1.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Restless RedheadOriginal Airdate: January 21, 1957Directed by William D. RussellTeleplay by Russell S. HughesRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests: Whitney Blake ........... Evelyn Bagby

Ralph Clanton.......... Mervyn AldrichGloria Henry ........... Helene ChaneyVaughn Taylor ..................Mr. BolesJane Buchanan ..............Mrs. BolesDick Rich ................... Sgt. HolcombGrandon Rhodes.......Judge KippenNorman Leavitt............ Mr. RedfieldHelen Mayon .........Mary ThompsonJack Gargan................. Court ClerkClark Howat....................PolicemanLorraine Martin .... Drake's Operator

Evelyn Bagby comes home, tired, fromwork. She reaches for a cigarette and in thebox, a revolver lies on top of the cigarettes.She is horrified and calls Perry's service,begging the switchboard operator to reachhim, though it's late at night. She was justacquitted after being accused of stealingjewelry from film star Helene Cheney. Perrytells her to take the gun, check into aHollywood hotel and come to his office in themorning. But when she does as ordered, aman follows her, wearing a pillowcase hood.He tries to force her off the road and indesperation, she pulls out the revolver andfires at the car, which swerves off. She makesa hysterical call to Perry.

It's 1:15 a.m. by the time a distraughtEvelyn arrives at Perry’s office. Perryinterrupts Paul's card game to ask him to tracethe gun. Perry goes to where Evelyn fired atthe man and finds the police there, holding acrude hood made out of a pillowcase from theVilla España, Evelyn's apartment building.Tragg arrives shortly after Perry gets back.

Perry ditches Evelyn in the library and won't letTragg talk to her. But it’s not long before sheand Tragg meet again--this time when hearrests Evelyn. Perry must solve the mysteryabout Helene Cheney before he can clearEvelyn of killing Harry Merrill.

Whitney Blake (Evelyn Bagby) playedDorothy Baxter on the comedy Hazel and wasa regular on The David Frost Revue beforeretiring to raise a family. She now appearsoccasionally on TV and on stage (she’s also asinger).

Sunset Canyon Road isn’t a real street, butsort of a composite. There’s Sunset Blvd., ofcourse, which extends many miles fromdowntown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean.There are many canyon roads, includingMalibu Canyon Road and Topanga CanyonRoad, both not far from the ocean end ofSunset.

Note Perry’s pastel phone--still a bit of anovelty at the time and his enormous ‘50sceramic ashtray.

The entrance to the fictitious Brent Buildingwhere Perry has his office is actually just afacade on the studio backlot. Note that theentrance has a revolving door, common in LosAngeles buildings at the time, but there aren't

any on the Bank of California building (whichwas later used for establishing shots forPerry's office building), actually located at 555Hope Street, next to the California Club andbacking onto the street which deadends at theLos Angeles main library.

Helene is a star for Magnum Pictures, afictitious film studio, which will be used againin the show (see episode #19, ‘The Case ofthe Haunted Husband’).

Perry drives a black '57 Ford Fairlane 500Skyliner, the "first production car with aretractable steel top." Note the seam acrossthe roof when Perry enters the car later. Theforward section folded under the remainingroof, the trunk lifted and the whole contraptionslid into the trunk. This slightly distorted thetrunk from other '57 Fairlanes (it was boxier)and made it difficult if not impossible to usethe trunk for luggage or anything else whenthe top was down. Ford buyers chose theregular ragtop convertible by a 4 to 1 marginover this new-fangled model.

Evelyn drives a '48 Ford Super Deluxeconvertible.

The man in the hood and sheet has a '57Ford Custom 4-door, the lowest-priced caroffered by the Ford Motor Co.

The police squad cars are also '57 FordCustom sedans.

You can see here that the trunk deck of thecar is very boxy looking. This was to hide theretractable hardtop.

Most studios had various devices throughthe years to indicate outdoor shooting on thelot or backlot. Today, there is generally aguard and/or a flashing light on some kind ofstanchion. Each soundstage, of course, hasflashing lights over all the doors and the doorsare generally locked when the cameras areactually rolling.

Full credits for opening episodeProducer Ben BradyProduced by CBS TV in assn. with PaisanoProductionsExecutive Producer Gail Patrick JacksonStory Editor Gene WangProduction Supervisor J. Paul Popkin, Directorof Photography Frank Redman, A.S.C.Art Direction Lyle Wheeler [and] Lewis CreberAssistant Director Art MarksEditorial Supervisor Art Seid, A.C.E.Film Editor Richard W. Farrell

Makeup Mel BernsWardrobe Supervision Dick JamesSet Decoration Aalter M. Scott [and]

Charles Q. VassarProperties Ray ThompsonRecorded by Alfred BruzlinRerecording Mixer Harry M. LeonardScript Supervisor Cosmo GenoveseA CBS Television Network ProductionFilmed in Hollywood by TCF Productions, Inc.

2.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece"Original Airdate: September 28, 1957Directed by William D. RussellTeleplay by Laurence Marks and Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests: John McNamara ..............Peter Cole

Hillary Brooke...................Doris ColeJohn Archer ...............Frank MaddoxNancy Hadley............ Edna HammarDarryl Hickman .............Steve HarrisHelen Mowery .................Lucille MayThomas B. Henry.......Ralph DuncanHarry Hickox .............. Phillip KendallKenneth MacDonald ............... JudgeTony Michaels..................... JacksonClark Howat .....................PolicemanFred Graham ......................... SheriffJoey Ray ............................DetectiveJack Harris..................... Court Clerk

Poor old Peter Cole is a sleepwalker.Trouble is, he does it with a knife in his hand,and his wife Doris is sure he's going to murderher. Their divorce will be final in 24 hours.

Peter’s business partner comes to see herand Frank Maddox knows Pete is taking her tothe cleaners and suggests a scheme to gether $100,000 free and clear. (They’re alsolovers.) Maddox announces to Pete that heplans to sell his share in Cole Enterprises. Hewants Phil and Pete to buy his share of thecompany...for $500,000. They insist the wholecompany is barely worth that. Maddox has ananswer: no sale, no divorce. Perry meets withthe principals and calls it extortion--but legal.

All parties concerned go to a ranch thatnight--to keep tabs on each other but comemorning, Phil is dead.

Like the female lead in episode one, HillaryBrooke (Doris Cole) abandoned a promisingacting career for marriage and family. She

was a regular on The Abbott and CostelloShow and played Roberta Townsend on a ‘50sclassic, My Little Margie.

Dwayne Hickman’s (Steve Harris) firstregular TV role was as Bob Cummingsnephew Chuck MacDonald on The BobCummings Show, but is best-known forplaying the title character on The Many Lovesof Dobie Gillis. He and his brother Darryl bothappeared in many films in the ‘40s and ‘50sbut were typecast because of their ever-youthful looks and both moved into theproduction end of television in the ‘60s,making only occasional acting appearances.

Harry Hickox played the anvil salesmanwho blows the whistle on Robert Preston’sHarold Hill in the musical film The Music Man.

Note that in this episode, Perry's got a legalassistant named Jackson. Jackson is actuallyan attorney in the Gardner books, who doesthe grunt work for Perry. A lawyer of Mason’scaliber and reputation would certainly havehad either another attorney or experiencedparalegal in the office. Della couldn’t doeverything!

3. Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Nervous AccompliceOriginal Airdate: October 5, 1957Directed by William D. RussellTeleplay by Stirling SilliphantRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Maggie Hayes ................. Sybil GrangerGreta Thyssen..................Roxy HowardWilliam Roerick ..............Bruce GrangerRobert Cornthwaite ..........Herbert Dean

Richard Hale..................... George LuttsJames Gavin .................Jerome KeddieJean Howell ........................Vinnie DeanClaudia Bryar......................Ruth MarvelMorris Ankrum..................... Judge HoytTyler McVey......................... Sam ElkinsRobert Bice..................................HurleyNorman Leavitt ........Alexander RedfieldGeorge Eldredge .....Fenton ThompsonGail Bonney................................ HarrietSam Flint .............................. Mr. RectorJack Harris ..........................Court Clerk

Sybil Granger has a philandering husbandwho plays house in a model home with RoxyHoward. Sybil wants him back. The SylvanGlade Development Co. announces it hasdiscovered oil on the tract property, haltedconstruction and hired Bruce Granger todevelop the oil. Sybil wants to stop the oildevelopment and by extension, her husband'sexcuse to spend time with Roxy. She hiresPerry, who sabotages the board meeting andstops the oil exploration.

George Lutts figures out who's behindMason's actions and meets Sybil on the hillabove the model home and threatens her.Suddenly he's shot and falls dead. Sybil fleesand goes to Perry. Her gun's gone from herglove compartment. Perry sets up a gameplan to muddy the cab driver's memory. Sybilis charged with the murder. Lutts was shotfrom under two feet; Sybil insists it was from adistance. The cab driver does get confusedand the hearing is dismissed.

Greta Thyssen (Roxy Howard) was the‘Pirate Girl’ on the TV game show, TreasureHunt. Robert Cornthwaite played John JamesAudubon on the horse opera The Adventuresof Jim Bowie.

The model home is typical of those of theperiod, and the development is probably one inthe hills around Los Angeles.

This episode is an early one using twoMason standby ploys; he toys with a witness’smemory by presenting plausible alternativesand he stages a demonstration in court thatisn’t what it seems to be (but then he neversaid it was anything more than it is, thusmaking the whole thing morally ethical).

4.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Drowning DuckOriginal Airdate: October 12, 1957Directed by William D. RussellTeleplay by Al C. WardRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Carol Kelly............................. Lois ReedNoland Leary.................Judge MeehamVictor Sutherland..............Clyde WatersCarolyn Craig .................. Helen WatersDon Beddoe ....................George NorrisPaula Winslow .................Martha NorrisGary Vinson ...................... Marv AdamsGarry Landers .................Donald BriggsOlive Blakeney ................... Mrs. AdamsRusty Lane ..........................Chief GlassTom London............................... CabbiePhillip Tonge ............................CortlandJoseph Forte ........................... Dr. CreelHelen Hatch ........................... SecretaryClifford Botelho.............................Pedro

Perry and Paul must solve an 18-year-oldmurder case to keep Perry's client out ofprison.

Donald Briggs tells Mrs. Adams she mustpay $5,000 for him to keep quiet about herson's father, a convicted murderer. MarvAdams is engaged to the daughter of aprominent citizen and their wedding planswon't survive the scandal. Clyde Waters asksPerry to go to Logan City where JudgeMeeham gives him the trial transcript. Hesays justice was done. There was a

mysterious "Miss X" involved, whose namewas never revealed. Meeham makes it clearhe doesn't welcome his curiosity.

As he tries to leave town, Martha Norrissends word by the local cop that he wants tosee Perry. She says the man Ben Devereauxkilled was her first husband, David Latwell.She wants it left alone. At a barbecue on theWaters' dairy farm for their employees,chemistry major Marv wows the local kids witha drowning duck trick (he uses a chemical totake all the oil out of the duck's feathers). Pauland Perry go to see Briggs. A tired blonde atthe motel tells them someone picked him up.They break and enter, find old newspaper clipsand a funny odor...and Briggs' body, murderedby an interesting combination of chemicals.

Miss X is Lois Reed and she was supposedto marry Devereaux's partner, David Latwell,and they shared a desk, which is why herphoto and letters were in the desk, supposedto be Devereaux'. Latwell was also married.Marv Adams' mother dies. Mrs. Norris wassupposedly incapacitated with a sprainedankle when her husband was killed. But Perryunearths a photo of Mrs. Norris was standingat a stock auction that same night. Briggsfigured this out too, and was blackmailing Mrs.Norris. She killed her husband over Ms. Reedand Briggs because of what he found out.

‘Logan City’ is a studio backlot, westernstreet. Note the gloriously streamlined busnext to the taxicab, which looks like a 1941Series C33 Chrysler Crown Imperial 8-passenger sedan. Many pre-war vehicleswere still on the streets at the time, especiallycabs, panel trucks, ambulances and policevehicles. Not everyone was seduced by finsor could afford the latest models. This was ageneration who had experienced both thedepression and a war. They didn’t get rid ofsomething that still ran easily.

5.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Sulky GirlOriginal Airdate: October 19, 1957Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Harold SwantonRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Olive Sturgis ...................... Fran CelaneWilliam Schallert.........................GravesLillian Brondon...............................ClaraRobert Griffin ............................CrinstonBrian Hutton...................... Rod GleasonRaymond Greenleaf ................... NortonHoward Wendell ............... Judge PurleyPaul Bryar............................ Sgt. WilburFrank Wilcox ............... Judge MarkhamBob Kline ...................... Officer DelaneyLarry Thor ......................Police SurgeonJack Gargan........................Court ClerkDick Winslow........................... Reporter

Fran Celane has a rip-roaring fight with heruncle Edward, then bursts into Perry's officeand announces: "I'm being cheated out of afortune." She wants him to break a $1 milliontrust set up by her father, who died two yearsago. The property was left to Edward Nortonas absolute trustee. Edward is not onlywithholding the money, he's forbidden her tomarry until she's 25 (she's now 23).

Five years ago, she ran off with a bellhop toMiami. Paul observes, "she's a veryexpensive delinquent." The boyfriend isRodney Gleason, an artist. He's pragmaticand realistic. He's also the bellhop she ranaway with. During that week five years ago,they got married. They've tried to stay apart,but failed. Now they can't wait--she'spregnant. Perry finds Uncle Edward asobstreperous as Fran does. Rod is outsidethe mansion as Arthur Crinston, Norton'sattorney, arrives for a late appointment.Shortly thereafter, Norton calls the cops,

claiming his niece has threatened his life. Thecops send a car. Crinston comes out and getsin the car with the judge who dropped him,listening to the fight. Norton yells about somepapers. He sends Donald Graves (hissecretary) with them to get it. As they pullaround the circular driveway, Graves seessomeone in Norton's office threatening him.They go back and find the man dead. Andthey catch Rod running from the house.

