Show26
CARS: 1958 Buick Century Convertible, white w/ black & white int., top down; 1958 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible, black, top down, Lic No NXX 417(?), Mason; and others. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.
+ The license plate shown above (NXX 417) on Perry's new car was the fourth license plate used on one of his Cadillacs. Other tag numbers on his Cadillacs: FDG 268 (episode 4)...NCV 440 (episode 7)...NLU 525 (episodes 14, 18, 24). Submitted by H. Mason 10/6/14
Location: Lake: The opening set-up shot of the lake is identical to the opening shot of #7, “TCOT Angry Mourner.” Not only is the house on the hill the same, but the boats at the lake shore are in the same positions. Submitted by Charles Richmond, 10/24/2008. Vidcap here.
+ The lake mentioned above is the oft-used Malibou Lake and appears in numerous episodes. Posted by Eric Cooper 15 December 2009. More about the lake here.
Location: Pinewood: The short establishing shot of Pinewood appears identical to that of Sierra City seen in #31, “TCOT Fiery Fingers”, and #45, “TCOT Buried Clock”. Vidcap here. Sierra City here. Submitted by daveb, 3/4/2011.
+ It has been identified as Petaluma, CA (see ep #45 for details). Updated by Notcom, 092917.
++ And this same brief shot of Petaluma, California also appears as the establishing shot for Fresno (an entirely different rural town in California) in the movie "Thieves Highway." Details are here.
This is the first of three episodes directed by Anton M. Leader (he would also direct the first season installments #28, “TCOT Daring Decoy,” and #33, “TCOT Long-Legged Models”). Anton M. Leader was a prolific early radio and television director, most notably as director of radio’s Suspense from 1948 to 1950. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 1 December 2009.
Although credited, neither Lt. Tragg nor D.A. Burger appear in this episode. But Det. Sgt. Dix has everything under control. Submitted by gracenote, 9/1/2011.
Sightings: Distinguished Gentleman # 1 is in court on Perry's side. Submitted by BigBill767, Nov 12,2016.
Uncredited Actors: Don Anderson made the field trip to the courthouse in Pinewood to see Perry in action. Submitted by gracenote, 9/1/2011.
Photo Goofs: For a picture from an amateur photographer who usually develops his own pictures, the one taken by Arthur Williams of Ellen by the barbecue is not so great. In fact, it appears to be a composite photo of Ellen placed in front of the barbecue. She appears slightly out of focus and floating somewhat off the ground and her picture is a bit too large for the background making her seem at least as tall as Paul Drake when he was shown walking past the barbecue earlier. Also there is a large picnic table in front of the barbecue in Perry's picture which is missing in Arthur's pic and seems to be absent when Perry and Paul walk by although it's hard to tell. The table could have been moved after Arthur's picture or after Paul and Perry's first visit but it seems too large to be portable. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 9/9/13.
+ The shadows are obviously exaggerated and phony. Also, Mason says the photo Paul took at 1:55 PM shows shadows pointing directly east, but I think that's impossible that soon after solar noon at that latitude. I live on the western edge of my time zone, and now that Daylight Saving Time is in effect solar noon (the halfway point between sunrise and sunset) occurs today at 1:46 PM. At that time shadows point directly north. (Coincidentally, the latest solar noon for my location is also 1:55 PM, on the day DST begins in March.) Solar noon on today's date in L.A. is 12:54 PM. The latest solar noon in L.A. this year is 1:03 PM in mid-March after DST starts; the earliest is 11:37 AM in early November after DST ends. (I don't know if DST was in effect in California at that time.) We don't know the date on which Paul took his picture, but I think it's impossible that a photo taken in the L.A. region at 1:55 PM would show shadows pointing directly east. I would expect the shadows to be pointing northeast. Later in the day (depending on the time of year) I would expect to see shadows pointing due east. However, having never lived in that area, I could be wrong. Submitted by Alan Smithee, 4/11/2014.
++ In the photo taken by Paul, the [overly] heavy shadows are on the right, but the left side of the fireplace itself also has a shadow, meaning the sun isn't on that side either. Looks like the real shadow is behind the fireplace (meaning the sun is shining down on the front.) —yelocab 14NOV19.
+++ The climactic photo seems to have been taken from an elevated position, which is inconsistent with having been taken from a boat. Notcom, 090517.
++++ It also appears to have been taken from the shore. DOD 06/19/20
More Goofs: When Scott Shelby fires the shotgun, there is no recoil. When he walks toward the dock with the flashlight, the pattern of light on the ground is obviously not from the flashlight; it appears to be made by a spotlight off to the side. When Sgt. Dix is doing his initial questioning of Lawton and Mrs. Shelby in the Shelby home, when she gets up to leave, it sounds like a crew member coughs. When Ellen (Waring) Williams hands the incriminating photo to the prosecutor, there is a loud bang from somewhere. Submitted by Alan Smithee, 4/11/2014.
+ The "bang" was the sound of the assistant prosecutor's chair sliding across the floor as he stood up. Submitted by Kilo 5/27/2017.
Dialogue Mistake: When the prosecutor is done questioning Mrs. Williams, he says, "Thank you, Mrs. Shelby." Submitted by Scarter, 12-22-13
Although many details are changed between the novel and the episode one little fact remained: the murder took place on the 12th. In the episode, August was mentioned. In the novel, the month wasn't mentioned but the fact was stated that the day after was Friday the 13th, an unlucky day for Perry. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 9/9/13.
