Show28
CARS: 1958 Cadillac convertible, black, white top up (Mason). From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.
We see Perry wearing a tuxedo in the first half of this show. Paul had worn a tuxedo earlier in TCOT Crooked Candle. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 5 June 2008.
The grandfather clock by the front door of Linda Griffith's apartment is identical to the one that played a prominent role in the 1944 classic noir film, Laura. Submitted by Dan L 6 Nov 2020
Old-time cowboy star Johnny Mack Brown has a prominent role here. This would be the only time after 1934 that he is to act in anything other than a western show. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 5 June 2008.
Prior to becoming a Hollywood Cowboy, Johnny Mack Brown was an All-American Halfback at the University of Alabama and was one of the star players in the 1926 Rose Bowl Game. Submitted by Teejay 6/13/2012
There are several camera angles in the courtroom that normally do not appear in the other shows. One is from behind the judge’s right shoulder that shows a wide view of the jury. In most shows the camera angle is from the jury box. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 5 June 2008.
+Another shot that I noticed had Burger and Mason at Burger's desk, and Lt. Tragg sitting on a distant sofa. Lots of depth of field -- artsy! JohnK 7 July 2021
STOCK MUSIC: YouTube presentation of the music edited in this episode, especially featuring Bernard Herrmann. Link immediately below:
Submitted by filmscorerundowns: https://www.youtube.com/user/FilmScoreRundowns
This also appears to be the first episode that has the witness box ahead of the bench so the defense table can see all the witness rather than just the head of the witness at best with the prior courtroom setup. This setup seems to have been what was used for the majority of the run. Submitted by Perry Baby 12/17/14
There is a photograph of Rose Calvert on the mantle of her husband Fred Calvert’s home. The next day this same photograph would be on the front page of the Los Angeles Chronicle newspaper. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 21 October 2008.
The picture above the fireplace in Mrs. Griffith’s apartment (you can see it when Mavis Jordan is looking at Griffith’s shoes) is Girl with a Watering Can by Pierre Auguste Renoir. See here. I think this painting appears in other episodes. The distinctively patterned “window” in Mrs. Griffith’s apartment is used in a number of Perry Mason episodes. Submitted by billp, 1/21/2009.
Sightings: The elderly lady in the jury who skittishly handles the gun appears in many Perry Mason episodes, usually as a spectator. billp 1/21/2009.
+ We call her Little Old Lady in a Hat or simply Little Old Lady #1. Read more about her and other favorite frequent faces on the Who Is That? page and see a picture of her with the gun here. Submitted by gracep 8/23/2010, updated 11/21/2010.
+ Is this the Only episode where the Jury handles the exhibits? (The weapon was a .38 caliber Smith/Wesson.) Mike Bedard 4.28.15
+Distinguished Gentelman #1 sits in court on Burger's side. Submitted by BigBill767, Nov 11, 2016.
Location: The establishing shot for the “Hotel Redfern” is the Bryson Apartment Hotel. This same footage is also used in #33, TCOT Long-legged Models. Submitted by billp, 1/21/09.
+ The Bryson was also used in episodes #33 and #62. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 11 January 11.
Sightings: At Empire Drug, Distinguished Gentleman #1 steps out of a phone booth as Conway heads for his. One of the jurors is Distinguished Lady #1, who also magically appears in the gallery during the elevator operator’s testimony. Little Old Lady #2 is also in the gallery throughout the trial. More about them here. Submitted by gracenote, 8/31/2011.
+ One of the jurors is played by Distinguished Lady #4. Submitted by gracenote, 9/6/2011.
Uncredited Actors: At the last session of court, Don Anderson appears among the returning spectators on the defense side. As everyone rises for the judge, we can see former heavyweight boxer Tom Kennedy in the gallery as well. Submitted by gracenote, 8/31/2011.
+ This is one of my favorites mostly because of the elevator operator. :-) She's reading an Erle Stanley Gardner book under his pen name A. A. Fair, You Can Die Laughing. I loved that touch. posted by Lara Fabans on Perry Mason Yahoo Group, 11/3/18.
Character Names Mavis' last name is "Jordan". jfh 29May2018
This is the first of two PM appearances for Natalie Norwich. jfh 01Jul2022
This is the first of ten PM episodes for H.M.Wynant. According to imdb, Wynant may still be working at the age of 89...MikeM. 8/16/2016
+ As of 7 Nov 2020, IMDb still has no death date for Mr. Winant (they're usually pretty on top of this) and a credit for him in 2018. OLEF641 11/7/2020
This was the first of three PM episodes for Jacqueline Scott. She also appeared in The New Perry Mason in 1973. She may still be alive. Her last movie credit was in 2009...MikeM. 8/16/2016
+ Alas, Ms. Scott died July 23, 2020 at the age of 89. jfh 04Nov2020
This is the first of four PM appearances for Marie Windsor, who acted on stage, screen, and television for about fifty years. Marie Windsor's first husband was bandleader Ted Steele. In 1946, she married realtor Jack Hupp, and they remained married until Marie's passing in 2000. Jack Hupp, a USC grad and 1936 basketball Olympian, was the son of Canadian screenwriter/actor/director Earle Rodney...MikeM. 5/29/2018
+ Ms. Windsor can be defined in her own right, not only in terms of her relationships to men. Ms Windsor was a wonderful actress who had a great "B-movie" and film noir career, including The Narrow Margin (1952), City That Never Sleeps (1953), and The Killing (1956), then transitioned successfully to TV. jfh 29May2018
This is the first and only PM appearance of Pamela Duncan. She worked steadily with numerous TV appearances and several B movies from 1950 to 1964 with one final appearance in 1970. She is best remembered, especially by MST3K fans, as the star of "The Undead". One of her most noted features, which is on display in this episode, is her quite thin waistline which is accentuated by a belt. Submitted by Kenmore 01/17/2022
The photo of Rose Calvert showing off her legs seems to be from a photo shoot of Pamela Duncan taken months or years before the episode was filmed. Normally, photos are shot during pre production by the company producing the show. However, since other photos of Pamela Duncan showing her in the same attire, hairstyle, and location are available on the web, it seems that the company got permission to use the photo instead of taking one themselves. Submitted by Kenmore 01/17/2022
After a little research, the photo of Rose Calvert showing off her gams was from a photo shoot for the B-movie "Gun Battle at Monterey" (1957). It appears to be a photo that didn't make the final cut, as a different one was used for publicity. Although it is in the same location and features her in the same outfit. Submitted by Kenmore 09/10/2024
> I think timing - specifically the (relatively) tight time frame under which weekly shows are shot - has much to do with what photos are used; comment has been made a number of times on these pages about the use of stock photos for newspaper stories - and here placement in a scene - but it should be remembered that scenes aren't filmed in order, and props often have to be prepared even before filming begins; the weeks-, or (even) months-long calendar of a movie likely allows for more careful scheduling, or even reshooting - assuming someone thinks it necessary - but I doubt it would be done much in television (except in obvious cases). Notcom, 011822.
>> It's also important to remember that, at the time this episode was made, the audience would see these images for a second or two at the most and probably never again. Consider also the picture quality of the average late-50s TV set. The crew clearly went with the simplest solution because it wasn't worth the cost and effort to stage and process an extra photo session with the talent. VladimirEstragon 01/15/2024