Note the rattan barstool in Rod's apart-ment. Rattan was not only inexpensive at thetime, but very popular, as were all the tropicallooks. Many people did their dens or rumpusrooms over into "Hawaii" rooms, with rattan,fishnets, tapa cloth and plastic leis.

Parker Center, shown as the location ofTragg's office, is still the L.A.P.D.headquarters. It was brand new when thisepisode was filmed. It was named after thechief of police when constructed.

Paul notes that Walter Winchell, famousNew York gossip columnist, used to use theline "they're just good friends" when writing

about a new couple-about-town who wereobviously anything but. The line wasimmortalized in Cole Porter's musical SilkStockings, where Janis Paige--playing a filmstar--says it numerous times at a pressconference about every man she's askedabout, including Tolstoy.

Fran drives a white '57 Chrysler ImperialCrown convertible; the Judge a '57 blackLincoln Premiere Landau; and Paul, a '57Thunderbird (license No. LTZ 413)

At the time, it hadn’t been too many yearssince California (and other populous states)had switched to three letter/three numberlicense plates. These were seen as the idealsolution, offering maximum combinations withthe fewest possible offensive words whichcould come up (and which were eliminatedfrom the sequences). In recent yearsCalifornia has had to switch to 7-letter/numberplates.

Note the very plain courtroom. Evidently,the much more elaborate one had not yetbeen built. With ratings comes money and asthe show became more popular, they couldspend more money per episode.

The court proceedings here are apreliminary hearing. California law provides adefendant may be indicted by a preliminaryhearing or by grand jury indictment. Thosewho watched the O. J. Simpson preliminaryhearing will remember that a citizen's right to aspeedy trial states that the state has sixty days

to begin court hearings. Unless requested, itusually takes much longer as the investigationis rarely completed at that point.

6."Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Silent Partner"Original Airdate: October 26, 1957Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Donald S. SanfordRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Peggy Maley........................ Lola FloreyDan Seymour....................Harry MarlowAnne Barton...................Mildred KimberMark Roberts...................... Bob KimberCyril Delevanti ............................TullochMichael Emmet...................... Sam LynkJoe Abdullah........................ Mack FriedHenry Hunter ..........................Dr. RubinDawn Richard...................... Ginger KayJimmy McCallion ........Veteran Reporter

At Orchids Unlimited, owner MildredKimber admires Mr. Tulloch's new orchid whenone Harry Marlow shows up. He's anobnoxious ex-con who doesn't talk, hethreatens. He is determined to be her silentpartner. He insults her husband, and sheslaps him. Mildred collapses (she's been ill)and asks for a pill. Later, Marlow plays highstakes poker with Bob Kimber in Sam Lynk's

office at the Club Eldorado. He loses verybig...$37,000. His check is not accepted. Heshows them 100 shares of Orchids Unlimited.He and Marlow scuffle and Lynk throws themout. Marlow asks Lynk for the stock, he sayshe'll need $10,000 more in cash. Mildrednurses her drunk husband and finds out thestock is gone.

She calls Perry, desperation in her voice.He's swamped and makes an appointment forthe next morning. Mildred goes to Lynk'soffice. He's not there. Lola Florey, Lynk's"hostess," follows her. Marlow made a dealwith Lynk to fleece Bob in a crooked pokergame. She'll give her one of Sam's markeddecks. If she tells the story around, he'sruined. She can't do without two things--chocolates by Andre and Sam Lynk. Mildredasks her to tell Perry the story. Lola agrees.Lola leaves the club when someone delivers abox of chocolates by Andre. She eats one,goes out, and Tulloch watches her go to hercar. She calls Perry, saying the candy ispoisoned. She's fading fast.

He calls Tragg and when they get there,she's still alive...just barely. Perry and Dellago to see Mildred, who's a wreck, but sayseverything's "solved." She's got a gun hermink coat pocket. She also says she neverheard of Lola Florey.

Perry goes to Lynk's and the house hasbeen trashed, the phone's off the hook, Lynk'sdead and Mildred's prescription is on the floor.

Marlow says he’s not surprised Mrs.Kimber questions his interest in orchids, buthe’s not the first large man to love orchids.Nero Wolfe was famous for it, though he wason the other side of the law.

Tragg has a package of Wonder bread inhis bag of groceries. The brand andpackaging were fairly new at the time, thoughit is now a pop culture cliché.

Note the box of prescription medicine Perryfinds at Lynk’s. Tablets usually came in thesewhite slide-open cardboard boxes at the time.Bottles were only used for liquids. Theseboxes replaced folded paper, which wascommon earlier in the century.

This must be the only episode whereMason threatens Burger with a manslaughtercharge.

As will become the norm, there is no trial(hiring 12 extras as jurors is expensive). Theepisode was shot almost entirely at night,another hallmark of the series. Night shooting

was more expensive and most shows andfilms shot day for night (shooting in daylightthen ‘stopping down’ the camera to darken thepicture), but the Mason show had a noir lookwhich suited it, and night shooting allowedthem to cheat on locations or the backlot—thesets didn’t have to be so fancy or as complete.

7.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Angry MournerOriginal Airdate: November 2, 1957Directed by William D. RussellTeleplay by Francis CockrellRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Sylvia Field .........................Belle AdrianJames Westerfield.......... Sheriff ElmoreJoan Weldon ....................Marion KeatsPaul Fix................ District Attorney HaleDorothy Adams...................Betsy BurrisMalcolm Atterbury................ Sam BurrisBarbara Eden .................... Carla AdrianPeter Nelson.................. Harvey DelanoEve McVeagh .................. Nora FlemingAddison Richards .........George LansingEric Sinclair......................Mark CushingHarry Tyler...........................Court ClerkWilliam Boyett....................... Motor Cop

Something funny's going on over at MarkCushing's place. The neighbors hear ascream, a shot, breaking glass, then see BelleAdrian in the house with their binoculars. Theycall the sheriff. The next morning, Mrs. Adriancalls on Perry, who's on a fishing holiday.She's in desperate trouble. There's been amurder. Her daughter Carla had dinner withthe victim. Perry says if Carla tells the truth,there should be no problem. But Mrs. Adriansays Cushing had a terrible reputation andshe's worried about the notoriety, The sheriffarrives to see Mrs. Adrian. The thing is, itrained heavily after midnight, and the entire

night's events are revealed in the tracks in theneighborhood, including Belle Adrian'sfootprints from her house to Cushing's andback.

Belle Adrian heard a scream, went thereand saw the body, then removed all traces ofher daughter's presence in the house. MarionKeats was in love with Cushing, was insanelyjealous and wanted to catch him red-handed,so she had his housekeeper call her when hehad a date. She's the one who screamed,when she got there and found the body. Theneighbor, Sam Burris, is the murderer. Hetook the gun from Carla's car earlier, waiteduntil she left, shot Cushing, broke some glass,then went home and went to bed. Later, hewoke his wife, telling her he heard a shot andbreaking glass.

The establishing shot of the exterior andinterior with log cabin walls and flagstone wascommon at the time for a well-appointed cabinat Big Bear or Arrowhead. Many summercabins still had no electricity, but they wereincreasingly being upgraded and made morehabitable.

The portable screen was a fixture of everyhome, either for slides or movies (these are 16mm). The faux rustic furniture with wagonwheels, milk cans and steer horns waspopular even in primary homes.

8.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Crimson KissOriginal Airdate: November 9, 1957Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Joel Murcott, Walter Doniger andMilton GeigerRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Jean Willes........................ Anita BonsalSue England......................... Fay AllisonDouglas Dick .....................Dane Grover

Gloria McGhee ...............Shirley TannerJohn Holland ................ Carver ClementConnie Cezon...............................GertieJoi Lansing ........................Vera PaysonDouglas Evans ...................Don RalstonFrances Bavier ............... Louise MarlowJohn Harmon........................... Lab ManFrank Wilcox ............... Judge RandolphHoward Culver......................Dr. Hawley

The Mandrake Arms apartment building:Dane Grover and Fay Allison are gettingmarried in three days. Fay's roommate Anitais a little upset. She used to date Dane. Anitahas a date with a married roué in the building,and she's home early. Fay's Aunt Louisearrives in the early hours to find both girlsdrugged and out cold. She calls Perry (atClay's Bar and Grill, having his breakfast). Heand Della send a doctor and hurry over. Faywould have died if Louise had come the nextday as she'd planned. Perry knows it was noaccident and searches the apartment. Theyfind keys to two different apartments in thebuilding. They go to #702, where they find theroué dead with a heavily lipsticked kiss markon his forehead. "Someone bid him a fond,but unfriendly farewell." They leave as anothercouple arrive and beat on the door. Perry callsAunt Louise from the lobby and tells her to getthe girls in a sanitarium now. Phillip Walsh isthe name on the mailbox, but the other coupleIDs him as Carver Clement. Tragg is verysuspicious. Fay Allison's clothing is inCarver's apartment.

Perry eventually realizes someone inClement's apartment buzzed in the othercouple just before Perry and Della got there,long after Fay and Anita were in a druggedsleep. The woman across the hall, whocomplained every time anyone knocked.Perry gets a lip print from her in court. Theymatch. She loved him, he promised to get adivorce, then left her. She followed him, sublet

the apartment across the hall, then found outabout Anita and Clement. Poisoned his drink.Charge dismissed.

Perry’s unconventional move of grabbingShirley Tanner and pressing her lips against apiece of paper to tie her to the murder wouldnot only be illegal today, but highly risky in alitigious world. You can’t get DNA from anuncooperative witness, let alone a lip print.

9.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Vagabond VixenOriginal Airdate: November 16, 1957Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Al C. WardRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Robert Ellenstein ............. John AddisonCatherine McLeod .........Lorraine FerrellCarol Leigh ......................Veronica DalePeggy Converse ........... Myrtle NorthrupJames Anderson ............Peter HandsellBarbara Pepper ......................Mrs. DalePaul Cavanaugh............... Edgar FerrellRobert Carson ........................ Sgt. BentPierre Watkin.................. Judge KeetleyPerry Ivins...............................Print ManRussell Trent .................................. NeffJack Gargan........................Court ClerkLee Miller ........................ Deputy Sheriff

It's an odd scene on a dark, seaside road.A man drops a woman off with instructionsand drives away. Shortly, a Hollywoodproducer picks her up and then drives to a

house. He quells her jitters with the offer of amovie deal. Veronica Dale is impressed withthe house, which he says his studio owns anduses for location shoots. Once they're inside,a series of bizarre events begins. Headlights,she hides then exits from the back, then shehears a gunshot. She runs down the road to apay phone and tries to reach Peter Handsell.Another man sees her and she asks for a ride;he agrees. His registration says JohnAddison. Addison is also in the movies andhires Perry to get Veronica out of jail. She wasarrested for vagrancy after he dropperd heroff. Perry is very sweet and she's verygrateful, and he thinks she's headed home toAlbuquerque. But Veronica starts work atAddison's studio the next day and her motherarrives in town, leaving $100 for Perry, as afee for his services. Perry hotfoots it toAddison's office; he hired her, and says PeterHandsell, a scandal magazine writerblackmails Addison to the tune of $10,000.Perry is confronted with a lot of suspects butwhen "everybody with a selfish motive wasruled out, we had to look for someone with anunselfish one." It's Myrtle Northrup, she wastrying to protect Addison. She posed asVeronica's mother so there would be noconnection between the girl and Addison.Perry just might defend Myrtle...after all,Addison came at her with a poker.

Ferrell drives a 1957 Lincoln Premiereconvertible coupe.

Below is a scene with Perry arriving at ‘FidelityStudios.’ This is really the Desilu Cahuengalot.

10.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Runaway CorpseOriginal Airdate: November 23, 1957Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Malvin Wald and Jack JacobsProducer Ben BradyExecutive Producer Gail Patrick JacksonAssociate Producer Sam WhiteStory Editor Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

June Dayton ...............Myrna DevenportJames Maloney ................... Dr. RenaultSarah Selby.......................Louise AnselAdam Williams ..........Jason BeckmeyerRebecca Welles ................... Rita NorgeJohn Stephenson ............ Ed DavenportMichael Fox............................ Dr. HoxieWilliam Challee ..................Mr. MedfordKeith Alan ......................... Officer BoomRobin Morse........................ Dr. MitchellMartha Wentworth......... Motel ManagerJack Kenney...................................KellyEd Jerome....................................Judge

Jack Harris ..........................Court ClerkThe mortality rate in Myrna Davenport's

family is shocking. First her cousin Charlesdies, then her husband Ed has his sandwichesanalyzed and finds arsenic in them. Heaccuses Myrna of trying to kill him and killingher cousin. He's put it all in a letter to be givento the police if he dies. He moves to a motel,where he's immediately falls deathly ill.Myrna's cousin Louise intercepts a call from alocal doctor and takes Myrna and Ed's letter toPerry first. They then go to the motel, whereEd's dying words accuse Myrna of poisoningthe candy in his suitcase. The doctor calls thepolice. Louise calls Perry sending him andDella to get the letter from Ed's real estateoffice. A stunning brunette arrives and peersin Davenport's office. She leaves when shesees Perry. Perry checks the books and findsa $17,300 withdrawal today, the entry in awoman's hand.Then they get an anonymouscall, saying "Unit 13, Desert Motel,Bakerstown." Perry sends Paul to investigate.Perry steams open the sealed envelope to findseveral blank pages. Then Tragg and thecops get to the motel and find Ed Davenport'sbody is gone. The cops storm Davenport'soffice, called by the brunette. The brunette,Ed's secretary Rita Norge, says the letter is inher desk. Then Myrna calls Perry to report thelively corpse of Ed Davenport.

