Gun Crazy” Gal Dies At 92
Few women in Hollywood history packed a pistol as memorably as did Peggy Cummins in the 1952 noir “Gun Crazy,” in which she appeared opposite John Dahl. Cummins, who has died in London, came to America in 1945 when she was cast for the lead in the highly anticipated 20th Century Fox period drama Forever Amber. She was eventually replaced by Linda Darnell in what could have been a tremendous career setback.
In something of a twist, it was Cummins who late in the game stepped in for Veronica Lake to play “Annie” Laurie Starr in the low-budget noir Gun Crazy. She practiced on a shooting range to brush up for her career-defining role as a traveling performer who picks Barton Tare (John Dall) out of a crowd and engages him in a shooting competition.