If you are at all interested in where 'Friday The 13th' came from as a expression, look up a book entitled '13, The Story Of The World's Most Popular Superstition', by Nathaniel Lachenmayer. Fascinating reading...Submitted by MikeReese, 8/12/2016.
At around 36 minutes into the episode on the Season 1 Volume 2 DVD, the picture begins to jump up and down during Mason's cross-examination of Marion Shelby, with a bit more at 38 minutes. Reminds one of what might happen during old-time syndication broadcasts on local stations showing 16mm film copies back in the 1970s. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 9/9/13.
Writer Stanley Niss is credited with two PM episodes, this one and also TCOT Married Moonlighter...MikeM. 8/12/2016
This is the first of seven PM appearances by Tom Palmer...MikeM. 8/12/2016
This is the first of four PM appearances for Barbara Lawrence...MikeM.8/12/2016
Stewart Bradley appeared in a second PM episode, TCOT Lover's Leap, in 1963...MikeM. 8/12/2016
This appears to be the only PM appearance by Claude Akins...MikeM. 8/12/2016
Pinky Rings: Perry, Paul, Arthur Williams, Scott Shelby...MikeM. 8/12/2016
+ While not a pinky ring, Frank wears a quite large ring on his right hand, even while going about his work as a handyman. jfh 15May2016.
Perry's Water Music At 23:14 (unedited,) as Perry is covering a napping Della, we hear a(n all too) brief, but clearly discernible, playing of the Romantic PM theme (see TCOT Angry Mourner). Submitted by Notcom, 081516.
Studly Do-Right Although the show fairly thrived on sex - in a 50's tight sweater/bikini sort of way - the perpetrators were, as a rule, of the female persuasion; I believe this was the only instance where an unclothed male offered what might be interpreted as ogling opportunities. So ladies - and gentlemen so inclined - enjoy the beefcake while it lasts. Notcom, 090517.
+ I'm afraid Frank (Stewart Bradley) hardly has a bod worth writing home about. Some of the Western shows from the 50s and 60s do us boy watchers better! I'm thinking of Hugh O'Brian, often shirtless on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and Burt Reynolds as Quint the blacksmith on Gunsmoke....Submitted by JazzBaby, 7/10/2019.
++ Let us also sigh for the boys of “Surfside 6” and “Hawaiian Eye”. DOD 06/19/20
Office Bathroom: Perry is seen shaving while talking with Paul. Perry is standing in what looks to be, at minimum, a half bath. This is the only time we see this in the entire series. Also, the bathroom entrance is off a short hallway from Perry's office. There is a closed door there in all the other episodes, and we've seen people going through the door into or out of Perry's office. Allison P, 04/28/18.
+ And while we're on the subject, who shaves with their suit jacket on and buttoned? That's always driven me crazy, how Perry never, ever unbuttons his jacket. Submitted by Vladimir Estragon 9/28/2020.
++ In one earlier episode, this bathroom space was the law library which, of course, in all other episodes is to the right of that bust. For the rest of the series, this room doesn’t seem to have a particular designation. DOD 06/19/20
This is the first of two PM appearances for Phyllis Avery, who was the daughter of screenwriter Stephen Morehouse Avery. Phyllis Avery's second husband was actor/director Don Taylor...MikeM. 5/25/2018
D-Day This episode ran the morning of June 6, 2019 on MeTV as part of its regular rotation. Interesting that there is reference to the defendant participating in D-Day on the 75th anniversary of the invasion. SMLDave 6/6/2019
TCOT Floral Coffee Cup: In these early episodes, before the arrival of the Canonical Curious Coffee Set, we have seen art deco coffee cups, paper coffee cups, and now, a coffee cup self-served by Paul (where's Della when you need her?) which he holds while he watches Perry shaving in the Mysterious Vanishing Office Bathroom. The shape of this cup looks like a restaurant ware cup and the decoration is of an open white flower -- perhaps a dogwood, magnolia, or wild rose -- with a stylized stem and leaves. I don't recall seeing this lone cup in any other episode. Submitted by catyron, November 28, 2020.
Syndicated Cut: Many syndicated cuts essentially eliminate the character of Ben Parker by editing out the only scene in which he speaks. At 4:00 in the unedited version, Parker appears as an irate business associate of Shelby's. He confronts a clearly distressed Arthur Williams and demands to be paid $8500.00 Shelby owes him. In an amusing moment, Parker literally picks up the diminutive Williams and moves him out of his way. Third_Generation_Fan 12/26/2020.
Slightness is Relative - The "slight discrepancy" Mr. Williams found in Mr. Shelby's personal account, $120,000, would be just under $1.15 million in 2021 -- no wonder the courtroom spectators laughed! Also, the $8500 mentioed in the previous entry would be over $80,000 today. OLEF641 12/3/21
Gavel Tally - Judge gavels to adjourn court for lunch before Mr. Williams testifies to identify his photographs - oddly, he bangs the side of his gavel. OLEF641 12/18/21
When Shelby calls Frank, Frank asks "What do you want?" clearly indicating he knows who called, but Shelby identifies himself anyway. Later Shelby tells him to come to the dock and says "hurry" twice but deliberately cuts the phone cord before he says it the second time. There's no way Frank could have heard the second "hurry" so why say it? Wiseguy70005, 4/08/24.