All 30 episodes of the second season of "Perry Mason in The Case of the . . ." have been upgraded as of 12 June 2009 by comparison with the Columbia House video tapes in their Collector's Edition as well as by an additional comparison to the DVD format, which is indicated by the DVD chapter indices placed in parentheses within the synopsis text. Episodes 40, 42, 43, 46,50, 51, 52, 54, 56 and 61 appear for the first time in other than broadcast format with the release of the CBS-Paramount edition. Further, all episodes of less than 1500 words have been upgraded from the CBS-Paramount release. Where indicated "CBS Tape/DVD," the synopsis shows the DVD chapter indices placed in parentheses within the synopsis text. All episodes have been marked with their CBS-Paramount "Raymond Burr is Perry Mason Season 2" chapter markings in italics and square [parentheses]. The coding and other information for the CBS-Paramount release takes precedence over previous tape and DVD releases.
Later additions (covers) 27May2010
40 |
20 Sept 58 |
55 |
7 Feb 59 | ||
41 |
27 Sept 58 |
56 |
14 Feb 59 | ||
42 |
4 Oct 58 |
57 |
21 Feb 59 | ||
43 |
11 Oct 58 |
58 |
7 Mar 59 | ||
44 |
18 Oct 58 |
59 |
14 Mar 59 | ||
45 |
1 Nov 58 |
60 |
21 Mar 59 | ||
46 |
8 Nov 58 |
61 |
4 Apr 59 | ||
47 |
15 Nov 58 |
62 |
11 Apr 59 | ||
48 |
6 Dec 58 |
63 |
18 Apr 59 | ||
49 |
13 Dec 58 |
64 |
25 Apr 59 | ||
50 |
20 Dec 58 |
65 |
9 May 59 | ||
51 |
3 Jan 59 |
66 |
16 May 59 | ||
52 |
10 Jan 59 |
67 |
30 May 59 | ||
53 |
17 Jan 59 |
68 |
13 June 59 | ||
54 |
24 Jan 59 |
69 |
27 June 59 |
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
40 |
20 Sept 58 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
George Beaumont |
Ross Elliott |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Jonah Whitaker |
Owen Cunningham |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Judge |
Lillian Bronson |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Mr (Leon) Corby |
Herbert C Lytton |
Ruth Whitaker |
Joan Camden |
Mrs Lyle |
Martha Wentworth |
Harry Folsom |
Vaughn Taylor |
Roberta Quinn |
Joan Staley |
Laura Beaumont |
Jeanne Cooper |
Reporter |
Gil Frye |
Glenn McKay |
William Ching |
[Court Clerk |
Jack Gargan] |
[2-5/1-9 Title credits][2-9] Crestview City, population 26,595, elevation 79. In an old two-story rooming house with an outside stairway to the second floor, George Beaumont is establishing his identity with Harry Folsom, an insurance investigator, who tries to blackmail him. Beaumont gets angry, then, in the presence of Ruth Whitaker, he refuses to cooperate. Folsom reminds Baumont he could go to prison. Ruth thinks that she can raise $7000. Folsom gives Ruth his card, which George tears up, saying Ill see him dead first before Ill give him a nickel! // [3-9] Ruth brings Folsom her $7000. She wants to know who told Folsom about George. Folsom says his company will never know. But he will, counters Ruth. Folsom leaves, as Ruths father (Jonah Whitaker) calls to her for pills. She burns Folsom's report, walks out on her father, who is aware shes going away with Beaumont. / Masons office building. In the attorneys office, Della Street takes a phone call from George Hartley Beaumont. When Perry Mason enters with a cheery Good morning, Miss Street, his secretary tells him Beaumont would call back about 6 p m. Perry says Beaumont died almost three years ago in an airline crash in the Atlantic. Della asks if he had a slight southern accent; yes, he did. / Ruth Whitaker arrives at the rooming house, asks the landlady (Mrs Lyle) where "Mr Hollister" is. He's gone, leaving a "Dear Ruth" letter. / Beaumont Office Equipment. (Glenn) McKay (Sales Manager) is greeted by Roberta (Quinn), then Laura Beaumont. He's sold 68 units (check writer). He makes a pass at Laura. Mason, George's lawyer, interrupts, bringing some items from the file of Georges estate. McKay makes a short sales pitch for his check writer to Mason. Laura looks at the file Mason has given her, sees nothing that interests her, puts it in the waste basket. / Villa Motel, 2:55. A cab drives up. George Beaumont admits Ruth to his room. He wants to give himself up, she doesn't. Hes contacted Mason, says he should have come back three years ago, and he'll go back to Laura, to whom he has written because his voice would be too much of a shock. Ruth, who is only a friend, is deeply offended; is she only his faithful cocker spaniel? He says it is his fault with Laura. He missed the last call for the plane so, when it went down, he thought that the best present he could give his wife was to get out of her life. Ruth withdrew money from the bank, cashed bonds, to pay the blackmailer. She picks up a letter opener as the motel clerk, Mr Corby, enters, says he has her room ready. // [4-9] Masons office (we get a strange view that is not the usual one with a window view to the L A skyline). Della tells Gertie over the phone she can go home. Paul Drake, using his code knock, enters at 10 p m, hungry. Beaumont has not called. Drake leaves (by what seems to be the library, rather than the exit to the hall). Mason gets a call from Lieutenant Tragg, who reports George Beaumont has been murdered. / 10:25. Mason arrives at the Villa Motel and brushes off reporters, then he identifies Beaumont and is shown the murder weapon, a letter opener. Tragg and Mason go outside, share cigarettes. Hamilton Burger, says Tragg, thinks Mason was counseling Beaumont, then Mason asks Tragg about Ruth Whitaker, explains she'd been living with Beaumont. She was overheard in an argument. She knew that George was going back to Laura, and they found her packing in a nearby unit. / Jail. Ruth tells Mason that she met George in an art class under the name of Hollister, later learned the truth. She tells him about Harry Folsom and giving him $7000 and assures Mason she didnt kill George. She couldnt fault George for loving his wife. Mason accepts this. / Mrs Beaumont tells Mason shes surprised that hes defending Whitaker. Then McKay states that he understands that Mason is not just satisfied with getting an acquittal for his client but also has a compulsion to turn up the guilty party. Then he admits he never much liked George who ran the office into the ground and soured his wife on marriage, and has no knowledge of Folsom. Mason mentions the $90,000 Laura got as an insurance settlement. Laura says she didnt know her husband was still alive, suggests the attorney contact Folsom. Mason notes that Drake is on his way to Crestview City to see Folsom. // [5-9] Airplane. Drake interviews Folsom, who learned of Beaumont from anonymous phone call from a man. He lies about the $7000 payoff. Drake notes he mailed the report after the murder. Folsom now suggests to Drake that Beaumont got in touch with Mason just after the plane crash, offered him $25,000, and they cooked up a deal to defraud the insurance company. Drake manhandles him enough to get him to say Jonah Whitaker tipped him off about Beaumont. / (Stock identification shot; L A freeway.) Drake reports to Street and Mason. Jonah Whitaker took a bus to L A. Some parents get better children than they deserve comments Mason. Faulkner, Drake's agent, informs his boss by phone that Whitaker is in the D A's office. / Court. Lt Tragg indicates to Hamilton Burger where the letter opener was found, and that two fingerprints of the defendant were found on the handle. Mason queries about the decedent being stabbed in the back, while in a corner (as we see on floor plan). Deceased was kneeling, as though he were looking for something? queries Mason. Burger objects and the judge sustains. Leon Corby, the motel clerk, overheard the argument. Cross-examination {here we note that Mason, Street and defendant are on the right side of the courtroom, contrary to most episodes}. The clerk saw the defendant with a letter opener so, of course, her fingerprints are on it. This was 3 o'clock, and he found the body about 8 that night. Redirect. He also saw the defendant leaving Beaumont's room about 5:30 or 5:45. / Folsom testifies as to how he found Beaumont (a k a George Hollister). When he went to see him, the defendant was there. Later he got $7000 from her. Mason gets him to admit this was blackmail, then asks if this current story differs materially from the one he volunteered to Berger: objected to; allowed. Did he try to get money from anyone else, such as Mrs Beaumont. "I never even thought of it." Didnt Beaumonts intent to give himself up give Folsom another way to get out of his dilemma? // [6-9] Laura Beaumont last heard from her husband three years ago. She uses the office diary to describe activities on the day of the murder. After lunch she went home, ill. The doctor said it was food poisoning, she tells Mason. But no one else became ill, he notes. Her husband was at the Villa Motel 48 hours before the murder, never contacted her. No. He did not write her? No. Jonah Whitaker is called, but the Court takes its noon recess. / Della and Mason with Ruth. She told her father that George's real name was Beaumont, and that he had a wife in Los Angeles. Laura knew he was alive, because George told her he'd written her. Della comments on Lauras perjury and Mason rushes out to give orders to Paul Drake. / Court. Glenn McKay found Tragg at the Beaumont Office, and the lieutenant showed him an envelope addressed to Mrs Beaumont, with Beaumont's motel return address. The letter tells Laura that he, George, is alive (in Georges voice). The court clerk marks the letter for identification. Was the letter tampered with? The judge rules that this requires proper testimony (of an expert witness). McKay is asked his relationship with Mrs Beaumont. D A Burger objects. Mason asks the court to let him prove the relevancy. McKay admits he has high hopes of marrying Laura, who never saw the letter, which arrived at 3 in the afternoon when he returned from lunch, while Laura was at home in bed. He says hed have to have been clairvoyant to know what was in the letter. Mason hands him two steel knitting needles, soldered together at one end, tools of his trade. With the judges approval, Mason demonstrates how easy it is to get a check, or letter, out of an envelope by winding it up and withdrawing, without opening the letter. Check machine salesmen use this trick to prove the value of their machine. Mason submits that McKay read the letter, then put it back because he knew his secretary could tell Laura of its arrival, then went to the Villa Motel and killed Beaumont, so Laura would be his. Laura leaves the courtroom as McKay pleads to her that he did it for us. // [7-9] Back at Masons office. Beaumont was on hands and knees when stabbed in the back, reaching for the gun he'd knocked out of McKay's hand, as Mason indicated during the trial. Drake tends his expense account which includes $125.98 "miscellaneous expenses." Paul confesses that to get the demonstration of the knitting needles, he bought a check writing machine. Perry tells Della to write the payment to Paul on the machine. [8-9 end credits] [51:29]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
41 |
27 Sept 58 |
20449/14-31565 |
|
|
[3-5/1-10 Title credits](3-1) [2-10](3-2) A steam engine in the Sierra Madre approaches Colgrove Station. Lawrence Balfour thanks wife Haririet for coming this far, but cautions that his trip to Mexico is dangerous. They get off the train. Harriet drives off in a cab. Then he goes to a parked car and drives off. // [3-10](3-3) In a moonlit night, Florence arrives at a cabin (Sleepy Hollow, Cabin 5) in the cab, enters and greets someone inside. Lawrence pulls up, goes to a parked car, finds it is a rental from Pleas-Ur-Drive assigned to George Egan. He goes to a cabin door, then listens to Harriet ask for the keys to the car in order to go to her father-in-law's. She drives away, Lawrence enters the cabin, which is dark, calls for Egan, is blinded by a flash light, fires a gun and a man falls. Lawrence rushes out. / He drives to the Balfour estate, puts the gun down next the phone and calls Steve Boles for help with his killing of George Egan. Steve advises him to go to the Valley Airport. There he'll have a private plane fly him to Tucson where he can get back on the train as if he never got off. / Boles drives to a Balfour property, takes a body out of the trunk, runs over it. (Fred) Haley observes this. / Police take a report from Haley. License of hit-and-run car is KYL 907. / Morning. Police go to the Balfour estate, where Thurston, the butler, says they cannot disturb Theodore (Ted) this early in the morning. Mrs (Harriet, wife of Lawrence) Balfour takes them to Ted's bedroom, where he is fully clothed, sleeping. Awakened, he admits to going to a going away party for her uncle Lawrence at Florence Ingles. / Los Angeles Chronicle headline reads THEODORE BALFOUR CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER. Florence Ingle tells Perry Mason and Della Street that she knows Ted didnt do it. She states he left the party about eleven or eleven-thirty. The hit-and-run was about one-thirty. Why is she so concerned. Because Lawrence wold appreciate it. / Boles visits Florence to get her to lie about Teds leaving the party, at two. He then admits to her it was murder by Lawrence. He knew about Harriet and Egan; didnt Florence want a divorce so she could marry Lawrence? It was his hit-and-run. Haley happened to see him. She agrees to help. / At Haley's Lake landing Boles offers Haley a $25,000 loan from the Balfour's to fix up his run-down property if he will not remember so specifically what he saw. A good neighbor is a good neighbor. Haley agrees to not see what he saw. They drive off in Boless Corvette. / Court. Haley equivocates on car license number to prosecutor (Faris). / HUNG JURY IN BALFOUR CASE reads Los Angeles Star-News headline (how often will we get a headline other than from the Los Angeles Chronicle) being read by a happy Boles. // [4-10](3-4) BALFOUR FOUND GUILTY IN SECOND TRIAL is Los Angeles Chronicle headline being read by D A Hamilton Burger, who bawls out (Roger) Faris for deal-making (following the first trial) while he was out of town. Burger orders the Egan body be exhumed. / Perry Mason is told by (Addison) Balfour, who is bed-ridden, to reopen the case and fight for Ted. He wants no conviction on Teds head. Harriet butts in, is told by Addison that shell be a Balfour when she acts like a wife. Mason asks Ted what he wants, and Ted says "the truth . . . Did I kill someone?" Mason takes the case. Alone with Mason, Addison confides that it is Ted he expects to carry on the Balfour banner. Ted's father could have done it. Lawrence got taken by Harriet who is selfish, and with whom Ted once was in love. Fight for him, Mason, teach him how to fight. / Mason phones Florence, asks about conflicting times, 2 versus 11:30. She tells him she wishes hed not pursue it further. Paul Drake reports that the D A found a bullet in Egan's skull. / [5-10] Court. A writ of habeas corpus is before the court. D A Hamiton Burger is willing to drop lesser charge so Ted Balfour can be tried for first degree murder. Mason argues to judge Cadwell that Ted Balfour cannot be tried, since he's already been convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of George Egan, and offers authorities on the subject. The judge rules that the trial can continue while a higher court acts on the issues. / Paul tells Perry and Della that Egan was around until fourteen months ago, when he disappeared. Boles is clever and powerful, gets paid $100,000 to run staff of 150 and fix things, answerable only to Addison Balfour. / Boles has requested Mason's presence. He tells Mason the full story of Lawrence following Harriet to the cabin, accidentally shooting Egan with Ted's gun, and then his advising Lawrence on getting back on to the train and his own action of making it look like a hit-and-run accident, using Ted's car, which had the keys in the ignition, since his own sports car was too small. The gun is now at the bottom of the Pacific, three miles out. Boles wants Mason to continue once-in-jeopardy plan, even to putting no witnesses on if lower court denies this. Boles says he plays the percentages. He threatens Mason with full power of Balfour Allied Associates multiplied by 100. We cannot be hurt he assurts. Mason stares him down, gives him a subpoena. // [6-10](3-5) Della brings a special delivery letter removing Perry from the case, signed by Addison Balfour. Thurston, the Balfour butler, enters, shows Mason telegrams from Boles to Lawrence Balfour advising him to stay in Mexico. Ted wants Mason to stay on, says Thurston. Will he? Mason notes that Addison wanted him to teach the kid how to fight, and the lesson is not yet over. / Court. Mr Schmidt, a gun smith, identifies for District Attorney Hamilton Burger bullets he test fired from Ted Balfour's gun. The ballistics expert then testifies that the murder weapon bullets are from the same gun as the test-fired bullets. Judge Cadwell admonishes Mason for not cross examining these witnesses. Mason responds that he simply had no questions for the witnesses. Harriet Balfour testifies that Ted was not drunk at the farewell party, and that he wanted to have a talk with George Egan regarding her relationship with Egan. Ted whispers to Mason that he never said any such thing. She told Ted she'd not seen George in over a year. Mason catches her on "suspicions" that she had not been loyal to her husband. Boles testifies to seeing Lawrence Balfour off on the train. He went home and, about one in the morning, he got a call from Ted asking him for help. Ted rises and objects, gets admonished by the judge. Boles indicates that Ted said he'd gone to the cabin to try to stop Egan from making further improper advances to Harriet Balfour. A fight broke out, his gun went off accidentally. He drove the body away, then ran over it to make it look like an accident. Then he called Boles, who advised him to call the police. Court recesses. // [7-10](3-6) Perry tells Della he never expected Boles to commit deliberate perjury. Drake reports that Egan disappeared 14 months ago because Boles bought him off. Mason asks for a set of fingerprints, upsetting Pauls lunch plans. / Mason confronts Boles with what he was told in Boles's office, but Boles calls it a fabrication. Drake enters with a manila folder, filled with drivers licenses and other items Mason wanted. Egan died in Oklahoma eight months ago. There have been no telegrams from Lawrence Balfour in Mexico to Boles. Mason now asks Boles if he knew the "so-called" decedent, to which Burger objects. Mason introduces his proof that the decedent is not Egan, including Egan's driver's license with thumb print and set of fingerprints of decedent which do not match. Mason again asks Boles about Egan, leading to "How did Egan's identification get on the now-unidentified body?" Who assumed Egan's identity around town? Who is Harriet's lover? Mason says it is he, Boles, who fell to the floor after Lawrences wild shot. Mason recalls Harriet Balfour, asks her if she left the train at Colgrove Station, went to cabin 5. No. Has she always been a faithful wife? Yes. Has she been corresponding with her husband. Yes, every day. How could she, when he's dead, the thumb print on his license matching the one on the corpse's record. She now admits to going to the cabin and seeing Steven Boles. Mason confronts her; wasn't she shocked when Lawrence returned home, accused her of double-dealing, told her she was through? Didn't she then pick up Ted's gun where hed left it next the phone and calmly shoot Lawrence? She breaks down, yes, she killed her husband. // [8-10](3-7) At Addison Balfour's bedside Mason, with Della and Ted, explains that Boles acted in the interest of the Balfours. Harriet put him on the spot. He sent someone to Mexico to look like Lawrence, planning later to make it look like Lawrence had died in an accident. Boles's mistake was to say, in one telegram, "reply to your wire," yet no wires had come from Mexico. Addison orders Masons bill be paid. What for, asks Ted, for legal services, or teaching me how to fight.? [9-10 end credits](3-8) [51:27](51:26)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
42 |
4 Oct 58 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Mr Kolichek |
Otto Waldis |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Charles Hays |
Robert Lieb |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Lois Gilbert |
Eleanor Audley |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
George Koch |
Joseph Mell |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Judge |
Raymond Greenleaf |
Gramp (Anthony) Renzi |
Eduardo Ciannelli |
Sgt Bender |
Paul Bryar |
Iris Anderson |
Nita Talbot |
Cagle |
Edward Marr |
Art Crowley |
Elisha Cook |
Eddie Merlin |
Than Wyenn |
Nicky Renzi |
Bobby Clark |
[Sgt Brice |
Lee Miller] |
Frank Anderson |
James Anderson |
(Court Clerk |
Jack Gargan) |
[4-5/1-10 Title credits] [2-10] At night in a cheap hotel room in downtown Los Angeles, (Art) Crowley pours, then drinks whiskey brought him by (Frank) Anderson. Crowley is a three time loser so, if caught, would get life. Anderson, with agreement from a silent Pop, offers $500, settles on $700. Anderson tears seven $100 bills in half, gives Crowley his half, then pours the whiskey down the drain. He gives Crowley a floor plan of Hargrove Finance. // [3-10] Hargrove Finance office. Two (Hays and Gilbert) look at a noisy air conditioner. Three men in stocking masks enter. One orders Hays to open the safe. No response, so he hits him, knocks him down. The safe is opened by Pop, money dumped out just as Lois Gilbert triggers the alarm. As he leaves, Anderson calls out the name Crowley. Gilbert screams, picks up the telephne. / A man comes up to an old abandoned house with the brief case of money. A boy cutting "No" from "No trespassing," sees this. The man exits without the brief case. / Della Street tells Perry Mason he has a visitor. The boy, 14-year-old Nicky Renzi, has come to the best lawyer in town. He asks "suppose . . . ," finders keepers? He will give Mason no details. Is a reward required when things are returned, Nicky wants to know, offering that possession is 90% of the law. There is no charge, since the lawyer has given no advice. / Iris Anderson sweeps the floor, watched by a cop and Sergeant Bender. Anderson, the man with the brief case, enters, is asked about the Hargrove Finance robbery. He was at the track, two winners. Bender gets nowhere, leaves. Iris comments, so youre up to your old tricks, moves to pack. Frank stops her with a kiss. You remind me of my old man, always using his muscle, she retorts angrily. / Mr Kolichek interupts Gramp Renzi as the old man works on his invention, to tell him he likes Nicky. Everybody likes Nicky says Renzi. Kolichek informs Renzi that Nicky had $50 that he found. Nicky then enters and Kolichek leaves. Gramp confronts the boy, who brings Gramp the brief case that was hidden behind a chair, empties the money on the table. Gramp tells him that he must take it back to the proper authorities, but he can keep the toys he bought. Nicky gets a box out of the closet, presents a coat to Gramp, who was always cold the previous winter. Sergeant Bender enters, sees the brief case, says hes found what hes looking for. / Outside, Lieutenant Tragg, with Sergeant Bender (and Sergeant Brice in the background), questions Anthony and Nicky. Lt Tragg shows Renzi a crowbar with the initials A R. He and Renzi enter the shack. Frank Anderson is dead on the floor. // [4-10] Nicky is with Della as Paul Drake enters after his code knock. Another $12,000 of the holdup money has been found stashed in the kitchen. Nicky says he put it there, because Gramp would make him return all the money. Nicky doesnt think Della believes him, so what chance has Gramps got with the cops? Della comforts Nicky. / Renzi tells Mason that Nicky thought he was being smart. Mason tells Renzi that a woman, Lois Gilbert, identified him in a lineup as the man at the safe, as well as Anderson at the morgue, despite stockings. Anderson lived in the neighborhood 8 or 9 years earlier, so knew of the abandoned house. There is a lot on the other side, but truth is on ours, asserts the attorney. / Mason asks Lois to see Mr Hays. Lois cannot hear what he says over the noise of the air conditioner, so turns it off. Hays says neither he nor Koch identified Renzi. She claims he had peculiarities, but Mason notes that Renzi has none. She says he tilted his head, shuffled. Mason continues challenging Gilbert's identification. She has an excellent ear, says that the third man was called "Reilly." Mason slyly insults her abilities. / Drake enters Iris Anderson's place. She is quick-witted, toys with him (looks and acts like Lauren Bacall). She doesn't recognize "Reilly." He sees the torn hundred dollar bills. She blocks his access to them, tempting him. / Drake tells Mason of the torn $100 bills he saw at Anderson's. Eddie (Merlin), whom Drake calls a songbird, tells Mason, Street and Drake what he knows of Frank Anderson; from Chicago, mob connected. He doesn't recognize "Reilly." Mason gives him half a hundred dollar bill, asks who could not be trusted until the job was done. He names Arthur Crowley, a lush. Della checks the spelling of the name. Mason gives Eddie the other half. After Eddie is ushered out the back door, Mason puts Drake on the search for Crowley (similar to Reilly) // [5-10] Court. D A Hamilton Burger asks Lt Tragg about the crowbar. Judge orders it entered in evidence and it is marked for evidence by the court clerk. Tragg describes Renzi's place, including tools he found etched with A R, and $12,000 on a second search. No fingerprints were found on so wiped off, the murder weapon. Why not, asks Mason, for isnt it strange to wipe off fingerprints yet leave a weapon with initials engraved in it? Hamilton Burger objects and Mason withdraws the question. Burger then requests latitude in questioning his next witness who is a friend of the defendant. The judge takes a wait and see attitude. Josef Kolichek testifies to meeting with defendant, being told two days before the robbery, that the defendant would be getting a large sum of money, soon, and would buy him a present and send Nicky to school, all from his invention. But, Mason elicits from Kolichek, Renzi said this hundreds of times, and it never happened. / Miss Gilbert identifies "Pop," the man who opened the safe. Mason shows Gilbert a newspaper with her photo in which she is not wearing glasses. He asks her to remove her glasses, read the sign at the back of room. She does. He asks her about her hearing and other questions regarding her memory leading to the noise of the air conditioner. / Tragg shows Burger Renzi's invention, which is useless. Tragg receives a phone call from Eddie Merlin, who tells him it was Arthur Crowley who was in on the burglary. // [6-10] Crowley goes to Iris for the other half of his hundred dollar bills. She brushes him off, threatening him with scissors, then gets an intercom call, which scares him away as he thinks it may be the police coming up to the apartment. / Hays testifies he was unable to identify the man in the lineup. Now, however, he names the defendant, and explains that the defendant came to his office earlier to ask for information on opening an account, which fact dawned on him much later. Gramp whispers to Mason this is not so. Is the witness the only one who can open the safe. Yes. Masons cross examination is deferred. Arthur Crowley says Pop Renzi was with Anderson when they met the day before the robbery, and asked him to come in on the job, but he refused as a three-time loser. Anderson told him he had a great safe man, Renzi.Mason points out that he consorts with known criminals. Then Mason goes over to Drake, then on to Mrs Anderson, making it look as if she is helping him, though she tells the lawyer that he is knocking on the wrong door. Now he shows Crowley torn hundred dollar bills, asks for an explanation. Crowley cannot explain why the bills were torn, or why he would hold them for Anderson as a favor. He was willing to do him a favor, but refused to do anything wrong. Mason threatens him with a violation of parole. The judge suggests the prosecution examine the witnesss testimony and report to the parole board. // [7-10] Mr Cagle, a safe expert, is asked to judge how easy it would be to open an identical safe, then is asked to do so in the courtroom. Mason insists that only the safe at Hargrove Finance is appropriate and, much to the dismay of Burger, the Judge concurs, strongly, stating Time is never wasted in the pursuit of justice. Burger could conclude his case in minutes. / Cagle opens the safe in 47 seconds, without the combination. The issue of average time to open the safe is raised. Burger again objects, the the judge has time. As a second test begins, Mason turns on the air conditioner, and the vent begins rattling. Burger objects. Cagle tries, then admits that opening the safe with a rattling vent is impossible. This proves only that someone who knew the combination could open the safe. Hays says he did not give Renzi the combination, but he is only one with the combination. Mason now accuses him of murder and robbery, asking, how does he feel, committing robbery and murder for nothing, as everyone else looks on; Judge, Tragg, Burger. // [8-10] Nicky is fed soup by Della. Mason enters with Gramp. How to pay Mason his fee? The invention will be perfected. In a few days . . . chimes in Mason. [9-10 end credits] [51:25]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