Then someone finds Ed's body buried in adump. Hamilton offers Perry a deal if Myrnapleads guilty but he isn't having any. Inretaliation, Burger accuses Perry of tamperingwith evidence. Paul and Perry catch RitaNorge cleaning out Ed's office. There'sevidence he's recently sold off all hisinvestments. Perry goes to Tragg to sic himon Rita, but the tables are turned when Traggbrings out the receipt he gave her when sheturned in the $17,300 she withdrew the day ofEd's death. At trial, Perry exposes Dr. Renault

as an uncredentialed quack who conspiredwith Ed to stage his death. Beckmeyer foundRenault for Ed Davenport. He also helped Edjuggle his wife's money into fraudulent bankaccounts. He owns a house trailer. Under hisrelentless grilling, he admits killing Ed forbeing so cocky and framing his wife and forthe money he siphoned out of Ed's bankaccounts. Ed also killed uncle Charlie, so hiswife could be an heiress, he could steal themoney and then disappear. Davenport put theblank pages into the letter to convince thecops it had been tampered with.

Della suggests "invisible ink" when she andPerry find Ed's letter to the authorities filledwith blank pages of paper. As every kid usedto know, if you write a letter using lemon juiceas ink--for this you need a fountain pen or quillpen--the words are invisible until the sheet ofpaper is passed over heat such as the flameof a candle or lighter, when the wordssuddenly appear.

San Fernando Road does exist--it runsfrom near downtown L.A. all the way acrossthe San Fernando Valley. There was no VistaMotel on the street at the time. Bakerstown isa fictionalized version of Bakersfield a (then)largely agricultural community north of LosAngeles.

June Dayton (Myrna) played Mary Aldrichon The Aldrich Family, a popular TV seriesbased on an even more popular radio comedy.Sarah Selby (who plays Myrna's cousin louisewas a regular (as Miss Thomas) on FatherKnows Best and she played Ma Smalley, whoran the boarding house in Gunsmoke's DodgeCity.

This show’s a car-lover’s dream. It has:• ‘57 Chevy (doc);• ‘57 Pontiac Star Chief convertible coupe2-tone (victim);• ‘57 Cadillac Series Sixty-Two Sedan deVille convertible (dark)(Perry);

• ‘57 white Buick Special convertible (RitaNorge);• ‘57 black Buick Special sedan (Tragg)--Specials had 3 holes, Roadmasters andCenturys had four;• ‘57 2-tone corvette convertible coupe(Paul).

11.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Crooked CandleOriginal Airdate: November 30, 1957Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Robert TallmanRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Nancy Gates ............... Martha BradfordWhit Bissell......................... Larry SandsDoris Singleton . Rita [Wassell Bradford]Robert Clarke .....................Jack HarperFrancis McDonald .............. Capt. NobleHenry Corden .........................NikolidesBruce Cowling ...................Joe BradfordFrank Wilcox .................. Judge NewarkHelene Santley ...................ReceptionistHal Taggart ...................................Clerk

Two Mrs. Joseph Bradfords show up at thesame Beverly Hills salon at the same time--one a blonde, one a brunette. They each havea house key for the same house at 741 N.Marquette Dr. Meanwhile, Joseph Bradford,land developer, talks to his associate, JackHarper. He's heading for San Diego onbusiness. One of the wives calls him and he'simpatient but agrees to meet her at a coffeeshop at 5:00. Harper is surprised; he knowsJoe has no intention of keeping the date. Thatnight, the blonde is at home when the brunettelets herself in with her own key and sneaksinto the bedroom while the other Mrs. Bradfordis investigating the noises and removes a gunfrom the dresser and leaves.

The brunette, Martha, goes to Perry. Hecalls Harper, who says Joe is in Skinner Hills.Perry and Martha go up there and are met byNikolides, who says if Joe comes there, he'llshoot him. Larry Sands, Joe's surveyor. Joebought this land and discovered oil. Nikolideswill have to get his sheep out soon. Perryconfronts Harper, who says he was told to saythat. Joe's on the Mary Belle, his boat.Martha and Joe have been married a year andHarper's quite happy to hear they may not belegally married.

Perry and Della find the boat in the basinand Bradford's body on it. There's a crookedcandle on a table, but it didn't burn crooked.Perry talks to Martha and the familyhomestead. Tragg takes her away. Paullearns Rita Bradford was divorced from Joe

some time ago in Mexico. As Paul's droolingover he photo, she comes to see Perry. Shewas on the Mary Belle last night, and saw herhusband dead. But in a different position thanthe way Perry found him. She's staying at amotel. Perry wants Burger to release Martha,but the D.A.'s got a shoe of Martha's withblood on it. Larry and Harper meet on theboat, looking for clues. Harper tells Sands hewas in love with Martha. Later, Sandsconfesses to the murder. Burger doesn't buyit.

Rita has no memory of being divorced or,in fact, of the last two years. She fought withJoe and got on a train to New York andremembers nothing until she found herself onWilshire Blvd. Nikolides disappears and thatnight, Perry and Dell go to the Mary Belle.They light a candle. At 2:30 am, the boat goesaground and lists heavily to starboard, tippingthe candle and shifting a dummy they set up inthe position Rita saw him. It is now in theposition in which Perry found him. In court,Perry calls an old salt to testify. The MaryBelle was grounded at low tide, like always.The channel needs dredging. She was listing18-20 degrees. Perry uses a model toillustrate what he and Della experienced on theboat. Sands claims to love Martha too. His

phony confession had one flaw. Hementioned the candle in the hurricane lamp,which was broken later and the candle was notmentioned in the press. He killed himbecause he loved Martha. He didn't realizeshe loved Harper.

The Two Mrs. Bradfords is a suspensethriller film starring Barbara Stanwyck.

The set for Bradford’s office is the sameone used for episode #14. Only the names onthe doors have been changed.

This episode also has yet another patternof lurid wallpaper inside someone’s home.We’re not seeing what is now considered ‘50swallpaper yet in the show—these are the busy,darker patterns of the late ‘40s and early ‘50s.

The first Mrs. Bradford says the beautyshop is on Wilshire Blvd. In Beverly Hills.Wilshire does pass through Beverly Hills andthere certainly could have been several beautyshops on the street, though it is more likelythey would have been on one of the crossstreets.

Sponsors for this episode were Sweetheartsoap, Dutch cleanser, Trend, Beads O’Bleach.

The scene in the boat harbor is quiteremarkable for TV. Not only did they shootHale and Burr actually going out in a dinghy,but boarding a sailboat and the whole thing isshot from several angles. Inside the boat,things are authentic too. Note the rails aroundthe table holding the crooked candle. Thesekeep things from sliding off the table when atsea.

Most drama shows that did exterior scenesarranged a tie-in with an automobilemanufacturer, who supplied the cars for theprincipal characters on the series. The PerryMason Show switched in this episode fromGeneral Motors cars to Ford products.

Perry drives a black '57 Ford Fairlane 500Sunliner convertible. In 1957 fins were in.Chevrolet introduced a new body design for

the second year in a row (the big threeautomakers generally stuck to a style withslight modifications for several years), but Fordoutsold Chevy in '57 with this simple butsuperbly designed streamlined car, available in6-cylinder and V-8 models, with prices rangingfrom $1879 to $3408. Safety featuresintroduced in '57 included a dished steeringwheel, padded dashboards and seatbelts wereavailable for $9 extra. The reason you seemore '57 Chevys today than '57 Fords werethat Ford was slower than G.M. in introducingundercoat rustproofing and the '57 Fords werevery prone to rust.

1957 was also the last year for some timewith cars having only single headlights--whichhandled both regular and high-beam duties. In1958 the industry switched to dual lights oneach side, both were on when in the high-beam mode.

12.Erle Stanley Gardner's The Case of theNegligent NymphOriginal Airdate: December 7, 1957Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Richard GreyProducer Ben BradyExecutive Producer Gail Patrick Jackson

Associate Producer Sam WhiteStory Editor Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman,Collins, CezonGuests:

Joan Banks ........................Karen AdlerDavid Lewis...................... George AdlerJames Griffith................... Arthur DorianPeggy Castle..................... Sally FennerNadja Posey.......................Nina SantosJames Nusser ..............................JudgeForrest Lewis.........................Dr. MurrayJohn Cliff ............................ Guard HessRobert Tafur.............................MartinezTroy Melton ........................... PatrolmanIrene Calvillo ........................... WaitressElvira Corona .............................DancerMichael Kopcha.....Police Photographer

A beachcomber finds a note implicatingGeorge Alder in the death of his wealthy auntAgatha. He blackmails him for $50. KarenAdler is an alcoholic and a nuisance. Adlercalls Sally, his secretary, to keep Karen out ofhis way. Karen's contemptuous of him.Sally's not impressed with George, and heaccuses her of stealing $10,000 from hisaunt's accounts right before she died. Pauland Perry are coming in from a fishing trip.Sally breaks into George's office to look at thenote the beachcomber brought, withoutnoticing George's body on the floor. Whenshe makes a noise, the guard and hisdoberman go into action. She goes into theocean. Paul and Perry rescue her. She tellsPerry the truth about what she was doing. Thenext day, Slly comes to Perry's office [lookingadorable in Perry's turtleneck and pants, buther makeup is perfect!] and Perry tells her thebad news. Perry talks to Karen, who's"clinical" about George's shortcomings. TheAlder's don't divorce. She says George killedAgatha.

Nina Santos was Agatha's companion andmaid. Karen says Sally didn't do it. Perry andPaul talk to Nina. She says there was aterrible storm the night Agatha died. The noteis too perfectly typed for those conditions. ButNina says "madame was too good a sailor tohave such an accident." Perry figures Ninaowns the restaurant. Tragg finds Sally, eventhough Della has her stashed, so Tragg haulsin Della too. Perry takes the blame and getsDella out of Burger's clutches, and uses thelaw to get out himself. Tragg brings in Dorian.He has the original note and Tragg has thetypewriter on which it was typed--from Sally'sapartment. Burger catches Karen in perjurytrying to protect Sally. Perry forces her toconfess to putting the note in the bottle. Andto killing her husband.

We’re back with the GM cars—showsdidn’t air in the same sequence they wereshot. Paul drives a sporty Corvette

Peggy Castle (Sally Fenner) played LilyMerrill on the western series The Lawmanfrom 1959 to 1962. Joan Banks (Karen Alder)used her distinctive voice to become a veteranradio actress with dozens of credits on bothdrama shows and soap operas. She'sprobably best known for playing Susie'sslightly bitchy friend Sylvia on PrivateSecretary from 1953-57.

13.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Moth-Eaten MinkOriginal Airdate: December 14, 1957Directed by Ted PostTeleplay by Laurence Marks and Ben StarrRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Douglas Kennedy................ Sgt. JaffreyRobert Osterloh.................. Morey AllenKay Faylen......................... Dixie DaytonThan Wyenn.......................Frank Hoxie

Roxanne Arlen......................Mae NolanGrandon Rhodes .............Judge LennoxMarc Krah..................... George FayetteConnie Cezon.............................. GertieBrian Hutton...............Parking AttendantJack Gargan.................................. BaliffLyn Guild ....................Drake's Operator

A waitress is shot at, then run down in frontof a restaurant where Perry and Della aredining. Anticipating the police's imminent visit,Morey, the owner, asks Perry and Della to takecharge of the waitress' slightly moth-eatenmink. They agree, then Perry finds an Oregonpawn ticket hidden behind the label. He alsoquestions Morey about a man (GeorgeFayette) in the restaurant who was remarkablyincurious during the police questioning ofMorey. Perry calls Tragg to ask him to putDixie under guard. Paul checks the pawnticket, but his associate reports the cops werealready there. She pawned two things, adiamond engagement ring and a Smith &Wesson police special. Then she disappearsfrom the hospital. Fayette was arrested forbookmaking three years ago. Dixie's pawnticket was for a gun used in the killing of apolice officer a year ago. Perry is worried:"The lawyer doesn't live who could get anacquittal for anyone in possession of that gun."Tragg collects the mink.

Morey calls Mason in a panic; he's withDixie in a hotel room. Perry gets there and theroom's empty. There's a message in lipstickfor help under a table, but Perry tells Paul it's atrap; it's too perfectly written. There's a furthermessage referring to the phone book, a Mr.Granton, the address Fayette gave when hewas picked up. Then Paul and Perry findFayette's body in another room. Tragg findsthem. Tragg and a cop, Jaffrey, lean on P&P,hard. Perry levels with Tragg, but Jaffrey getsmore surly. Tragg wants Dixie and Morey realbad. They pick them up in the morning. Perry

finds Morey in the slammer. He says Dixie'sengaged to his half-brother, who's thesuspected cop killer. Perry defends them forthe murder of Fayette. The hotel clerk id's thedead cop as a visitor to Fayette's room thenight before he died. Jaffrey comes to Perry'soffice; Perry accuses him of killing the cop andFayette. He also owns the hotel whereFayette was killed. Tragg shoots him inPerry's office.

The set for Morey's Restaurant is lavish byTV standards at the time. It’s obviously a setbuilt for a film.

Dixie Dayton is hit by a 1955 Chevrolet.The hospital she's taken to is L.A. CountyGeneral, near downtown L.A.

Note the screaming '50s light fixture in PaulDrake's office which resembles a flying saucer(lots of things did in those days--Perry's wallsconces look like rockets). It was attachedlike a conventional ceiling fixture, the cord waswrapped with a woven silken thread and themetal double cone device just above thefixture itself contained reels. You could raiseor lower the fixture by pulling on the knobattached to the bottom frosted plexiglass diskand the slack from the cord was automaticallywound into the double cone.

Note than Paul and Perry have the sameheadboard on their beds; a cost saving.

Los Angeles already had its phonedirectories split into districts in 1957 and it wascommon for people to have books for severaladjoining districts and hotels did too. Hotelscommonly put their phone books in paddedvinyl covers as they are in the scenes at theKeymont Hotel, though it wasn't usually doneby places as sleazy as this one is.

