Show38
When Patricia Taylor is in Mason's office she picks up the phone and calls Hamilton Burger, dialing his number from memory. How would she know the DA's phone #, and have it memorized? Submitted by Craig 3/5/10
+ The District Attorney is evidently a friend of the Senator and his wife. Maybe they are political cronies. Added by alan_sings, 11/29/2014.
++ This happens a lot. Characters will often pick up the phone and dial from memory numbers they have no reason to know by heart. I've noticed that Della in particular seems to have a phone directory in her head, although I have seen her use the phone directory on occasion. OLEF641 11/18/2020
The door to the diamond company has a deadbolt, but there is no corresponding slot on the jamb. DOD 08/05/22
By today's standards of Due Process, Tragg contaminated the line-up by informing the witness that one of the men was a suspect, fit the witness' description, and owned a car as described by the witness. This is known as a subtle "force." cgraul 7.10.12
And how did they find Jefferson so quickly with nothing to go on? DOD 07/07/20
+ And the id -- "he's the one on the end" -- is unclear. Which end: the right or the left? Mike Bedard 5.24.16 MeTV viewing.
Perry needs to improve his office security. Patricia Taylor strolls in and is put to work typing documents without being asked to show any ID or proof that she was actually sent from the agency. And why would Perry allow an outsider to see possibly sensitive documents? There will be an even worse security breach in the next episode. Submitted by 65tosspowertrap, 4-29-14.
The diamond company borrowed Della’s file cabinets - the ones with a single drawer for each of the first twelve letters of the alphabet. DOD 07/07/20
+ They also borrowed that strange fan-shapped binder-holder on top of a cabinet It has appeared in many and many an office -- and no one ever uses it or touches it. Submitted by catyron, December 11th, 2020.
One of the few cases where we learn about Perry's fee. $5000 in 1958 is like $42,000 now. Submitted by vgy7ujm, 01/16/2015.
This may be the only Perry episode where the murderer sits at the defense table with Perry and Della. Submitted by PaulDrake 33.
Alan Marshall was both a defendant and a murderer. Submitted by daveb, date unknown.
The description of this episode from The Perry Mason TV Show Book contains a spoiler (Jefferson/Kincaid) that should not have been included at the top of this episode's page. In addition, mention of this subplot should only be written in this section warning of spoilers. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 2/15/14.
+ I agreem and i boldly remvoed a mention of the Kincaid/Jefferson names in a mention of the lineup in the Trivia section. I hate the fact that SPOILER PLOT SYNOPSES are permitted in this wiki. I cannot read the synopses for fear of spoiling the episode! Grumpily submitted by catryon, December 11th, 2020.
When the body of Mr. Baxter is pushed into the ocean it is clear a stunt double was used. Jack Raine played Mr. Baxter and was bald on top; but the stunt double clearly had a full head of hair and is wearing a very obvious bald scalp piece. See the Paramount DVD at 9:25. Added by Exquisite Decay, 9/11/14.
Until Perry’s questioning of Jefferson, Burger is apparently unaware of a relationship between him and Mrs Taylor. So how does it happen he has his letters to her? And how did she end up being pen pals with him in the first place? Mrs Taylor’s hat looks like one of the UFOs from “ Earth VS the Flying Saucers”. DOD 07/07/20.
+ Mrs. Taylor called Hamilton Burger from Perry's office. (As noted by alan_sings above, the Rich and/or Famous all know each other and have each other's phone numbers memorized!) Hamilton was probably briefed by her on her dealings with Jefferson; accordingly he asked for the letters. He was aware that Mason was likely to use Mrs. Taylor as an alibi, and Burger needed to demonstrate she had no reason for a lengthy visit with Jefferson. Jefferson was a blackmailer, not a paramour! So here's a question: who the heck took the pictures at the club? Why? How did Jefferson get them? Old Dave, 7/8/20
++ As for the question, "How did she end up being pen pals with him in the first place?" Mrs. Taylor explained that she was writing letters to South African prisoners of war during the Korean conflict. As for the question, "Who the heck took the pictures at the club? Why?" they were probably taken by one of those roving nightclub photographers who snapped shots of patrons and then hoped to sell them prints. When they were offered to Mr. Kinkaid/Jefferson, he purchased them -- but as to the question, "Why did he buy them?" i have no theory. Submitted by catyron, December 11th, 2020.
