Show201
Location: Within the first 10 minutes Natalie asks the operator to connect her to Hudson Bradshaw’s mobile car phone. As he answers his car phone, the Malibu Vet Clinic which was at 23919 Malibu Road, is visible over his left shoulder. It’s just across the street from the Malibu Colony. The shell of the vacant Vet Clinic still exists although it looks like it might blow over any minute. Just to his left as he drives is the back area of the old Colony Market which lasted until the 1980s when it was replaced by a Ralph’s market. Posted by Eric Cooper and Linda Shockley, July 27, 2009.
+ The big bluff in the background is called Malibu Bluffs Park and is the home of the Michael Landon Community Center. This same drive by location was used again when Paul Drake answers his car phone halfway through episode #226, TCOT Frustrated Folk Singer. Malibu seems to be a favorite location, probably because Raymond Burr lived there during the series. Posted by Eric Cooper and Linda Shockley, July 27, 2009. Some pictures here.
Does anyone know the address of that building used for Lang-James Labs? It looks remarkably similar to the one used for United Labs in this episode. http://wearecontrollingtransmission.blogspot.com/2011/01/architects-of-fear.html Submitted by dped, 1/30/24.
Sightings: Quiet Old Man (#1) and Pencil Mustache Man are briefly visible in the courtroom gallery at various times. More here. Submitted by daveb, 1/5/2011.
+ Distinguished Gentleman #1 joins them in observing the courtroom action. Submitted by gracenote, 2/13/2011.
TCOT Curious Coffee Set: The Curious Coffee Set makes another appearance, this time in a restaurant where Perry has stopped off. Submitted by FredK, 10 January 2011.
+ At 35:41 we can see that the restaurant has several tables set up, and the table nearest where Paul enters has three more of these curious cups and saucers, while the table behind Perry has two -- for a total of six. Submitted by catyron, June 4th, 2018
The Stacy Keach who plays Lt. Gibson is none other than the father of the Stacy Keach (Jr.) who played Mike Hammer on TV in the 1980s and 1990s. Submitted by gracenote, 2/13/2011.
English-born Thomas Holden Harkness has 2 Actor credits on IMDb: 6 Perry Mason Judges & an uncredited role in Sex and the Single Girl. Mike Bedard 3.17.15.
Ray Collins was credited but did not appear as Lt. Tragg. Barbara Hale was credited but did not appear as Della Street. We did, however, get a rare glimpse of Connie Cezon as Gertie. Submitted by gracenote, 2/13/2011.
+ FF was Della's 6th absence. Barbara was voted May Queen her Senior year in HS [IMDb]. Mike Bedard 3.18.15
Location: The Malibu beach house will be reused by Lee Meriwether in Cheating Chancellor. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 28 April 2011.
The Beach House William Smith (AKA Falconetti from Rich Man Poor Man) is in is actually the Mildred Piece house. It was at 26652 Latigo Shores Dr in Malibu but was destroyed in 1983 by a storm. Eric Cooper 28 January 2013.
Uncredited Actors: Sgt. Brice (Lee Miller) appears by Lt. Anderon’s side as he makes his arrest. Robert Wegner is the bailiff who guards the door. Submitted by gracenote, 2/13/2011.
CARS, in order of appearance; Cast Cars are numbered, background cars lettered. Cars (a), (1) & (b) are in the Opening Shot:
- (a) A medium-color 1964 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon enters LANG-JAMES LABORATORIES parking lot; Licence No ORT 245, has optional Cornering Lights ($30.10) & Roof Rack ($99.71). This is the First 1964 Model-year Buick to appear in PM but it's not linked to any character in the story. It passes by:
- (1) a parked 1951 Ford Country Squire V8, light-color two-door Woody Wagon. It's seen to be Randolph James' car later at the beach. Watch for the 1951 two-torpedo grill and jet-plane hood ornament, especially in the hit-and-run scene. Compare to grill & hood ornament on '49/'50 Fords.
- (b) The tiny car immediately to the Left of Car(1) is a Triumph Spitfire Mark 1 (1962-64), light color, see image 4/4 here. It is dwarfed by the '55 Chev 210 Wagon, two '59 Ford Fairlanes and the '60 Corvair Club Coupe to its Left. Randolph misidentifies his own car as 1950 in the dialogue. You may ignore this blooper; see "Randolph's Car" in Comments section. The remaining Cast Cars are:
- (2) Perry's white 1962 Lincoln Continental Convertible, top up.
