Show43
Special Message...On Father's Day, 6/17/2018, TCM's Noir Alley series showed "Pitfall" (1948), which featured Raymond Burr in one of his pre-PM roles as a "heavy". I think TCM makes its films available online for a week after airing. You may also find the film available elsewhere. I think most PM fans will enjoy this film. There are a number of LA locations shown...MikeM. 6/17/2018
I think something like this needs to be added to the "credits" above: "Starring Raymond Burr in The Case of THE SARDONIC SERGEANT Based upon characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner" Suggested by Fred Flintstone 12/26/2020
CARS: 1958 Cadillac convertible, black, top down (Mason), 1956 Chevrolet 150 4dr sedan, dark color. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.
Anomaly: Actor Larry Jackson in the credits is really Harry Jackson.
Multi-ethnic BarBara Luna makes her only Perry appearance as Rikki Stevens. BarBara Luna was married to Doug McClure for two years in the early 60s. Submitted by PaulDrake33.
For the second time, George E. Stone plays a bartender in this Perry episode. He also played the bartender in episode #24, “TCOT Deadly Double.” George E. Stone would appear in Perry 42 more times, all as the Court Clerk, the final time being in November 1962. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 21 October 2009.
Chameleon Cravat: In successive shots during the last courtroom scene, Mason's necktie is tied with a fold at the knot, then it's not. JohnK, 20 October 2016
Rand Harper (Lt. Walker) appeared with Raymond Burr in Rear Window, one of my all-time favorite movies. He was one of the newlyweds. Submitted by billp. 15 November 2009.
Syndication cuts: Dexter looks for his signed release but it is no longer in the out box and leaves; Helen wakes up, tries to call her husband at the office, no one answers and she gets up to get dressed; entire bar scene with Smith, Burke, Rikki and Drake [Barbara <correction: "BarBara"> Luna has only one scene and no lines in the syndicated version]; Della brings Perry a court martial manual. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 7/30/12.
+ Happy to report that these syndication cuts were all fully restored in the MeTV airing 12Nov2019. jfh 12Nov2019
Military court: Perry worked with other branches of the service in episodes 92 (Navy), 120 (Air Force), and 127 (Coast Guard). Submitted by H. Mason 10/13/14
+ Perry defended a MARINE Captain in Paris after the murder of a former SS officer who had served at the Majdanek Concentration Camp (TCOT Desperate Deception 1990 movie). Mike Bedard 5.7.15
++ Will a Perry Mason of the future defend someone from Starfleet?? Alas, none of us here will ever know. Submitted by Notcom, 121115.
Cold case / old case: Perry also solved a murder only the killer was aware of that happened in the Philippines months earlier. Submitted by H. Mason 10/18/14
Lost track - is this Perry’s first “twofer”? DOD 07/14/20
>No, that came as early as Episode 4 (a murder that happened decades earlier). Notcom, 071420.
Kevin Hagen: The actor who played Sgt. Burke in this story is probably best remembered from the ABC show Land of the Giants as Inspector Kobick of the S.I.D., who seemed to be obsessed with the capture of The Little People. Submitted by H. Mason 4/30/15
YouTube presentation of the stock music edited in for this episode. Music by Bernard Herrmann. Link immediately below:
Traveling Tune: The song heard in the bar scene makes a reprise from the beginning of TCOT Hesitant Hostess. JohnK, 20 October 2015
This is the first of five PM appearances for Lori March...MikeM. 9/6/2016
This is the second of three PM appearances for Paul Picerni, who appeared in 91 episodes of The Untouchables as Agent Lee Hobson...MikeM. 9/27/2017
'Court witnesses' I had the opportunity to attend a military trial and one key aspect was that the witnesses were not allowed in the courtroom except when questioned. They did not get to see or hear other testimony. In the case I attended, the soldier was defending himself, Submitted by Perry Baby 12/2/17
This is the second of seven PM appearances for Henry "Harry" Conrad Jackson, whose first name was misspelled as "Larry" in the final credits. Jackson's real life reads like an episode of PM. Jackson reportedly met a model/actress in Los Angeles. In 1959, he married the lady in New York, where Harry had been born. The couple then returned to Los Angeles to live. But Harry's wife soon met another man. She went to court in 1961 to begin divorce proceedings. She complained that Harry had physically abused her. Harry admitted the assaults, saying that he thought she was having an affair. Harry was ordered to leave the family home and to stay away from his wife. The divorce was granted in 1962, and the lady married the other man. Harry Jackson died in New York City in 1973, at the age of 50...MikeM. 6/18/2018
This episode has a long look at the 48-star American flag, for which there actually may be a subtle reference. The Alaska Statehood Act was signed by Pres. Eisenhower on 7 July 1958 after years of debate, and Alaska became the 49th state on 3 January 1959, and this episode aired between those 2 dates on 11 October 1958. The star for Alaska was officially added 9 months later on 4 July 1959, and the 50th star for Hawaii another year later on 4 July 1960. Submitted by DyNama, 11/3/2018