14.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Baited HookOriginal Airdate: December 21, 1957Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Richard GreyRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Geraldine Wall............. Abigail E. LeedsWillard Sage..................Robert DawsonJudith Braun .....................Carol StanleyAlfred Hopson ................... Richard EllisMary Castle .......................... Enid ShawGeorge Neise ................. Albert TydingsConnie Cezon...............................GertiePeg Whitman .....................ReceptionistLyle Latell ....................................OfficerFrank Marlowe ............................JanitorMaurice McEndree .................Operative

Investment counselor Robert Dawson islivid. He accuses his partner, Albert Tydings,of embezzling $80,000 from one of theirclient's trust accounts. To Dawson's fury,Tydings doesn't shake or sweat--he smirks.He's got a file of photostats that makesDawson shut up fast. Then Tydings accusesthe bookkeeper, Ellis, of stealing $20,000 fromthe same account, that of Carol Stanley. Ellis,the original 98-pound weakling, is furious.Tydings' secretary doesn't like him either.

Carol Stanley calls to complain andTydings makes an appointment to see her thatnight. She comes to the office and he's dead.At midnight, [note the clock turnedconveniently toward the camera, not towardthe room as it should be] Perry gets a call froma man asking for his help. He acts strangelywhen he gets to Perry's apartment, along witha heavily veiled woman. He gives Perry$2,000 retainer and half a $10,000 bill for apossible retainer. They both remainanonymous. He gives the other bill half to thewoman. The next day, Abigail Leeds appears.She's a brash old broad who "gets what shewants." She rescued a child, Carol, from theHolocaust. Being single, she put the child in ahome, which later sold the girl for $1,000. Ittook her five years to find out where she was.She was happy with the Stanley family, andshe saw no reason to disrupt their lives. Theydied and left Carol a trust fund "in six figures"with "that crook Tydings" as trustee.

As Abigail is no relative, Perry declines toact. She promises to bring Carol thatafternoon. Paul finds out the $10,000 bill wasissued to Tydings. He and Paul go to hishome. There is blood on the front step and abody in the closet. Carol and Mrs. Leedscome to Perry's office. He tells them Tydingsis dead. Tragg shows up looking for Mrs.Leeds. He asks her if she threatened him. "If

I'd had a horse whip, I'd have thrashed him!."She flummoxes Tragg. Dawson's wrecked caris found by a lake, the gas pedal wired to thefloor. Perry and Paul play reporters to checkout the car and then break into Tydings' officewith Della's help. "Comfortable? So's the cityjail." Perry goes over the books. He finds anempty small caliber shell on the floor. Whywas Tydings killed there and then taken to hishome. Perry knows Enid Shaw, his secretary,had something going with Tydings. Traggcomes and Paul is delayed giving Perry thewarning. He puts the shell back on the floorand takes Della out the window onto the fireescape. Paul shows Perry a photo of Dawson(the man who retained Perry) and says thecops have found bloodstains in Dawson's car.Paul's man finds Dawson and a woman in amotel. Perry and Paul find Dawson and Carolabout to flee. Tragg is there too. Carol ischarged with murder and Dawson asaccessory. Dawson thought by moving thebody, he'd give Carol an alibi.

Perry and Della check out the Leedsapartment (Della: "I suppose you have a courtorder for justifiable snooping"). They find babyphotos and five years worth of cancelledchecks to Ellis. He confronts him--he was withthe home Carol was placed in. He wantsTydings' blackmail file. He collected the fileand blackmailed Mrs. Leeds and then sold it toTydings. Perry figures out Carol is Mrs. Leeds'daughter and is sure she killed Tydings. Sheproceeds to jail with spirit and elegance. Dellatakes care of Perry, who has a cold. "I'm avery handy girl to have around."

Note the continuity glitch in the openingscenes. Carol Stanley meets Tydings at hisoffice at 8 p.m., but it's noon-bright outside. Itstill is after the murder when Carol's friendcalls Perry, who's in his pajamas, robe, andasleep in his living room chair.

Clay's Grille address 1248 (no street).

Mrs. Leeds lives on Rossmore--an actualstreet which borders the Wilshire Country Cluband goes through Hancock Park, a very, verynice area of Los Angeles and an enclave ofold money and site of the official residence ofthe mayor of Los Angeles.

Perry--black '57 Cadillac Coupe de Villeconvertible.

Robert Dawson--white '54 Pontiac StarchiefCatalina 4-door sedan.

Carol Stanley--2-tone Pontiac Star Chiefconvertible (odd considering her wealth, thatshe didn't get the pricier, flashier Bonneville).You can see the car's elaborate tail fins later inthe show.

15.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Fan Dancer's HorseOriginal Airdate: December 28, 1957Directed by William D. RussellTeleplay by Stirling SilliphantRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Susan Cummings................Lois FentonScott Elliott .................... Arthur SheldonJudy Tyler.......................Cherie Chi-ChiRobert Bice.............................. FaulknerMinerva Urecal .......................LandladyHugh Sanders ............... John Callender

Sydney Smith ...............Judge DonahueJohn Brinkley.................. Jasper FentonConnie Cezon.............................. GertieRusty Westcoatt .............. Sgt. HolcombJames Nolan ............................. MeekerHerbert C. Lytton ................ Dr. Lambert

Perry and Della are on their way back toL.A. when they witness a hit-and-run accidentnear the entrance to John Callender’s ranch.The driver of the damaged car is an oldwoman who speaks only Spanish. She seemsunhurt and another driver stops and offers totake her to the hospital. Perry tries to return apackage which has spilled out on the road, butthe woman leaves without it. It contains the"complete wardrobe" of a fan dancer--anostrich-feather fan and a pair of high heels.

Perry advertises the fan dancer's propertyin the classifieds and rancher John Callenderanswers the ad. He carries a note from LoisFenton, aka Cherie Chi-Chi, authorizing him topick up a racehorse. Perry says he hasnothing that answers the property. Perry andDella check out Cherie Chi-Chi's act that night.She thought it was the horse but realizes itwas the fans, her ‘favorites.’ She busses aflummoxed Perry.

He finds her later at a hotel with ArthurSheldon, who told Gertie there is a ‘real’ LoisFenton. He says she needs legal help andprotection from Callender, her husband, who'sblackmailing her. After a night when nearlyeverybody visited Callender, Perry and Paulthen find Callender's body with a knife in theback.

One of the Mason-isms is in this episode.As in a number of shows, Perry orders Della tocheck a client into a motel, sometimes undertheir own name (so that Lt. Tragg can’t claimPerry was hiding a suspect or witness eventhough the motel is way out of town), othertimes under a fictitious name.

Perry mentions Jackson, but he’s not in theepisode.

Madison 5-1190 is the police phonenumber. Madison was a real downtownexchange.

Paul’s operative uses the transom over themotel room door and a periscope to watch thehall. Transoms were common for crossventilation before air conditioning. Cardboardperiscopes were common in Europe—used bychildren to watch parades.

‘Vine St. Records’ is actually WallachsMusic City at Sunset and Vine.

Perry mentions Tehachapi Woman’s prisonand San Quentin, both actual correctionalfacilities.

16.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Demure DefendantOriginal Airdate: January 4, 1958Directed by Laslo BenedekTeleplay by Ben Brady and Richard GreyRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Christine White........................... NadineClem Bevans....................... Capt. HugoFay Baker.................... Marion NewburnWalter Coy ................... Lester NewburnBarry Atwater ........................ Dr. DenairSherwood Price................... John LockeAlexander Campbell................ WellmanMoris Ankrum...............................JudgeConnie Cezon ..............................GertieMaurice Manson................... Dr. GranvySteven Geray ............................. Korbell

Nadine Marshall is afraid to tell her uncleMartin she's engaged to chemist John Lockeand with good reason: when he hears about it,he shows her something that strikes terror inher heart. At the lab, she asks John if theyaren't rushing things. When he's not looking,

she steals some cyanide and puts it in asaccharine bottle. At home, she fixes uncleMartin his hot chocolate. He has some horrid,greedy relatives with him. He says he's cuttingNadine out of his will. He's leaving his estateto the Hartford Medical Foundation. Marianand Lester are stunned. Marian fixes hischocolate, with some saccharine fromNadine's bottle. That night, uncle Martin diesfrom the cocoa. Nadine tells all to apsychiatrist, to whom she confesses undertruth serum. She went to the lake and threw inthe saccharine bottle. He goes to Perry, whotells him he's got to go to the police. Perryplays the tape for Nadine, who's horrified. Anosy nurse calls Tragg. Perry retrieves thebottle from the lake. He has it analyzed.Nadine disappears from the hospital andTragg gets the bottle from the chemist.Psychiatrist: "I'm glad I'm not in your shoes."Perry: "Now that you mention it, Bob, they dopinch a little." The bottle contains puresaccharine. Tragg is confused. Tragg alsohas the tape of Nadine's confession.

Tragg sends divers back to the lake andthey find another bottle, this time with cyanide.Perry's in trouble. He finds John and tells himthey've got to see Nadine. The cops arriveand Della tells John he and Nadine better getmarried so he can't testify against her. Heescapes. An old codger who lives with Nadineand Martin, Capt. Hugo, tells Perry Nadinedidn't do it. He told Lester that Nadine did it.Perry confronts Hugo again. He accuses him.He took the cyanide out of her purse whenJohn called him that night when he noticed itmissing.

This episode is filled with terrific cars andwe learn the L.A.P.D. black-and-whites are '57Chevys. In the 1960s, the departmentswitched to Chrysler products for its squadcars, and stayed with them for years. Theyhave recently switched back to Chevys.

When Perry talks to Nadine about her fearsshe has a "bad seed," he refers to the 1956film, The Bad Seed, which was a sensation atthe time, with Patty McCormack as the childwho has inherited evil.

17."Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Sun Bather's DiaryOriginal Airdate: January 11, 1958Directed by Ted PostTeleplay by Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Susan Morrow ............... Arlene DowlingCarl Betz............................Dr. ChandlerGertrude Michael............. Helen RuckerPeter Leeds ........................... Bill EmoryRalph Moody .............George L. BallardConnie Cezon.............................. GertieKenneth MacDonald.................... JudgePaul Brinegar.....................Tom SackettWalter Reed ................ Detective MyersNesdon Booth.......................Mr. HartselJon Locke .............................Sam ElliottJohn Pickard.................... Sergeant Neil

It hasn't been a good year for ArleneDowling. Ten months ago, her father wasconvicted of embezzling $400,000 from hisbank, and now, while sun bathing al fresco,her house trailer is stolen from under hernose. It contains her diary--the record of herten-month investigation into her father'swrongful conviction. She goes to Perry, whoagrees to search for it for $1,500 and sheimmediately agrees. He tells her if she's lyinghe will "throw her to the wolves withoutcompunction."

He advertises for the trailer and getsresults. It’s in a used trailer lot and Perry isconfounded when Arlene peels off $2,500 topay for it, no questions asked. Her father'sfriend, George Ballard, is bankrolling her. He's

also the other man with a key to the armoredtruck. Perry locates the driver, Bill Emory, whois out of work and bitter. Arlene pays off Perrywith a $1000 and a $500 bill, which gets hiscuriosity up. Perry is in trouble over the cash,though he circumvents the grand jury.

Later, he talks to George about the robberyand George tells him one serial number heremembers. He is very friendly and cordial,but Perry's suspicious. He looks at the moneyfrom Arlene, sees the number Georgementioned, and rolls it in a window shade.Meanwhile, the cops have the place stakedout, see Arlene sneak in the back, see thewindow shade roll down. They go in and findGeorge dead with a knife in the back.

To at least one generation, Carl Betz willalways be Dr. Alex Stone, loving husband andfather on The Donna Reed Show. He alsostarred in (and won an Emmy for) Judd for theDefense.

Make sure you watch the wrap-up scenebetween Perry and Della. Without spoiling theplot for the viewer, let's just say that Perrydoes something unexpected and Della's soimpressed with his beneficence, she kisseshim, rather more enthusiastically than needed.Then there's a rather suggestive exchangebetween them which is interrupted by Burger.

Perry's office phone number MAdison 5-1190, again a real downtown exchange.

18.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Cautious CoquetteOriginal Airdate: January 18, 1958Directed by Laslo BenedekTeleplay by Leo Townsend and Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Virginia Gregg ..............Sheila CromwellDonald Randolph .......... Stephen ArgyleKipp Hamilton...................Elaine Barton

Harry Jackson .....................Harry PitkinChester Stratton ........................... BatesSid Clute........................Frederick ArmsJames Seay..................... Ross HollisterSydney Smith ..................Judge OsbornK. L. Smith....................... Joe RaymondBrett Halsey.................. Robert FinchleyEd Hinton..................Sheriff Mark DaleyStephen Ellsworth ................Sgt. KennyRalph Sanford ..................................PatJeanne Bates .......Western Union ClerkPaul Hahn..............................Sgt. DavisWeaver Levy ...............................JimmyJack Gargan........................ Court Clerk

Model Elaine Barton is walking a delicateline between her estranged husband, who'strying to blackmail her, and her wealthy fiancé,who is impatient to get married. Perry'sinvestigating a hit and run in which a client wasinjured and gets an anonymous note enclosingElaine's apartment key and the informationthat she witnessed the accident.

Harry Pitkin is a class A jerk. He’s not onlyleaning on Elaine (and didn’t get the divorcewhen he said he would), he’s up to his neck inother problems.

Meanwhile, Perry’s trying to find the carthat hit his Robert Finchly, his client, and afterusing the key to find Elaine, who knowsnothing about all this, tracks down Pitkin’sboss, Stephen Argyle, who seems to have asolid alibi. Then Hollister disappears andElaine is arrested for killing Pitkin.

