Show92
Musical notes - No composer credit is given for this episode, but the marshall sounding theme in the establishing shots bear an uncanny resemblance to those used by Jerry Goldsmith (credited in Blushing Pearls andPaul Drake's Dilema) in Patton a decade later. Submitted by ChiefKurtz 7 February 2024.
USS Walke (DD-723), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, appeared in the background of several scenes. For more info on this ship, see here. Submitted by billp, 1/17/2009.
I may be wrong, but the Aloha bar looks a lot like the beatnik bar that appeared in episode #57, “TCOT Jaded Joker.” The booth where Perry and Paul sit by the stairs seems to be the same place they sat in that episode. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 5/20/2009.
Maguffin alert - we never do learn the purpose of the mysterious device. DOD 09/06/19
It’s interesting how both Paul Drake and Robert Chapman both pronounce Delores’ name as duh-LOR-ees (rhymes with “geese”), when usually it’s duh-LOR-ess (rhymes with “chess”)—or at least it is on the East Coast! Submitted by gracep, 10/6/2010.
+ And Della pronounces San Pedro “San Pee-dro“ rather than the correct “Pay-dro“ (“dinero“ is “din-ay-roh“ not “Din-eee-roh.“) Submitted by CGraul, 8 Sept 2011.
+ However, most current residents of San Pedro do in fact pronounce it "Pee-dro." Just why, I don't know, but it's true. Submitted by Ed Zoerner, 3/13/12.
+At 28:15, I hear Della say "San Pay-dro". Submitted by 10yearoldfan, 22 Sept 2012.
+ My guess is that it all depends on whether the actor saying it has to "go" or not at the time of the comment. ;-) Submitted by HamBurger 8/9/2014
I wonder why the titles of other naval men were included in the credits, but Chief Scott was just “Barry Scott.” Submitted by gracep, 10/7/2010.
Here are several more comments on the Naval setting. We see in the background a small nest of destroyers alongside USS Frontier (AD-25), a destroyer tender of the Klondike class. While two officers chat topside aboard "Moray", one of them leans against a lifeline. That's an absolute no-no. Every Navy member learns that precaution early in initial training. That's one of the basic principles deeply ingrained and steadfastly followed and enforced. The CO, the skipper, wears not only his gold dolphins, the coveted insignia of a qualified submariner, above his ribbons, but also his war-patrol insignia, below his ribbons, indicating that he had taken part in one or more submarine patrols during WW2.* All the belowdecks scenes were shot on a set, not aboard a submarine. One humorous touch is that the frames (the "ribs") of the set use riveted construction rather than welding. The set is not as crowded or constricted as a submarine. Each of the submarines seen in this episode is still in the WW2 configuration, called a fleet submarine -- that is, none of them had become converted into the streamlined Guppy configuration. The view of a submerged boat shows a model, not a real boat. [A submarine is the only type of Naval ship correctly called a boat rather than a ship.] Chief Scott was a chief petty officer; more particularly, he was a master chief torpedoman's mate, abbreviated as TMCM. Since he was a qualified submariner, entitled to wear silver dolphins (gold for officers, silver for enlisted men), his rate and rating are written as TMCM(SS), where the letters SS indicate his qualification for submarines. The torpedo in his insignia on the left sleeve of his dress blues identifies him as a torpedoman's mate. The two stars above the eagle (commonly called the "crow") on his left sleeve indicate that he was a master chief petty officer (in the pay grade of E-9). [One star indicates a senior chief petty officer (E-8), and no star indicates a chief petty officer (E-7).] However, it was impossible for Chief Scott or anyone else to be a master chief at the time of shooting. The two grades of SCPO and MCPO came into existence on 01 June 1958. Any candidate seeking advancement to E-9 must have served at least three years as an E-8, and any candidate seeking advancement to E-8 must have served at least three years as an E-7. Even if Chief Scott (or any other E-7) had been immediately advanced to E-8, he could not have satisfied the three-year requirement (and could not have been advanced to E-9) until at least 01 June 1961. Please note that this episode first aired on 14 May 1960. I contribute these comments as a former Naval officer, as one who has served aboard submarines, as one who has taught at the Naval Submarine School, and as one who wore gold dolphins (and sometimes still wears them). Submitted by Doc Rushing on 27 August 2012.
*Only 3,505 men served aboard US WWII subs, but that 2% of the US Navy sank 70% of the Japanese Merchant Marine fleet & 55% of All Japanese Navy vessels [Source: Time/Life book War Under The Pacific). Mike Bedard 8.8.16 MeTV viewing. //
Company name: Was the rival of Alpha Electronics, Devco, supposed to be an Acronym (DEVCO)? Submitted by H. Mason 10/30/14
TCOT Curious Casting This episode presents, from the beginning, two prominent multiple-episode alumni (Hugh Marlowe and Robert F Simon). Certainly, methinks, one will be the victim and one the defendant (my money was on Marlowe as the latter, since he was the bigger name, and this would maximize his screen time.) But what happens ?? He's murdered...and just a few minutes into the show !!!
Can anyone think of another episode where a prominent actor was hired to be nothing more than a cadaver-in-waiting ?? Submitted by Notcom, 110315.
+ A few possible competitors: George Macready in Episode #48 (TCOT Purple Woman), Richard Carlson in Episodes 220 and 263 (TCOT Tragic Trophy and TCOT Avenging Angel), and Wendell Corey in Episode #266 (TCOT Unwelcome Well). The major difference is that each of them had ample opportunity to be completely detestable before he got bumped off. In this episode, Hugh Marlowe didn't do much of anything before his early exit. Submitted by BobH, 14 January 2016.
++ Perhaps Marie Windsor in the immediately previous Madcap Modiste. jfh 14Aug2024
The phantom hand can be seen closing the door when Paul enters Perry's office. (Look quickly.) Submitted by Kilo 5/23/2018.
'''Follow the money: The $5,000 was given to Dolores as a bribe from Gordon Russell of Alpha Electronics. She gave the money to Chief Scott to hold for their purchase of the Aloha Cafe. Mr. Scott left the money in Perry's car for the defense of Robert Chapman. Doesn't that mean Mr. Russell indirectly paid the lawyer who found him guilty of murder? Submitted by H. Mason 10/30/14
Why were no pieces of that unusual lens found in the house? DOD 09/06/19
Sub to go...hold the ham Robert Harris is - by his standards at least - remarkably restrained in his performance...even the witness stand confessional showed little overwrought passion. And on a side note to that: would this remain a navy case once it was revealed that the killer wasn't in the service ?? In other words, do civil authorities get to claim the same type of jurisdiction over civilians - regardless of where a crime takes place - that the military does over its members ?? Notcom, 012220.