Gene Torg

From: Season 6, episode 1, The Bogus Books

Portrayed by: H.M. Wynant

Age: Thirties, probably

Nationality: American (family background unknown)

Occupation: Formerly a conman, but also had an unknown legal job, the latter of which he still has

Single or Married: Single, but may or may not be available, judging from how he and his friend Pearl Chute tend to carry on

Alignment: Good question

Known Allies: Pearl Chute (friend, romantic interest?)

Known Enemies: Unknown

Appears in: To Eliminate the Impossible (FF, main character)

The Case of the Nefarious Necklace (FF, main character)

Regular character overall: Probably not

Gene is an interesting anomaly. Canonically said to have met up with Perry and Paul before his appearance in The Bogus Books, he seems to be a small-time conman who isn't too keen on entering the big-time. That is, until he's tempted by Pearl or someone else. He may have tried to go straight before, without success.

The thought of jailtime scares him. Following the events of The Bogus Books, and while Pearl was in jail for her role in the book substitution racket, Gene decided that it was time to go straight for real.

He can't seem to escape from trouble, however, as some big-timers ended up getting it in their heads that he knew more about their racket than he did and tried to kill him for it. He revived, much to Pearl's relief and amazement, and has tried to lay low since then.

Despite his obvious resemblance to both Sampson and Daniel Conway, it is not acknowledged or noticed by the other characters. I don't want to run the double thing into the ground.

Gene is now involved in a Perry mystery where he gets hold of a strange necklace from New Orleans that changes the personality of the wearer. Freaked out after seeing it in action with Pearl, he discards it, where it somehow falls into Della's hands. That isn't the end of his troubles, as the people out to get him are after him again, trying to frame him for the theft of the medallion and perhaps even for murder. He isn't arrested, but he goes to Perry for help, despite his shady past and Perry's dislike of helping actual criminals. Believing that Gene is trying to go straight, however, Perry agrees to do what he can to help.