Watch when Perry checks the license plateon Stephen Argyle's car. The "plate" isobviously cardboard and you can see the realmetal plate behind it. Most studios have avariety of fictitious cardboard license platesavailable for filming, but they're not usuallyused in insert shots like this or affixed over areal metal plate. Just a tiny post-production

error in a show that was usually very carefullycrafted.

Insert shots--close-ups of a hand holding aletter, a hand adding knockout drops to a drinkor any other detail--are done by the post-production staff of a show. They are filmedwithout the stars present, after the rest of theepisode has been filmed. So if you see acloseup of Perry holding something, it'sgenerally not his hand. The people in postalso add music, sound effects and the opticals(dissolves, cuts, special effects).

Virginia Gregg (Ross Hollister's colleagueSheila) had an illustrious career as a top-levelcharacter actress, a singer and a voice-overactress on radio, television and cartoons. Shewas a regular on the radio show, Gunsmokeand made her TV debut on the subsequent TVversion, appearing in eight episodes. Sheappears in many episodes of Perry Mason,Dragnet and Ben Casey. She appeared inmore than a dozen TV-movies.

There is no Broadmoor Country Club in theLos Angeles area.

Argyle's car is a white '55 Cadillac Series62 sedan. Note the rear fender skirts--acommon accessory at the time. The onlyCadillac that didn't have them was theEldorado.

19.

Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Haunted HusbandOriginal Airdate: January 25, 1958Directed by Lewis AllenTeleplay by Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Karen Steele ...............Doris StephanakGrant Richards...............Jerry HeywoodPatricia Hardy..................... Claire OlgerFredd Wayne ............................. TannerHelen Westcott.............. Marcia GreeleyJohn Hubbard...............Michael GreeleyHarlan Warde..................Harold HanleyHerb Vigran.............Charlie (Bartender)Sydney Smith ...............................JudgeJack Gargan........................ Court Clerk

Claire Olger is on her way to L.A. when hermoney and bus tickets are stolen, so shehitchhikes the rest of the way. The tuxedoedman who picks her up is drinking and they hita truck, killing the driver. The trouble is, thedrunk leaves the scene and no one believesClaire did not steal the car and cause theaccident.

Doris Stephanak, a friend of Claire's,convinces Perry to take the case. The car'sowner is Magnum Pictures' film producer,Jerry Heywood, who's a bit of a mystery man.He insists his car was stolen. But Perry'sconvinced that Heywood knows the man whowas driving--after all, what thief steals carswearing a tuxedo? Heywood has problemsenough; he's got a script deadline, he has noinsurance, and a secretary/valet who isplanning to blackmail Heywood. By the way,Heywood does know who was driving--MichaelGreeley--the husband of his lover, MarshaGreeley, and the publicist for MagnumPictures.

But no sooner has Perry bailed out Claireand stashed her in a motel, when anotherbody turns up...in Claire's motel room.

When Doris calls Perry with the informationabout Jerry Heywood's car having a 5,000-mile checkup, it's important to remember thatmost people at the time were careful aboutauto servicing because warranties could bevoided and a car's resale value diminished ifservicing wasn't done on schedule. Also, carsneeded more lubrication and adjustment thanthey do now and the required service schedulemaintained these.

Karen Steele (Doris Stephanak) appearedin a number of films, including Marty, The Riseand Fall of Legs Diamond, and RideLonesome. Grant Richards (Jerry Heywood)starred in an early TV series, Doorway toDanger, as Doug Carter, number one agent ofa top-secret government agency, whosedangerous assignments took him all over theworld.

20. Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Lonely HeiressOriginal Airdate: February 1, 1958Directed by Laslo BenedekWritten by Donald S. SanfordRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Robert H. Harris ............ Edmund LaceyAnna Navarro ...............Delores CoterroL. Q. Jones..................Charles BarnabyKathleen Crowley ............. Marylin ClarkRichard Crane ................ George MooreBetty Lou Gerson ............... Agnes SimsGail Kobe..................................... MargoRobert Williams.................... Lt. KramerFrank Wilcox ................................JudgeRobert McQueeney ...... Dr. L. J. Palmer

Is that Paul reading the rag, Lonely HeartsCalling? Yes, because its publisher isdesperate. A personal ad placed by anheiress has drawn hundreds of replies. Theletters are picked up every day by a youngman who gets violent whenever the publisher,

Edmund Lacey tries to follow her. He goes toPaul to try and find the heiress because thepostal authorities think the ad is fake. Paulbegins by composing an irresistible letter,signing it 'Charles B. Barnaby.' And Paul'sletter is the first one Marylin Clark responds to.She invites him to her apartment. But Lacey isfast: he's intercepted her reply and sends hisown man in as Barnaby and he's convincing.He calls Paul to cancel the job. But CharlieBailey, nee Barnaby, has a girlfriend, who'svery jealous. Charlie and Lacey discuss thesplit and the size of the eventual spoils, whichthey estimate to be $75,000 or more. Charlielands his fish. They marry and Deloresexplodes, interrupting the happy couple'schampagne toast and Marylin flees. It's part oftheir usual scam, but this time, after Deloreshits him, he falls and Charlie is dead. She'sdistraught, but Tragg tells her he waspoisoned.

Marylin's step-brother comes to Perry'soffice and asks him to represent her. In amountain cabin, Marylin tells Perry why she didit. Her sister Helen advertised in a lonelyhearts magazine, fell in love with Charlie, gottaken for $16,000 and got pregnant. She wasout to trap him with her money. Perry trapsDelores on the stand into admitting she killedhim because he actually intended to marryMarylin and go to Rio.

There were many magazines like LonelyHearts Calling at the time. The fact that Laceyalso publishes something called Tattle fits, too.There were even more sleazy tabloidmagazines then, usually published by thesame publishers. Sleaze always sells.

21.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Green-Eyed SisterOriginal Airdate: February 8, 1958Directed by Christian Nyby

Teleplay by Richard GreyRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Connie Cezon ..............................GertieVirginia Vincent ...................Harriet BainDan Riss............................. Arthur WestRobin Hughes ................ Addison DoyleTina Carver ..........................Sylvia BainCarl Benton Reid.....................Ned BainJames Bell ......................... J. J. StanleyMorris Ankrum..............................JudgeDennis King, Jr................... Dr. HanoverAlan Gifford ............................Dr. FisherCharles Tannen ...................Night ClerkLeonard Bell ......................... Taxi DriverJack Gargan ....................... Court Clerk

Harriet Bain is living the dream of everyplain girl--she's engaged to a wealthy socialitewriter. But the dream is about to turn into anightmare. Her father Ned gets a call fromJ.J. Stanley. A private dick has discoveredthey're the ones who robbed the TexasNational Bank ten years ago. The detective,Arthur West, then tries to extort money fromHarriet. Her fiancée, Addison Doyle woulddrop her if he hears of the scandal. Shepleads with Della to let her see Perry, who'sabout to leave for London. Della talks Perryinto staying. Paul says West is a shadycharacter and Perry sends him to find Stanley,and Della to get a magnet. He and Harriet goto West's and listen to the tape, which Perrycleverly demagnetizes. It's suddenly blank.He figures West will go to his master tape,which should show splices. Harriet's fathersays it's a fraud, and he wants to fight it. Hesays he's in oil and J.J. backed him in awildcat strike and he struck oil. He paid J.J. allhe owned him, but he hit the bottle some timeago. He gives Perry a free hand to finish offWest. Harriet's step-sister, the beautifulSylvia, is very flirty with Addison. Then Harrietsees her ill father sneak out of the house late

at night. He finds J.J. and says he's going totake care of West. Paul tracks down J.J. too,across the hall from Wes. Perry and Della goto see West and find Harriet in West'sapartment with J.J.'s body. West appearslater and "discovers the body." The body'scold.

Bain has another heart attack. The originaltape is under his pillow. Tragg gets it. Hearrests Harriet--her fingerprints are all over theicepick that killed J.J. It's Perry's sharpnessthat discovers that J.J.'s body was in his deepfreeze. Harriet couldn't have lifted it and itchanges the time of death. West is arrested.Addison's true colors emerge and he dumpsher and goes to the bus locker where he's gotWest's payoff money stashed. He killed J.J.for the money. Sylvia was only trying to breakhis hold on Harriet, since she knew he wasslime. But Harriet gets a complete makeoverand she has a seat on the plane to Europewith Perry. Bain did embezzle the money fromthe bank.

The frosted glass front door to Stanley’sseedy hotel is the same set door used inMorey’s Café in episode #13.

22.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Fugitive Nurse

Original Airdate: February 15, 1958Directed by Laslo BenedekTeleplay by Al C. Ward and Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Shepherd Strudwick .............. Dr. MorrisBethel Leslie ...................... Janet MorrisDabbs Greer.........................Dave KirbyMaxine Cooper .............. Gladys StromeJeanette Nolan ...................... Mrs. KirbyWoodrow Chambliss ............Phil ReeseHelen Brown...................... Mrs. StromeAnthony Lettier ................Arthur StromeArthur Hanson .......................Lt. BrewerLarry Blake ...................................SmithGeorge Davis ......................... FrederickSydney Mason......... Detective RaslstonLee Roberts.......... Detective Ron JacksGil Frye .....................................MarshallJoey Ray................................ WorkmanJack Kenney........................... DetectiveOwen Cunningham...................... JudgeJack W. Harris.....................Court Clerk

Janet Morris and a couple of cops catchDavid Kirby burglarizing her husband'sapartment of $92,000. But Dr. Charles Morrisisn't a bit grateful: now his pied-a-terre (and hisaffair with his nurse) are in the open and theIRS wants to know where he got that kind ofcash. Mrs. Morris admits her blunder to Perry;she doesn't want a divorce and she wantsPerry to defend him if he's in trouble. Charlesis supposed to go to Salt Lake City on Fridayfor a medical convention. Morris calls Kirby(his old war buddy), asking him to come toL.A. Janet comes to the airport to see Charlesoff--he's flying his own plane. She gives himcoffee and tells him she's going to give him adivorce. He doesn't believe her. Later,Charles crashes the plane. There's morphinesulfate in the body and in the thermos. Traggadvises Mrs. M to call a lawyer. Morris had aninsurance policy with $125,000 to his wife and

$50,000 to his nurse, Gladys Strome. The$92,000 is missing. Mrs. Kirby is a penny-pinching shrew, who runs Kirby's, a drive-inrestaurant in Loganville. Kirby is a drunk.He's now missing. She goes looking for him inL.A. and Burger and Tragg get their hooks intoher. She refuses to let them implicate herhusband. Perry's suspicious when Gladysdoesn't come home from her vacation whenMorris is killed. Paul and his men scour thecrash site, finding Kirby's good luck medallionmade of platinum his wife gave him. It wasKirby who died in the plane. Burger tries to pinit on Janet Morris, hypothesizing it wasimpossible for her to know it wasn't him in theplane. But Perry works away at Mrs. Kirby.She's gotten $15,000 from her husband'sinsurance policies, and wonders why such atightwad bought such an expensive medallion.The morphine sulfate was in a whiskey bottle.

One of the cops notes that the money is“about ten years pay” to a cop, which wouldmake a policeman’s salary at the time around$9,200 annually.

Mrs. Kirby sells burgers and fries for 35cents, fine for a policeman’s salary.

23.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the One-Eyed WitnessOriginal Airdate: February 22, 1958Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Robert C. DennisRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Angie Dickinson ............... Marian FargoLouis Van Rooten............Samuel CarlinDorothy Green............... Diana MaynardPaul Picerni .............. Charles GallagherEve Miller .............................. Nora KellyPeter Adams ..................... Arthur FargoVincent G. Perry...........................JudgeRichard Benedict............. Steve Daniels

Jan Arvin ......................................PierreSam Gilman ................George DanversJean Del Val ................................WaiterRalph Montgomery.................Bus ClerkJack W. Harris..................... Court ClerkRay Kellogg ............................ DetectiveJohn Sands ....................... Charter PilotDoris Wiss.................................... SuzieShirley Buchanan .........Phone Operator

Marian Fargo is at the bus station whensomeone finds her. She has already paidblackmailer Samuel G. Carlin $10,000. Hewants another ten grand and he'll leave heralone. She doesn't trust him.

Her husband Arthur is worried when shecomes home, since he thought she was on herway to Harristown. She tells Arthur the truth.She'll pay and get the file on her brotherCharles Gallagher. He's very understanding.

Marian, desperate, appeals to Perry to helpher. She asks him to deliver the envelope ofmoney to Carlin and pick up the file. They goto the house and Carlin acts bewildered. Hesays he knows nothing about any of it. Perrystarts the car and leaves. Carlin has Marian’shusband Arthur hidden in the house. Theydebate who’s the biggest thief and Fargo plansto relieve his wife of all her funds so he canrun away with the proverbial floozy. But Perrydidn't leave, he's watching the house. Awoman in a raincoat arrives and goes in. Paulis there, and they are stunned when anexplosion bursts from Carlin's window, startinga fire. Carlin's body is brought out, with abullet in his head.

Paul traces Marian and he and Paul go toher house. Arthur Fargo is dead in the entryhall with a note from Marian in his hand. Perrysends Paul after the bus to Harristown. Paulis waiting for her when the bus arrives and soare the cops.

Diana Maynard approaches Paul and offersto help, as she sat next to Marian. Paul getsher statement, which gives Marian an alibi.But several other people claim Marian didn'tget on until Wayne City. Gallagher comes toPerry's office. He's a convicted felon, and herealizes Marian was protecting him. Heescaped from prison, made a fortune, caughtTB, retired in Harristown. It was thisinformation about which Carlin threatened torelease. He offers to turn himself in. Dellasays he shouldn't. She doesn't want Perry tosee him. He splits. He proves Diana is lying.She has eye trouble, wears a patch, and Perryproves she can see better with one eye thantwo. She's Fargo's floozy, and she killedFargo. She reveals Samuel Carlin in court (indisguise) who "dreamed up this stunt."