- (3) Andy Witcoe's medium color 1949 or 1950 Ford Custom Station Wagon (11:20) with chromed stock wheels/no hubcaps, missing passenger door handle, well-weathered wooden body parts. The 49/50 hood ornament is visible. The '49/'50 aft side-windows are configured differently from the '51 Ford wagon. It's a '49. The door handles and hood ornament are different. I know. I restored a '50. Joe B. 06/02/2020
- (4) Hudson Bradshaw’s phone-equipped car (12:06) is a medium-color 1964 Buick Wildcat Convertible, medium-color (more pics). Visible exterior matches 1963 or '64 full-sized Buicks (LeSabre, Wildcat or Electra 225) but the '64 steering wheel (not '63) and vertical upholstery stitching narrow it down to '64 Wildcat.
- (5) 1964 Ford Custom 4-Door Sedan, Bay Shores Police B&W, roof-mounted siren flanked by two red flashers, series-favorite cop-car Licence No E 014.
Regarding the model names of Cars (1) and (3): both were in Ford's top "Custom Deluxe" line. Ford first began using the Country Squire name to refer to its top-of-the-line wagon in Spring 1950 but the name did not yet actually appear on the vehicle. The car more formally became Country Squire for the 1951 model year; the script can be seen on the doors of Randolph's Car (1). Added by Gary Woloski, 11/27/14.
Another First: This story featured the first true murder by hit-and-run. Three of the last four stories have gotten away from the usual shootings, stabbings and blows to the head. Submitted by H. Mason 3/17/15
There's a bit of Surfer Lingo at 11:39:
RANDOLPH: Hello, Andy. How's the surfing?ANDY: Strictly from nothing. Waves even a ho-daddy wouldn't bother with.
Mainstream Americans might have been clued-in to the term "ho-daddy" by the article A Way of Life on the Wavetops in the 1 Sept 1961 issue of LIFE magazine, pp47-53. The definition was expanded in the letters section three weeks later. I believe that 1959's Gidget only had fer-real surfer dudes and no ho-daddies. The first Beach Boys single, Surfin', wasn't released until Nov '61. Added by Gary Woloski, 11/12/14.
+ Beach Boys fans may recall "Surfer's Rule" ..The Hodaddies sittin' while the Surfers are draggin'.. , c.1963. dped, 1/31/24
Inconsistencies:While the 2 ladies are enjoying 3 or 4 martinis, it is very strange that when one of them looks into the telescope the ocean is to the left with the defendant fishing while the direction the telescope is aimed at in the room, the ocean is to the right...HamBurger 8/28/2016
+Sight unseen it was also a remarkably clear image for what was supposed to be night fishing; presumably that ultra-bright moon - that oft times casts shadows! - was hard at work.
Notcom 070621.
This is the only PM appearance for Ilze Taurens, who was born in Latvia...MikeM. 1/6/2017
This is the second of two PM appearances for Marian Collier, who played Marilyn Scott on seven episodes of the television series Mr. Novak...MikeM. 1/6/2017
Lee Farr died of cancer 23Mar2017, barely two weeks before his 90th birthhday.
This is the first of three PM appearances for prolific actor Richard Devon, who had recurring roles in "Yancy Derringer" and "Richard Diamond, Private Detective." ...MikeM. 1/12/2018
This is the only PM appearance for veteran character actor Richard Cutting, who had a dozen appearance on the television series "Wagon Train", all of them playing different roles...MikeM. 5/4/2018
This is likewise the only appearance of Bill Smith, tho he would play a remarkably similar role in Columbo a decade later (Remarkable mainly in that - at nearly 40 - he couldn't still be considered a "boy toy", but nevertheless still had rugged good looks enough to be a gigolo). Notcom 072122.
When Natalie throws her drink in Andy's face in the background can be seen a Zenith H-664 Radio Phonograph circa 1951. Note it's unusual design. Kilo 6/12/2019.
+ Note: this same radio phonograph appears in the next episode, too. TCOT Arrogant Arsonist. Kilo 6/13/2019.