43 |
11 Oct 58 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Howard Evans |
Wendell Holmes |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Rikki Stevens |
Barbara Luna |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Sgt Burke |
Kevin Hagen |
Major Lewis |
John Dehner |
Lt Col Brice |
Russell Thorson |
Walter Haskell |
Robert Armstrong |
Bartender |
George E Stone |
Helen Lessing |
Lori March |
Sgt1st Class (Jean) Mc Knight |
Lee Torrance |
Major Frank Lessing |
John Archer |
Lt Walker |
Rand Harper |
M Sgt William Smith |
Larry Jackson |
Mr Blake |
Hal Torey |
Capt Kennedy |
Grant Richards |
Mrs Agnes Haskill |
Helen Heigh |
Sgt Joseph Dexter |
Paul Picerni |
Court Clerk |
Vance Howard |
[5-5/1-9 Title credits [2-9] At Camp Grace Master Sergeant William Smith and Sergeant Burke report to Military Police headquarters and to Mr Blake of the treasury department. A $20 bill is shown them. If it is a counterfeit, neither knows anything about it. Smith names others in the game, and is prompted by Burke to name Sergeant Dexter, the chief clerk in the finance office. The two leave. Captain (Kennedy) and Blake explain to Lieutenant Colonel (Brice) that the bill was supposed to have been burned. Of those who could have gotten $400,000 worth of bills out of $10 million at Corregidor, one, Kusick, is a deserter, so only the finance manager Major Frank Lessing is around now. // [3-9] (Helen) Lessing, answering the phone, says that Major Lessing, who is standing next her, is not at home. He assures Helen that there is nothing wrong. Frank tells her not to worry, but "always remember that I love you," and kisses her on the cheek. / A military parade at Camp Grace. Howard Evans is on the phone with Helen when Frank arrives at work. Frank puts several bills in an envelope and heads out of the safe. There he is met by Dexter, who informs him that Capt Kennedy and Blake were asking questions. He says he did not admit to knowing the safe combination because he wasn't supposed to. Frank demands an explanation of that remark, and Dexter says the bills on the payroll don't match what he found in the safe when he opened it earlier. Frank suggests insubordination, and that Dexter should find another spot. Dexter says his request for transfer is in Frank's top drawer. Dexter opens the drawer, revealing a pistol. Frank takes out the transfer request and signs it, closes his desk, leaves. Dexter takes the document to the out box in the outer office, locks his desk and leaves. (Walter) Haskell, watching all along, answers the phone, says only "I told you never to call me here," hangs up. / Night. Perry Mason receives Major Lessing, who asks Della Street to put down her notebook. Lessing says at 10 a m he intends to expose complete details of a crime to Capt Kennedy, unlawful possession of money stolen from the U S Army. This will destroy his married happiness. He wants Mason to be with him, to come at 9 to his office, and leaves $1500 in cash. Mason tells Della that when a finance officer leaves this amount of cash and doesnt ask for a receipt, it means it is serious. / Dexter looks for his release, but the out box is empty. 10:10 p m. He leaves. / 3:29 a m. Helen, reclining on a couch, wakes up, calls her husband's office, gets no answer. She goes to dress. / Helen enters husband Lessing's office, finds him dead, is initially overcome, but quickly recovers. She removes the typewritten note that admits theft of $85,000 at Corregidor from his hand, then burns it, dumps the ashes out the window, takes the gun from his hand, wipes it clean, calls Capt Kennedy to report the murder. // [4-9] Mason arrives at Lessing's, is met by Howard Evans, Lessing's brother-in-law. Mason gives Helen Lessing the $1500 retainer. Capt Kennedy arrives, says he did Lessing a grave injustice, and Sgt Dexter is the killer. She gives Mason the retainer, to defend Dexter. She "knows" Dexter did not do it. / Mason asks Dexter about the Corregidor money, $10,000 of which was found in his foot locker. $50,000 was found in Major Lessing's safe. Dexter says only he and Evans pick up the payroll. The most recent payroll was out of sight while Haskell counted it and was with Evans when he went back in the bank to cash the $1500 check for Lessing. Mason agrees to represent Dexter. / Mason joins Paul Drake who has a list of finance office personnel. Haskell is involved with, and slipping money to, Rikki Stevens, young enough to be his daughter. / Half drunk M Sgt Smith tells Sgt Burke that Rikki Stevens was a stripper when he was in Manila, then he shouts "take it off" while Sgt Burke tries to constrain him. Rikki throws her drink in Smith's face, then stands him off with a broken glass. Id like to rearrange your vocal chords, anyway. Theyre off key she challenges. Smith leaves. Drake joins her, offers her help. At the bar the bartender apologizes for Smith, who has malaria. He was transferred seven months before. Same time you came here comments Drake, which prompts Rikki to skip out, paying for her own drink. Drake buys the five dollar bill she left as payment. / Mason asks Haskell about Rikki Stevens, who came from the Philippines about the same time as the money, and he denies knowledge, asking how the attorney could think he and the young Rikki could . . . Ive said all I intend to on the subject he states as he refuses further comment. The Army may have other ideas counters Mason. / Della brings Perry the court marshall manual. The attorney receives a call from Evans, who gives the phone to his sister, Helen Lessing, who tells Mason she can prove her husband committed suicide. She explains about burning the suicide note. / Capt Kennedy reads a copy of the suicide note, which he says was typed by Dexter, to Mason, Evans and Lessing. // [5-9] Army court. Major Lewis, the prosecutor, reads the charges. Mason enters a plea of not guilty. Sgt 1st Class Jean Mc Knight says she stayed late at night, and when she returned the following morning Dexter's transfer request was missing. Mason is prevented from asking if Dexters loyalty to Major Lessing could have caused him to return and retrieve his transfer papers. Capt Kennedy says Dexter left the finance office at 10:15. Lessing murdered 9:30-10:30. A typewriter ribbon from Dexters typewriter revealed what was typed as a note. An expert did the typing, because of evenness of the key force. Lessing was not a touch typist, but Dexter was. The desk containing the typewriter was locked. Only Dexter had a key. Mason gets Kennedy to admit there is no specific connection between Dexter and the Corregidor money. The foot locker, in which the $10,000 was found, was not secured. The typewriter desk was secured with a lock that could be opened with a nail file. Kennedy admits that several desks locked with the same make of lock had been rifled. Also 212 skilled typists are at Camp Grace. Rikki enters the courtroom. Sgt Smith testifies that Dexter introduced $20 bill to the game. // [6-9] Haskell testifies that some of the payroll bills he received were slightly scorched. Mason asks him about Rikki Stevens, then confronts him with a scorched five dollar bill used to pay Rikki's rent. He admits that Rikki is his (love) child. In '49 she came to America because of an illness, looked him up. He gave her money, didn't have the courage to give her love. He didn't hear from her then until about 8 months ago, when she had to return to Manilla to bury her mother. Again, he denied her. He didn't give her the five dollar bill, for that would have involved his own daughter. The court adjourns to a saddened father and weeping daughter. / Mason tells Street that Haskell's story doesn't add up, asks her to get Paul onto a check of some fingerprints, then asks Gertie on the phone to contact the post surgeon at Camp Grace. / Evans testifies that Dexter was alone with the money. The original payroll had no scorched bills. Mason makes Evans admits he also was alone with the money. Now Mason asks why he tried to prevent Major Lessing from seeing him. Wasn't Lessing going to have Mason defend Evans, whose disgrace would ruin family happiness as Helens brother? Evans claims to have been hitting the bars from 8 until 2 the night of the murder, with Sgt Smith. Smith admits he was told that drinking could bring on acute attack of malaria. His medical record is introduced as evidence. A recent test regarding an incurable form of malaria proved negative. Drake enters, gives Mason a sheaf of papers. Mason now accuses Smith, with Evans, of switching the Corregidor money. Sheaf included FBI fingerprints, which prove Smith is not Smith, but Private Anthony Kusick, the last surviving member of eight who burned the Corregidor money. The real Smith had malaria, Kusick doesn't. The witness now accuses Evans, but only Smith was on the post that night. Kusick was a clerk typist. // [7-9] Mason explains to Paul and Della that maybe only Kusick was paying attention to the burning bonfire of money, as Corregidor was being bombed that night. Kusick deserted, became one of a hundred Willie Smiths. Paul says he must not keep his date waiting. Mason asks if he has money burning a whole in his pocket? Paul produces a bill, burnt by a cigarette he placed on his money clip, just the thing to spend on a hot date. [8-9 end credits] [51:34]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE |
44 |
18 Oct 58 |
24370 |
|
[3-6/1-10 Title credits] [2-10] A West Valley dairy truck drives away, a postman approaches a house. Behind the house, Carl (Reynolds) backs his Pontiac Bonneville convertible, then honks the horn for his wife, Rhoda. He kisses her goodbye. A man in a pickup truck (Arthur Kane) watches. Inside, Rhoda does her hair. Kane surprises her. He notices how nice everything is, the house, two-car garage, her diamond ring. He demands $2000 more from Rhoda, by 2 a m. Shes a nurse and pills can make certain her husband sleeps. She threatens to call the police, but he asserts that this will end her marriage. // [3-10] Philip Reynolds is skeet shooting with his son, Carl. Dad refuses $2000 to his son. He has had to be both dad and mom since the age of four. He doesnt like his son marrying someone about whom he knows little. Carl says he learned a lot while Rhoda nursed him back to health. Maybe it was only her sympathy he felt. Dad assures him that his wife and Dr Michael Harris are more than friends, announcing that shes a cheap adventurous who sees you as a way to my money. As long as Carl remains married to her, neither will get his money. / At the Beverly Hills Doctors Hospital, Dr Harris tells Rhoda that he'll provide the needed cash. He thinks Carl is strong enough to hear her story. He suggests to her that she see Perry Mason. / Rhoda, calling herself "Mrs Crocker," asks about a friend, seeks Mason's advice. Friend's husband disappeared with her savings in Seattle, then a telegram of his death came from Kansas, and she sent money for the burial. Friend then (re)married, but the first husband turned up after seven years. Is the new marriage valid? No. Mason suggests the friend divorce the first husband, insists the friend come in person before he'll provide further help. She exits, walking past Della Street and Paul Drake in the outer office. Mason offers that shes deeply troubled, and he should have helped her. Della has taken a $50 retainer, finds her purse. Mason discovers in it a telegram to Mrs Carl Reynolds from Artie. Drake is ordered to find Reynolds for Mason. // [4-10] Mason goes to Kane's and is met by an old lady (Ellen Crandall) who lives in the adjacent building. Mason arrives at Kanes as a woman exits, shouting at Artie. Is she Mrs Kane? I should sink so low. Shell be at the Onyx. Mason, identifies himself to Kane, asks was it seven or eight years ago you married her? Kane then calls Rhoda. He hands Mason the phone, and is told she doesn't want his help, hangs up. Mason mentions blackmail to Kane, who says he doesnt have to talk. I didnt expect you to. Ive talked. Youve listened. Now think. / Night. Rhoda leaves her sleeping husband, but he is not asleep. She opens the garage door and backs out in her Bonneville hardtop as her husband watches. / 2 o'clock; Rhoda has a flat tire. / 2:10; she arrives at Kane's, without the money. He threatens to take her ring, an heirloom. The doorbell rings. She lifts a poker, threatens him. A fight ensues, overheard by a dog and Ellen Crandall, who phones the police. // [5-10] Paul reads Los Angeles Chronicle headline, POLICE SEEK WOMAN IN BLUDGEON KILLING, tells Della Street that the victim is the same Artie as the man who sent the telegram. Della notes that the photo on page two of a ring is one worn by a Mrs Crocker. Mason enters, noting he's no longer the woman's attorney, but gives odds of 5:1 that Lieutenant Tragg probably has her in custody. Phone rings. It is Mrs Reynolds. Mason is rehired by Rhoda who is at Doctors Hospital. Mason describes the woman he met coming out of Kane's apartment, 5'5", 33, Jersey City accent, blonde, works at Onyx, to Paul. / Carl Reynolds tells Lt Tragg that his wife left for her sister's in Chicago about 7 a m. Tragg reads traffic summons issued at 2:23 a m to Mrs Carl Reynolds. Philip Reynolds enters, tells Tragg that his son saw Rhoda try to drug him with sleeping powder in hot chcolate so he avoided it, saw her leave about 1:45, return an hour later. She was gone when Carl woke in the morning. This is the first that Carl has heard of Kane. Philip clearly thinks that his son made a mistake in his marriage. Tragg leaves, Carl questions his father; "what if Rhoda is innocent?" Do you for one single moment believe that? I dont know. I dont know what to believe, responds Carl. / Hospital. Rhoda tells Mason that the lights went out after Kane grabbed the ring, so she escaped, but did not see who was ringing the bell. When she got home, she could not shut the garage door, because her husbands convertible was sticking out. Tragg arrives with Sergeant Brice, presents a warrant of first degree murder to Rhoda. / Perry, with Carl and Philip, corroborates Rhoda's claim about the garage door. Carl says he didn't confront her because she might have said she'd been with Dr Harris. Philip offers that she was having an affair for years. Mason suggests Carl should do his own talking. Philip offers $10,000 if Mason will get the marriage annulled. He says he already is Mrs Reynold's lawyer and that she gave him more than Philip, namely her trust. / Dr Harris admits he rang Kane's doorbell, saw Rhoda leave. What should he do? Mason suggests, "consult a doctor." He is slow to catch on to his own advice to his patients; take a vacation. // [6-10] Drake brings Mason items on Kane, including a photo, which shows a clock at 3:55. Blonde is Edna Freeman. / Mason goes to Kane's building, using a key to enter Apt 1, tries the door bell, unscrews one that is installed to replace it with a buzzer. / At the Onyx Drake meets Freeman who says Kane took her for $3,386, but she got half back. Kane told her all about Rhodas planned visit. The police already know her story. / Apartment 4 (Kane's). Mason checks a door buzzer, places several bells back in the box. Buzzer buzzes, and Mason admits Sidney (Otis), a former client. Mason offers him the apartment rent free. He doesn't like buzzers, so Mason suggests Otis replace the apartments with a bell from his own store stock. / Drake says Freeman is on the up-and-up. Mason asks Street to file divorce for Rhoda against Carl, and let Hamilton Burger figure that out. / Mason gets Rhoda to face up to life and sign the divorce papers, so he can be accused by her of lying. // [7-10] Court. D A Hamilton Burger says hell ask for the death penalty. Lt Tragg identifies Rhodas ring. Mason has Tragg certify that the photo showing clock at 3:55 was taken at 3:55, with the alarm set at 2. (Frank) Lane testifies to defendant arriving at his garage at four minutes of 2, and it took nine minutes to fix the tire. Ellen Crandall testifies to hearing noises in neighboring apartment, #4, at 2:15. Burger asks her leading questions and is severely admonished by the judge for even rephrasing the question. Could she distinguish between door bell and phone is Mason's question. Then what she saw we learn was seen through 8" window shade opening. Burger suggests they go to the scene, and see. / In Mrs Crandall's room, a bell is heard. Mason objects, Burger is embarrassed. / Court. Otis testifies to the bell being from his store, other apartments had buzzers, as did his. Mason tells Mrs Crandall if there was a buzzer, she could not have heard a bell, and produces the alarm clock, makes it ring. Crandall identifies this as the bell she heard. The judge says that this proves the defendant was not there when Crandall heard the noises. Mason now points out that he arranged it so that the witness would believe she could not have heard a door bell. He admits he replaced the bell in order to test the witness. Burger says hell try Mason on breaking into the house and stealing the bell. Mason now states he wants time to take the deposition of Carl regarding the divorce, and invites Burger to be there to prevent any intimidation of the prosecution's witness. / Mason's office. While Mason questions Carl, Philip interrupts and is put down by the attorney. Perry asks Carl about his father's hatred of Rhoda and knowledge of Kane. Telegram to Rhoda about the time of the meeting was called by father Philip an assignation. Mason points out that Carl's car had been out, as Rhoda could not close the door on her return, and suggests Philip used it to follow Rhoda. Carl says not so, he followed her, turned out the lights when he saw the fight, was grabbed in the dark by Kane. He got the poker away. When he list a match, Kane was dead. Burger offers to make Perrys motion for a directed verdict for him. // [8-10] Della admits Rhoda to Perry's inner office. Perry assures her that Carl does not need her pity is not a basis for marriage. But Dr Harris does, coaches Della. Rhoda leaves after kissing her attorney. Drake then says Burger is still going to subpoena Perry before the grand jury for illegal entry and larceny on the doorbell, but Mason gives Della the deed of purchase for the Kane four-family flat, which he bought the day after the murder. [9-10 end credits] [51:29]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE |
45 |
1 Nov 58 |
26311 |
|
[4-6/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] Sierra City. It is closing time at the Sierra City Bank. Dr Blane, is on the way to his lodge for the summer. (A J) Randall suggests he not send mail to his home, but Blane says that the in-town house will be open for his daughter Sue (Hardisty). Marry a daughter, lose a daughter, says Blane, who has not seen her except on her weekend visits to the lodge. Jack (Hardisty) is asked by Randall to lock up the money box. Hows his son-in-law doing, queries Blane. Fine. Thats the sickest fine Ive heard in a long time. You dont have t lie to me, Randall, just because Im chairman of the board here. Hardisty, in the safe, loads several packs of bills into a valise humming to himself, big ones for me, little ones for you . . . as Blane and Randall set the date for a board meeting, which is to be after the audit. Jack takes his leave, with bag in hand, promising to arrive at Blane's Bear Valley Lake lodge for dinner. // [3-9] The Blane lodge at evening. Jack arrives in his Edsel, is greeted by Sue who asks him to be fairlycivil. They enter the lodge, greet Jean and her brother Phil (Strague). Then Jack confesses to Dr Blane his theft of about $100,000, excusing himself for playing the horses because Blane plays the market (as if theres no difference). Why be a piker? Hes swept the place clean. Maybe they can make some kind of arrangement, for hes sure Blane wouldnt want to drag Sue into this. / Perry Mason is dictating to Della Street when Dr Blane phones from Bear Valley Lake (split screen) to say his son-in-law has stolen from the bank and offered to return $75,000 if he'll make up the $25,000 and not prosecute. Mason calls it blackmail. They agree to put Paul Drake on the job, and Mason says he, too, will come up. / Two Drake operatives arrive at the Hardisty home to check it out. Inside, Hardisty gets a disturbing phone call at 3:55. Jack leaves, the operatives follow. / Paul Mason arrives at Bear Valley Lake with Della, where they are met by Paul. Drake's operative lost Hardisty in Los Angeles near Union Station. Was he carrying anything that could have held the money. His operative couldnt tell. / As Paul heads off to Sierra City, he sees a light in the Hardisty house, approaches carefully, sees Dr Blane fossicking around inside. He enters, finds Jack, dead. Blane hasnt called the police, because he was looking for the money. // [4-9] The police finish their search without finding the gun. Sheriff Elmore asks Dr Blane if he owns a gun, then decides he should be writing down his findings. / Sue introduces photographer Rodney Beaton to Mason and Street at the Blane lodge. Beaton is delighted that Della knows his work by name, however paltry the financial returns. Beatons specialty is night photos of animals who trip his wires. Then Strague arrives, tells Mason he hopes the attorney will be around the next day for his sister will die if she doesnt meet him. Is he a photographer? No, hes working on a book. He admits to setting off one of Rods cameras. Dr Blane enters, announces Jack's murder. Sue breaks down. / Della is taking down Blanes story. Blane says Sue wouldnt tell him where she was, and explains to Mason that he doesn't "own" a gun, but he had one, loaned by Strague for target practice. It was gone tonight from his glove compartment. Mason points out Blanes mistake in not informing the police, and has Della make the call. Blane thinks the Stragues and Beaton overheard his conversation with Hardisty, so know of the money theft. Sheriff Elmore enters, and Blane, hesitantly, tells him he had a gun. The sheriff hands him the gun. No fingerprints were found. The sheriff asks why it took him two hours to get to Sierra City, when he came up in one and a half. Twice he turned back to Hardisty's, thinking he could scare him with the gun, but the second time discovered the gun was gone. Blanes admission that Jack had stolen bank money gets the sheriffs attention. / Sue tells Mason her dad couldn't kill anyone. Sue refuses to tell Mason where she was last night. It was really all over with Jack but he wouldnt allow her a divorce. She admits that she's been meeting Phil Strague but, last night, he didn't come to dads Sierra City house. So she has no alibi. // [5-9] Mason tells Drake the preliminary hearing is set. The district attorney has told him that he thinks Blane might have been in league with his son-in-law because he played the market. Drake reports that the only fingerprints in the Hardisty house were Blane's, Sue's, and Hardisty's, and there were three washed glasses. Paul is told to find whomever else had opportunity. / Court. Blane tells Mason the whole thing is ridiculous, and the D A knows it. District Attorney Darwin Hale for the prosecution. The court clerk asks everyone to rise and face the flag. The judge enters. Dr Ritchie testifies to the time of death, about 7:40, and that a truth serum, Scopolamine which takes twenty minutes to produce its effect, was in the body. Sheriff Elmore says the time from defendant's lodge to decedent's home was 1:31. Dr Blane's housekeeper has said he left at 5:45, so he arrived at 7:16. Sheriff said Blane said he got there at 7:50. Scopolamine was found in the doctors cabinet. Mason gets the sheriff to admit that neither the drug nor whiskey traces were found in the three glasses. Strague testifies that the murder weapon, his pistol, was last seen with Dr Blane. The loan included also Sue and Jack Hardisty, he admits to Mason. He, and Beaton, also knew where the gun was kept. Miss (Jean) Strague knew of the drug, testifies to being with her brother except for a few minutes when he went to the Blane's. No one else can confirm her story of a mutual alibi. Hale recalls Philip Strague, who corroborates his sister's story, and adds that between 7:30 and 8, his first visit to Blane's, he triggered a Beaton flash. Mason calls this a self-serving declaration, but withdraws his objection because he was present when that was told to the group. Hale shows Strague a flash photo, the one taken by Beaton. Peoples exhibit C. // [6-9] 11:45. Drake plays cat and mouse with his answers to Hales questions, but testifies to finding Blane rummaging through Hardisty's house about 8:55. Hale gets him to admit that Blane said he did not call the police, had been there only 5 minutes. Mason gets Drake to explain how long he thought Blane had been there, and how he knows. The temperature of various parts of the car indicated how long the engine had been turned off. Hale gets him to admit he tries to be loyal to his clients when he testifies. / Mason is pacing off the distance from Beaton's camera with Della when Paul arrives, tells Perry that Strague arrived in the area only recently. Strague had been having an affair with a married woman in San Francisco, and he left suddenly and bought a new car shortly after leaving for Sierra City. Mason asks Drake to check if Hardisty rented a post office box near Union Station and he and Della argue what this might have been used for. The truth serum got Hardisty to tell someone where the money was, but it wasnt there, suggests Della. Mason says she is right, but that doesnt solve the murder. / Court. Beaton testifies to seeing a flash about 7:30, identifies his photo of Strague. Beaton claims that he knew of the flash before Strague told him, because he had to reset the camera and recognized the tracks left by Strague. A deer came later. Drake tells Mason that Hardisty did rent a box about 5, and there is one letter in it, addressed to the box number. Mason gives him a note. Then Mason has Beaton demonstrate how he resets his camera. He shoots nearly wide open, f 4. The judge now asks Mason if he wants to present any evidence, nut notes it would require conclusive evidence for him to not bind the defendant over for trial. Mason says, with all the witnesses present, hed like to recall Strague. His questioning leads him to the problem of why was he not startled by the flash. His footprints indicate normal walking, not stopping or surprise at the flash. Drake enters, gives the attorney a stuffed manila envelope. Mason notes that Strague was a navy photographer, and Jean Strague is his wife, not his sister. What else does he remember, about photography? If you stop a lens down to 22 or 32 without changing the shutter speed, you will virtually eliminate any exposure. Didn't he replace sheet film with one already exposed of himself, and therefore at 7:30 was murdering Hardisty with his wife? Mason pulls an alarm clock out of the envelope given him by Paul Drake, asks the judge for permission to demonstrate. He winds the clock, sets it to go off at 7:30, ties trip cord of camera to alarm winding key. Mason sets it down, with alarm going off. Slowly it winds up the trip cord. Jean jumps up, admits she went along with the Scopolamine, says she wants no part of murder. Philip denies his part, as the flash goes off, temporarily blinding him. The defense rests. // [7-9] Mason's office. Della brings Paul and Perry coffee. Mason explains that cross-examination is like prospecting; you see something that looks promising, you work a vein for all its worth. If youre lucky you make it a bonanza. Della chimes in that it is no different from what the Stragues were doing, a badger game to shake down Sue Hardisty, then went on to Jack where there was more money. Blane phones to say that the money was found, as expected, in a bag at Union Station, the baggage check mailed to his post office box. Della says Strague made his biggest mistake when he buried the clock; "that's no way to kill time," as the alarm clock goes off. [8-9 end credits] [51:30]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