When Paul’s date complains when hestops to make a phone call, he says “Wenever sleep,” which was the motto of thefamous Pinkerton Detective Agency.

Paul mentions Marian could have chartereda plane. This is often discussed in TV showsof the period, and charter services must havebeen reasonable.

24.The Case of the Deadly DoubleOriginal Airdate: March 1, 1958Directed by Andrew V. McLaglenTeleplay by Sam NeumanRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, Collins

Guests:Constance Ford ..................Helen ReedDenver Pyle......................Robert CraneCarole Matthews ...............Cora DunbarPaul Langton ......................Harry VanceMurray Hamilton.................Johnny HaleAbraham Sofaer................. Dr. MaitlandLouise Truax ................................SarahCarleton G. Young ..............David ReedPierre Watkin ...............................JudgeFrank Jenks ......................... Cab DriverClark Howat...................Sergeant GrantCarlyle Mitchell ................. Dr. DesmondGeorge E. Stone ....................... GeorgePeter Opp.................................JohnsonJosef Elman ...................................TonyKellogg Junge, Jr. ............Tommy Reed

This is an early show dealing with multiplepersonality disorder. Helen Reed is in acustody battle with her husband for her son.But she's having nightmares and strangethings happen to her. Then David Reed ismurdered with Helen's brother's gun. Helenand Robert Crane come to Perry to try andunravel the confusing story. Helen's alter ego,a floozy named Joyce Martel, causes no endof trouble, including killing Helen's husband. Afur stole provides the clue for Perry, sinceHelen is allergic to it, but Joyce is not. It turnsout Joyce's boyfriend, Johnny Hale, killedReed after seeing Joyce/Helen with him,thinking she was two-timing him. Helen'sdoctor believes he can cure her.

25.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Empty TinOriginal Airdate: March 8, 1958Directed by Andrew V. McLaglenTeleplay by Seeleg LesterRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Toni Gerry ..................... Doris Hocksley

Warren Stevens ......................Alan NeilOlive Deering.............. Rebecca GentrieBenson Fong.......................Gow LoongMary Shipp ..................Miriam HocksleyAnthony Jochim................... Elston CarrFrank Wilcox ................................JudgeOtto Waldis......................... John LowellBert Holland.......................... Dr. Morton

An intriguing ad in a San Francisco papercatches the eye of Doris Hocksley. Anattorney, Elston Carr, seeks the daughter of aman who lived in China. An estate of $2million is involved. In Los Angeles, Dorispresents her bonafides to Alan Neil, attorneyCarr's nephew. She doesn't remember herfather well. She has no photos, but she didget a package from China some years ago--abook and a note written on the back of apicture. He treats her as though she's a fraud.He says there are two pieces of evidencewhich would prove her claim, she has neither.He makes her an offer, he'll help her if she'llcut him in for half. She goes to Perry. Elstonis a crotchety old man in a wheelchair.Legally, there is no Hocksley estate. Themoney's his. He, Hocksley and John Lowellwere partners in Asia for 25 years, making afortune in gun running. John Lowell turnedJudas when the Korean War began and

turned them in. His manservant also seeksLowell. He wants Perry to work for him. Perryrefuses. There's a Miriam Hocksley, who'salso a claimant. He goes to see her, andshe's got the story down pat. She thinks she'sgot the book and picture, being sent from herhouse in Palm Beach. She's got plenty ofmoney, but wants the estate if she's entitled toit. Rebecca Gentrie calls that night and ishysterical. Elston has been shot and she's gotsomeone trapped in the house. He tells her tocall Tragg. It's Doris and she clutches a book.There's a big safe, containing only an emptytin. The book Doris clutches contains a photoof two men. The bible fits the tin exactly.

Doris is divorced, with a low-paying job anda daughter with polio. Doris says Elston askedher to come to the house. He was dead whenshe got there. Mr. Lowell brought the bibleand photo down to her from San Francisco.She says the photo he brought was the samepicture she received, but she threw it awayyears ago. How did he get it? In court, Perrypries open the false bottom of the tin box andfinds a duplicate of the photo Doris got fromLowell. The proofs the claimant was to bringwere the bible, cut to fit in the box and thephoto, which would match the one in the box.Miriam calls Perry with the news she killedNeil. She loved him and is going to kill herself.Miriam has a 60-40 chance and didn't knowwhether she was Adam's daughter or not.Perry, Tragg and Burger go to the Carr houseand confront Rebecca and Carr's valet. Shekilled both Carr and Neil, and tried to killMiriam. She confesses when she learnsMiriam is still alive. Rebecca loved Neil. Carrcaught her at the safe. Paul observes: "Whatsome women will do for a man is just plainmurder."

Carr’s home is extremely elaborate, withmany Oriental artifacts. This again wasprobably a set done for a film. Though each

wall was a ‘flat,’ and the room could bedisassembled and stored, dressing the setwould have taken more time that a busy TVshow had.

Carr’s safe is used in a number of episodesincluding this season’s ‘TCOT Baited Hook.’

The missing heiress plot was quitecommon in fiction, TV and films, possibly dueto the hundreds of thousands of peopledisplaced by WW II.

Perry’s gone Oriental too, with a nice paperlantern in his apartment, a tonsu chest in thehall and a couple of Chinese tables.

26.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Half-Wakened WifeOriginal Airdate: March 15, 1958Directed by Anton M. LeaderWritten by Stanley NissRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Phyllis Avery................... Marion ShelbyStewart Bradley ............... Frank LawtonBarbara Lawrence.............Ellen WaringClaude Akins ..........................Phillip DixJonathan Hole ...............Arthur WilliamsTom Palmer....................... Scott ShelbyJason Johnson ............. Judge EllsworthHoward Petrie...................... Ben ParkerPeter Hansen .................. Howard BlackPaul E. Burns ............................... RichyFrederick Draper ..................Ted Young

Scott Shelby is a real jerk. He makessnide insinuations about his wife and the hiredhandyman, Frank Lawton. But Shelby doesn'tknow Lawton is a war pal of Perry's. Bad luckdogs his footsteps, and Perry goes to the laketo help him out. Before he gets there, though,Shelby concocts a frame which is meant to getLawton out of the way, but ends up gettingShelby killed. The unexplained clues givecircumstantial evidence a whole new meaning.Lawton is even surprised to see Perry. Hedidn't even send the telegram. Lawton insiststhere isn't--and never has been--anythingbetween him and Mrs. Shelby. However, hekeeps a stream-of-consciousness diary whichruminates on Shelby's awfulness and Marion'slong-suffering sweetness. Shelby's bodyhasn't yet been found, and Perry doesn't thinkhe's dead. He was a "flim-flam" artist and washaving a fling with Ellen Waring. Perry solvesthe case by delving deep into the photos of anamateur photographer, who was hired to spiritShelby away that night. He accuses Marion

Shelby. He took an infrared photo of her thatnight which clinches his story. She's on thedock with her husband's body. Poor Frankpacks up and leaves, looking for lucksomewhere else.

27.The Case of the Desperate DaughterOriginal Airdate: March 22, 1958Directed by Arthur HillerTeleplay by Gene WangStory by Donald S. SanfordRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Gigi Perreau ..................Doris BannisterRobert F. Simon ........Edward BannisterOsa Massen ................... Lisa BannisterWerner Klemperer............. Stefan RikerDon Durant ......................Gary MarshallPierre Watkin............................... JudgeWendell Holmes ................... Dr. ForbesRobert B. Williams............ Det. QuinceyGere Craft...................................HeleneIvan Bonar ........................Det. MarlowePaul Genge............................Det. DavisPatricia Mowry.........................WaitressJack Gargan........................Court Clerk

Gary Marshall is an employee at BannisterFarms, always on the lookout for a fast buck.When he meets Stefan Riker, an East Germanwho's looking for Mrs. Bannister, he knowshe's hit pay dirt. He tries to threaten her, thenmake a pass. Riker comes to the house andsays he's Lisa Bannister's cousin. But whenLisa comes in, she's upset. When her step-daughter Doris finds her about to take pills tokill herself, Lisa confesses she's in the countryillegally. Her passport was forged. Shebelieves Stefan is here to take her back. Dorissays not to worry, she'll think of something.She goes to Riker's hotel room and makes apass at him. Three months later, Bannister

throws Riker off his ranch, and an amnesiacDoris turns up at Perry's office, battered andbewildered. Bannister sees her picture in thepaper and calls Perry. Bannister asks Perry tohandle things, as he's crippled. He tells Perryshe's been seeing Stefan Riker, who has ahouse near where she was found. Tragg isalready at Riker's house, where he's verydead. There are odd prints outside a window,probably from a ladder.

The cops think Doris did it, Perry thinks (andPaul proves) she was in a car accident. Garyis busy covering his butt and Paul thinks Dorisis using Perry as a patsy. By takingsurreptitious prints of Bannister and his canes,Perry proves the prints outside Riker's windowwere him, not a ladder. He forces him toadmit killing Riker and tried to incriminate hiswife. He thought they were lovers. Doris waswilling to go to the gas chamber to protectLisa's secret.

28.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Daring DecoyOriginal Airdate: March 29, 1958Directed by Anton M. LeaderTeleplay by Seeleg LesterRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

H. M. Wynant ................ Daniel ConwayMarie Windsor................... Linda GriffithJack Weston ......................Fred CalvertJacqueline Scott .........Amelia ArmitageJohn Mack Brown ..........Warner GriffithNatalie Norwick ............................ MavisGrandon R. Rhodes .....................JudgePamela Duncan ................Rose CalvertLouise Lorimer ................Miss EastmanDonald Foster.................... H. B. VarnellJack Gargan........................ Court Clerk

There's more than a little industrialespionage going on at Dan Conway's landexploration company. He catches RoseCalvert going through his desk andimmediately suspects she's allied with hisbusiness foe, Warner Griffith. Later, hemisses the confidential report she stole.

Amelia Armitage, a large stockholder,confronts Conway, demanding to know whathe's doing to counter Warner Griffith. Then hegets a call from another woman who offersvital information to fight Griffith. She tells himto meet her in a hotel room. He goes, only tofind the dead body of Rose Calvert. He getsout but not before picking up the gun from thefloor. He goes to Perry, who's not pleased hetook the gun, a Smith & Wesson whichbelongs to the company. The voice on thephone was Warner Griffith's wife.

Perry ditches Conway in a motel and goesto see Linda Griffith. He traps her intoadmitting she made the calls, but says she'lldeny it. She's divorcing her husband. He'sfooling around with Rose Calvert. Perry goesto Rose's apartment and finds a letter from herestraged husband. He heads there and seesFred Calvert. They've been separated sevenmonths.

Amelia Armitage comes to see Perry.She's concerned about Conway. She eventries to give him an alibi but Perry won't let her.Perry shatters Rose's husband Fred on thestand and he confesses to killing her. Conwayand Miss Armitage look like they'll have arelationship beyond that of company presidentand stockholder.

The intersection of Wilton and La Brea ismentioned in dialogue. Both are real streets,but run parallel. This ‘mistake’ is common intelevision, where using real addresses orintersections is avoided for legal reasons.

Rose Calvert lives at the ‘Serrano Arms’apartment. Serrano is a real street, and it hasmany pre-War apartment buildings on it.

29.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Hesitant HostessOriginal Airdate: April 5, 1958Directed by Christian NybyTeleplay by Al C. WardRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Keren Sharpe ...................... Inez KaylorFred Sherman ............... Albert SandersJune Vincent................ Martha RayburnLes Tremayne .................... Fred ArcherNed Wever ............................Joe GibbsBetty Utey ...............................Kim LaneRobin Raymond......................SecretaryGil Frye .................. Det. Ralph FaulknerJacqueline Holt ........................ChristineMichael Mason ....................Larry ColesFay Roope ................................... JudgeGeorge Cisar .......................Mr. WickettRobert Karnes ......................Det. PurvisPaul Serra ..............Court StenographerJohn Alvin ........................... Sam Walsh

Danceland Ballroom's bouncer tosses outthe local drunk, Albert Sanders. But he's not

the problem owner Fred Archer has on hismind. Kim Lane is blackmailing him.

Inez Kaylor isn't all that unhappy with herjob as a hostess--there are occasional"overseas modeling assignments." But KimLane says this is her last night. Her boss,Martha Rayburn says there's nothing betweenKim and Archer. He's a married man. He'salso been held up.

The next day, the cops find Archer's walletin a trash can outside Sanders' broken-downtrailer. Perry defends him pro bono. Eightyears ago, Sanders' wife and child were killedin an auto accident, Perry says he can't keepon blaming himself. He's never seen Archerbefore. Archer says Martha was with him, sheIDs Sanders. She says she was ill and hetook her home. But Paul digs up Inez in LasVegas, who says Martha fired her at theBallroom two hours after the robbery. Butbefore Perry can put her on the stand, shesplits. Tragg finds Kim Lane's body and herjewelry under Sanders' trailer. Perry and Dellasearch Inez's Vegas apartment. In the mail, apostcard to Kim Lane from a modeling agencyabout an assignment.

An older man enters the apartment with akey and catches Perry. He pulls a gun, takesthe postcard and leaves. Back in L. A., Dellagoes to the agency for an interview. There's alot of South and Central American jobs. Dellapasses muster except for her "husband." Thead specified "unnattached" models. The bossis the man who came to Inez's apartment inLas Vegas. They realize all the models carrythe same handbag. Martha Rayburn has onetoo. On the stand, she insists the purse wascustom made for her. Kim had one. Later,Paul manages to borrow Kim's bag. It has alarge mirror, which Perry pries loose. There'straces of white powder under it. He sendsDella on a shopping trip.

