Lou Getchell | |
Vital statistics | |
Occupation: |
Police officer |
Affiliation: | |
Status: |
Alive |
Portrayer: | |
Appears in: |
Fargo (film) |
Lou Getchell Gallery | |
Lou Getchell (Born c. 1940s in Brainerd, MN) is a supporting character in the Fargo (film), as well as the Unaired pilot, He is an officer with the Brainerd Police Department and may have been a park ranger sometime in the past. He is portrayed as a well-meaning, affectionate, though somewhat dim-witted sidekick and assists working with Marge Gunderson.
Early life[]
Nothing is known about Lou's early life, except that he speaks with a native rural Minnesota accent, and that he has been a Brainerd native for many years.
Fargo[]
In 1987, Lou was the first police personnel to show up at the murder scene on the highway on the outskirts of Brainerd, Minnesota. He alerted paramedics and other law-enforcement, and either he, or Gary (a police telecoms operator) rang up Marge Gunderson at around 5:00 AM. He met Marge with two cups of coffee, and briefed her on the homicides.
Lou had earlier called up the state automobile database about a tan Oldsmobile Cierra with license plates starting "DLR", saying 'They don't got no match yet'. He is later told by Marge that the plates were actually dealer plates.
Towards the end of the film, Lou remains in contact with Marge via walkie-talkie, and assists her in recovering Gaear Grimsrud after Marge locates the Cierra, the house and the bodies of Jean and Carl.
Unaired pilot[]
To be added.
Trivia[]
- Lou speaks with a rural Minnesota accent, which probably means that he was a Brainerd native, or came to Brainerd from somewhere in the inland.
- His main cruiser appears to be a 1975 Chevy Suburban, most likely due to the thick, snowy climate that he constantly patrols in.
- He knows the winter environment very well, and can withstand strong blizzards holding cups of coffee in his hands.
- He acts as a Watson to Marge's Sherlock Holmes, offering key insights and struggling to keep up with Marge's detective work.
- He knows Marge and Norm Gunderson well, and addresses them with a friendly 'How ya' doin'?'
- Lou has heard the 'one about the guy who couldn't afford personalized plates' before, but is too stunned to respond to Marge's joke while seated in the Prowler.