46 |
8 Nov 58 |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Linda Kennedy |
Frances Helm |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Phil McCabe |
Douglas Evans |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
George Palmer |
Tom Palmer |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Judge Carwell |
Richard Gaines |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Court Clerk |
Olan Soulé |
Danny Harrison |
Arthur Franz |
Mrs Cunningham |
Fern Barry |
Luke Hickey |
Jesse White |
The Model |
Carol Anderson |
Eileen Harrison |
Anne Sargent |
[Sgt Brice |
Lee Miller] |
Frank Curran |
Stacy Harris |
|
|
[5-6/1-10 Title credits] [2-10] A Walsh Appliance Co truck is parked in a drive of a bungalow-lined street. Men are taking a washer out. Danny (Harrison) arrives, tells wife Eileen that things will get better. They go to their baby. She needs a new brace, $85. It was $120 a few weeks before. Danny promises to get the money, somehow. Danny refuses to take even a penny from Eileen's father. He loves teaching and won't give it up. Eileen asks for a divorce. She goes back to the baby Carol, and he takes a pistol out of a drawer. // [3-10] Perry Mason's office. The attorney is lighting a cigarette. Hed like to help her, if only because she was the first woman to propose to him! She was 7. 8 and a half, protests Eileen, who then asks him to help with her divorce. Danny could go to work for almost any engineering company in the country, but has foolish pride, holding down two jobs. Mason thinks this is not the solution, offers financial help but Eileen refuses. She is tired of clichés, leaves emotionally drained. Mason asks Della to find where Danny works at night. / Danny is working in (Hickey's) cafe. A customer pays his 83 cent tab. Luke Hickey, owner and manager, tells Danny that the new diner down the street means he may not be able to keep him on much longer. Frank (Curran), drunk, asks for service, insults Danny, calls the chili "slop." Hickey calls Curran a pig and orders him to clean up his mess. Curran swings at Hickey, and collapses. Manager Luke takes money out of Currans pocket, finds him loaded with big bills. He needs $1.05 for costs, finds a dollar bill, a little stranger among the bigger bills. / Danny takes Frank home and, upon arrival, is observed by Phil (McCabe) and Linda (Kennedy). McCabe cautions Kennedy she cant talk to him while he is drunk. / In a hallway, neighbor (George Palmer) observes Danny looking for Curran's key. It is above the door, says the neighbor. Danny leaves Frank in his room, drives away. / Next day. A maid strides down the hall, picks up a newspaper and a milk bottle, then enters Frank's apartment, finds him dead / Lunch at the Harrison's. Lieutenant Tragg and Sergeant Brice arrive. Does Danny own a gun? No, he pawned it for needed money yesterday. Does he know Frank Curran? He was murdered the previous night, and Danny was the last one to see him alive. Eileen is panicked, goes to Carol as the men leave. // [4-10] Mason speaks to Danny at the jail, first giving him a requested cigarette. Danny knew Curran had money, over $2,000 cash. Is that why he drove him home? Danny relates how he took Curran home, saw a couple in a convertible, entered the building, got Curran into his room where he loosened his collar, took off his shoes, left him on the sofa. Mason notes he was found in pajamas. He also admits that he put a pair of bronze bookends back in place, one of which, notes Mason, was the murder weapon. / Night. Paul Drake reports that Curran was V P of the Atlas Construction Company, whose dad is chairman of the board. Close friends? None. Hobbies? Wine, women and song. Money came from a poker game. / At Hickey's, Lt Tragg and Sgt Brice are questioning Hickey, who defends Danny, saying it was his idea for Danny to drive Frank home. Danny drove Curran home in his car, with Curran's car left overnight at Hickey's. He suggests cherchez la femme. Mason enters, is teased by Tragg, who then quickly leaves. Did he murder Curran, asks Mason. No, he just didnt think of it. Luke then asks if he can be made to testify. Yes. / Good morning, Miss Street is Masons entering greeting. He tells Della that Hickey may disappear so as to avoid testifying. Paul Drake phones in that Curran's girlfriend was Linda Kennedy, who runs a swank dress shop. / Paul and Perry view a model at Linda Kennedy's salon. Mason asks Kennedy about Curran and she denies any close relationship including an engagement. Where was she and with whom? Phil McCabe, for dinner. McCabe interrupts, refuses to answer any questions, this time or any time. Mason suggests he investigate the power of the subpoena. // [5-10] Back at Mason's. George Palmer is offered a cigarette, gets upset when Mason asks why he was up so late, fully dressed, and wound up as he has admitted. He wants to help, but questioned, gets angry, leaves. Della returns, and Paul enters to say Luke Hickey did not open his place this morning, but drove first to Chandler Restaurant Supply Company, then checked in to the Baldwin Motel in the valley under an assumed name. Drake reports on the poker game. The big loser was, Perry guesses, George Palmer. $1400 was paid to Curran as an IOU. No IOUs, nor record book, were found on Curran's body. Mason wants the book, but hopes its been destroyed; so he thinks he should make it an essential part of the D A's case so that the D A will find it for him! // [6-10] Court. The jury trial. Lt Tragg testifies that defendant's fingerprints were on the bookend. To Mason, he admits he found the defendants fingerprints in several places in the deceased's room. Mason makes the point that this only prove the defendant was in the room. D A Hamilton Burger calls Luke Hickey, the court clerk then calls Hickeys name, but he is not there, so Judge Carwell orders his arrest. Burger then calls Linda Kennedy. She explains seeing the defendant help the deceased out of a car about 2 a m, saying "just wait til I get you upstairs." After Burgers objection to Masons question is overruled, Kennedy admits they were waiting for Curran because he'd been avoiding her. She had asked him to marry her. Mason produces a two-day-old marriage license between Kennedy and McCabe, which the court clerk marks for identification. She now says she loathed Curran, the most despicable man that ever lived. // [7-10] Baldwin Motel. Luke Hickey shaving. Lt Tragg and Sgt Brice knock, are admitted. Tragg orders Brice to get Hickey's coat. / Court. George Palmer testifies to Curran's being big winner, with at least two $500 bills. About 2:30 he heard Frank in the room, first thinking it was the TV. To Mason, Palmer admits losing $1400; he earns $130 per week. He paid with an IOU and, yes, knows of Curran's notebook. Court adjourns for lunch until 2 p m. Burger falls for Mason's bait, tells Tragg to find the notebook, then asks Linda Kennedy McCabe if she knows where Curran kept his valuables. She reveals a special compartment in his car. / At the police compound, Lt Tragg and Sgt Brice find a gun and a notebook in the special compartment. The notebook shows Palmers $1400 IOU. / Hickey is on the stand when Tragg arrives with the notebook. Burger wants Tragg to testify immediately, Mason objects, Judge Carwell notes his decision is at the courts discretion solely but, since Tragg is needed at headquarters, he rules in favor of Burger. Tragg introduces the notebook, with Palmer's IOU. Mason gets Tragg to testify that the ignition key was in the car lock, but wouldn't turn. Hickey admits that the defendant knew Curran had a large sum of money and that he volunteered to drive him home . . . (then, to Mason) before he knew Curran had the money. When Hickey left, didn't he see Curran's car, look it over, find the key in the ignition, and drive it to Curran's (the California car registration had the address), then put the trunk key in the ignition lock on his return, which explains why it would fit but not turn? What did he do at the Chandler Restaurant Supply Company? Della enters the courtroom, nods to Perry. Mason now offers that Luke paid a long overdue account with cash. Hickey confesses. Curran came out of his bedroom (in pajamas) and found him rifling his pockets, yelled at him, and he hit Curran with a bookend. He had great pride in owning a restaurant, but it was a dump, and this crumb, Curran, having so much when he never worked an honest day in his life, and he, Hickey, needing it so badly . . . he apologizes to Danny. // [8-10] Della and Paul are in Mason's office. She explains that Mason came to Hickey not first, but last, after the finding of the notebook proved neither Danny nor Palmer killed Curran. He only said to Hickey, "suppose I told you your finger prints were found in the car . . . and when Luke didn't deny it, Perry was home. As the attorney walks in, Drake asks Della, who has just handed him a check, how Perry can afford to pay him, the Harrisons certainly can't. Mason agrees, takes the check from Paul, tears it up, and calmly walks away. [9-10 end credits] [51:39]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
47 |
15 Nov 58 |
20449/15-31567 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Johnny Starr |
Don Durant |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Eddie Davis |
Jo di Reda |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Dion Bannion |
Hugh Sanders |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Bob Allen |
Nolan Leary |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Judge |
Kenneth R MacDonald |
Tic Barton |
Billy Pearson |
Mr Horty |
Roy Engel |
Gloria Barton |
Barbara Lawrence |
Coroner |
Joe Forte |
Victoria Bannion |
June Vincent |
[Sgt Brice |
Lee Miller] |
[6-6/1-10 Title credits](1-1) [2-10](1-2) At a race track, a horse (Bright Magic) gallops to the finish line. A man (Johnny Starr), looking sad, is timing the horse. / Johnny reports to Gloria (Barton) that the timing was great, 1:36. Shes thinking of leaving her husband, jockey Tic Barton, but Johnny has a deal. To get money, $10,000, he suggests that Tic throw the upcoming Pacific Derby, and Ticd do it for her though she protests otherwise // [3-10] At a track Tic, on Bright Magic, is spoken to by Dion and Victoria Bannion, the horses owners. Theyre coming home with the trophy, they exclaim. Tic gives Bright Magic to Bob Allen, his trainer, who passes him to Eddie (Davis) to walk. Tic is a lucky man, hes been given a chance to win the derby, has a supportive trainer, and a beautiful wife. "Gloria's a beautiful woman" only turns Bob's head down. / Tic returns home. Gloria, who is eight inches taller than her husband, says shes tired of being broke. She suggests Bright Magic should lose the Pacific Derby for $10,000 in cash. He thinks Johnny Star is behind this. She threatens divorce unless he throws the race. Is there somebody else? he asks. Of course there isnt! / Perry Mason's office. Tic offers $100 for ten minutes advice. Will it be strictly confidential? Della answer, Im Mr Masons strictly and confidential secretary. Someone has approached his wife. He thinks it is Johnny Starr. He admits his wife needs security. Hes never thrown a race. Perry Mason agrees to help with divorce if Tic decides not to throw the race. After Tic leaves, Mason tells Della Street to get Paul Drake onto Starr. // [4-10] At the racetrack, Tic is given a message by Eddie to call his wife if he has changed his mind. He doesn't recognize the number, Webster 1-2499, tells Eddie he'd kill anyone who'd try to take his wife. He calls the number, gets Johnny Starr, hangs up. / Paul Drake reports to Mason and Street, explains that John Woodruff Starr may not be divorced from his second wife, that he's a petty gambler, and how betting could make him rich if Bright Magic lost. Early bets at 5:1 would cost a lot. Mason suggests they should go to the track and he has three tiks. It just so happens Della has three better tiks. Paul Drake has box seats on the finish line! / Track. The horses are approaching the starting gate. The trio of Mason, Street and Drake are watching. Tic talks to Bright Magic. In the stands, Allen, Dion, Victoria. Theyre off. Elsewhere Johnny. Bright Magic in fourth, moving up. Bright Magic challenges, then falls to third. // [5-10](1-4) Bannion fires Tic and Bob, though they both argue that horse pulled up when commanded forward. / Tic, who thinks he knows who might have done something to the horse, goes to Starr's place. Tic pulls a gun. A sound behind him causes Tic to turn and Starr catches him off guard, throws him into the hallway. Gunshot. Tic tries to reenter the room, then runs. A second gunshot. Mr Horty comes out of the room and sees Tic heading to the stairs. / Lieutenant Tragg is investigating the murder of Starr with Sergeant Brice. The coroner says he was shot once in the face . . . and in the back. Horty tells Tragg that he knows the man, seen him in the papers, the jockey Tic Barton. / Los Angeles Chronicle headline proclaims JOCKEY SOUGHT IN MURDER. Gloria tells Mason her husband had a gun and a permit. Gloria brazens it out regarding the bribe. Might she have had reason to kill the married Johnny Starr? / Drake tells Mason that police are looking for Tic. Rumor is that Starr reneged on payoff to Tic. Mason asks Paul what he'd do to insure a fix; "take out insurance" by covering not only the jockey but also the horse, by way of doping. Drake has information on Starr and Davis. / Mason and Drake query Eddie, who has injured his head. Davis refuses to explain the injury. He and Allen guarded the horse. But t takes only a second to put a needle in him. Who banged him up? Was it Johnny Starr who reneged on paying for Davis doping the horse? / [6-10](1-5) A horse trailer is pulled in to Bannion Stock Farms. Bannion watches two trainers try to quiet Bright Magic. Victoria rides up, worried about Perry Masons involvement. Bannion takes a call from Davis who says "we finished our business last night." It was Bannion who hit Eddie. What if, suggests Eddie, cops learned that Bannion had come to him to find out who doped Bright Magic? It was Johnny Starr was then murdered. Bannion agrees to meet Eddie at the stable. Eddie states that hes a reasonable man. / Mason and Drake query Allen. As Allen explains how a horse has to win his way to the top, from short races to longer ones. Drake surveys the room, notices small dirty shoes versus larger clean ones on Allen's feet. Yes, Tic is there as Lt Tragg arrives with Sgt Brice. Tic surrenders. // In jail, Tic explains what happened at Starr's. The door was locked when gunshots rang out inside Starr's room. He knew his gun was in there. And a man saw him in the hall. Where was his wife? Who tipped off the police to where he was staying? Hed have called Mason but he was too scared. Mason assures Tic that he didn't believe Tic could throw a race, so couldn't commit murder either. / Court. Hamilton Burger examines Tragg on the gun and fingerprints found in the room. // [7-10](1-6) Mr Horty first identifies Tic, then Gloria as the woman who visited Starr. Mason cross examines closely on how long between shots and Horty's noticing Tic in the hallway. He heard nothing after the first shot. Tic could have gotten out of the room before the first shot. Horty says that, after seeing the defendant in the hall, he went across the hall, rang the bell, called out, returned to his room and telephoned the police. While he was in his apartment, queries Mason, couldnt the murder have quietly left Starrs apartment unnoticed. Burger objects and Mason withdraws the question. Allen testifies that Tic denied to Bannion any fixing and said the horse would not put out. He is made to admit that Tic said he knew who might have handled the fix and that he went home, got his gun and went to Starrs apartment Yes, but that doesnt mean . . . Burger says the court can make its own interpretation. Mason makes Allen admit that it was he who kept Tic in his apartment, then called the police anonymously. He thought that best. / Davis tells of his relaying Tics wifes phone message -Webster 1-2499, Starr's phone - to Tic, and that the defendant said "he'd kill" anyone trying to take his wife. To Mason, Davis denies Starr approaching him about tampering with the horse. Burger objects on several counts, but Mason says his questioning goes to the question of witness bias. Mason warns Davis that he was seen with Starr at least twice in the 48 hours preceding the murder. Davis then admits Starr tried to bribe him with $5000. Davis admits to doping Bright Magic, but insists that he was paid off. Mason asks for right to recall. Burger calls Dion Bannion who admits to hitting Davis, but not thinking hed done that much damage. Judge adjourns before Mason's cross. / Drake joins Street and Mason. Della triggers Perry into awareness that Eddie was visited by Bannion the next day. / Back in court, Bannion bet $2000; @50:1 = $100,000. That, plus the purse, was a lot to lose. Assault on Eddie was circa 8:30. Why did he see Eddie the next day? To beat the truth about the doping out of him? What did he do to Starr? Nothing. Then, why did Davis come to his home the following day? He asked him to when he threatened to go to the police. He gave Eddie $5000 to keep him quiet. Did he see Starr on the night of the murder? "He was dead." Mason recalls Davis. Wasnt he busy on the day of the derby with doping the horse and blackmail? No, the $5000 was compensation for the beating Bannion gave him. He though I believed hed murdered Starr. But, says Mason, this was at 8:30, and Horty heard the shots an hour earlier. Davis counters that he didnt know that. But Mason says he should have because he fired them. Davis shot Starr because Starr would not pay the $5000 owed. Davis need the money for something which went bad. Since Davis got 2 $5000 payments, where is the second $5000? Davis' bankbook proves he got only one $5000. // [8-10](1-7) Tic asks Perry Mason how he got on to Eddie and Mason explains to him, Della and Paul, that Eddie preferred doping to a murder charge, never saw the two fitting together. Gloria phones for Eddie but he won't take the call, says from now on he'll pick on girls (his) own size. [9-10 end credits](1-8) [51:24](51:28)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
48 |
6 Dec 58 |
13492/4-28600 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Aaron Hubble |
Robert H Harrris |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Rufus Varner |
Rhys Williams |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Doris Andrews |
Doris Singleton |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Wayne Gordon |
Donald Murphy |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Laslo Kovac |
Stephen Bekassy |
Milo Girard |
George Macready |
Judge |
Edwin Jerome |
Evelyn Girard |
Bethel Leslie |
Waiteress (Martha) |
Shirley Houser |
[2-5/1-9 Title credits](1-2) [2-9](2-2) Outside crickets chirp. Inside (Laslo) Kovac is visiting Rufus Varner and his collection of Van Hootens. He suggests there must be a dozen Van Hootens that have never been discovered; what about the "Purple Woman." He opens a curtain to reveal it. It is a forgery, Kovac asserts. You can decide that with just one look? Hes been swindled. Angered, Varner smashes a small ceramic. // [3-9](2-3) Varner challenges Milo Girard who sold him the painting. He wants his $86,000 back. Girard calls him ignorant, because he wouldnt get an experts opinion when told to do so. No, he knew it all. Varner doesn't want to appear a fool, so he leaves without his money, asking who painted his Purple Woman I was under the impression it was Van Hooten says Girard. / Aaron Hubble, who painted the false Purple Woman, is with Evelyn Girard. He asserts she and her husband can afford the best because of him. Shes curious as to this assertion. Doesnt she own 1440 Broadhurst. Her grandfather left it to her. Thats where over the past six months he been painting the Purple Woman. Milo returns, sends Evelyn out of the room. Hubble, drinking, wants his "show" as his reward. Milo brushes Hubble off as no more creative than a house painter. Hubble threatens to tell Varner - who wont admit hes been victimized - then the newspapers - to whom before hed been seen as a drunken crackpot. He slinks out as Evelyn returns. Milo is a member of the Hate Girard society and shes the president. Shes earned it, and despises her husband and wont be happy again as long as he lives. / Mrs Girard goes to Perry Mason and tells him that her husband defrauded a collector with the Purple Woman. Shes afraid shell be implicated because she owns the building where the Purple Woman was painted. Mason assures her shes not responsible for her husbands actions. She asserts Milo will choose the illegitimate way to do things if one is available. Her father is a prominent churchman and she wants her familys reputation protected. The attorney advised his client that Paul Drake may contact her. After she leaves, Della Street and Mason agree that Evelyn is disillusioned. / Los Angeles Chronicle art critic Wayne Gordon is asking Girard about his big sale and if he defrauded Varne. Just then Evelyn enters and is introduced to him. Girard goes out to the reception office. Evelyn and Wayne Gordon are having an affair and hes upset shes not called. She says what they are doing is not good. As he leaves, Milo Girard return. He is aware of the affair. He has Gordons letters to Evelyn. He reads one silently; I cant imagine how he got a job on a newspaper. When he suggests a juicy divorce. which the Rev Dr Bates (her father) would enjoy, she threatens to kill her husband with scissors. Secretary Doris Andrews observes this. After Evelyn leaves, Girard suggest that Doris is too intellectual to understand his wifes emotionality. She rubs his shoulders affectionately. / Mason tells Della and Paul Drake that Milo is suing for divorce over his wifes infidelity. / Milo Girard is found dead at his desk the next morning by Doris. // [4-9](2-4) Evelyn Girard, in jail, asks Mason how anyone could think she killed her husband. Three reasons, says Mason. She says she was home between midnight and 2 in the morning, but her servants say she was out from 11:30 to 3 a m. She denies the love letters, but is tripped up and admits she went to her husbands office to plead with him. He was already dead. She picked up his favorite figurine (thus, her fingerprints are there). She found the letters and burned them. She refuses to name her boy friend. / At his office, Mason questions Doris Andrews, who gets caught lying regarding knowing Hubble when she calls him by his first name. He enters and greets her as an angel. She stalks out. He asks for and gets a drink, reveals he forged the Purple Woman. He went to Varner, then D A Burger who said he was a publicity-seeking wino. Of course he wants publicity. / Varner is examined. Mason lets him know the police check all the deceaseds acquaintances. He tells Mason to "get out" when the attorney lets him know that he knows that Varner bought a forgery from Milo Girard; Dont try to involve me in this mess. / Gordon tells Mason what he knows regarding Varner and Van Hooton. The Purple Woman was painted in 1890 or 91, given to his model who didnt like it, put it in her cellar. In 1895 the house burned down. He recommends Kovac as a judge of the Purple Woman. Drake arrives after Gordon leaves. He reports that Kovac told Rufus of the forgery, and notes that Gordon was Evelyns boy friend. // [5-9](2-5) The Hall of Justice. Doris Andrews tells D A Hamilton Burger that she was asked to inform Mrs Girard that Mr Girard would be late, and to tell no one else. During Mrs Girards fifth and last meeting at his office she saw Mrs Girard try to stab Mr Girard. Doris admits she doesnt like the defendant. She accompanied Mr Girard on his business trips. Mason shows that, at the Gateview Hotel in Palo Alto, room 867 was assigned to "Mr Milo Girard and wife." She admits she was in love with Milo Girard. Wayne Gordon admits defendant and he to be in love. He asked her to divorce her husband, but she wouldnt. Werent their phone calls between them? She wanted advise and he told her to see Perry Mason. Mason digs into the issue the of fraud involving the Purple Woman. Burger objects but Mason relates his questioning to the satisfaction of the judge. Gordon says Evelyn told him of the fraud and Aaron Hubble the forger. / Drake, Della and Mason are being served lunch by waitress Martha at a diner. Lt Tragg joins them to say that Aaron Hubble "has long ears." Whats that mean? asks Mason. Tragg responds, just because youve spoiled my meal is no reason for me to spoil yours. // [6-9](2-6) Court. Hubble tells what Mrs Girard said as he hid in the hallway on his way out. She was the president of the Hate Girard society and shed never be happy as long as he lives. Burger has the judge instruct him to answer only the question asked as Hubble tries to talk about how he is a genius. Mason finally gets to introduce the Purple Woman, despite Burger's continued objection to its admissibility. Hubble explains what the Purple Woman is and how he was certain Mrs Girard knew about it. Burger approaches the bench, claims Mason is trying to destroy the credibility of the witness. Burger offers that the painting is irrelevant and being used to suggest Hubble is irrational. The judge, however, wants to see it. / Berger brings Kovac as his expert. He says he told Varner the painting was a fake. When he examines the painting that is brought in, he thinks it is a genuine Van Hooton. When Aaron protests, the judge sentences him to 24 hours in the county jail. Kovac and Mason agree to a scientific test after Kovac explains that he has a letter that describes the original, and the painting has the necessary elements which, however, seemed different in his first inspection.. / Drake reports to Mason that the painting is authentic. / Mason and Drake enter Girards gallery looking for the fake Purple Woman. Drake suggests that hed hide it behind a painting the same size that no one would ever buy. They find it behind another painting, as expected. Hubble painted the fake from Girards color sketch. How could Girard get the correct colors if he didnt have the original? / Varner brags to Berger that he has 42 Van Houtons. When Mason unveils the second Purple Woman, Varner calls it a fake. He admits he bought the Purple Woman twice. Mason baits Hubble by calling him a fifth rate hack. Thats a lie shouts Hubble. Mason then catches Hubble in a lie about never being in Girards gallery when he admits to one of his fakes hanging next a Renoir in Girards office. Hubble is the murderer, and confesses. Hes a genius and Girard betrayed him. He thanks Mason for his million dollars of publicity that will get him his one-man show. // [7-9](2-7) Dinner for Perry, Paul and Della. Hubble's picture is in every newspaper in town. Burger joins them and compliments Mason on the case. Mason then honors Burger by quoting a statement by him from THE LAW JOURNAL; A well-tried criminal case is a credit to all involved. There is no winning or no loosing in the true administration of justice. Signed, Hamilton Burger. [8-9 end credits](1-8) [51:27](51:23)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE |
49 |
13 Dec 58 |