On the stand the next day, Perry shows apurse to Martha Rayburn. The powder isunder the mirror. He says it's heroin and heurges the D. A. to investigate them forsmuggling narcotics. Perry accuses her andArcher of killing Kim Lane. It was Kim in thecar with Archer. She was already dead at thetime of the robbery. She insists he found herdead. He was just disposing of her body.Perry calls Joe Gibbs, the boss of themodeling agency. He sent her hostesses onmodeling assignments and they unknowinglybrought back the heroin. But he incriminateshimself on the stand about the $5,000 payofffrom Archer. He killed her for that money.

30.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Screaming WomanOriginal Airdate: April 26, 1958Directed by Andrew V. McLaglenTeleplay by Dick Stenger and Gene WangTelevision Story Adapted by......Dick StengerRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Ruta Lee........................ Connie CooperBerry Kroeger ................ Eugene JarechJosephine Hutchinson...... Leona WalshArthur Shields.......... Dr. George Barnes

Marian Seldes..................Mary K. DavisPhilip Ober..........................Ralph DavisKarin Booth................... Susan MarshallDon Gardner.................. Bob SchroederMorris Ankrum............. Judge CameronPhil Arnold ............. Apartment ManagerRichard Ryan..............................Mr. HillJeanne Bates .........................Miss ClayMarian Collier .........................AttendantJack Gargan........................Court Clerk

Newspaper columnist Mary K. Davis hastold her husband and her readers she's havinga baby but she's not pregnant. So she riflesDr. Barnes' desk, steals his patient book andholds it for ransom--for a baby. Dr. Barnes isa baby broker with principles and he won't giveMs. Davis one. Ms. Davis' husband is with theState Dept. and will divorce her if there's nobaby. Her secretary Connie Cooper is the onewho told the doctor what kind of woman Ms.Davis was, and now she threatens to reveal ahorrid secret about Connie's fiance's mother.

Connie and Bob go to see Ms. Davis'lawyer. He says he'll handle it. Nurse Walshgoes to Perry to try and get the book back.She says she's already tried to break in. MaryK. meets her lawyer for lunch but not beforemailing the book off. Then Mary K. Davis iskilled and Leona Walsh confesses.

Perry uses some very shady methods toget the book out of the mail and goes to seeConnie. Jarech comes to see Perry and wantsthe book. He figures out how Perry got it. Hewants to blackmail the names in it. He'll go toBurger if Perry doesn't give it to him. Perrycraftily gives Dr. Barnes a chance to burn thebook. Della is subpoenaed to produce thebook. Perry gets her off the hook withtechnicalities. Burger fusses and fumes, butfails to move the judge. Perry hires an actressto record a phony impersonation of Ms. Davison her dictation machine, which Tragg happily

snatches sans warrant. Burger plays thephony cylinder in court and Connie breaksdown. She killed her because she was aboutto expose the truth about Bob's mother--aserial killer. Everyone feels sorry for Connieand Tragg says Burger is considering seconddegree.

The dictation machine uses heavy waxcylinders, which were soon replaced by flexible"belts," such as the ones used by the Dallaspolice to record the police radio traffic duringthe Kennedy assassination.

There probably were small sanitariums andhospitals on the beach at the time, but nomore. The establishing shot is Malibu, one ofthe few southern California neighborhoodswhere homes are actually on the beach, closeto the water. Every small beach cottage in thatshot is gone, replaced by lot line to lot linemansions.

31.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Fiery FingersOriginal Airdate: May 3, 1958Directed by Arthur MarksTeleplay by Laurence MarksRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Mary La Roche ................ Vicky BraxtonEdward Norris............... George GordonLenore Shanewise... Nora Mae QuinceySusan Dorn ....................Louise GordonFay Spain ..................... Charlotte LynchRobert Burton...........Dr. D. W. FremontCharles Lane......................Dr. WilliamsSydney Smith ...............................JudgeConnie Cezon...............................GertieCharles Davis ...............Dr. J. MeechamGilbert Frye............................. DetectiveJack Gargan........................ Court Clerk

Perry accepts thirty bucks (in singles) todefend nurse Nora Mae Quincey for murder.Nora Mae is a private duty nurse for invalidLouise Gordon. Louise overheard George onthe phone and they fought, and Louisetumbled down the stairs. After a long hospitalstay, she comes home but refuses to see him.She tells her companion Vicky Braxton Georgehas stolen her jewelry. She's also cutting himout of her will.

George realizes Nora Mae has the jewelry,which she uses in a pitiful fantasy life. She'ssure the philandering George Gordon isplanning to kill Louise and goes to Perry. Hegives him the medicine to be analyzed. Shepays Perry $5.00 for the consultation(including tea). Della notes she was wearing afortune in diamonds: "I thought her fingerswere on fire."

Nora Mae goes home to find George in herroom with Louise's jewelry. She alwaysintended to put them back as Louise wasn'tusing them. He forces her to give Louise oneof the tablets. She drops the remaining threein a pitcher of milk. Vicky wakens to thesound of Louise gasping for breath on theintercom. The doctor pronounces Louisedead. Tragg finds the jewels in Nora Mae'sroom. The pills only contained a sedative, butthe milk pitcher contained arsenic. Nora Mae

says she didn't even give Louise the milk withthe tablets in it, she poured it down the sinkand brought her a fresh batch.

Perry discovers that it isn't the despicableGeorge, but companion/cousin Vicky Braxton,who did Louise in. She tried to frame George.She was only left her usual salary of $350 amonth, but as Louise's only living relative, ifGeorge had been convicted of her murder,Vicky would have gotten it all. Louise alwaysflaunted her money to Vicky, ever the poorrelative. Nora Mae gives Perry another $25.00for his services. He says it was exactly thesum he had in mind.

The set for the Gordon home is extensive,including a two-story staircase with chandelier.

32.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Substitute FaceOriginal Airdate: May 10, 1958Directed by William D. RussellTeleplay by Francis CockrellRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Lurene Tuttle .................... Anna HouserMaureen Cassidy............. Laura HouserJoan Tabor .................... Evelyn WhitingRalph Dumke...................Roland CarterTheodore Newton...............Carl HouserMaurice Wells....................Andrew DaleFrank Wilcox .................. Judge Romley

Gavin Gordon.................. Capt. WaltersDonald Lawton .................Daniel JamesNoel Drayton ...............................PurserStanley Farrar ..................... AccountantWilliam Quinn...........Christopher WalshBobbie Collentine .........Marta Lawrence

Perry and Della are on a romantic shipsailing to L. A. from British Columbia after acontested will case. The decks are loadedwith interesting people and Perry has toredirect Della's attention from them to themoon on the water.

He does his best to avoid other people'sproblems, but Anna Houser finally nabs him toconfess her husband Carl embezzled$100,000 from the S&L where he was anaccountant. He told her he won asweepstakes but she doesn't believe him.He's got the money in a money belt. Shewants Perry to negotiate a return of theremaining money.

Paul checks with Houser's bank and themanager immediately suspects him of theft.But the books balance to the penny. Back onthe ship, the captain announces "manoverboard." Perry checks with Anna, andnotices the photo of Anna and her daughterLaura is gone, a photo of Carl substituted in itsplace. The captain comes and tells her Carlwas washed overboard. They found his gun.

When Anna is arrested for her husbandsmurder, Perry represents her. But Housermay not be dead and the money may be tiedto a trial a year ago in Chicago.

In the opening, we see the exterior of avery modern building, and yet inside, thecounter is littered with fountain pens sitting inink. These pens were around a long time, aspeople liked them and ball points were stillnew enough that many people didn’t carry apen with them.

Note that Houser has the cash in a filecabinet marked ‘M.’ For money?

According to the life ring, the shipeveryone’s on is the Westminster out ofLiverpool—unlikely that it would be in thePacific. Even on around-the-world cruises,ships don’t usually go from British Columbia toLos Angeles. Perry tries to use the ship’sBritish origins to delay the trial, but fails.

Once the man overboard call is made,the ship is suddenly in rough seas (the camerarolls from side to side but the people don’t),with a heavy wind. And when the captain saysMr. Houser might have been ‘washedoverboard’ that scenario is extremely unlikelyon a large liner in coastal waters.

State National Savings and Loan is aname the show has used several times.

When Paul plays informant to Burger, hesays Evelyn Whiting and her patient went to ahouse in ‘the Palisades.’ He refers to PacificPalisades, an upscale community overlookingthe Pacific ocean.

33.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Long-Legged ModelsOriginal Airdate: May 17, 1958Directed by Anton M. LeaderTeleplay by Seeleg LesterRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Peggy McCay ...........Stephanie FalknerAlix Talton.............................. Eva ElliottJoe De Santis .................George CastleLyle Talbot ................Michael Garvin Sr.William Swan............ Michael Garvin Jr.Russell Thorson ............... Glen FalknerFrank Wilcox ............................... JudgeAnn McCrea .................... Margo GarvinRay Walker............................ SalesmanJack Harris ..........................Court ClerkBilly Snyder............................. StickmanJoey Ray............................... PolicemanCarol Anderson ........................... Model

Vegas motel owner Glen Falkner loses itall at the crap table. He writes an apology tohis daughter Stephanie. George Castlewatched him lose and has a promissory notefor $8,000. He'll take the motel, which is aprime site for a new casino. Falkner says overmy dead body, so Castle shoots him, thenoffers daughter Stephanie a deal for the land.She doesn't want to sell. She'll get him the$8,000.

Stephanie is getting good advice frominvestment maven Michael Garvin, Sr. Castlehas something on Garvin's secretary and hecalls in a favor. Garvin meets Stephanie thenext day at Perry's office. He says the$600/front foot Garvin offered her is half whatthe land is worth. He thinks Castle killed Glen.Garvin plans to meet Castle gun to gun andPerry tries to dissuade him. Perry findsCastle, who increases the offer for the motel.Perry says he wants $225,000. Castle says

that's $1500 a front foot, and $1000 is thegoing rate. He finally goes $1200. Perry saysthat's not acceptable. He goes to $1300.Perry forces him to $1500. Then GeorgeCastle is dead and Perry catches Stephanie[and Tragg nearly does] leaving his apartment.Garvin Sr. hires Perry to take care ofStephanie. He gave his gun to Stephanie.One shot's been fired, but she says she didn'tfire it.

Stephanie’s apartment building is one ofthe classic ones in Hollywood.

It wasn’t necessary for the show to go toVegas to shoot this episode. All studios had anumber of slot machines, roulette wheels andcrap tables to dummy up a room. The maindifference is the casinos in Vegas are hugeand this one clearly is not.

Della and Paul refer to a shop calledJulie’s in Vegas which carries outrageouslyexpensive women’s clothes (Della says ‘ifyou’re a smart shopper, you might be able topick up a cotton frock for about 200 dollars’).Each hotel at the time had such a shop—atrend that eventually spread to hotelseverywhere. As is mentioned in the episode, itwas a good place for male gamblers to maketheir female companions (rarely wives) happywhile they spent hours at the tables. Also,both exclusive shops and high end departmentstores at the time used models to displaymerchandise, rather than putting it on ahanger on a rack.

Perry does one of his many tricks to dowith duplicate guns.

Perry drives a black 1958 Ford Skyliner,but Junior tries to sell him a ’58 T-Bird, saying‘it’s a real bomb.’ Odd that he’d have a newcar on his used car lot.

34.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Gilded LilyOriginal Airdate: May 24, 1958Directed by Andrew V. McLaglenTeleplay by Richard Grey and Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Peggy Knudsen .............. Sheila BowersBarbara Baxley.................... Enid GriffinMari Aldon ........................... Anne BrentGrant Withers...................Stewart BrentRichard Erdman ...............Arthur BinneyWally Brown .................... Harry MitchellFay Roope............................Judge KyleAlan Dexter........................... Dr. CortleyCarleton Young .................. Dr. ParsonsJack Gargan........................ Court ClerkCy Malis.....................Garage AttendantMax Wagner................................Janitor

Perry's office landlord, Charles StewartBrent, marries in Vegas and two women who

work for him have different reactions. One'smildly amazed, the other tries to kill herself.Sheila calls a doctor and Enid survives. Enidthinks her kindly widowed boss was "trapped"and vows to keep on trying to get him herself.

First thing the next day, an Arthur Binneyarrives at the office and shows Brent a dummyscandal magazine with an expose on thebrand new Mrs. Brent, who has a record--shepawned her jewelry and reported it stolen.He'd like $30,000. Enid listens in on theintercom. Brent goes to Paul and reveals he'sonly known his wife two weeks.

Brent has a wedding reception the nextnight. Anne Brent tried hard to make friendswith Enid. Paul checks on Anne's record; shewas convicted in Seattle six years ago andserved a year in prison. Binney calls andorders Brent to a motel in the valley for thepayoff. He arrives with the money and a gun,Binney coshes him, removes the cash andwhen Brent regains consciousness, he findshis gun wrapped in a towel in the bathroomand Binney dead in an adjacent room with oneof Anne's earrings in his hand. He pockets theearring and the motel manager walks in.Brent confesses to Tragg. En route toheadquarters, he hides the towel and earringin the seat of the cop car.

Note the chenille bedspreads on Enidand Sheila’s beds. Back in fashion today, theywere popular and inexpensive at the time.

Binney tells Brent to drive out VenturaBlvd. To Angeles. Ventura is real, Angelus isnot. Note the old round screen TV in themotel. A motel of that type would have beenunlikely to have any TV in the rooms, not evenold ones.

35.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Lazy LoverOriginal Airdate: May 31, 1958Directed by William D. RussellTeleplay by Francis CockrellRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Harry Townes.................Bob FleetwoodFrances Helm.................Bernice ArcherJames Bell ....................P.E. OverbrookYvonne Craig ................. Patricia FaxonNeil Hamilton..................Bertrand AllredAnn Lee............................. Lucille AllredKenneth R. MacDonald ................JudgeLen Hendry..................................Officer

Perry gets a check for $2500 in the mailwith little explanation. Patricia Faxon asks herstepfather Bertrand Allred to move his carbecause she clipped the hedge coming intothe estate. He goes out to do it and finds hisbusiness associate, Bob Fleetwood, dead onthe driveway.