+++ I just wonder if the flying saucer hat was one of the launching points in the frisbee fad. Submitted by HamBurger, 6/13/2021
++++ Careful examination of the pictures (again, via freeze frame and zoom), shows them to be the same image, just with the woman replaced. All the background is identical, all the people have the exact same poses. Submitted by Clothears, 03 April 2024.
Questions: What made Paul and Perry follow Walter Loomis to the trailer? After freeing the real Jefferson why didn't they take him to the police? Since (real) Jefferson's existence was a surprise to Burger what happened to Lumis, his wife and the guard? If they had been arrested that night surely Burger would have been notified. Submitted by H. Mason 10/9/14
+ Maybe they got tied up in the handy trailer in the woods! BTW, nice stunt fighting by Paul. OldDave 7/8/2020
+ There are so many unanswered questions and holes in this story. Also, a defense attorney can't just request a retrial after a verdict has been rendered based on "new evidence." (Otherwise retrials would never end.) If there was malfeasance or error of some sort the defense can take it to appeals court, and they can nullify the trial. (Rarely, they will reverse the guilty verdict.) I like this episode, but it is very odd. And really, what was with the Lomises? Maybe the ESG book explains better. Rich P 10/28/21
In the epilogue, we learn that Perry, Della, and Paul will join the Taylors and Duane Jefferson for dinner. But why would the Taylors want Jefferson, who blackmailed Mrs. Taylor? Ed Zoerner, 8/30/24
Cullinan Connection one of Kimberly's foremost producers - perhaps the source of the gems in this episode ?? - it's an open-pit mine 400mx1000m; I mention the size because it seems to be about as big a hole as the one(s) in this plot. Some have been mentioned (see above), but let's look at some more:
- When were the diamonds stolen?? If Baxter had them with him - and since he ran screaming from the office that it had been robbed, he must have - then they must have been taken there...but by whom?? Did Mrs. Taylor take them?? Why?? and what would she have done with them?? Did Lumis and Kincaid return - and it would have to be almost immediately since it's apparent Mrs. Taylor had no opportunity to flee the building - find him unconscious, and take them ?? If so, why would it be necessary to kill him ?? (And if they didn't then why would he claim he was robbed??)
- When did Kincaid begin his impersonation, and - more importantly - how did he find out about the letters. He obviously knew enough to meet with Mrs. Taylor, but when - and how - did he learn it ??
- Why didn't Mrs. Lumis tell her fake alibi immediately?? I believe at the end Perry makes mention that they hoped Kincaid would be acquitted without it, but are we to believe that people would linger for the days, or weeks, of a trial - with an imprisoned person in their back yard - rather than come forward ?!?! Indeed the whole point of Kincaid having the photos was to validate it.
Notcom 120321.
LOST CASE #1 of 4? By my reckoning, this is one of (at least) four known lost cases in the Perry Mason series, the others being:
- The murder trial of Janice Barton in Ep. 185, TCOT Deadly Verdict, in which her innocence is only proven after the fact.
- A civil case that Perry lost in front of Judge Daniel Redmond at the beginning of Ep. 181, TCOT Witless Witness.
- Another civil case near the beginning of Ep. 267, TCOT Dead Ringer in which Perry was framed by an impostor for trying to bribe a witness.
(Though these last two were not the featured cases of these episodes, they were still cases that Mason lost). I know that Perry is usually given a pass on the Duane Jefferson case because of the impersonation. But still, he earnestly tried to defend the man sitting next to him, and he lost. The fact that the man will be tried again later under his own name and with untainted evidence still doesn't alter the fact that Perry lost the first trial. If anyone knows of additional lost cases, please add them here. Submitted by alan_sings, 11/29/2014.
+ Perry can only successfully defend with the truth. He cannot successfully defend dishonesty. jfh 08May2017.
++ There was an earlier lost case referred to at the opening of an episode earlier in this season when Perry is dictating to Della the basis of an appeal on behalf of a client. Sorry i can't recall which episode. Submitted by catyron, December 11th, 2020.