24377 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Charles Brewster |
Ralph Clanton |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Richard Hyett |
Ray Kellogg |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Tragg's partner |
Lee Miller* |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Victor Squires |
Harvey Stephens |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Judge |
S John Launer |
Jonathan Hyett |
Frank Silvera |
Sgt Brice* |
Chuck Webster |
Valerie Brewster |
Joan Banks |
Mailman |
Leslie Kimmell |
Carolyn Ellis |
Anne Barton |
Walter Vico |
David McMahon |
Martin Ellis |
William Phipps |
|
|
*elsewhere, except episode 53 where Chuck Webster reappears, played by Lee Miller
Produced by Ben Brady Directed by Arthur Hiller Teleplay by Barry Trivers & Gene Wang
The section in red, 1:12 in duratinn, was broadcast and is missing from the supposedly complete DVD presentation. It is present in CBS Videotape 24377. Shows in this second season were running about 51:30, so the missing 1:12 should have been caught by the producers to make a 51:36 show.[3-5/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] A man drives up to the Hyett Building in his black Thunderbird convertible, goes to the offices of Hyett, Brewster & Hyett. Richard Hyett tells father Jonathan Hyett that he never suspected a thing about Charles Brewster. Just then Vice-president Charles enters. Jonathan shows Photostats to Charles, accuses him of being guilty of a crime for which Martin Ellis was convicted. Jonathan goes to call the D A, but is cut off by Brewster, who notes that his wife Valerie is Jonathan's daughter. You wouldnt want anyone to unlock the skeleton in your own closet he scornlully announces. Charles tears up the Photostats. // [3-9] Valerie Brewster is drinking whiskey when Charles arrives home in his black Thunderbird convertible. She rejects his "alcoholic" appellation, says she could stop any time, but asks for help. He accuses her of sending the Photostats to Hyett, her father. He offers her another drink, which she gulps. / A mailman delivers an eight cent due package to (Carolyn) Ellis. It is a microfilm strip. She opens a phone book. / Perry Mason's office. Carolyn Ellis is explaining her problem to Perry Mason and Della Street. Mason asks what she knows about the Hyett, Brewster & Hyett. She worked for them; Martin got her the job. They asked her to leave when Martin got arrested. They do business management for some of the top people in Hollywood, people with incomes in the stratosphere. The partners each handle a dozen accounts, and the $300,000 embezzled came from the clients of Charles Brewster. Fraudulent bills were submitted, each with Brewster's authorization, so Martin paid them, but the bills disappeared before the trial. Paul Drake gives his code knock, then enters via the back door with a microfilm printouts of the bills, some of those that were missing. Mason calls D A Hamilton Burger. / Burger apologizes to Carolyn Ellis for the apparent miscarriage of justice. Mason suggests that the D A also look into the "friend" who sent Carolyn the microfilm. / San Quentin prison. Martin Ellis lets Mason know that he is angry at being in prison for one and a half years, threatens to make certain Brewster pays for it. Mason notes that Brewster has been arrested. Hell be out by tonite, says Martin. Wife and husband are reunited. / Jail. Charles Brewster is accused by Great Southwest Bonding and Surety Company agent (Victor) Squires of recently having converted profits into $308,000 cash from a hidden account, and he wants the money back. Brewster promises $150,000 three hours after bail is posted. / Squires calls his office, has his secretary, Elsie, get the Heller Detective Agency to post bail anonymously and keep Brewster under close surveillance. / Martin is looking at Los Angeles Chronicle headline, BREWSTER FREE ON BAIL, as Carolyn sets a dinner under Welcome home darling sign. He pours self a drink, states Heres to Justice. No wonder they say shes blind. He goes out to get more liquor, perhaps to see Brewster. / Jonathan Hyett phones the police to report a suicide then, using a handkerchief, places a gun in the hand of the dead man (Brewster). // [4-9] Hyett tells Lieutenant Tragg that the door was open and he found Brewster with the gun in his hand. Doorman (Walter) Vico is brought in, identifies photo (apparently Martin Ellis). Lab phones report that the gun was put in the hand after he was killed. Lt Tragg orders Sergeant (Brice, tho never called that) to pick up the man in the photo. / Ellis in jail. Everybody knew Brewster's hideaway. Brewster was waiting for him, the doorman must have warned him. Brewster met him gun in hand. He knocked it across the room. Showing he could not commit murder, he states a man, no matter what he is, is still a human being. He confronted Brewster who offered him half of the embezzled money, then hit him hard. He left via the service entrance, walked home. / Street and Drake are joined by Mason who cavalierly pronounces, Its only 6:30, we have half the day ahead of us!: Paul couldnt find anything about the box or the microfilm. Della gives Perry a special delivery letter filled with bills, $5000, for the Martin Ellis defense fund. Mason asks Della to make an appointment with the bonding company representative; he expects Drake to check the note against all typewriters in the office of Hyett, Brewster & Hyett. / Richard Hyett answers Masons call, says Mrs Brewster cannot come to the phone, shes sick. Yet he wont tell Mason who her doctor is. He then turns to his sister, tries to get her to stop drinking. She doesnt know why she misses Charles, he was such a terrible sadist. / Squires won't admit arrangement with Brewster until Mason notes he could be an accessory. At 7:30 at Brewsters apartment he claimed the $150,000 promised. Brewster was seen buying two tickets to Mexico City in the name of George Kendall. Mason has Squires call his office and, surprised, he reports that other $150,000 has been returned, in a plain manila envelope. / Great Southwest Bonding Company addressed envelope is being looked at by Jonathan Hyett. Mason notes that the address, and that the typing on his note with $5000, were typed in Hyett's office. Mason points out that Hyett was alone in Brewsters room, searched, he suggests, and found the money and returned it in the manila envelope. He also faked the suicide. Hyett denies everything. Mason leaves, and Hyett has his secretary contact District Attorney Hamilton Burger. // [5-9] Court. For prosecutor Burger, Lieutenant Tragg testifies that Brewster's gun, though the murder weapon, was not fired by Brewster. Wallet, two tickets to Mexico City and two rings are identified as taken from the deceased. Signet ring had blood embedded in initials CB. Mason asks Lt Tragg about Jonathan Hyett's presence in the dead man's room, fifteen minutes alone, and Tragg did not search Hyett. Hyett admits he did not phone the police immediately, but searched the room, found the money in a suitcase, put it around his waist, later mailed it to the bonding company. He also put the gun in Charles's hand. Mason first points out the money he took was stolen, since the company had been reimbursed, then asks, rhetorically, who does he think he was protecting when he took the money and placed the gun in the dead man's hand, since he saw nothing identifying the killer. He knew Brewster could jump bail and take his daughter with him. Yes. He knew son-in-law was guilty before he was arrested. Yes. He tried to make amends but did not mail the microfilm. Burger calls Mrs Martin Ellis, produces documents to show she is not legally the wife of the defendant, for a divorce from her first husband (Victor H Polaski) was only ten months into interlocutory decree when she married Ellis. Thus she can be compelled to testify against Ellis. Court adjourns at Masons request. Mason asks Ellis if he has stocks, bonds, etc in her and his name. Yes. They can be claimed by him since they are not legally married, and Mason says they should do it. / Night. Mason and Drake enter Carolyn Ellis's apartment. Drake finds the stocks and bonds. Paul also finds a check made out to Barton Stationers of San Francisco for $24. Also a check for an airline ticket to San Francisco. Why was Mrs Ellis there for only one day? // [6-9] Carolyn admits that Martin left her about 9:30, returned with cuts and wounds on his face about 1 a m. Mason asks if she stayed home, the ever faithful wife." She dislikes the inference. Mason then produces Barton Stationers bill; "42 Photostats of bills to be reduced and placed on one roll of microfilm," with her signature. Wasn't she in cahoots with Brewster, whom she helped embezzle the money, and loved? Didnt she want revenge when she found Brewster could not be trusted? That's why she kept the bills all along. Carolyn says she never entered Brewster's place, but stayed across the street in Frankie's bar, left when the police arrived. Can anyone prove she was there? Valerie Brewster, stands up, says she can. The judge, learning Mrs Brewster is the widow of the deceased, overlooks her outburst. She is Burgers next witness. She saw Mrs Polaski there about 10 o'clock and her brother picked her up about midnight. Mason asserts she did go to husband Charless apartment on the night her husband died, and she was using Mrs Polaski as her alibi. Two tickets to Mexico City also shows she and Charles were going together to Mexico City. Mason queries regarding her wedding ring, which she claims she is always losing, yet she has trouble removing it for the attorney. Jonathan Hyett interrupts to say Mason knew Brewster had no intention of taking Valerie to Mexico City. He confesses, regretting that Mason discovered it instead of him coming forth and admitting it. He apologizes to Ellis. // [7-9] Mason's office. Drake, with Della listening, wonders how Mason figured it out. Well, Hyett considered himself above the law. Mason asks, who admitted being in the apartment after Ellis left, and who put the gun in Brewster's hand and who admitted he hated Brewster? Hyett on all accounts. Drake says he was the most likely suspect so he didn't consider him. Della says he keeps looking for things that aren't there. Is that what you call a cynic? asks Paul. Mason counters, when a man looks for things that aren't there, and finds them, then we call him detective! [8-9 end credits] [50:24]
The 1:12 section in red was broadcast and is missing from the supposedly complete DVD presentaton. It is present in CBS Videotape 24377. Shows in this second season were running about 51:30, so the missing 1:12 should have been caught by the producers to make a 51:36 show.
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
50 |
20 Dec 58 |
|
|
[4-5/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] A taxi brings a man home. The man (Charles Sabin) enters his house, searches a desk, finds an envelope addressed to Mrs Charles Sabin. Wife Stephanie comes in, he asks for Waid, speaks to Casanova, the parrot. Stephanie leaves, (Richard) Waid enters, is accused of not taking care of the parrot. Sabin looks for cancelled checks. He tells Waid to pick up mineral options in Denver if he calls. He decides to leave for his cabin immediately, not tomorrow as Stephanie and Helen Watkins expected. In front of Stephanie and Waid, he accuses Helen of stealing. Everyone in the whole world is trying to steal from you challenges Stephanie, who then proclaims that shes not going with (him), ever. / [3-9] The lake. Bascomb Lodge. Fred Bascomb drives up to Sabins place in his station wagon marked Bascomb Lodge and Cottages, Logan City, California. He looks at Sabins car, then sees through a glass window Charles Sabin on the floor, dead, a parrot squawking "Helen, give me that gun, don't shoot." / Perry Masons office. A club is requesting a lock of Perry Masons hair to auction off at a club benefit. Perry accuses Della Street of a joke, but she says it is a legitimate query. Mrs Sabin brings in her daughter Helen. She tells Mason of the murder, then quotes Casanova. Murder, however, was about a week ago. Mrs Sabin was at the Windsor Hotel, having decided to divorce her husband, and Helen was with her, not at the school where she had left her, but was not registered until after the murder. / Mason arrives at Sabins cottage, meets Sheriff Barnes and Mr Langley, criminologist at the Logan college. Inside, Casanova speaks his line. No fingerprints were on the gun. The day of the death is the first day of the fishing season, Tuesday, about eleven, explains Langley. A womans slip and a pair of stockings, not Stephanies nor Helens, were found. Langley suggest that is an attempt to throw suspicion elsewhere. Mason notes a cook book from nearby Logan City Library as Waid arrives. Waid was in Denver Monday when he got a call from Sabin who was at a pay phone. Langley checks the phone; dead. It was nice of you to come but you neednt stay chirps the parrot. Outside, Della Street is feeding a squirrel. As she directs Masons vision upward to a bird, he sees a telephone wire, and a wire tap. They follow the wire to an empty shack, and find the eaves-dropping phone. / Logan City Public Library. Librarian Ellen Monteith looks at the Logan City Star-News headline; CHARLES SABIN MURDERED, with photo. Mason arrives, asks Montieth, who checked out the book. While she checks on the book, Mason sees that shes read the headline. When advised that the police will soon be there, she admits that she is the borrower. // [4-9] In Logan City park, Ellen tells Mason that George Wallman, a k a Charles Sabin, the nicest, kindest man I ever met, wooed her, married her in Las Vegas two weeks ago. They spent their honeymoon in the cabin. She left her slip and a pair of stockings, and the gun, she thinks, that the police found. She was the last one to leave the library at night, so had a gun which she kept in her cars glove compartment. George took it after their honeymoon, and he had to go away for a few days. She doesnt want to go on without him, and she never saw him again. Mason advises her that the police will link the gun and book to her. Della drives up, reports that Paul Drake is checking on phone calls made from the cabin. / Logan City. Bascomb has come to the Sheriff and District Attorney Sprague. Monteith is brought in by a deputy to identify Bascomb, but doesnt recognize him. After she leaves, he identifies her, which is what was wanted. / Perry Mason's office. Drake reports that the will gives wife Stephanie and a brother, Arthur, the money. Helen did not arrive at Windsor Hotel until Tuesday the 19th (the maids knew when beds were slept in). She was working in a restaurant in Logan City. Mason feels that Stephanie thinks Helen did the murder. / MYSTERY WOMAN ARRESTED is headline in L A Chronicle newspaper, which also has a photo of Monteith, as Mason interviews Stephanie at her home. Since Helen is off the hook, and her cousin Stanley is a lawyer, Mason is no longer employed. He asks about Arthur Sabin, the brother, but she only knows him as a drifter. // [5-9] Rufus Bolding, Disputed handwriting, examiner of questioned documents, in his office, tells Mason that Sabin phoned him Monday the 18th about $10,000 worth of forged checks. Helen Watkins did not forge them, but did write the envelope. Langley and Barnes looked at the items, but didnt think them connected to the murder. / Logan City court. A jury trial. Coroner Andy Templet sets the rules. No technicalities will be allowed. Neighbor Bascomb, noticing no one had been in or out for a week, looked in the window, saw the body, the parrot on the floor, papers on a table, fishing gear, and he saw Miss Monteith nearby. (She wanted to get her things.) He didn't like Sabin because he bought a piece of the stream which was a fine fishing spot, made it off limits, which did not help his business. // [6-9] Casanova is brought to court. His cage cover is removed and, after a few remarks, gives his Helen line, then adds Ill have a martini, which causes a laugh among those gathered. Mason and the D A argue over the parrot being a witness when he cannot be sworn in or cross-examined. Mason then enlists Mrs Sabin to help cross-examine Casanova. She extends her finger and he bites it. She asks if he's a lazy bird, and his response convinces her the bird is not Casanova. D A Sprague accuses Perry Masons secretary of trying to take the bird away as soon as the attorney entered the case. Templet takes charge, suggests Langley speak before Monteith. While the coroner asserts Langleys information will be valuable, we hear the court clerk in the background swearing in the self-proclaimed expert. Mr Langley gives his opinion, pontificating about Monteith's motive, murder weapon, was present at the time of the murder. We know, he continues, that he was at the cabin Monday eve, because he telephoned from there. The alarm was set for 5:30, he had a hasty breakfast, got back about 10 or 11. He couldn't have caught the limit much quicker, but what about later? He was wearing a sweater and slacks, which he'd have taken off as soon after the sun's heat hit the cottage, which is a bit after eleven. Cottage doesn't cool down until after four, but the fireplace logs had not been lit. Mason asks about the logs in the fireplace, which had to be laid on hot coals Monday night, or in a hurry when he got back to the cabin and before cleaning his fish. Langley puts it off as trivialities versus the broad picture. The alarm clock was run down. Why did he not shut it off, when he took time to fix a breakfast, wash the dishes, make his bed, lay the fireplace? All this is absurd if he was killed Tuesday morning, but not if Monday night. The bed was made, so not slept in. Alarm run down because he was dead. Fire was unlit. Sweater on because it was after four, but not cool enough for a fire. Murderer was known to Sabin, because he let him in. It was someone who had planned the murder, because he had gotten and trained a similar parrot. He caught the fish to confuse the issue. And Sabin didn't phone from the cottage. The court clerk swears Ward in. Ward admits he didnt receive a call at 10 p m Monday. He forged checks. He had planned to kill Sabin. He tapped the phone and taught the substitute parrot. Bolding had the forged checks, so he couldnt kill Sabin. He was going to throw himself on Sabin's mercy. He had a key, discovered Sabin dead. He continued with the complicated alibi so as to be not caught. A man slips in at the back of the courtroom. D A Sprague wants Waid arrested, but Mason believes him. Waid did not touch the gun, took papers, but papers were in the cabin when he arrived. Mason has the court clerk reread Bascomb's testimony, and in it he said he could see Sabin's papers on the table. Bascomb has left the courtroom. A tap on Ellen's shoulder; it is Arthur Sabin a k a George Waldman. Ellen's husband is alive, but not Charles Sabin, Arthur Sabin. // [7-9] Templet doesnt think Arthur and Charles look much alike, but Mason says enough to understand how Ellen could make a mistake. Della chips in that Arthur changed his name from Sabin to Waldman because everyone tried to reach his (nasty) brother Charles through him. Ward saved his life, says Templet, by putting the papers away. So he admonishes Della that if she wants to be a secretary, she needs to be neat (Masons desk is cluttered). [8-9 end credits] [51:34]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
51 |
3 Jan 59 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Adolph Van Beers |
Ludwig Stossel |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Fred Schoenbeck |
Ivan Triesault |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
William Walker |
Theodore Marcuse |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Judge |
Lillian Bronson |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Lawrence David |
Robert Carson |
Sarah Werner |
Osa Massen |
Autopsy Surgeon |
Gil W Rankin |
Irene Bedford |
Marion Marshall |
Hilton |
Cy Malis |
Virginia Trent |
Virginia Vincent |
Dealer |
Barry Brooks |
Hans Breel |
Kurt Kreuger |
Doris |
Brandy Bryan |
Jerry Morrow |
Chris Alcaide |
(Court Clerk |
Jack Gargan) |
[5-5/1-10 Title credits] [2-10] At night in downtown Hollywood near the Capitol Records building, a man (Hans Breel) pulls up to the curb in a sports car watched by a bald man (William Walker). He gets out, and is met by Walker and his enforcer (Jerry Morrow). He owes $15,000, is threatened, promises to get it, and is given 48 hours. // [3-10] An apartment. Irene (Bedford) ask Hans if he's been behaving himself. Yes, now he's a diamond broker and cutter and works for a salary. At his request, she shows him an enormous rock, named the "Pundit Dream." He'll get her $15,000, guaranteed, rather than $80,000 which it might be worth, if it doesn't shatter in cleavage. / Los Angeles. At Trent & Co. Hans shows the diamond to Virginia (Trent) and Adolph (Van Beers), who is afraid to cleave it. 50 carats, re-saleable for $100,000 when cut, and Hans offers to cut it. She doesnt have $30,000, but Virginia offers $15,000 immediately. Agreed. Adolph looks unhappy. / A woman (Sarah) Werner shows Perry Mason a photo of her husband Hugo (a k a Hans Breel to viewers) and daughter Kathy. She inherited $90,000, and Hugo gambled it all away. She wants money for her daughter. Mason will put Paul Drake on the case. Mrs Werner claims she cannot now pay. Well work it out offers Mason. She leaves. Della Street notes that Mrs Werner's perfume is Eternity, $150 the half ounce. / In a hotel room, five men are gambling at cards. Breel loses, $15,000 tonight. The dealer warns him that Jerry Morrow was looking for him. / Virginia at the office. Hans phones for the other half of the $30,000. She cant get more from the bank. He urges her to speak to Schoenbeck. // [4-10] (Fred) Schoenbeck looks at the Pundit Dream, agrees it should be cleaved, not sawn, even as Adolph recommends nothing. He'll buy half interest for $10,000, but Hans insists on cleaving immediately. / The stone shatters. Hans scrapes up the chips, walks out to his car to drive downtown with them. Drake and Sarah Werner are in a car, watching. She identifies Hugo/Hans. Drake says she is to wait in her hotel room until Mason contacts her, not try to reach Hugo at the Prescott Apartments. / Drake reports to Mason and Street about the gambling and debts of Hugo/Hans to Bill Walker. Breel phones in. Mason and he agree to meet in half an hour, at 10 p m. / Breel's apartment. The door is open. Paul Drake smells gun powder. They find Breel/Werner dead, and a gun on the floor, and odor of Eternity perfume. Drake leaves. Adolph Van Beers opens the door of the room opposite Breel's. Mason asks to use the phone, to report the murder. // [5-10] Mason, in a bathrobe, admits at quarter to four in the morning Sarah Werner and Drake, who found her at the bus station. Mason asks her what she did, and she admits going to Breels and finding him dead. She left the apartment with the door closed. Mason tells her shell be investigated no matter where she goes, even the North Pole. She loved Hugo, and knew of his gambling sickness. Mason makes her phone the police. / Gamblers at cards. Jack tells Walker that Drake wants to see him. Morrow takes the place of Walker who then looks over his shoulder. Drake thinks he recognizes Morrow. Morrow agrees to meet Mason. Walker returns to gambling. / Morrow puts on record with Drake and Mason that about ten days earlier a woman came to see Walker with a picture of a man (Hugo Werner) and a little girl. Walker did not know a "Hugo Werner." He's written off Breel's $15,000. Breel had claimed he had an uncut diamond whose sale would pay off the debt. Morrow leaves. Paul recognized Walker, but doesn't believe the group would lie to his face. The girl with the diamond Drake identifies as Bedford. / Mason visits Bedford, and shows her the fault in her contract with Breel. He could have given her only $15,000, no matter how much he sold it for. I guess theres a price on everything, even love, she comments. Mason informs her that Hans lost $15,000 in a poker game. Did Hans lie to her to get $15,000 from Trent? She suggests they should see Trent. / They visit Trent, who points out contract was not for $15,000, but twice that. Bedford never got the first half, says she cant ask for the second. Bedford, but not Trent, knew Hans was married. Adolph arrives, is asked why he did not speak up the night before, and replies that Mason was calling the police, Hans was dead, and he did not shoot him, so what was there to say? / Drake reports that Sarah has been booked, the police having placed her at the crime scene at the time. Lieutenant Tragg was already looking for Sarah Werner even before they knew she was in town. // [6-10] Court. The autopsy surgeon reports the cause and time of death to D A Hamilton Burger. Mason tries to stretch the time to a later point, unsuccessfully. Lt Tragg admits defendant's fingerprints only on the magazine rack, with other places wiped clean. (Lawrence) David testifies that, while working late, the defendant brought the diamond to him. Schoenbeck says he said it would be dangerous to cleave the stone, then saw it shatter. Hamilton Burger hands him the stone brought to David, and he identifies it as the Pundit Dream! He goes through the series of events leading to cleaving and shattering. When he offers that the stones must have been switched, Mason objects to the conclusion, and the judge admonishes Schoenbeck to limit his answer only to the question asked, and strikes his words from the record. Schoenbeck continues, noting that Hans gathered up the chips to take downtown. He identifies Adolph as the one who cleaved the Emerson Star diamond for Mr Trent, and shattered it, causing Trent the loss of a small fortune. Ever since, Adolph has had a terrible guilt complex, and has been gun shy about cleaving large stones. Mason asks if he's ever seen him before, or talked to him on the phone; no, emphatically, he did not impersonate Breel on the phone. Mrs Bedford knows Breel had been married in Holland, before Mrs Werner. Burger introduces documents revealing several aliases. The court clerk takes the items for identification after Mason looks at them. Bedford admits to discussion with Mason about the contract, that it gave virtual power of attorney to Breel, and that she got a $15,000 check in the mail the previous morning, from Adolph Van Beers. Court adjourns. Mason tells Drake that, tho hes had a short time, Burger has built a case like a battleship and he feels they are sinking. Sarah admits to Mason that she took the stone for her daughter. // [7-10] Lunch. A waitress (Doris) brings the beveridges first, then asks if the trio wants strawberry shortcake. Paul passes, unwillingly. Then he reports that Walker has been in town the whole time, but has seven witnesses to his being in the game at the time of the murder. No one left the room. The phone call Mason received at 9:30 was to establish a false time of death. / Adolph Van Beers identifies the Pundit Dream. He admits that, because hed become gun shy, Trent had to hire Breel. He also admits to going to Breel's apartment about 8:30, then says he killed Breel because he couldnt stand what hed done to Virginia. Mason continues his cross examination, regarding whether the door was open or closed when he entered and left, and about the phone call he made to Mason. The attorney trips him on the order of events. Virginia Trent shouts out that Adolph must stop protecting her. Mason recalls Miss Bedford, who says Breel did not phone her after shattering the stone. Mason asks from whom she got the phrase "power of attorney." From another attorney? Yes. Then it must have been after Breel called and said he'd shattered the stone. Yes. Hans had double crossed you, first out of $15,000, then out of the balance after he shattered the stone. She knew Hans had switched stones, for he told her so, at his apartment. Why would she have accepted Beers $15,000 check when she knew the stone was intact? Why didnt she take the diamond from him? She breaks down under Mason's pressure, admitting that she loved Breel, and killed him. // [8-10] Adolph hesitates to cleave the Pundit Dream, says it takes a firm hand, a sharp eye. Mason counters that a mans stature is measured by his dignity, self-respect, courage, a mind thats not filled with doubt. Virginia backs him, even if it shatters. Adolph successfully cleaves the diamond. $40,000 to $50,000 each half! says Schoenbeck. Della notes that Perry wont get much out of this, but seeing Virginia and Adolf so happy is worth it. [9-10 end credits] [51:40]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
