Gum Balls - Candy seen on the detective drama MICKEY SPILLANE'S MIKE HAMMER/CBS/1984-87. To satisfy his sweet tooth, private eye Mike Hammer (Stacy Keach) kept a gumball machine in his office-behind his desk and to the left. Mild-mannered science teacher Robinson Peepers (Wally Cox) on the sitcom MR. PEEPERS/NBC/1952-55 also enjoyed gumballs. He once said "I keep a gumball on me for recess period. It helps pass the time away."