The check Perry got is from the Allreds, aretainer to represent Lucille Allred or herdaughter Patricia Faxon, if needed. Lucille'smarried to a wealthy mining man. Perry goesto see Patricia. She confesses she mighthave hit Fleetwood. But he came to and didn'tknow who he was. Lucille and Bertie took himaway someplace; she doesn't know where.She doesn't want them to cover up for her.

Lucille is divorcing Bertie and her fortuneis not community property. Bertie's a littleupset. Paul and Perry try to find Mrs. Allred,but she's gone from her motel room. Bertietells them she ran off with Fleetwood. Thenshe's back at home. She doesn't know whereFleetwood is. She said he just left and tookher car. Then Tragg arrives. "Are you Mrs.Allred's lawyer, Perry, or are you just acting asan emcee?" Her car was found wrecked atthe bottom of a canyon and Fleetwood wasdead in it. The car was in neutral. Fleetwoodand Mrs. Allred left the motel together and shereturned on foot. Then Tragg gets a call. Thedead man was Bertie, not Fleetwood.

One of the great Della/Perry exchangesbegins this episode: Perry: "Just this bare,naked check?" Della: "Just that bare, naked2,500 clams." Perry: "Della, when its over athousand, you don't refer to them as clams,they become dollars."

And later: Perry to Della, “How would youlike to married for a couple of hours to a fairlynice looking man about 40 years old?”Unfortunately for Della, he doesn’t meanhimself.

When Perry asks Della to run across thecrime scene, she is wearing a type of shoepopular at the time—Spring-o-Lators. They

were open-toed sandal high heels with noback straps. The shoe was held on the foot bya wide elastic band which was about 4” long inthe insole. These shoes are not made forrunning in soft ground, and Della is right to bemiffed.

Mountain View is a real northernCalifornia community.

Paul says Miss Archer lives in anapartment ‘out on Laurel.’ Laurel Avenue is areal street in West Hollywood, the continuationof Laurel Canyon Blvd.

Allred drives a 1957 Buick Century.

36.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Prodigal ParentOriginal Airdate: June 7, 1958Directed by Arthur MarksTeleplay by Seeleg Lester and Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Virginia Field......................Irene CollaroHerbert Rudley ...............George DurrellFay Wray ........................ Ethel HarrisonAndra Martin ...............Lorraine StevensJohn Hoyt ....................Joseph HarrisonTerry Becker.......................Philip LarkinMorris Ankrum............................. JudgeNancy Kulp ....................Sarah Winslow

Chet Statton .......................... Mr. AlcornMichael Fox.............Dr. Samuel AndersRichard Bull....................Court ReporterDean Casey .....................Det. SanchezLeo Needham .................Officer Norton

Lorraine Stevens is a walking testimonyabout the pitfalls of office romances. One ofher bosses, George Durrell, is a gentleman.Philip Larkin is not and he is still trying torekindle a past romance, but she’s havingnone of it. Another worker interrupts hisblackmail threats.

Lorraine goes to pick up something forher bosses, but the jewelry shop has no recordof the order. She calls Durrell’s house, only tobe hit with the hysterics of his wheelchair-bound and very jealous wife. She tries Larkin,but though the phone is answered, no one’sthere. He’s dead.

Tragg finds out the Larkin business is atwisted mass of jealousy, ex-stepfathers anddeceit. Larkin’s mother, Mrs. Harrison, hiresPerry after her ex-husband is arrested.

Harrison's prints were all over the guncase. He admits to Perry he was there butPhilip was already dead. Lorraine tells Perryof her strange interval at the jewelers and hesays she's the only one with a perfect alibi.

Burger watches a 16mm film found in Larkin'scloset and passes the word he's got a perfectcase. Mrs. Harrison has gone missing andBurger thinks Perry's got her stashed--hedoesn't. Even Paul can't find her. Burger's bigevidence is a home movie of Ethel and JoeHarrison in the garden. It's a loving scene, ofhim giving her a string of pearls. Larkin entersframe and yells at Harrison, who decks him.Burger's smug as hell.

Another classic Perry Mason tradition is atthe end of this episode. Della asks ‘Whichone of you handsome gentlemen is going totake me to lunch?’ which evokes some jokingby-play between the guys. Many of theepisodes end with Perry and Paul taking Dellaout for a meal, usually steaks and martinis.

37.Erle Stanley Gardner's The Case of theBlack-Eyed BlondeOriginal Airdate: June 14, 1958Directed by Roger KayTeleplay by Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Whitney Blake .............. Diana ReynoldsIrene Hervey.....................Helen BartlettR. G. Armstrong .......... Matthew BartlettLudwig Stossel .................. Otto KesslerJan Merlin............................ Tony DavisPhyllis Coates.................. Norma CarterJudith Ames ..................... Marian ShawGrandon Rhodes..........................JudgeFrancis De Sales..................... Dr. RoseJack Lomas......................Sgt. BrewsterFrank Sully ......................................CopJoe Dominguez ............Carlos FigueroaCasey Peters.................... Bobby Carter

Everyone wants a piece of MatthewBartlett's money. His new wife Helen has agreedy, egotistical son, Tony Davis, and

somebody's just written a letter about agrandson Bartlett didn't know about. The letteris intercepted by Diana Reynolds, Bartlett'ssecretary. Tony goes to see the child and hismother and then plants his mother's jewelry inher room and they fire her. She goes to Perry.Unfortunately, the letter's gone. He confrontsBartlett, who believes him. He found out abouthis grandson five months ago. He hireddetectives to check and they reported hismother, Norma, is doing a wonderful jobraising the boy. He was estranged from hisson, who was then killed. Bartlett wants hisgrandson.

Tragg arrives with the announcement thatDiana was murdered last night with Bartlett'sgun at Norma Carter's house. But it's notDiana who's dead--it's her roommate MarianShaw. Marian was a good friend of Norma's.Marian and Diana fought because Marian wasseeing Tony and Diana thought he was aswine.

Norma Carter’s house seems to be in farmcountry, but in fact, there were many ruralareas near Los Angeles in 1958. The styleand area around this location look like theAlatadena/Monrovia/Sierra Madre area, wherethere was still considerable citrus acreage andsome farms.

Women at the time often had diaries andtook great pains to conceal them. Diarieswere sold in a wide variety of styles, fromplastic ones in pink for teenagers to hand-tooled, Moroccan leather. All had a strap witha small lock and key, which was rather futileas the strap could be easily cut. The one inthis episode looks to be leatherette.

38.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Terrified TypistOriginal Airdate: June 21, 1958

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglenTeleplay by Robert C. Dennis, PhillipMacdonald, Ben BradyRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Alan Marshall ................. James Kincaid............................alias Duane JeffersonJoanna Moore .................Patricia TaylorJoan Elan .............................Mrs. LumisConnie Cezon ..............................GertieJack Raine ..................... George BaxterKenneth R. MacDonald . Judge [Hartley]Harald Dyrenforth...................... HenrichHank Patterson ..................... Jack GillyJack Gargan........................ Court ClerkFrankie Darro ........... Elevator OperatorRed Morgan ........................MusclemanSteve Carruthers .........Duane Jefferson

This is the case Perry really loses.A woman in harlequin glasses uses stolen

keys to get inside the South African DiamondCo. office. She ransacks the place, then shepretends to be a typist, but one of theemployees figures out she's up to no good andtries to call security. She coshes him andescapes into the stairwell. She comes out afloor below and hurries from office to office.The doors are locked.

She bursts into Perry's office where Gertieassumes she's been sent by a temp agency tohelp Della. She says she is and begins work.While the police scour the building, she'sinnocently pounding out Perry'scorrespondence. Paul comes in with the newsof the excitement, and Della realizes what'shappened. But she's gone. Perry goes up tothe burgled company and meets WalterLumis. He's got other worries. PartnerGeorge Baxter brought their diamonds in fromSouth Africa today, but they missed him at theairport. He's the one who caught the woman,called the cops, and now he's missing.

Then a man in a 2-tone Olds dumpsBaxter's body in the ocean, with a cement tiletied to his ankle. He's witnessed by an oldfisherman, Jack Gilly, who IDs DuaneJefferson, who hires Perry. He insists he wasout to dinner with "a certain lady" all evening.Paul finds the terrified typist (thanks to Della'skeen eye for high fashion label clothes) andshe's Mrs. Ralph Taylor, wife of a senator.Perry and Paul take the harlequin glasses tothe Taylor estate and confront her. She tells alengthy story about meeting an Air Forcecaptain named Duane Jefferson, long beforeshe met the senator. She tried to reclaimsome letters and cartoons she sent him. Shebroke into his office to get them back.

Paul goes to Jefferson's apartment andlooks around. He finds Mrs. Taylor. They alsofind two identical photos of Jefferson in anightclub, except there's a different woman ineach print. One of them is Mrs. Taylor. Incourt, Jefferson still refuses to ID the lady whois his alibi. Perry introduces Patricia Taylor'sname and Burger erupts, but Jefferson admitsto knowing her, but not that she's the one hewas with. Burger's not impressed with hischivalry.

Perry calls Mrs. Taylor. She says she waswith him for 15 minutes (it is never explainedwhy Mrs. Taylor met the phony Jefferson atthe nightclub), long enough to tell him she"despised the ground he walks on." Burgerintroduces the letters. Jefferson said he'dreturn the letters and cartoons in person. Heblackmailed her. The jury returns and findsJefferson guilty! The media clusters around agrinning Burger.

Paul can't find the other woman in thenightclub photos, but remembers seeing her atthe South African Diamond Co. She must beMrs. Lumis. They go to Lumis' house. Theelegant Mrs. Lumis is the woman andconfesses to being with him that night. Lumisis angry--they were partners with Jeffersonand were about to leave for Mexico. Shesends him on alone. Lumis picks up hishostage--the real Duane Jefferson--who's tiedup in his shed. But Paul is there and nabs theassembled company. Perry's demands a newtrial as the entire trial took place without thepresence of the real Duane Jefferson. Thedefendant is James Kincaid, who conspiredwith Lumis to bilk the company of half amillion.

Crawford Jewelry is a tenant of Brent Bldg.Also the South African Diamond Co.--Suite1012.

We see an elevator operator in the BrentBuilding. There is one in the books, but theybegan so much earlier, when operators werecommon. Note the fan-shaped vertical file ontop of the file cabinets. It’s been used as aprop in a dozen episodes this season.

Walter Lumis calls the thief ‘our young ladyRaffles.’ He refers to Raffles, the classic storyof a nobleman who is a master criminal by

night. The 1899 novel and play Raffles wereso popular, they were filmed several times,and the plot has been used dozens more. The1930 film starring Ronald Colman is probablythe best version.

Thelavish formal gardens where Perry and Paulconfront Mrs. Taylor were probably a park orbotanical garden.

The Lumis home is one of the first of thehomes of the wealthy we’ve seen on the showthat is decorated in a more modern style. .

39.Erle Stanley Gardner'sThe Case of the Rolling BonesOriginal Airdate: June 28, 1958Directed by Roger KayWritten by Gene WangRegulars: Burr, Hale, Hopper, Talman, CollinsGuests:

Joan Camden.....................Donna KnoxMary Anderson...................Arlene ScottEdgar Stehli........................Daniel ReedArthur Space ..................... Willard ScottKing Calder ....................... Maury LewisKitty Kelly............................ Millie FosterSimon Scott...................George MetcalfRichard Gaines ........... Judge TreadwellSid Tomack ................... Victor KowalskiMorris Ankrum............... Judge MorriseyRichard Aherne ...................... Dr. NorrisAlan Lee ..............................Dave Kemp

William Remick .............Herbert WalkerJames Nolan ..........................AttendantTed Stanhope...................... Court ClerkOlan Soulé.................................... TellerLee Miller......................... State Trooper

Daniel Reed has been "railroaded" into asanitarium by his nephew, Willard Scott, andhis greedy, social-climbing wife Arlene.Reed's fiancée, the earthy Millie Foster, hiresPerry to extricate him. Perry runs acrossMaury Lewis, who pretends to be a friend ofReed's, but is really blackmailing him.

Perry exposes the quack doctor and thecourt moves to the sanitarium to find Reed hasescaped by bonking the guard with a bar ofsoap wrapped in a sock and posing as alaundry man. The judge orders thecommitment overturned. But later, Reed callsMillie from a room with Maury Lewis' deadbody in it.

One of the blackmail partners squeals onDonna Knox, Lewis' girl. Tragg finds her firstand is there when she blames Perry for lettingReed out. Millie calls Perry from Reno--Reed's with her. Perry and Paul go up thereand Reed admits he was being blackmailed.Thirty years ago in Fairbanks, Reed waspartners with Monty Sewell. They struck it richwith a gold mine. Sewell wanted it all. Onenight he pretended to be asleep when Sewelltried to shoot him. He killed him and buried

the body. He used Sewell's name when he leftand married Millie. She walked out when hewouldn't go to the authorities. Lewis boughtSewell's old shack and found the body. Traggwalks in.

He makes a phony call to Della to bollix upBurger, claiming that Maury Lewis was reallySewell. Though he just made it up, it provesto be true! Reed finally admits it. He thoughthe really did kill Sewell, until Lewis and DonnaKnox showed up three months ago and beganblackmailing him. Perry wrenches aconfession from Willard Scott, who killedLewis only to frame Reed after thecommitment failed. He wanted control ofReed's money in order to get away from hisdomineering, nagging wife.

Perry wears a light-colored suit (left) incourt—one of the few times he isn’t wearing adark suit when in front of the bar.

Donna Knox is photographed (above) withthe stripes from a venetian blind across theroom. This technique—seen to great effect inthe film Casablanca—can indicate a characteris in a kind of prison.