52 |
10 Jan 59 |
|
[2-4/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] Seven women wait for an appointment. Eva Martell is admitted to the office. (Melvin) Slater looks her over, compares her with a photo, asks questions. She is 55, 116, 34-24-34, 27, single. He asks the chaperone to come in. She and chaperone Agnes (Nulty) are hired. Eva gets $100 a day, Agnes $25. Eva will wear Helen Reynolds' clothes and live without contacting anyone else in Helens apartment (at the Lodestar Apartments). Agnes says theyll take the job. / The Lodestar Apartments. Eva and Agnes are lying in separate beds. Eva is concerned that Slater acts strange for a private detective. She looks out the window, worries about two men, still there, who have been following them. She thinks that they made a mistake, no matter how badly (they) need the money. // [3-9] Agnes responds to the phone as Slater wants. He compliments her on this, then compliments Eva on her dress. He is taking them out to dinner, as every night, leaves. The men are still outside. Eva wonders again if she should have done this. Someone at the door; Eva hides in the bedroom. (Barbara) Slater enters, wants to know if Mr Slater is there, for she is prevented from seeing him at his office. Slater won $1800 in a poker game, and the children . . . She asks Agnes to tell him to come home that night, then leaves. Eva comes back into the room, wonders why she is taking Helen Reynolds place. Agnes thinks they should go to a criminal lawyer. / The two are advised by Perry Mason to quit. He points out that they are vulnerable. Slater could be manipulating a dozen different confidence games. Agnes does most of the talking. Eva is studying music, and needs the money. Mason suggests they call Slater, say they are quitting nder advice of counsel, pack their bags and get out. Slater has not made improper advances to Eva. Agnes says he'd better not, she's got a gun. It is not licensed, so get rid of it at once. Mason has Della Street get Paul Drake on the case to see who is following Eva and why. Della wonders what sort of flim-flam Slater is working. Mason says theyll know when he hits that ceiling, hell have a phone with him. / Slater hits the roof, calls Mason after Eva and Agnes leave. 11:35. Mason tells him that he must produce Helen Reynolds and have her relieve his clients of all responsibility, before 1 o'clock. 12:38. Slater dials. / Helen Reynolds proves she is Helen Reynolds with a thumb print. You do look a good deal alike, Miss Reynolds. Almost like sisters, says Della.* She admits she commissioned Slater, reads the indemnification papers, refuses to sign, is given choice of sign or lose Eva. I hate men like you she says, then signs. She is a philosophical loser, comments Mason. She denies having a gun in her heavy handbag, then leaves. Eva phones in from Wilson's Grille, asks if she can go to a beauty parlor and supermarket before returning to the apartment, notes she's being followed and the followers are being followed. / At the apartment, they find Slater, dead. // [4-9] Drake reports that the murder was about 1. At 4:10 Lieutenant Tragg arrived at the apartment, then at 5:05 took Eva and Agnes downtown for questioning. Slater was shot in the middle of his head, probably with a .32. Grant Willoughby Reynolds was a client of the Interstate Detective Agency, which was tailing Agnes and Eva, and is in his apartment, the Belvidere Towers. Mason expects her to show up at the office. That Miss Martell is a doll comments Paul. Della quips, That will make your day complete. I was thinking of my evening Paul replies. / Drake and Mason challenge Reynolds over his detective action. He's separated, and the reports he got were of Eva, not, as he expected, his wife Helen. His wife was free as a bird. She is his wife. When I dont want anything anymore, I give it away. Nobody takes what is mine. Reynolds becomes uncooperative. He wants to get rid of his wife, but doesnt want to get stuck. Did Slater have a key to his wife's apartment? Who is she seeing? Mason suggests that he might have acted as a jealous husband, leaves. In the hallway, Mason suggests to Drake that Helen Reynolds must have been seeing someone, puts Paul on the job. / Agnes and Eva come from the police to Mason's. Agnes says she lied about having a gun, she never had one. They were together all day. They want to settle the account now, so as not to run up a big bill. Lt Tragg arrives, says he's found Agnes's gun, the one that killed Slater and that she tried to dispose of, and $1800. Mason agrees to continue as Agnes's lawyer. Tragg and Agnes leave. Eva says she signed an affidavit that she and Agnes were together all the time, but admits to Mason that, after leaving the apartment and getting to the lobby, Agnes went back to the apartment to get something she'd left behind. This was 12:45. Agnes is a liar, but shed never hurt anyone, admits Eva, who is worried about Agnes. Mason is worried about Eva. / Mason tries to make a deal with District Attorney Hamilton Burger regarding Evas affidavit. Burger points out that Eva being with Nulty makes her an accessory. No deal. // [5-9] Court. The jury trial. Now Eva is charged jointly with Agnes. Officer Samuel Dixon testifies to finding the body. Helen Reynolds rented an apartment in the Lodestar Apartments and gave Slater permission to use it. She admits her arrangement with Slater was to get false reports sent to her husband. Mason pursues Reynolds' location from 12:30 on, after prosecution places the murder between 12:45 and 1:15 (though coroner placed it between 12:30 and 2 p m). She was at lunch with a friend when she got a call from Slater at 12:45 and was at Mason's at 1 o'clock. Grant Reynolds testifies for Burger, then is cross-examined by Mason as to how he received his reports. He had lunch with the manager of the Interstate Detective Agency from 12:15 to almost 1:30. Thomas Folsom of Interstate Detective Agency saw Agnes from 12:55 to 1:20, when he followed her to an alley where she apparently dropped something into a garbage can. Mason gets him to admit that shortly thereafter he phoned his agency and reported that she "looked into" the can. / Barbara Slater identifies her husbands wallet. The morning of his murder he showed her $1800 poker winnings. Mason ask about her being given only $20 for expenses. She tried to reach him only once at the apartment. Tragg says it was after 6 before he got to the can and found the gun. He identifies the gun, says he sent it and garbage pail top to be tested. He then went to Nulty's own home where he found Slater's wallet with $1800. The lid of the garbage pail had Nulty's finger prints. He then arrested Nulty. Judge Bates adjourns after Mason says he expects a prolonged cross-examination. Drake reports hes waiting to hear from operatives regarding Helens boyfriend. Della wonders if Slater wouldnt have taken advantage of the situation with Helen Reynolds. Mason asks Drake to take Della to dinner, as he has an errand to run. // [6-9] Mason confronts Helen Reynolds with "who's the man?" She tells Mason he is the second most obnoxious person Ive ever met, then comments on how similar Grant and Mason are, but Mason is softer. Slater, over poker, learned her husband was going to have her watched, told her. Mason suggests Slater blackmailed her. Didnt he discover who her lover was and report it to her husband? She says she'd never be blackmailed. Mason notes there's only one end to blackmail, murder. When she left his office, she went to her lover, whom she will not name. / Court. Drake reports that Barbara Slater worked in the kitchen (of Wilson's Grille) until four months ago. Tragg says they found Miss Nulty's fingerprints on the garbage can lid, and others. Mason asks if all were checked, and Tragg laughs, says they'd have had to go through the whole kitchen staff. Tragg says that the gun had been in the can an appreciable time since there was garbage above it. All fingerprints were smudged. Mason suggests this could mean the gun had been pushed into the garbage. Hamilton Burger, then Judge Bates, are not convinced. Mason recalls Barbara Slater, who testifies that no garbage is put out between 12:30 and 8 p m. Mason points out to the judge and the D A that this shows that the gun had to be pushed into the garbage, and Folsom's testimony proves Miss Nulty did not do that. Judge Bates agrees. Mason reminds the DA and judge that the coroner said the murder could have been between 12:30 and 2:00. Mason recalls Grant Reynolds to prove his point. Reynolds returned to his agency at 1:30, would have been there when Folsom phoned in his report. His curiosity peaked, what was his wife's chaperone disposing of in the alley? He went there, found the loaded gun, found Slater in shirt sleeves in his wife's apartment, how long to pull that trigger, Mr Reynolds, not long enough to give Slater the chance to tell you he wasnt the man you were looking for, was it? The witness is sure it was Slater, he knew his wife, he cant be convinced otherwise. Mason says hed not try. // [7-9] Della explains to the defendants, her boss, and Paul that Grant Reynolds' mistake was thinking more garbage would have been added to the can while he was gone, so he pushed the gun down into garbage. Nulty says she was going to mail $1800 to Barbara Slater, but never got the chance. One thing remains unsolved, Helen Reynolds boyfriend. Drake offers several reasons why he stopped looking, then admits he simply couldn't find Mrs Reynolds' lover. [8-9 end credits] [51:43]
{*But not really. It may be noted that actress Maggie Mahoney (Eva Martell) has a straight nose, actress Paula Raymond (Helen Reynolds) a ski-jump nose. Martell has clean facial skin, Reynolds has a mole or beauty mark. Certainly enough for those watching one or the other would notice a difference. Yes, maybe they could be sisters, as is noted in the dialogue, but not true doubles for the Slater-Reynolds scam.}
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
53 |
17 Jan 59 |
20450/15-31567 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Nora Huxley |
Catherine McLeod |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Dan Myers |
Willard Sage |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Tragg's partner |
Lee Miller |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Frederick Rollins |
Gage Clarke |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Jack Huxley |
Murvyn Vye |
Daryl Metcalf |
Cecil Kellaway (special guest star) |
Judge (Thomas J Hood) |
S John Launer |
Donna Sherwood |
May Wynn |
Harry Tiller |
Rusty Lane |
Tom Wyatt |
John Hudson |
Clerk |
Olan Soulé |
Sally Wilson |
Jacqueline Scott |
Sergeant Brice |
Chuck Webster |
[3-4/1-9 Title credits](2-1) [2-9](2-2) Frederick Rollins, wearing a hearing aid, joins Tom Wyatt and Jack Huxley in the Rollins Tropical Fish store. He watches as Tom Wyatt demonstrates to Jack Huxley his preparation that within seconds cures gill fever in goldfish. Will Huxley merchandise it? Wyatt is employed by Rollins, and Huxley now owns the shop, the real estate, the inventory, the good will and the rights to every activity within it. So he owns the formula, and orders the two out of the building, then leaves. // [3-9](2-3) Rollins tells Perry Mason and Della Street that he told Huxley about Wyatt's research when he sold out. Is the situation hopeless? Mason will look into it. Wyatt says Huxley isn;t fit to live. He;s it content stealing you blind. He wants everything. / Huxley & Myers Aquarium Supplies. Huxley enters, greets secretary (Sally) Wilson, ignores (Donna) Sherwood, goes into his office. Miss Sherwood follows, is given the brush off, then is fired. Huxley informs Sally that Miss Sherwood is leaving, then insists they'll have to work late, despite her evenings engagement. (Dan) Myers bursts in, is told he as partner should sell out, and is reminded he owes the bank over $10,000. Huxley walks out with can of fish curative, enters another office where he wakes up a sleeping, drunk chemist (Daryl) Metcalf, tells him to analyze the formula. Metcalf protests and Huxley drags him to a sink and pours water over his head. / Nora Huxley, pouring herself a drin, gets a call. Her husband, calling from Metcalfs lab, says don't wait dinner. She asks if it is a blonde, brunette, redhead. Metcalf says it will take another hour. / Metcalf, still a bit tipsy, goes in to Huxleys office, sees whiskey and two glasses on the desk, one glass a third full with lipstick on the rim. He drinks it. Then he discovers that Huxley is dead, and phones Dan Myers who severs the connection at the word dead. / Perry enters his office, tells Miss Street that he's found a flaw in the Huxley-Rollins contract. She informs him that Huxley was murdered. She was on the phone to Wyatt, and got no answer. / Rollins is bandaging Wyatt's hand when Perry and Della arrive. Wyatt admits he was alone during the night. Lieutenant Tragg arrives with a partner (it is Lee Miller, who will later play Sgt Brice, but Chuck Webster is credited here as Sgt Brice, the only time he plays the role). How could he have known? Mason says Huxleys lawyer might have told of the contract. Lt Tragg enters, compliments Della, then informs the group that a morphine cocktail was fed Huxley about 11:30 the past eve. Rollins fiddles with his earpiece. The lab was broken into and blood is all over the place. Will Wyatt submit to a blood typing? // [4-9](2-4) Dan Myers demands an answer from Nora. She tells him to get out. He suggests she not throw away $50,000 a year. All she has to do is say she was present when he gave $6500 cash to her husband as his share to buy the business. She suggests that he murdered Huxley, queries why she should share with him. He says he knows she was at the shop about 10:30 because her car was there. She agrees to the lie. / Metcalf joins Perry Mason who is conferring with Paul Drake and Della Street. He tries to get them interested in goldfish, which come in al sizes and shapes, even stripes. To know Mr Huxley was to hate him is his response to Masons queries on who might have murdered him. Further, one mate wasnt enough for Huxley. Donna Sherwood was his current pilot fish. She was on the way out, and Sally Wilson was being groomed as her successor, and was in the office after eleven. / Wilson walks in on Donna Sherwood in Huxley's office. Myers called her and asked her to return. Mason joins then, asks for Myers. Sally goes out and starts typing. Sherwood tells Mason that she left shortly after 4 o'clock. She vamps the attorney, telling him she lives at the Claymor. He then leaves her. Miss Wilson worked late, until 11. She met Wyatt at Rollins's place months ago. She is sure Wyatt was not there the night of the murder. Daryl Metcalf was there late. She claims that she broke the window, shows Mason the cut. Huxley bandaged her arm. / Drake reports that Sally Wilson left the office at 5:30, went directly to the Dartmouth Grille with her boyfriend, so didnt break the window. Mason calls Rollins, who says he told the district attorney that Tom and Sally were engaged. // [5-9](2-5) Court. District Attorney Hamilton Burger is examining Sgt Brice. Morphine sulfate was picked up by Wyatt. Next, Sally Wilson, under pressure from Burger, admits that the defendant did not want her to go back to the office and they quarreled. When she got there, Huxley had been drinking. At the end of the evening, Huxley made advances, Tom broke through the window, struck Huxley. Tom then drove her home. He was bleeding profusely, but she just wanted to get him out of there. He stayed with her until 3 a m. Mason asks if he did not go back for anything left behind. Lt Arthur Tragg shows the towel from Huxley's business, which was used to wrap Wyatt's wound. At the defense table, Wilson now admits that Tom went back into the shop to get her purse, but he was gone only a few minutes. Tom says he struck Huxley again, got the towel from the desk. Tragg found the fingerprints of the defendant on the broken glass from the window. Tragg tells Mason that a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, one with lipstick on it, were found. Lipstick glass had Daryl Metcalf and Wilson's fingerprints. The other had deceased fingerprints. Also found was a pint-sized container, Wyatt's name and Rollins's on it, with morphine sulfate. Sherwood says that a phone call came in from Wyatt for Huxley, and was very threatening; he said he was coming down to the ship and kill the louse. Mason asks, did she inform Huxley? No. Then she did not take Wyatts threat seriously. Or was she happy to hear Huxley was in danger, since he'd fired her? Myers testifies that he was a partner, that Huxley returned from Rollins and Wyatt with a tear in the coat caused by Wyatt. Mason inquires about the partnership. Myers drove to Rollins to give him $6500 cash. He drove almost 50 miles, Pasadena to Santa Monica, that night when he could have seen him at the office the next day. Nora Huxley witnesses Myers claim of payment, produces contract of purchase. The clerk marks it. Mason notes that nowhere in the contract is it indicated that Huxley acted for anyone but himself. But, she says, she knew her husbands wishes, and she was in love with him. Mason asks her about the lawyer, Dean Walker, who advised her about the contract, then if she hadn't visited him three weeks earlier about grounds for a divorce. Maybe she's willing to give up a fortune, since she knows the formula doesn't work. Yes. Her husband phoned her so. An argument ensues between the D A and the defense attorney over whether or not the formula works. The judge intervenes with Were not playing parlor games so no technicality should intrude. Court adjourns overnight. // [6-9](2-6) Mason's office. Della pours coffee for Mason, then herself, notes those poor little fish dont look to well. She wonders why Nora perjured herself, when formula does work. Mason says she had to, she was trying to defend her actions in giving Myers half ownership, which wasnt her husbands intent. Drake arrives with sample prepared from Metcalfs breakdown. While Mason administers it, Drake helps himself to Dellas coffee cup, then coffee, and finally sandwiches. The fish die. Mason notes that Rollins supplied the fish that revived at his shop, so maybe didnt have gill fever. / In court Burger demonstrates the formula and the fish revive. Expert (Harry) Tiller testifies that the formula should be in great demand wherever fish are sold.. Burger says that the formula came from Huxley via Metcalf. Metcalf is called. He raises his hand and says I do before the oath is administered. He's a qualified chemist - Oxford, the Sorbonne - not a pharmacist. Mason asks about Metcalf's analysis. Mason and Metcalf spar. Regarding Huxley, Metcalf says he got what he asked for, but not offers Mason, what he expected. Morphine sulfate was not included in his analysis for Huxley. Instead, didn't he use the morphine sulfate for another purpose? Why did he kill Jack Huxley Huxley was a noxious, disgusting animal by Websters dictionary, a vermin. So he exterminated him. He thought he could sell the formula himself. At least the world will be a better place without Huxley. The judge announces that the case against Thomas Wyatt is dismissed. // [7-9](2-7) As Mason and Street enter their outer office, Perry explains to Della that Metcalf was outside all the time. Huxley was in no condition to ask questions after his fight with Wyatt. Why did Metcalf drink out of Wilson's glass? Because morphine sulfate was in the other glass. They enter the inner office and find that Metcalf has sent Mason an aquarium as a gift. Hamilton Burger has offered Metcalf life on a guilty plea. Metcalf understands that the San Quentin warden has an aquarium! What more can (he) ask? [8-9 end credits](2-8) [51:34](51:25)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
54 |
Foot-loose Doll cf. Fanciful Frail |
24 Jan 59 |
|
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|
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[4-4/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] In Marshall City Millie Crest, who is engaged to Bob Wallace, is being given her bridal party. The guests leave, all but the first girl. How lucky Millie, a church wedding in six days, honeymoon in Hawaii. Dont forget Bob says Millie. Half the girls in Marshall City were after him. But Millie was the girl sitting next him at the Marshall City Power and Light. The girl offers to help in the cleanup. She leaves. A "Dear Millie" phone call comes from Bob who is at the airport. He has $9000 taken from their company. He juggled the books, the ones she worked on. // [3-9] Millie is driving home late at night in her Ford Fairlane, teary eyed. She stops for gas. F D (Fern Driscoll) asks for a lift. The two look more than a bit alike. Fern is on her way to Los Angeles. Millie offers a ride to a bus stop. / Fern wants to change her life. They discuss boyfriend problems. Fern is going to Los Angeles where nobody knows her. Fern pulls a gun, the car goes over the hill into ravine. / (Stock shot of L A freeway.) Los Angeles Chronicle column headline reads; POLICE DISCOVER FUGITIVES BODY, naming Mildred Crest as the body in the cart, but it is Millie reading the paper. Laura Richards strikes up a conversation, offers to share her apartment with "Fern Driscoll." As they leave, a heavy set mustached man turns, follows. / The man is Fred Ernshaw. He phones Carl (Davis) whose wife is with him so he can't philander. She caught him with a redhead in San Diego, so will now travel with him. Ernshaw says Fern is in town. He doesnt like Davis getting all the credit for his work. Davis calls Senator (Harriman) Baylor at the Claymore. Davis is told to investigate, but keep his name out of it. / Davis, as an insurance investigator, goes to "Fern" with questions about an auto accident. He wants a statement that she was driving Millie's car at the time of the accident. He was looking for Millie Crest who was going to have a baby. He found a locket with F D on it at the scene of the accident. She left the scene of a fatal accident. He also wants something she has, from Johnny Baylor, back in Ferns hometown.. He threatens her with exposure to the police if she doesnt have it by 7 p m. He leaves. She pries open "Fern's" suitcase, searches for whatever. Laura has overheard all, suggests "Fern" see Perry Mason. // [4-9] Mason repeats "Fern's" story, about how she was thrown free of the car, walked to a motel where she stayed a couple of days. She left home for personal reasons, didnt want her name in the papers. Della Street brings in a newspaper with the story. Millie is wanted for embezzlement. Autopsy indicated she was expecting a baby. Mason tells her to send Davis to him, accepts the change in her pocket, 38¢, as payment for his services. "Fern" leaves, Mason asks Della Street if she'd let a hitch hiker drive her car ten minutes after meeting her. He has a hunch that Miss Driscoll isnt telling the truth. / As she leaves Masons office, Davis follows her. / 6:55 "Fern" is putting another hole in a belt with an ice pick when she hears the door open. The light goes off in the next room, yet she enters, with the ice pick, is attacked, strikes back. After the attacker leaves, she has blood on her hands. / Davis informs Mason that he was stabbed by his client and wants the letters or he goes to the police. / Mason, watched by Laura, is told by Fern that she did not see her attacker. She does not have any letters, does not know any "Johnny Baylor." Mason then calls her "Mildred," and learns the truth. / Mason visits Davis and his wife. Davis has an ice pick. He asks his wife to get him a drink, then sends her away saying that she looks a mess. He asserts that he knocked and that Fern let him in, then stabbed him. Davis would lose $10,000 by going to the police and he tells Mason about the romance between Fern and Johnny Baylor. Senator Baylor wants the letters because of what might be in them, for Fern had threatened a paternity suit. Mason offers Davis his doctor, so he won't have to be involved with the police. It is 9:55. / A coffee shop at 10:20. Mason tells the waitress he has time for a piece of apple pie. Lieutenant Tragg joins him, with Sergeant Brice and a uniformed policeman. Tragg lights Masons cigarette, suggests he and Mason have a common interest, Carl Davis, who has been stabbed. Mason says it is a purely civil matter. / Mason returns to Daviss apartment with Lt Tragg, where they are met by Sgt Brice who says he was just coming for Tragg. Davis is dead. // [5-9] Drake informs Mason that Davis works with Fred Ernshaw, and Senator Baylor is at the Claymore Apartment Hotel. He broke off his campaigning due to bursitis. A newspaper photo shows him waving his right hand with hat to the crowd. Mason asks Della to contact Mildred and tell her to talk to no one. \ / As Mason approaches the Claymore Apartment Hotel, he sees Laura Richards exiting with Fred Ernshaw. He gains entry to Senator Baylor's room by announcing the death of Carl Davis. The senator admits he hired Davis to find Fern Driscoll, that he came to Los Angeles when Davis said he'd found her. Baylor reads a letter from his son to show why he doesn't want the public to know what is in the letters. Senator says he was paying Davis $100 a day, which doesn't square with the $10,000 figure given him by Davis. Now the senator learns that it is Driscoll that is dead. A phone call indicates the police are on the way up. He offers Mason $10,000 to represent him, but Millie is Mason's client, for 38¢. Paul gives his usual code knock, enters with Good morning, beautiful (as always). Della asks what Laura was doing in the Senators hotel. No, but she was talking with Ernshaw. Mason enters; Mildred has been arrested for first degree murder. // [6-9] Court. D A Hamilton Burger gives his opening statement, and gets a tongue lashing from the judge for bringing up unrelated crimes by Millie. Lt Tragg identifies the pistol found near the car crash, notes that it was stolen. It is given the court clerk for identification. He also identifies the ice pick. Ernshaw says Carl came down from Ferns apartment holding an ice pick. He drove to a drug store, got bandages and fixed up Davis. Were they equal partners? A form letter sent by Erhshaw indicated he was planning to abandon the arrangement in favor of opening his own firm. Laura Richards identifies the ice pick, says Millie knew it was there. Mason asks her where she was when Millie was arrested. She was with Ernshaw who took her to the Claymore Hotel Apartments to sell information . . . to Senator Baylor. The senator is sworn in, raising left hand due to bursitis. He swears he had no contact with Ernshaw or Richards. His business with Davis was personal. Hamilton Burger pleads for respect for the senator's privacy, and Mason respects it only asking the right of recall. Mrs Davis says that after Mason left, Carl had chills and asked for another whiskey. She thought it was part of his act. Burger cautions her, no thoughts, just what happened. He tried to get up, then he groaned. His dying statement was that he'd been stabbed by Fern Driscoll. Court adjourns for the weekend when Mason asks for 30 minutes to take a long distance call. / Johnny Baylor in Alaska is being held on the line by Paul Drake. Johnny is stunned at Masons news, particularly the paternity bit, agrees to fly into L A. Mason tells Drake to meet him, search hospitals within 20 miles of Marshall City for a young girl about 28, who has amnesia. / Airplane in night sky. / Drake checks the Crestview Sanitorium, Norris Sanitorium, then Dr Barnes' Seaside Hospital. A doctor looks at a photo of a girl brought to him just before the accident date, and a lady is wheeled in. Johnny recognizes Fern, then, slowly, she him. / Court. Mason identifies the pregnant woman in the car as escapee, Brenda Scobie, from women's prison. Fern picked her up and was assaulted. Millie picked up Brenda. Now Mason recalls Senator Baylor, asks that he be sworn, with his right hand. He suggests a court physician check the senators right shoulder for an ice pick would. He admits to going to Fern Driscoll's apartment to get his sons letters, entered the unlocked door. He didnt know the doorbell was inoperative, thought no one was in. He turned off the light when he heard someone coming, was stabbed. On the street, he encountered Ernshaw and Davis, who were on the way up to Fern's apartment. Davis helped remove the ice pick. Mason then explains that, since Davis was faking a wound, but died of an ice pick wound. Marjory Davis tries to leave the courtroom, then confesses. // [7-9] Della brings news from Senator Baylor who now accepts Fern. Mason then shows Paul Drake the newspaper photo of the senator arriving at the airport, raising his right hand, so he had to have bursitis in his left shoulder yet, in court he raised his left hand. Paul waves goodbye with is left hand. [8-9 end credits] [51:33]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
55 |
7 Feb 59 |
12428/3-28671 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Marshall Scott |
Bartlett Robinson |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Helen Preston |
Carol Nugent |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Theophile Duclerc |
Peter Brocco |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Judge |
Kenneth R MacDonald |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Eugene Milton |
Herbert Anderson |
Brander Harris |
Hugh Marlowe |
George Fairbanks |
Francis De Sales |
Leora Mathews |
Carole Mathews |
Switchboard Operator |
Nancy Millard |
Cleveland Blake |
Wilton Graff |
Autopsy Surgeon |
Irving Mitchell |
Eva Scott |
June Clayworth |
Receptionist |
Arline Hunter |
James Castleton |
Mark Roberts |
|
|
[2-5/1-9 Title credits](1-1)(3-1) [2-9](3-2) A switchboard operator is answering calls in the Waring House Hotel lobby in Waring City. Waring District Attorney Brander Harris enters the lobby, pauses, then goes upstairs to room 201 to meet the county auditors secretary, Leora Mathews. He speaks of civic duty, but she asks $500 for information on Northport General Hospital graft. Harris looks at her packages of evidence while she changes into a robe behind a screen. He sees no names, not even that of Jimmy Castleton. A photographer sneaks in to the room and catches them as Leora forces a kiss; he then blackjacks Harris. // [3-9] Los Angeles (the stock shot of decades-old cars). At home Marshall Scott, holding photo, is on the phone with Mathews. She says that the only name that he mentioned was Jimmy Castleton. She asks when shell see him, but he thinks he needs to drop out of sight as Harris may be gunning for him. When he hangs up, wife Eva Scott asks what the call is about and Marshall chides her for eavesdropping. Stepdaughter Helen Preston enters and Scott asks, Does that fancy school of yours keep bankers hours? Helen notes that she is glad shes not Scotts daughter. / Brander Harris is looking at the damning photo at Marchands restaurant with Cleveland Blake, a behind-the-scenes power in politics and industry. Harris accuses Blake of supporting Jimmie Castleton, Waring Sun Ledger political writer, who he thinks has engineered graft at the hospital construction. The incriminating photo is sent to Castleton by Blake. Harris meets Della Street and Perry Mason on his way out and asks to meet with the attorney. / In Mason's office Harris shows the attorney the photo and admits he has only suspicions about the grafting. Mason agrees to represent Harris, then gives Della instructions for Paul Drake. / Paul and Perry go to Waring House Hotel. Paul bribes the receptionist to keep Leoras phone dead. Mason confronts Mathews. She asserts there are a dozen places shes been with Harris. Was it money, Miss Matthews, love, or both that got her to accept a shredding of her reputation. When Mason leaves, she has to go to the public phone in the lobby, but a man blocks Drakes view of the last two numbers as she dials. / Drake in Mason's office says the phone number is DAkota 670 but doesnt know the last two digits. / At the Waring Sun Ledger Mason informs Castleton that Harris considers him involved in the hospital graft. Castleton indicates no ill will to Harris, wants a face to face meeting. After Mason leaves, Castleton makes a call to DAkota 67054. / Mason tells Harris that he has only DAkota 670xx, leaves. Harris finds the "54" in his book but Mason is gone. / Perry is dictating to Della when Paul gives him the completed phone number. It is Marshall Scott's phone. / Lieutenant Tragg is investigating the death of Scott when Mason arrives at Scotts home. A broken glass block bookend seems to be the murder weapon. Eva Scott feigns bereavement. // [4-9](1-2)(3-3) D A Hamilton Burger is in his office and is upset, noting to Perry Mason that Brander Harris is the youngest district attorney ever elected in Waring County. Harris' fingerprints are on the murder weapon. Burger asserts that both Marshall Scott and Brander Harris are implicated in the hospital graft. This is embarrassing to all district attorneys. Mason comments that hes in the position of having to pull Burgers chestnuts out of the fire. / (1-3) The Waring Sun Ledger headline reads DISTRICT ATTORNEY SOUGHT IN SCOTT MURDER. / Mason is questioning Eva when Helen Preston interrupts her mom to say nasty things about her step father, noting Evas husband was chairman of the bids committee at Northlport General Hospital. Eva admits turning over $50,000 to Hamilton Burger which she found in a hatbox in her husbands closet. The only name she remembers from her husband's phone calls was odd, "le clerc," or some such. She thinks that her husband, with whom she was having trouble, was responsible for the fraudulent photo. / In his office Mason learns by a phone call from Drake that "Duclerc" was the inspector on the hospital job. / (1-4) Mason ushers Street into the lawyers Cadillac convertible (which has had the front windshield removed, to allow filming of the next sequence). Then Brander pops up from his hiding place in the back seat. He knows hes being sought. Mason says it is worse than that, namely a felony warrant has been issued. / Brander admits that he went to Scott's circa 6 p m and accused him of graft in the hospital deal. During an argument he broke a glass bookend and this cooled them both down. He was there about 15 minutes. / They pull up to police headquarters. Mason gets Brander to appoint him deputy district attorney so that he can run the grand jury hearing of the hospital. Brander is sent in to Lt Tragg. // [5-9](1-5)(3-4) Duclerc has come to Mason and is with the attorney and his secretary in the inner office. Mason shows Duclerc photos of two buildings that collapsed and accuses Duclerc of the Northport General Hospital corruption. Duclerc complains they always pick on the little guy and Mason says thats because they cant get to the big guy. The building inspector says that Harris cannot protect him from San Quentin, so hell tell the grand jury that he knows nothing. Mason counters with what if he had to leave his wife or one of his kids at Northport Hospital? / (1-6) Blake meets Mason in the hallway of the Waring County Court. He knows that Mason has met Duclerc and reasserts his support of Castleton, yet notes he wants Castleton convicted if guilty. / Theophile Duclerc is called to testify before the grand jury. He names George Fairbanks, the prime contractor at the hospital, as the one who told him where to take the core samples, but he knew it wouldnt pass inspection elsewhere. Eugene Milton, county auditor, testifies when confronted with Duclerc's testimony. He cannot believe that Duclerc mentioned the steel cable. He names Fairbanks and Scott. George Fairbanks is called. / (1-7) Confronted with specifics, Fairbanks admits his complicity, admits that he paid out $150,000, and names Marshall Scott, who was to keep $25,000 and take care of the higher-ups, one of whom was Brander Harris, whose cut was to be $25,000. // [6-9](1-8)(3-5) Los Angeles courthouse; the murder trial. The autopsy surgeon tells Hamilton Burger the glass block could be the murder weapon and that the time of death was between 6 and 7:30. Tragg identifies the book end and photos. Leora Mathews testifies, saying she doesnt know the photographer, and she lies, pointing to Harris as going to put the spurs to Marshall Scott. Mason confronts her with the phone call to DAkota 67054, and conspiracy regarding the photo. Mrs Scott tells Burger that her husband made two calls, one in the morning in which he said Mr Scott had said that he might have to get out of sight for a while because Harris would be gunning for him." She mentions the $50,000 in the shoe box. Mason questions; there was a 4:25 second call to Castleton. Mason pursues the question of timing. She at first lies, makes up a story about a flat tire, then admits that she arrived home at 7:45, not 9:10, finding her husband dead. She mentions scraping a white convertible that was leaving the scene. Did she withhold $100,000 from the $150,000 bribe money? With the money problem left unclear, Hamilton Burger puts Castleton on to clear it up after granting Masons request to be able to recall Mrs Scott. Drake leaves the courtroom. The court clerk swears in Castleton. When Burger queries about a phone call, the contents of which would be hearsay, Mason surprises the Court by wanting the phone call and its contents to be admitted. Castleton says that he told Harris that Scott said hed bring Harris down with him, and Harris then hung up. Mason presses Castleton regarding the photo. There is confusion regarding the chronology. Scott didnt send him and Blake the photos, instead, he gave Blake the photo. Didnt the deceased lie to him, keeping the $25,000 that he was supposed to pay Harris? Castleton states that on the day of the murder he was in his office from 4 to 11:30. Mason recalls Tragg to ask if a Benzedine test for blood on "clean" unbroken glass clock was done. It could have been the weapon, been wiped clean, but would still test for blood. Castleton is recalled. Drake returns, hands Mason a paper. Castleton owns a white convertible. He now confesses to being the principal party in the Northport Hospital graft, but lent his car to Blake. Hed done Blakes dirty work for years, being told We pull strings and control votes and representatives. So he has failed. Blake admits that there is no one to fill his shoes. // [7-9](3-6) Dinner, Della in a low-cut dress. When, says Mason, Blake found that Scott had double-crossed him, and he couldnt control Harris, he killed Scott, though it was probably not premeditated. Harris asks how can he repay Mason. The attorney hands the district attorney the dinner bill. [8-9 end credits](1-9)(3-7) [51:37](51:05)(51:05)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
56 |
14 Feb 59 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Irene Wallace |
Jean Willes |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Pete Daniels |
Jack Daly |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Judge |
Frederic Worlock |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Autopsy Surgeon |
Pitt Herbert |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Robert Riley |
Don Dillaway |
Helen Harvey |
Marion Ross |
Sergeant Brice |
Lee Miller |
Harry West |
Albert Linville |
Faulkner |
Robert Bice |
Florence Harvey |
Sara Haden |
[Court clerk |
uncredited] |
Stacey Chandler |
John Bryant |
[Maid Doris |
uncredited] |
Margo Laurence | Peggy Maley |
[3-5/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] Stacey (Chandler) gives Helen (Harvey) his mother's cameo, and warns her that she'll hear stories about him, stating, Ive done a lot of things Im not proud of. Helen's aunt Florence Harvey is displeased with Helen's boyfriend, who leaves. Helen says shes going to marry him, then opens the letter, finds a flyer, "The Lover," revealing Stacey as a con man. // [3-9] Stacey is admitted to room 409 Hotel Culver by girlfriend Margo Laurence. She thinks hes fallen for Helen and warns Stacey that if he double-crosses her, shell go to the D A. She hides in the bedroom when there is a knock on the door. It is Irene Wallace, who proposes a con game around Frank Harvey, his girlfriend Helens uncle. He might be declared legally dead so that his will could be probated. He is alive and in L A, she says, suffering amnesia from an auto accident. Hes worth a half million bucks. She wants $10,000 to guarantee he wont recoer. She takes Staceys cigarette out of his mouth, takes a puff on it. She sets a 10 p m appointment at her motel, the Esquire in the Valley, then leaves. Margo is outraged at Irene's cutting in, but Stacey shows the cigarette lighter with Harvey's name and his closest friend's engraved on it to her as proof that Frank is alive. / Helen tells maid Doris she wont see Stacey, but he busts in. She shows the con man letter. He sent it because he planned to never see her again. He shows her the lighter! / Esquire Motel, bungalow 9. Irene's apartment, 8:54 p m. Helen Harvey bursts in looking for her uncle Frank, tells a sob story. She lost her parents when young and Frank took her in. She tries to break into the bedroom, pulls the handle off the door. Wallace ejects her, and the motel manager (Daniels) intervenes, sends Helen on her way. Irene flatters Daniels. Back in the room, Irene lets Florence Harvey out of the bedroom. The door handle lies on the floor. / Helen shows Perry Mason a photo of her uncle, admits she was wrong to go alone to the motel. Mason says that was her second mistake, the first was not calling the police. Helen explains that Florence never forgave Frank for running off with Vivian West, his secretary, who was married to Harry West. Her uncle said she and aunt would share in his will, and the aunt is the executor, though the will is not probated. Mason suggests a strategy that will force Wallace into producing uncle Frank. She hesitates, then leaves. Della Street produces the address of Harry West from the L A telephone book she quickly retrieved as soon as Helen mentioned Wests name. Mason has her call Paul Drake. / Drake drives Mason to Harry Wests place. Drake posing as a policeman informs West they may have a lead on his wife. He got a divorce four years earlier on grounds of desertion, wonders why they have not read the files. She left with Mr Harvey while he sacrificed to make the place she'd like, even bought a couple of acres in Encino for a house. Lieutenant Tragg and Sergeant Brice arrive. Tragg accuses Paul and Perry of impersonating police. Tragg shows West a locket that he bought twelve years before and which they found at the Esquire Motel, bungalow 9 and with which Irene Wallace was strangled to death. It was left behind by someone 56, 120 pounds. Does Mason know anyone like that. Mason knows twenty like that! // [4-9] Drake reports that Faulkner once worked with Irene Wallace on a divorce case, and wouldn't trust her. Helen calls in from Las Vegas, where she and Stacey were married. Mason gives her instructions to return to L A with Stacey. She tells Stacey that Irene was murdered. / Esquire Motel clerk (Pete) Daniels tells Mason how he liked Wallace. Stacey and Helen enter, she in glasses. Mason interposes between Daniels and Helen when clerk tries to say hello to her. Stacey registers, takes their bag and Helen to their room without the proffered guidance of Daniels. Mason tells Daniels youve been more help than you know. / Margo Lawrence tells D A Hamilton Burger and Lt Tragg that she recognizes the cameo. Stacey said it belonged to his mother. Burger is in a leg cast, but promises to give her the very best break he can (but not immunity, which she wants). She identifies Helen Harvey. Tragg says that it is a classic case of the woman scorned, but Burger thinks it gives him what he needs. / Mason enters his office. Paul Drake is on the phone with a report that Margo Laurence has gone to the police and a warrant has been issued for Helen's arrest. Mason tells him to have her surrender, and place everyone under surveillance. / Florence reads the headline in the Los Angeles Chronicle charging "heiress" Helen with murder. Mason confronts her with Wallace having the cigarette lighter, that she must have gotten it from her. He leaves and she opens the safe, pulls out a pocket watch engraved with her husband's initials. She calls telephone information, then West. He accepts her carpentry job offer for 9 p m at a place in Gardena, under the name of Mrs Walter Harris. / Tragg confronts West with the engraved watch, found in a flour canister by Sgt Brice. He says he had a job, but found a vacant lot. / Faulkner reports tailing West to Gardena. Drake reads the report from Walsh, the operative tailing West. Drake reads his report on Florence Harvey. She went directly to West's and walked right in. Mason tells Faulkner to report to Lt Tragg. // [5-9] Court. Hamilton Burger is on crutches. The autopsy surgeon reports on how the garroting was done. Stacey enters the courtroom as Lt Tragg is sworn in by the court clerk. Tragg then reports on the door knob, which had the defendant's fingerprints. He reports on finding the cameo at the Esquire Motel, bungalow 9. Mason catches him on the curiosity of fingerprints in several places, but the outside doorknob wiped clean. West testifies to seeing the necklace about eight years ago, as well as wife, and he called police when she didn't return home. Mason gets him to reveal he was out the eve of the murder, on a job as a carpenter. Daniels identifies the defendant as the woman who had the altercation with Wallace, about 9, and he'd "recognize her anyplace." Mason shows the registration form signed by Chandler. The court clerk marks it for identification, defendants exhibit 1. Did he recognize her as Mrs Stacey Chandler? No. Burger accuses Mason of one of his usual tricks, but the lawyers points out that no felony warrant was issued until twelve hours after Stacey registered. The judge sides with Mason. Burger calls Robert Riley, a traveling salesman, to identify the defendant at the scene of the crime. He was in bungalow 10. She was size 12, 56, 120 pounds. Mason gets him to admit he didn't see her coming out, only on the steps. / Helen admits to Mason that she did go back. Irene was already dead. Mason accuses her of using him and she breaks down. // [6-9] Margo Laurence testifies to a conversation overheard between Wallace and Chandler. Mason discredits her, noting she was in with Chandler on the scheme, knew Wallace wanted cutting in for $10,000. If she knew shed have needed an alibi, she responds, shed have arranged to have company, producing general laughter. She volunteered her information. Was she as cooperative when sent to jail three times before? Objection! Withdrawn. Florence admits she planted husband's watch in West's house to help Helen. She adopted Helen. She identifies the cameo, says her niece said Stacey Chandler gave it to her. Mason gets her to admit that the defendant's share of the estate would be about half a million. The lighter and watch were left by her husband. Did she gave the lighter to Irene Wallace? No. Did she hire Wallace? Yes. Did she give her the locket? Yes. She found it in a jeweler's envelope in her husband's coat pocket, along with a bill for its repair. She left Miss Wallace, alive, at 9:30. Why did she wipe her fingerprints off the doorknob? She cries "I didn't." The judge adjourns due to a pre-trial conference in chambers. / Della doesn't trust Florence Harvey. Paul wishes he could find Frank Harvey. Della notes that he should have come forward, for the trial has been in all the newspapers. Maybe he cant read, chips in Paul. Mason is more concerned with Vivian West, the forgotten woman. / Mason, having bought an oil and mineral rights option, goes to West's Encino property with Paul Drake and a crew who begin digging for uranium. West arrives with a shotgun, but Drake disarms him. Tragg and Burger arrive in a black & white Plymouth Fury to help. West admits he killed Wallace when she suggested to him that she knew where his wife and Harvey were. She had the lighter and the locket, but she just wanted to milk him for a few bucks. Vivian and Frank are buried where he had planned to build her a house. // [7-9] As Della arrives with refreshments, Drake notes the irony of someone trying to frame someone who is guilty. Della gets her explanation from Mason, who always maintained that Irene Walaces murder was tied up with Frank Harvey's disappearance, but the same held true of Vivian West. Mr West was the obvious suspect, comprehends Della, who adds, Poor Mr West. Why poor Mr West? asks Paul. Because he said he owed money all over. He also owned two acres in Encino, you know what theyre worth! Well, he didnt dare sell that. Drake suggests Mason was lucky the option paid off. That was skill, says Della, continuing, Now had Perry been lucky, hed have found uranium! [8-9 end credits] [51:35]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
57* |
21 Feb 59 |
15060/1-28613 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Cleve Niles |
Tom Drake |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Lisa Hiller |
Mary LaRoche |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Sheila Hayes |
Martha Vickers |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Charles Goff |
Harry Jackson |
Danny Ross |
Frankie Laine |
Judge |
S John Launer |
Buzzie |
Bobby Troup |
Coroner |
Jon Lormer |
Freddie Green |
Walter Burke |
[Sgt Brice |
Lee Miller] |
[4-5/1-9 Title credits](1-1) [2-9](1-2) A pianist (Buzzie) is improvising blues. Danny (Ross) is upset with a script; Im not a chuckle man. 3 years hes been off television. Freddie (Green) tries to comfort him. Danny awaits a call from (Charles) Goff about a contract for a show. A womans voice on the phone. He didn't get the show. He picks up an award trophy; Wed better check that. // [3-9](1-3) Charlie Goff brags about the $8 million Brian Halsey account that is now his, as secretary Lisa Hiller listens. He phones the "Times," brags, and Miss Hiller walks out, crossing the entry hall to tell (Cleve Niles) that it is unfair, Charlie stealing a years work from him, since it is he who got the account and therefore must do something. He says he will, but not now. The phone rings and it is Charlie demanding Lisa return to his office. She tells Cleve shes quitting, but he replies that she must stay in Goff's office. As she returns, Ross and Freddie arrive to confront Goff, who suggests that the current show is not for Danny, but the next one will be. They quote several comments Goff made about Danny getting the show. Danny points out that he made the deal with Halsey for Goff, and Goff replies that they wouldn't have Danny, he is old stuff, deader than last seasons joke. Charlie starts a fight, which is broken up by Danny, who states, I sold you to Brian Halsey, now you sold me down the river. Goff threatens to call the police, so Danny and Freddie leave. Miss Hiller enters, the phone rings, and Goff speaks to . . . Sheila Hayes. He tries to beg off her offer, but she claims her champagne reward, at 8:30, black tie. / Perry Mason and Della Street are in the attorneys office. Danny, with Freddie tagging along, rushes in, asks Mason to sue Goff who is a pure 14 carat solid rat. After eight years of laughs, he's been canceled, feels like he's in a dark cave, a canceled comic. He explains that he opened the doors for Goff (whose idea for a show was sensational). Goff was selling him, while he was selling Goff; but the sponsors didn't keep Danny. He has nothing written to support his oral agreement that he was to be sold with the show. Mason says Ill do the best I can to which Danny sighs, yeah. He leaves, with Mason telling him that he always thought his shows were great. Della says that "he makes me want to cry," asks "what's a schnook" out of curiosity for what Danny called himself. / Buzzie is improvising at the piano. Danny takes a gun out of his pocket. Freddie, making like a (very funny) commercial radio announcer, comes up behind him, relieve Danny of the gun. // [4-9](1-4) Next morning Lisa enters the office, answers the ringing phone. No one. She goes into Goffs private office, answers the phone. Sheila Hayes informs her she's still waiting for Charlie to keep his appointment. Lisa notices glasses and the like, then sees Charles, wedged into the kneehole of his desk. She puts glasses and bottles away, fails to see the gun under a chair, taps the phone with her fingers as she calls the police. / Danny and Freddie are eating breakfast. Danny thanks Freddie, then informs him of the murder, gives him an alibi, obviously thinking Freddie may have done it. Buzzie joins them. / Lieutenant Tragg takes Sheila Hayes name from Lisa, who also says she thinks Sheila and Charles were not getting along. Then Lt Tragg instructs Sergeant Brice to get a warrant out for "him," as he asks Lisa about Danny Ross. Mason and Niles look on. Tragg then shows Mason the dead Goff. / Tragg, with Mason and Brice, enters Ross's place, questions the piano player, who is smoking, to no effect. When Buzzie blows smoke at Tragg, the lieutenant comments I thought I smelled tea. Buzzie asks him to buzz off. Danny and Freddie come down the stairs, and Tragg arrests Freddie. / Mason's office. Danny says he gave the gun, the murder weapon, to Freddie. Just get him off. He leaves. Paul Drake reports that the police were able to identify his fingerprints quickly because he has a record. Freddie went from two-bit operations to luxury living with Ross. / At a downstairs cafe, the Purple Wall, a beat joint, a guitarist picks away. Drake observes Buzzie enter, then joined by Sheila. / Drake reports on where Freddie and Buzzie were the night of the murder. Buzzie was with Sheila Hayes at the Purple Wall. She owns a very expensive car. / Hayes enters on an embrace between Niles and Hiller. She now owns the place, including the Halsey contract, but thinks the three should cooperate to keep the district attorney from wondering if one of them did the murder. // [5-9](1-5) In jail, Freddie admits that when he got home, neither Ross nor Buzzie were there. / In court the coroner tells District Attorney Hamilton Burger that wounds on both sides of the head were caused by one bullet, ricocheting inside the skull. He quotes from the text Legal Medicine; Typology and Toxology. Mason objects, then proceeds to use the same book to check the coroner's judgment, reading out considerable medical terminology. The doctor admits that the ricocheting bullet could have produced damage that would hide other possibilities. Tragg testifies only to the gun being found about 6 feet from the body. Mason then asks him as an expert observer about the bruises on the victim's head. Tragg adroitly parries this and following questions. The defendant's fingerprints were found only on the gun, nowhere else in the room. Hiller testifies that only she and Cleve Niles knew of the Halsey transaction before 3:30. She says that the entire idea had been worked out by Niles. Mr Goff did not mention Ross at the presentation to Halsey. She let Ross know by phone at 5; I felt sorry for him. Ross explains his answers rather than giving a simple yes or no. The judge admonishes him. Buzzie leans on the rail behind Mason and Freddie smiles up at the lawyer. Danny claims that he stopped the fight. Burger asks Ross to identify the murder weapon and Mason objects on the grounds that death may have been by a skull fracture rather than the gun shot. Sustained. Ross admits he was not with the defendant all night. He says he was at the beach. Burger tries to discredit his witness, and Mason objects. Ross admits he called the CEO of Halsey, Mr Bryant, at 9:30, and was told that Goff convinced Bryant that Ross was wrong for the show. Burger says, then, that the witness did not know that Freddie had also telephoned Bryant and received the same info. Ross says that if Freddie did it, he did it for him and that he, Ross, should go to the gas chamber. Danny bursts out that Freddie didnt kill him, he just knows. The judge admonishes him, then adjourns overnight. Della starts out of the courtroom behind a very depressed Danny. // [6-9](1-6) Freddie tells Mason that he killed Goff, but Mason shows the illogic of this. Freddie then says he prevented Ross from suicide when he took the gun from him. When he got home and Ross wasn't there but Buzzie is. He tells Buzzie not to let Danny out if he comes back, and why. Then he went to Goff's, found the scene of a fight, and Goff dead. So he shot the guy, threw the gun under the chair, and scrammed. Was Goff dead? He wasnt bleeding. / Buzzie is at the piano in the Purple Wall. Tragg, Drake, Mason, Street and, separately, Hayes. Buzzie joins Hayes, Mason joins them. Buzzie is blue about squares, liars, hypocrites, slaves. Buzzie is big daddy, hes beat, alone. Squares dont swing. Goff was a square. He didnt belong. Boffo. Sheila suggests "Let's split" and, as they leave, Mason signals Tragg who, with Brice, follows Hayes and Buzzie out of the cafe. // [7-9](1-7) Tragg tells Mason that he is releasing Hayes. She told Buzzie about Goff standing her up and that, with the Ross double-cross, was too much for him to take. He borrowed her car, drove to Goffs place, hit him with a wrench. An hour later he was back at the Purple Wall. Hiller cleaned the office covering, she thought, for her boyfriend Niles. "The only chance for a square is to be born again" is the phrase Buzzie uttered at the Purple Wall to Mason which tipped him off, for that explained the stuffing of Goff in the kneehole. When Tragg says Im beat and Della makes fun of it with dig the hipster, the lieutenant answers proudly with a string of beat language; Dont bug me, Granny. Im one of the cool ones. I don't dig slick chicks trying to goof me up, (turning to Mason) Daddy-O. [8-9 end credits](1-8) [51:37](51:23)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
58 |
7 Mar 59 |
13493/4-28600 |
|
Produced by Ben Brady Directed by Arthur Marks Teleplay by Richard Macaulay & Seeleg Lester
[5-5/1-9 Title credits](3-1) [2-9](3-2) Inside a white mansion, a woman (Winifred Oakley) plays the piano. A man (Stuart Baxter) descends a spiral staircase, gives a good look at the nurse (Edith Devoe) as she goes up. Upstairs a Siamese cat (Monsoon) sits on the man in bed. The nurse enters, answers the telephone. Peter Baxter takes a call from Mr Hilliard of the bank, confirms that John Hing's check should be cashed. Hing collects $5,000, which he puts in a valise. / Night at the mansion. Hing, carrying flammable liquid, places cloth at a window flower box, sprinkles liquid on and around it, ignites it, watches the blaze as the whole mansion goes up in flames. / Los Angeles Chronicle headline reads MILLIONAIRE PETER BAXTER PERISHES IN FIERY DEATH. // [3-9](3-3) Roland & Waite law offices; the reading of Baxters will by Gordon Roland. Various bequests are read, then $1 each go to Kenneth and Stuart (cousins) and grand daughter Winifred Oakley. The remainder ($3.5 million) goes to caretaker Hing. An earlier will, giving the three each a third, was changed two weeks earlier. Confronted, Hing, holding the Siamese cat, says he has never contradicted Mr Baxter's wishes, do they expect him to start now? / Hing consults Perry Mason. The cousins are contesting the will, but Oakley has not, though Doctor Douglas Keene disagrees with her. Hing pays $500 cash out of savings as a retainer, leaves. Della Street comments, He seems a curious mixture. . . of a man not quite sure of himself, yet knowing exactly whe he wants and quietly getting it. Without being prompted, she phones Paul Drake. / Beverly Hills Doctors Hospital. Dr Keene, with Winifred Oakley, is told (by nurse Watson) that a James Hing wanted to see him and also a Lieutenant Tragg. In the doctors office, they smell fumes, find volatile spirits, a highly flammable paint thinner, same as that which caused the fire. Keene suggests that Hing planted it, but Winifred doesnt believe it. Keene wants Winifred to go along with the story, but she sees him as money-grabbing. / At night Hing is carrying a shovel and the Siamese cat. He digs, as Lieutenant Tragg, partner Sergeant Brice and a policeman watch, hidden in brush. Hing uncovers the valise in which he'd taken the money from the bank. / Della receives a call from Hing who is at police headquarters. He needs to be in touch by 11 p m. Hes being held for murder. D A Hamilton Burger and Lt Tragg stand over him. / 12:38 a m. Mason interviews Hing in jail. Hing admits to starting the fire. The attorney notes that Hing took Monsoon, the Siamese cat, to the vet just before he set the mansion on fire. Now Hing avoids all of Mason's questions. Mason tells Hing to find other counsel. / Mason and Paul Drake discuss the situation. / Police Headquarters. Mason confronts Hing. All the unanswered questions suggest that Baxter is still alive. // [4-9](3-4) Hing admits he was to meet Baxter by 11 p m to give him $5,000. This was to be a test of what his heirs would do if cut off. He thinks a doctor was to help put another body in the bed. Says he'd do it again, out of loyalty, respect and love, having been loyal for almost 25 years. Mr Hilliard was at the mansion when he took Monsoon to the vet, but was gone when he returned. Attorney Roland has a letter explaining Baxters actions. Mason takes Hing as his client. / Drake tries to get Roland to admit of the letter. He says it would take a judicial order. / Mason speaks to Hilliard regarding Hings withdrawal and his visit to the Baxter mansion at 7 p m the eve of the murder. The front door had been left open. Hilliard is executor of the estate. / Hamilton Burger's office. Mason asks how badly the body was burned. Burger states that the body is definitely Baxter's. / A waiter prepares a salad, breaking a raw egg into the greens, for Drake and Mason as they await lunch. Drake is asked to plant the idea of a later will. The waiter delivers the salad. / NEW BAXTER WILL HINTED reads a newspaper secondary headline. Perry arrives at his office as Della hangs up on a phone call from Burger. Stuart Baxter is awaiting Mason. He wants to split the inheritance evenly including Hing, He argues how this will help Hing, but Mason, knowing there is no later will, only says he'll convey the offer to Hing but not recommend its acceptance. Stuart says he will testify for Hing, say his cousin Kenneth, who was close to nurse Devoe, murdered the elder Baxter. Stuart goes out the back door as Kenneth comes in the front. He, too, wants to split the estate, and will testify against Stuart, who was close to nurse Devoe. The phone interrupts. Roland calls to deny the idea of a later will, also no letter. It is a fabrication of Hing. / Nurse Edith Devoe says that her job was a good one. Baxter refused to take a sedative on the eve of his death. Mason tells her of the Hing-Baxter plot. Sounds like Mr Baxter. She tries on her cute nurses hat as she suggests that it was a tough break for Winifred. // [5-9](3-5) Court. The autopsy surgeon is sworn in by the court clerk. Hamilton Burger examines the doctor regarding the post mortem autopsy. Dental records prove the dead man is Peter Baxter. Mason gets the doctor to admit that Baxter was under heavy sedation at the time of death, and the sedation could have caused his death. Next, paint store clerk Nelson testifies to Hing's buying volatile spirits. John Hilliard testifies to delivery of $5000 to Hing. To get some overheard info admitted, Burger calls Miss Devoe. She testifies to long private conversation between Hing and Baxter on the day of the fire, and says Hing seemed to have some kind of strange influence over Baxter. Mason crosses her regarding hearing conversations. Her idea of power over Baxter remains unverified. Mr Gordon T Roland testifies to the amount of the legacy and the absence of later wills or mysterious envelope or letter. During recess, Hing admits to Mason that it was unwise for me to believe that this plan could not be upset. Mason notes that Hilliard and Roland are conferring, sets Paul to finding out about insurance claims paid on the fire. // [6-9](3-6) Mason asks for Hilliard to be recalled. The court clerk calls out his name. No claim has been made on the on fire damage, because fire insurance was canceled two days before the fire by Baxter (therefore, Baxter did not commit felony in setting fire to his own house). Hilliard is the one who has the envelope that Mason has been seeking. Despite Burger's objection, the judge orders Hilliard to produce and open the letter. Nurse Watson testifies to Hing's visit to the hospital. She testifies that the defendant was not carrying anything, but Burger gets her to say she could not see one hand. Dr Keene testifies that the bottle of volatile spirits was planted. On the night of the murder, he was at a play with Winifred Oakley, with tickets given him by the defendant. Also, as Mason elicits, anyone could have gone into his room while he was out. He had access to narcotics, but not easily. But the testimony by the nurse was that Baxter took no sedative that night, yet he was heavily sedated. Keene missed the first act for, at the theater, he got a note and headed back to the hospital to see a patient. Yes, he could have stopped at the Baxter house on his way back, but he didnt. A note from Della prompts Mason to consider another possibility. Kenneth Baxter also got tickets, from Peter Baxter. He left the mansion at 6:30, met Stuart after the theater, returned to find the fire put out. Did he ask nurse Devoe to join him. No, why should I? Miss Watson is called back over Burgers objection that this should be part of the defendants case. She admits that it is routine for a doctor to request and sign for narcotics. "It just came back to me" she remembers, that each school of nursing has its own distinctive cap, and she saw a strange cap, a cute one. She identifies Edith Devoe as the woman she saw at the hospital around noon. The judge calls Devoe forward, forseeing Masons next move. Devoe left the Baxter home at 7 p m. Did she work with an accomplice? She prepared the sedative, then names Stuart, says he returned at theater intermission. Mason says they checked, and he didn't leave the theater. Then Mason confronts her with her love of Kenneth, that when he testified he knew the information he, Mason, gave only to her. Kenneth admits that he did it, he "never got away with anything in my whole life." // [7-9](3-7) Burger tells Mason on the phone how it happened. The sedative caused the murder. Instead of calling the doctor for the substitute body, he was asleep from a sedative Devoe got him to take. Kenneth returned to administer the overdose during the intermission not knowing of the later will. Hing, holding Monsoon, admits he went to the hospital to tell Keene not to have Oakley contest the will - she was the only one who truly loved Baxter - but he couldnt do it. At the end, Baxter was like a sick eagle. Thus, he was the only one true to Baxter throughout. [8-9 end credits](3-8) [51:34](51:15)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
59 |
14 Mar 59 |
13492/2-28600 |
|
[2-5/1-9 Title credits](1-1) [2-9](1-2) Outside a hotel. / Inside, a bellhop comes out of room 213. Two men climb a stair, turn from 213 to 214. Bishop Mallory receives the two, (Wallace) Lang, an advertising consultant for the TRIBUNE, and his partner (Leo Kaster). Lang reads the bishops two-month old ad; Im looking for a young lady, approximately 24 years of age, preferably someone from the midwest, who can speak French and play the piano. They claim to be doing a survey on the effectiveness of their ads. They don't have ID, but Leo has a gun. Bishop says they're working for Charles Burroughs. Lang turns on the radio, loud. Leo beats up the bishop. It is 6:15. / [3-9](1-3) 7:40. Bishop Mallory wakes up to a ransacked room. Carol Delaney takes a cold cloth to his face. Shes there in answer to his ad. He calls the front desk and cancels her order for a doctor. As he cross examines her he sees her birthmark, tells her that she's heir of millions. He came from Sydney, Australia on the Princeton some five months earlier. He then explains how it all came about that she became the orphaned grandchild of Charles Burroughs. He shows a newspaper photo of Janice Burroughs, explains that Carols real father, Charles Burroughs, Jr, died before she was born. He was disinherited when he married her mother, so mom was bitter. The Delaneys took her, changed her name to Carol, all in Albany, New York. If he knew so much, she asks, why didnt he just place an ad with her name; shes wise to how he drew the information out of her. / She's at dinner with Larry Kenyon, who argues that she should accept Mallory's offer. Lang arrives to ward off Carol. His job is to keep Burroughss name out of the papers. After mild threats, he suggests Carol keep her skirts clean, leaves. This convinces Larry she should at least see a lawyer. / Carol and Mallory at Perry Mason's office. Does she felieve shes Burroughss granddaughter? Not originally, but Lang changed her mind. Mallory offers $50,000 if Mason can prove Carol is the granddaughter of Burroughs. Mason hesitates. After the Bishop and Carol leave, Della wonders about a bishop who stutters. / Mason arrives at Burroughss. / Janice Burroughs, the girl in the newspaper photo, warns her granddad Charles not to get upset. He then insults his nephew Philip. Mason confronts an unfriendly Burroughs, who disdains the lawyer, putting a golf ball on the rug. Burroughs states that Bishop Mallory is a fake. He sends Janice out, then tells Mason that eight years earlier he sought his granddaughter with the help of Wallace Lang. He is changing his will tomorrow to give money to "Janice" whether or not related. Mason suggests that this is Burroughss admission that he knows Miss Burroughss claim wont hold up. // [4-9](1-4) Larry tells Carol he talked with a lawyer. Phone; Burroughs orders Larry to have Carol at his place at 5:30. / Della tells Mason that Philip has been waiting since 5:30. He tells Mason that his uncle sent him and presents Mason $5,000 in a sealed envelope. Mason rejects the bribe and Philip is delighted. / Philip returns home; Janice is coming down the stairs in her riding togs. They see blood under the library door. Philip breaks in to a dark room. He enters, tries the light switch. It doesnt work. As Janice waits outside, he says that he has to turn on a desk lamp. Uncle Charles is found on the floor with a knife in his chest. The clock strike the time, seven oclock. Janice sees the dead man, screams, breaks down. Philip suggests that her affection for the old boy was less than his. He then threatens Janice with revelation of her secret marriage four years earlier. They quibble over who has the best alibi, her horse riding, or he in Perry Masons office, at 5:30. Philip demands 50% of the estate, or he'll tell Lang. He will blame Carol Delaney. When Janice went out at 5:30, she noticed that someone was in the drive. / Los Angeles Chronicle headline reads CHARLES BURROUGHS MURDERED. Lieutenant Tragg examines Carol Delaney. She got toe Burroughss at 5:30, rang the bell three or four times, waited twenty minutes, then left. Sergeant Brice brings in a butcher's fork found in her kitchen. It matches the murder knife. / In jail, Carol Delaney tells Mason that Bishop Mallory was to have met her at the Burroughs house. Did Mallory inform her of the new will leaving everything to Janice? Yes. The Bishop has disappeared. // [5-9](1-5) Paul Drake has found that the Bishop has rented a brand new convertible. The Clinton hotel desk clerk said he never noticed anything wrong with his speech. He has located a doctor who went to school with the real bishop, but now cannot get a photo of Mallory. Hes gotten no information of Janice. Mason gives Drake his orders. / Drake gets a ringer at Mason's suggestion. He introduces Janice to her "Mom," Blanche Atkins, who is really an operative. Atkins skillfully draws out Janices real background. Lang shows up and Janice is apprised of Masons trick, for hed used Drakes operative himself. Drake and Atkins leave. Lang phones Phil to join him. He wants to remind him that a gentleman never blackmails a lady. / Nephew Philip tells Mason that Janice and Lang are married. He shows a letter revealing Lang's plan to fool Charles Burroughs. When he leaves, Della comments that He has all the finer instincts of a scorpion. Now the problem is that, since the will leaves everything to Burroughss grandchild, Carol has a perfect and precise motive for murder. / Deputy District Attorney Weston asks the judge to continue the trial in the absence of District Attorney Hamilton Burger. The doctor sets the death at 5:30-7:00. Could he, Mason asks, been reclining? Yes. Charles Burroughs was taking a sedative, Nembutal. Kenyon last saw the murder weapon the day before the murder. We hear the court clerk swear in Philip Burroughs, who then is asked to testify about the existing will, but Mason suggests the will itself is better evidence, and the judge agrees. Mason asks when Janice entered the library, and why the delay. Philip explains about the broken light switch that controlled the lamps. Mason then "discovers" a loan to Philip from S J Hires in San Diego for a $20,000 note payable on the death of his uncle. On redirect it is shown that it was in the best interest of Philip to keep his uncle alive. Wallace Lang testifies that he worked for Burroughs for seven years. No force was applied to Mallory to get him to admit he and Carol were frauds. He'd found Janice thru a step by step investigation leading from Cheboygan, Wisconsin {there is no Cheboygan in Wisconsin, but one across Lake Michigan in Michigan; did that clue Mason he was lying?}, to Pittsburgh. The Deputy D A objects to this line of reasoning. The judge overrules regarding the motivation, bias and interest of the witness. Mason introduces a document showing Janice Burroughs is Mildred White, married to Lang. The judge orders the prosecutor to investigate possible perjury charges against the witness. Drake reports that he hasnt found the bishop. // [6-9](1-6) A teen age boy leads Lt Tragg to a place on the wharf. A skin diver brings up a valise and says he has found Mallorys rented convertible. Tragg has found the drowned Bishop. / Deputy District Attorney Watson reveals the finding and identification of the Bishop, corroborated by a school friend. He had a bruise on his temple. Mason recalls Philip Burroughs, who reads Lang's letter to Janice. Philip is the son of Charles Burroughs, thus, sole survivor, except his grandchild. Mason tells Philip Burroughs he sedated his uncle, then murdered him at seven. He didnt report to the police quickly because he needed a long talk with Janice. He entered the dark room alone! Stabbing a man sedated with Nembutal is no problem. The blood on the carpet, asserts Mason, won't match the murdered man. It was the murderers window dressing. // [7-9](1-7) Mason explains to Carol that Philip had two things to do, discredit Janice as the rightful heir, and frame her, Carol, for the murder. He had to kill the bishop or shed have had an alibi. He got her knife after he killed the bishop. He reads a letter, found in Bishop Mallorys effects by the police, that proves she is the heiress. She decides that she will see her errant mom, Mrs Charles Burroughs, Jr. who, in the letter, asked the Bishops forgiveness. [8-9 end credits](1-8) [51:34](51:24)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
60 |
21 Mar 59 |
22192/ 22-35230 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Frank Brooks |
Stacy Harris |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Jim West |
Richard Erdman |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
John Gifford |
David Lewis |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Michael Dwight |
Robert McQueeney |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins] |
Judge |
Richard Gaines |
Faith Foster |
Joanne Gilbert |
Gertie |
Connie Cezon |
Helen Dwight |
Katharine Bard |
Court Clerk |
George E Stone |
(Ernie) Royce |
Jerome Cowan |
[Sgt Brice |
Lee Miller] |
[3-5/1-9 Title credits](3-1) [2-9](3-2) Playwright (Ernie Royce) is reading his play to a group, including (John) Gifford, the producer. Royce asks for comments, gets none. As the playwright is ready to continue, he finds only blank pages where the last act should be. He then searches folders in his office. // [3-9](3-3) Ernie hasnt found his copy of the last act. (Jim) West, publicist, expresses his dislike of the play. Helen Dwight, actress, doesn't like it either, and Gifford, her husband, finds "no kindness" in it just a snarling viciousness. Press agent Jim insists this is not what the public expects from Royce. Playwright Royce insists for the first time as a writer Im telling the truth, for it is written from life, and he will not change his play. Why condemn these unfortunate people without a trial? asks Helen. Gifford asserts he wont produce unless it is rewritten. He will rewrite the third act by the end of the week. The group leaves, though Faith Foster, quietly sitting through all, kisses Royce after the others leave. Frank (Brooks) arrives, enters after the other two have hidden. Frank finds Royce, who fakes innocence. He asks for Faith, then threatens to take both his money and his girl out of the show. He demands the money by the evening (banks are open until 6 on Fridays, and it is 5). If he aint got it (he) aint gonna get another chance to get it, leaves. All he has said was recorded on a Dictaphone. Faith, having watched, enters, says she can control Frank if the play is rewritten to be sympathetic to her part. Royce threatens to reveal her to Frank. She says shed kill him but hed probably kill you first retorts the playwright. / Gifford and the Dwights confer, try to reach Royce on the phone, fail. / 9 p m. Helen, in seductive gossamer and tight pants, welcomes Frank to her apartment with a kiss. He notes that he didnt see her when others left the reading. She explains that Royce is a typical howling wolf, she can handle him. It is an opportunity she wants. He wants her. She wants to be happy, so he should forget about Royce. / Midnight. Royce begins dictating the third act, is shot. // [4-9](3-4) Perry Mason's office. Della Street answers the office phone. Gertie, in the outer office, tells them Brooks is there. He interrupts with $10,000 in cash for the lawyer that handles his case. Brooks enters, is offered a chair by Della, stands. He asks Mason to defend him for the murder of Royce. He made his money in the rackets, particularly the Brook drive-ins, eat the best, east to west. He invested $75 grand in Royce's play. Its tax deductible if a loss! He doesnt like being taken and he has no alibi. Mason shows him why he shouldn't worry, returns the $10,000. / Brooks gives Foster a chunk of money, tells her to get out of town. She says she doesnt know why she should go away when it was he who threatened Royce. He now knows she was there overhearing him. This makes Brooks see her in a different light, and again he orders her to get out of town. Lieutenant Tragg, with Sergeant Brice, enters, presents a warrant for murder to Brooks with a tap on the shoulder and the quip, youre it. / Mason is backstage at the Fidelity Studios where he is greeted by West, then Gifford, who is busy with two Pictures here and a play in New York every year. He admits that he met Brooks only once when he brought him a check. He has produced four Royce flops, none of which were artistic. Mason asks for a copy of the play. West lives and loves theater, disliked Royce because he was a litter bug." West and Mason leave Gifford; in the background a director calls out the start of shooting for a scene. / Gifford returns home, kisses Helen after saying hello to Michael Dwight. Helen and John discuss their love of each other via theatre. Helen quietly wonders if their theatre world is wrong. Well know when the curtain falls on the last act. Michael drinks. // [5-9](3-5) Mason asks Della to get Michael Dwight on the phone as he reads the script, finding it unpleasant. She wonders why one would publish such a work. Mason suggests a publisher will print anything that is paid for. / Mason and Michael Dwight, Helen Dwights and John Gifford's business manager, are at dinner discussing contracts. Mason asks about Helens binding run-of-the-play contract. Dwight asserts that Royce is dead and the play died with him. Paul Drake arrives and the trio leave Michael to his drink. Drake tells Mason that Brooks was trying to keep Faith Foster out of the case. Brooks was earlier involved in a killing on the east coast 12 years earlier, and the bullet that killed Royce was from the same gun as the east coast murder. Mason is certain that the killer is a character in the play and Brooks resembles none, unless he was in the last act, the lost last act. // [6-9](3-6) Court. Tape from Royce's Dictaphone is being played. For D A Hamilton Burger, Michael Dwight identifies the two voices; Royce, Brooks. West then testifies that Brooks invested in Foster's career, knew of Royce-Foster relationship. Mason objects and Burger agrees, withdraws his question as then ordered by the judge. About 12 years ago West wrote as newsman about the earlier east coast murder, saw Helen Dwight on stage then in Mr Gifford's first production, wrote in his review that he loved her. He still does. Mason reads from the play, asks if it refers to the east coast murder. Hamilton Burger objects that the content of the play is irrelevant and, having read the play, quotes Shakespeare to the tune of "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." "Nature is above art" retorts Mason. Royce wrote his characters into his playand Royce was murdered exactly as is written in the play. Mason submits that the play is based on the east coast murder. Burger apologizes, stipulates that the contents of the play may relate to the murder, and he will not object to their introduction. West then says that he cannot be certain that the (current) play is about the earlier murder, because he hasn't seen the last act. Gifford testifies to Brooks demanding "the best of everything, no money spared" for Foster and that he offered if he didnt like it, he could have his money back. Brooks whispers to Mason that this is a lie. Mason has Gifford read the notice of his first play, with Dwight in her first appearance, and Royce's first play. The court clerk marks it in evidence. Mason then asks how he got this first production changed to a new playwright, and got money for a first play. Was the money not from a notorious gangster, backing an unknown actress? Burger objects. Mason again quotes from the play, suggests that Gifford's answers will clarify the issue. Gifford equivocate, saying several times that he doesnt remember. Mason asks, after Della enters court and signals him, why did Gifford write Royce a $75,000 check the same day he got Brooks's check for the same amount. He gets angry; "it's my show and I run it my way" he shouts. Mason submits that every Royce play Gifford produced was a form of blackmail. Royce brought a backer to the play, Gifford paid Royce. Royce knew Gifford killed the east coast gangster, Volpone, with whom Helen had fallen in love (Mason is holding the cover of "The Third Act," which Gifford sees). Where is the gun that killed Ric Volpone? Gifford produces the murder gun, admits to the Volpone murder, says Royce said hed dispose of it. Gifford gives a moving, theatrical, speech about his twelve year's suffering. Mason then surprises everyone, stating that Gifford did not kill Royce, nor Helen the gangster. West accuses Michael Dwight, who admits that he killed the gangster. He killed Royce because Royce never let Helen forget it. Helen runs to her husband, who thought he was protecting her, they embrace, and John thanks Mason for preventing "a cheap and melodramatic anticlimax." // [7-9](3-7) "Michael killed Royce with Gifford's gun," says Della, and Mason confirms. Helen knew Michael was the murderer on the east coast, and Gifford got the gun through her, thus thought she was the murderer. Same triple play this time, only Royce was snuffed out. Mason got his hint from Gifford, when he said Michael was away making a phone call during the visit to Royce's. Lt Tragg enters, wonders how Mason found the lost Last Act. Mason gives him the script, full of blank pages. Tragg is there because all were invited to one of Brook's (nationwide) hamburger drive-ins, where the hamburger is flaming, on a sword. Tragg offers Mason the hamburger, he'll eat the sword. [8-9 end credits](3-8) [51:37](51:31)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
61 |
4 Apr 59 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Ronny Fowler |
Allen Case |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Barbara Heywood |
Andrea King |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Judge |
Frederic Worlock |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Dr. Hexie |
Michael Fox |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Court Clerk |
George E Stone |
Dr David Craig |
Dick Foran |
Faulkner |
John McKee |
Edith Douglas |
Marianne Stewart |
Martha |
Jane Eager |
Dana Lewis |
Norma Moore |
[Sgt Brice |
Lee Miller] |
Peter Heywood |
Phillip Terry |
(Bailiff |
uncredited) |
Mark Douglas |
Barry McGuire |
(Miss Wallace |
uncredited) |
Produced by Ben Brady Directed by William D Russell Teleplay by Seeleg Lester
[4-5/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] A woman drives up to an apartment in an Edsel convertible, gets out, looks at the registration on an adjacent convertible. She goes inside, enters apartment 4D, is greeted by brother Mark (Douglas). She, Edith, says she'll help him out of a $4,000 gambling debt. Mark asks sis to help him get from analyst Dr (David) Craig a tape of (Peter) Heywood, husband of Barbara whom he's met, who is playing around. Mrs Heywood has offered Mark $5,000. He threatens being dumped in the ocean if she doesn't help. She tells him to wait (hes too smug about getting her help). // [3-9] Dr Craig's office. Audiotape recording to a Scotch tape reel, with Peter Heywood on couch, insisting to Craig that he caused his wife's alcoholism. Next he mentions Dana (Lewis), his affair. He leaves and Edith brings in tea, takes the tape. In the outer office she tells (silent) Miss Wallace the doctor will see her soon, then puts the tape in the office safe. / Night. Mark climbs thru the window into Dr Craigs office, goes to the safe and opens it with a key, takes out five tapes. / Perry Mason's office. Dr Craig is blaming himself for the break-in to his safe, from which a tape of Peter Heywood, president of Heywood Aircraft, was stolen. Craig tells Perry Mason of Heywood's affair. Paul Drake enters, is asked to look at a key, finds wax from an impression, leaves. Mason asks who has use of the key. No idea. How often does the nurse use that key, also gets no answer. Hell take if from here, Craig says as he leaves. Mason then tells Della Street he thinks Craig is in love with his nurse. / Mark admits Ronny (Fowler), tells him he didn't go to Craig's. Sis enters, is introduced, and Fowler leaves. Sis then demands the return of the tape. Dr Craig arrives, tells Edith what Mason said about the key and her. Mark intervenes. Craig grabs him by the throat, saying, I could kill you. Mark then gives the tapes to Craig, who has the recorded one played to prove its authenticity. Edith apologizes. Mark starts the tape. Edith asks to speak for five minutes to David, outside, in his car. They leave. Mark then calls Barbara Heywood, who sends the maid out of the room, then hears his demand of $10,000, twice the original requirement. After she agrees to try, he takes one of two tapes from the back of a mirror. / Peter Heywoods secretary, Dana Lewis, announces Mark to her boss over the intercom. Mark shows the tape to Heywood, who takes the tape, grabs Mark by the collar. Mark says he has another copy, wants $20,000. Heywood throws him out. Dana joins him. He tells her, if my wife ever gets ahold of it, itll be the end of everything. // [4-9] Mason receives Craig's call. The doctor admits to being world's prize chump, for Mark had a copy, and Heywood just left his office after saying Mark wants $20,000. / Mason and Drake go to 4D, find Mark dead. There are no tapes behind the mirror. The doorbell buzzes. It is Ronny Fowler, but Mason and Drake do not see him. As they exit, Ronny is around the corner. / Drake reads the newspaper headline; POLICE DISCOVER MURDER VICTIM, who was shot with a .38, and Craig bought a .38 seven months ago, and has a motive. Mason notes three others did also. Lieutenant Tragg enters after Drake quickly exits, asks where Perry was the previous evening, trying to trap him. Mason skirts the issue successfully, noting that, as a citizen, hed have a duty to report a murder but, as an attorney, he has no such duty if identifying himself might betray his client. Dr Craigs fingerprints were found on the phone at the murder site; Mason had avoided using the phone. Craig has been arrested; Youd think a man like that would have something to live for comments Tragg. / Jail. Mason asks Craig why he has a death wish and did not call him. The police have the cab driver who took him to the apartment building. He went to Mark Douglas's to kill Mark, but found him dead. He threw his gun off the breakwater in Long Beach. Mason then traces Craig's steps. He knew Edith was home because he called her after Heywood left him, so she knew Mark had made the visit. He knows Edith and she couldnt have done it. Yet he has just admitted that he doesnt even know himself. / Edith admits to Mason that Mark was no good, and it was my fault. When she left the apartment, she looked for Mark. When she got back, the police were there. Mason points out that her brother was working both sides of the street, not just Mrs, as she thought. She tells Mason of Ronny Fowler's visit. / Mason tells secretary Lewis that hes there to see Peter Heywood. She tries to prevent this, but Heywood comes out to find out why she is not answering the intercom. She vociferously defends Heywood. As Mason starts out, he asks her if her name is "Dana." / Night. Drake with operative (Faulkner) watch a car arrive. It is Mason in his Cadillac convertible. Mrs Heywood has been in the house all eve, and Fowler recently joined her. A police car drives up. Lt Tragg and Sgt Brice, enter to see Mrs Heywood. Police come out with Mrs and Fowler, and the tape. Drake observes, not bad. Mason counters, from where Im standing, it couldnt be worse. / D A Hamilton Burger's office. The tape is being placed on a recorder. Mrs Heywood says she loaned the money that was found on Fowler to help in his recording business. He's given her one of his hi-fi tapes, and demands it back. Lt Tragg, first, plays it. The tape has "Taylor Adams" advertising Ecko high fidelity tape. When Mrs Heywood hears this, she accuses Fowler of being a thief. Fowler tells Burger of Mark's theft of the Craig tape. Burger now has Dr Craigs motive. // [5-9] Court. Mason inspects a bullet, then the court clerk marks it for identification. Dr Hexie tells Hamilton Burger that he removed the bullet from the victims brain and describes the time and manner of death. Lt Tragg testifies to finding the defendant's fingerprints several places at the murder site. He found a gun permit in the defendant's name for a 38 calibre Smith and Wesson revolver. Mason asks, concerning fingerprints, what others were found, such as Ronny Fowler's. Yes, his were, checked through the FBI. If Mason wants to go into Mr Fowlers criminal record, I suggest offers the judge, you wait until hes called as a witness. Bullet could have come from any of over 100,000 similar .38s. No effort was made to recover the defendant's gun off the breakwater. Burger gets the judge to admonish Miss Douglas to answer directly and without any side excursions. Miss Douglas now admits her brother asked her for money, then for a wax impression of the safe key. The following morning he had five recording tapes and, at noon, Dr Craig demanded the tapes which Mark gave him. Peter Heywood says Mark Douglas came to him about 3:00, demanded $20,000 for a tape. He threw him out, went to Craig who said he was mistaken, but he'd listened to the tape and knew it was the McCoy. Craig exploded, said "he'd get every copy back if he had to kill Mark Douglas." Craig pleads with Mason to not ask what is on the tape. Mason asks if Heywood didn't think Mark and the doctor were working together. Yes. Then he didn't believe Heywood's threat. What measures did he take to defend himself? Nothing. Indecision was his big problem. Then, when he left the office, what did he do? He went (pause) directly home. "He's lying" cries out Mrs Heywood. The judge, already verbose in his rulings, sentences her to five days in jail for contempt. // [6-9] Mason, in his office with Drake and Street, says it is necessary to find how many copies of the tape were made, and how many are around. Everyone argues as to who needed the tape, with Della and Paul figuring that Mrs Heywood is least likely because she needed only one copy, and Perry suggests that Edith Douglas is the key. / Barbara Heywood throws just-lit cigarette away and answers phone when the maid, Martha, does not respond. It is Edith Douglas, wanting to speak to Mr Heywood, for she's found something important. Barbara says she should call his girl friend. / Barbara confronts Edith at 4D, demanding, with gun in hand, the tape that she's found. Edith says she destroyed it. Barbara says she searched the apartment. At this point, Tragg enters, with Brice and Mason. Tragg takes her and her gun. Edith thinks she should leave town, but Mason tells her that Dr Craig understands. Even though there were no mobsters, she believed there were, and chose to protect her brother. // [7-9] EX MOVIE STAR CONFESSES MURDER is Los Angeles Chronicle headline. Suppose Mrs Heywood killed Mark first, then couldn't find the tape because his sister had destroyed it. Della confesses she eventually liked Dana Lewis, "I don't know a secretary who would go to bat like that for her boss." Mason slyly retorts, "I don't either! Della gives him a querulous look. [8-9 end credits] [51:33]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
62 |
11 Apr 59 |
20450/15-31567 |
|
[5-5/1/9 Title credits](3-1) [2-9](3-2) Outside a fence on a stormy night. Inside a nurse walks into a darkened room. A woman (Evelyn Forbes) knocks out the nurse with a large pitcher, takes and puts on her clothes, walks out of the Bayliss Sanitarium. // [3-9] New York City. Dr Bayliss tells (Arthur) Cartright that he cannot understand why his sister ran away. He gives Cartright full authority rather than call the police, and leaves. Cartright calls Paul Drake. / Stock establishing shot of L A Freeway. / Paul sets (Rod) Andrews up in a room to observe Forbes's former husband's house. {One wonders if this isnt the same white porticoed mansion used in several other episodes.} / Later, a cab arrives with Evelyn Forbes, who rushes to the German shepherd (Sammy). Clinton Forbes comes out. She asks for the $125,000 he stole from her. She pulls a gun and he knocks it to the floor. She rushes out to the cab. / Andrews phones Paul that Evelyn Forbes is in the Thirsby Hotel, room 7D. Drake gives the information to Cartright and a key to the observation house. / Cartright pleads with Evelyn to come home. She brings up her mistake in marrying Forbes, but also that he took his wife Polly from Arthur. / At the observation house, Arthur through binoculars watches Polly play croquet. Polly enters her home, sees Clinton with (Thelma) Brent, his "sweet heart." Polly regrets having married Arthur. She loaned him money, bought the house, and hopes Miss Brent will see through him, as she now has. The German shepherd barks. He is being greeted by Bill Johnson, Thelma's boyfriend. She goes out to butter him up. / Night. The dog is howling, which wakes Cartright. / Cartright consults Perry Mason, on Paul Drakes recommendation, over his trouble sleeping because of a howling dog. If a man dies in the electric chair . . . his will isnt affected. He wants Mason to draw a will making Polly Forbes, his former wife with whom hes still in love, get his entire estate. On a Christmas visit, Forbes, who marries for money, left sister Evelyn with a nervous breakdown and took wife Polly away with him. As Cartright leaves, he tells Mason not to worry, he's not planning a capitol crime. Not yet, anyway. / He goes to the Forbes mansion. // [4-9](3-3) Mason arrives at his office and Della Street gives him a special delivery letter from Arthur Cartright. Inside is ten thousand dollar bills as a retainer for Mason to represent his sister Evelyn Cartright whom he now names in his will instead of Polly. Drake enters Mason's office, confirms he no longer works for Cartright, gives Mason his number. Mason phones Forbes regarding Cartrights complaint about the howling dog, agrees to a meeting that eve. / Mason arrives in his Ford Galaxie convertible (the shows cars are now provided by Ford, not GM), enters, finds a dead dog and a dead Forbes clutching a telegram. A pistol is nearby as well as a note from Polly saying she's going back to Arthur. The safe is open and empty. / Surrounded by Ford police cars, Drake informs Mason that Andrews has been on surveillance since 7. Thelma Brent drives up (in a Sunbeam convertible, no less), is taken in tow by Sergeant Brice who asks her about her activities in the evening. / Rod Andrews reports that about 7:45 Thelma Brent came out of the house. At 8:07 a cab brought another woman, possibly Mrs Forbes, who came back out about 5 minutes later and left in the same blue Checker cab. Then a man (Bill Johnson) came out. Someone could have entered house during his ten minutes when he phoned his report to Drake. He did not hear the dog howl. Mason, alone, discovers Arthur Cartright's binoculars, watches an ambulance being loaded. / Drake reports that the cabbie dropped off Forbes, or a woman 5'4, gray dress, at Thirsby Hotel, and she left a handkerchief. Mason has Drake hire a duplicate of Forbes. / Miss (Marilyn) Storm reports to Mason and, yes, her face does look much like that of Evelyn Forbesm but shes slimmer. Mason instructs her on how to retrieve the handkerchief. She cheerfully accepts the assignment. / Mason finds Evelyn Forbes at 7D, informs her that her former husband was murdered tonight and she was there. She admits her former husband was dead when she got there. She is bewildered that she might be accused of murder. She saw a gun next his body. / Mason in his office gives Lieutenant Tragg the handkerchief, asks what was in the telegram. It was a note from Polly and Arthur, sent at 5:03 p m from San Diego, saying he should call off police or well build a publicity bonfire thatll scorch you and your romantic intrigues to a cinder, and that Clinton should not try to follow them. Mason thinks police should try to find them, but he says they've already booked Evelyn Forbes for the murder. Mason seems perplexed. // [5-9](3-4) Court. D A Hamilton Burger states the prosecutions case for the preliminary hearing. Lt Tragg identifies the gun which was sold to Evely Forbes. For Mason, Tragg names many whose fingerprints were found in the room. One was Bill Johnson. Mason suggests the prosecution has prevented him from questioning Bill. Thelma Brent testifies to the contents of the safe, to which Forbes held the combination solely. There was perhaps 60 or $75,000 in it. Mason asks her, since she lived in the Forbes house, if the two nights before the murder she heard a police dog howling. No, Sammy never howled. Bill Johnson says he was stringing a tennis racket in the basement about 8, and went up to the library where he heard an unfamiliar woman's voice and Forbes's. He went back downstairs, then heard shots, came back, tried to break into the room which was locked from the inside. He couldn't, so he ran down the hall, into the kitchen, and then into the room, at which time he heard a car, then saw a blue Checker cab pull away with woman in a gray outfit. He then found Forbes, dead. He didnt call the police because he was grilled eight months before on a post-dated check. Mason asks Johnson if he's been coached. Well, yes, he did discuss testimony with the district attorney. Could not a woman have been any one of 80 million. Yes. Cabbie Joseph D'Amato testifies to leaving a woman at Forbes's, getting gasoline, returning and picking her up, then her claiming her handkerchief about midnight. The court clerk receives the evidence. D'Amato points to Evelyn Forbes. Mason asks if he could be mistaken about the woman who claimed the handkerchief, having had Forbes shown to her often by the police, could he not also be mistaken about the earlier woman? He says he is not mistaken. Mason asks if he didnt see the defendant many times at the police station, this being a tactic used by the police. The cabbie admits if he is mistaken about one, he could also be mistaken about the other. Tragg goes over to Marilyn Storm, asks he to go with him out of the court. Mason stops him, points out she is a defense witness. Burger gets testy. Mason admits he hired the woman, but that there is nothing illegal in what he did to test the cab driver's recollection. Hamilton Burger is annoyed. The Judge orders him to not annoy the witness, then adjourns for lunch. // [6-9](3-5) Mason interviews Bill Johnson. He didn't take four minutes to get into the room, but maybe one, challenges Mason. He took the money from the safe, says Mason, and the police are using him and are suspicous. / On the stand, Johnson admits to taking $62,000 from the safe in five minutes between cab leaving and his leaving. He now specifies Evelyn Forbes as the woman he heard and saw. Mason challenges. Didn't he call Thelma Brent and ask her what to do after he, Mason, confronted him? Mason recalls Brent, who admits Johnson called her during the recess and admitted to taking the money. She advised him to go to the D A. To tell the whole truth, or a half truth? is Masons concern. She left for the theatre about 7:10; Mason points out that this does not agree with Andrews' testimony that no one left until 7:45. Now she admits she wasnt there. Mason suggests it was she who sent the telegram from San Diego in order to make it seem as if Polly and Arthur were alive. The dog did howl, though she testified otherwise, because Polly was buried in the garden. Arthur, suspecting why the dog was howling, came to see Polly and found her, who had to kill him. She then found that Forbes had no intent of marrying her, so she murdered him. How did she get into the house, she demands, but Mason points out that a plane and a car from San Diego would have gotten her back before Andrews went on duty. Mason asks if he must get her handwritten telegram, check the airline records, and such, and she cracks. Forbes helped her bury the bodies. She did it for him, but he rejected her for doing it. // [7-9](3-6) Paul Drake enters Mason's office, pulled by Sammy, Forbes's dog. Della solves the riddle; when Mason phoned Forbes about the dog, he got worried there might be an investigation, so he boarded Sammy, brought in another dog who wouldnt howl. Della asks, what do we do with him? Just stay away from him, hes a killer as the dog lavishes Drake with licking. [8-9 end credits](3-7) [51:34](51:29)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
63 |
18 Apr 59 |
12427/3-28671 |
|
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[2-5/1-9 Title credits](1-1)(1-1) [2-9](1-2) The Andrews Construction Co Ford station wagon approaches the (Wilfred) Borden residence, whose gates are electronically shut at 11 p m. It is 8:30. Doberman pincers are barking in their pen. / Borden goes into his dark room to remove prints, then returns to with a pinup photo in his hand, which he gives to (George) Andrews. Andrews complains of inspectors using microscopes at his school construction site. Borden says he will need $5000 to start with if he is to use his political pull, and Andrews says his association will only last until he can get rid of him. // [3-9] As Andrews drives away he sideswipes an incoming Plymouth. A girl lies on the ground, with her face covered by her arm, wearing open-toed shoes. Andrews heads to his car to get a flash light. He hears, help, help. When he returns to the car he finds a woman sitting up. She says she is Beatrice Cornell. / He takes her to the Dorman Apartments. Acting friendly, she suggests they might meet again. Then she enters the apartment and almost as quickly leaves as Andrews drives away, She calls a cab to take her to her real apartment. / Loretta (Harper) is delivered to her apartment by a cab. A quiet party is going on. She asks about Frank and one man comments that she took a long time to get cigarettes. Frank is in the bedroom still "sleeping it off" at quarter to ten. He was to have picked up a dog for Borden at 9:30. / (1-2) Andrews is in a restaurant when Perry Mason and Della Street enter. He goes to them, since his lawyer is out of town, starts his story. / But completes it with the license number of the car, CVX266, at Mason's office. He remembers the girl having open-toed shoes, but that she had changed them when he returned. He didnt report the accident because it would connect him with Borden. Mason calls Beatrice Cornell . . . (1-3) and she doesn't own a car. . . Mason thinks there are two women, one who is injured. / (1-4) Mason, Street and Andrews go to the Borden estate. They find the damaged car which is owned by John Milton Carson. This place gives me the willies, complains Della. Just then the gate alarm goes off and they rush to get thru the gates as the dogs attack. Mason uses the gate phone to reach a woman in the house, then Della takes the phone. A man saying that he is Borden answers, and Mason tells him that the responsibility is Bordens. The dogs are called off. // [4-9](1-5)(1-3) Paul Drake is pouring coffee with Della as Mason enters his inner office by the back door. Mason asks Drake to find the woman of whom he has no name, no address, but was at Bordens place. Drake has heard that Borden has been murdered. Mason gives Paul and Della their orders. / The real Beatrice tells Mason that she represents photographers' models. Borden used her models and recently made a private deal with one for a calendar pinup. Mason uses a ruse to find which of her models is bruised, namely, one who cant pose in a bikini. / Miss (Patti) Drew takes Mason's cash for her inconvenience. Dawn Manning is next. She was in an auto accident and is badly bruised, which she demonstrates. Mason questions her, but she doesn't know the name of the woman driver whom she was with. Her driver knew she was married to Frank Fettridge who works for Borden. Actually, they were getting a divorce. When the cars hit she was thrown free and knocked out. She caught a bus at 9:35. From a phone call from Della, Perry learns that Paul has located Loretta Harper, the other woman. Dawn doesn't recognize Harper's name. Mason still wants the photos, bruises and all. / (1-6) Mason confronts Loretta Harper, who claims Dawn was driving the stolen car and forced her into the car at gunpoint in front of her apartment. She was hysterical. Fettridge is Loretta's boyfriend and they are going to get married. Her half-smoked cigarette "had no lipstick on it before you started smoking it, so Mason knows that Fettridge is there. He comes out and stops Loretta from giving information. Why did she lie to Andrews? She didnt want to become involved, so gave Andrews false information. / (1-7) Drake reports on his findings. Bordens note pad indicated an 8:30 appointment with Andrews. Andrews hurries in. Drake implicates him in the murder because of fingerprints. Lieutenant Tragg joins them, shows Andrews a Colt .38, found in his glove compartment, notes slyly that Borden was killed with a Colt .38. // [5-9](1-8)(1-4) In a courtroom in the Los Angeles Hall of Justice a doctor (autopsy surgeon) testifies for prosecutor Hamilton Burger regarding the blood type, AB, and time of death; 8:30-11:30. Lt Tragg testifies regarding the gun and finding AB type blood on an Andrews suit. Andrews whispers to Mason that the suit had not been cleaned in a long time and he is subject to nosebleeds. He doesnt know his blood type. Hardware store owner (Harvey Dennison) testifies to the missing of a Colt .38, for two years. Jasper Horn, school construction foreman, says he tried to get Andrews to make a deal with Borden, but the boss said he'd shoot Borden thru his conniving heart before hed pay tribute. The day after the killing the inspectors backed off, so it appears Andrews paid the tribute. Fettridge testifies that he left the Borden house at 6 p m for a date. He tells Mason that the gates lock at 11, open at 6. Bordens room had spring locks. Since this is only a preliminary hearing, the State rests its case. Mason argues there is a peculiarity in the time of things. Andrews would have had to commit the murder before 9 and it can be proven that the murder occurred after nine. The judge states that would be a perfect defense, orders the midday recess. Drake joins Mason and Street and is ordered to have his man serve his subpoenas. Mason needs one of the two women to prove that Andrews left the Borden place at 9. He thinks Dawn is lying. // [6-9](1-9)(1-5) Della is sworn in by the court clerk. Dawn Manning enters the courtroom just as Della begins her testimony about the evening's events. Andrews was with her from 10:05 to 11:30. During this time they went to Borden s and after 11 she talked with someone who identified himself as Borden. The judge thinks that this alters the case significantly. Since Borden was the only one in the house, the man on the phone must have been him, suggests the judge. Burger says that he wants to put on a rebuttal. (1-10) Fettridge now says that it was he who answered the phone and called himself Borden. Mason probes; Fettridge came back to the house at a quarter to eleven with Dr Margaret Callison, the veterinarian who treated the dog they were returning. She answered the phone, then gave it to him. Borden was in his studio behind closed doors. He picked up the dog at 10:30, late, because he "overslept." He went to Reno on short notice yesterday to get his divorce decree from Dawn Manning. He did not see Borden but got a response from Dawn, Gko away Frank, when he called. Dawn shouts its a lie. Dennison is recalled regarding the gun being gone while Dawn was in his employ. Burger gets him to admit that he has no evidence that she took the gun. Burger continues, In spite of the desperate efforts of the defense counsel to drag someone else into this case, the defendant has no alibi. Mason calls Loretta Harper in sur-rebuttal. She testifies to the accident. She replaced Dawn Manning so that Andrews would think she was the hurt person, circa 9 p m. She doesnt know what happened to the gun Dawn used on her. Mason asks the prosecutor for the photos that Borden was taking. They show Dawn without bruises. Fettridge is recalled. Asked if hes sure he heard Dawn, he says of her She always was a little liar. I guess she grew up to be a big one. Wasnt he well-known to the hardware store employees for picking up Dawn? Yes. Then he could as easily have picked up the gun. Mason shows the studio photo of Dawn, then his own photos which show bruises. Fettridge thus lied. He slipped out the apartment bedroom window, murdered Borden and returned while no one at the party knew. Fettridge asks Mason what he did wrong. You committed murder. // [7-9](1-6) Perry, Paul, Della and the client. Paul says Borden caught Fettridge stealing, and Loretta was involved. They planted the gun in Andrews car when he got involved, instead of framing Dawn as they had planned. Della comments that Dawn Manning got by by the skin of her teeth. Paul looks at the photos and suggests more skin than teeth. [8-9 end credits](1-11)(1-7) [51:40](51:09)(51:09)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE |
64 |
25 Apr 59 |
26311 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
Bill Shayne |
William Swan |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Mel Topham |
Russell Thorson |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Louise Dayton |
Lynne Allen |
Harry Bright |
R G Armstrong |
Judge |
Jamie Forster |
Chuck Clark |
William H Wright |
Sgt Givens |
Russ Bender |
(Walter) Salty Sims |
Francis J McDonald |
Philip Morgan |
Stafford Repp |
Nell Gridley |
Geraldine Wall |
Waiter |
Sid Cassel |
Margaret Clark |
Nan Leslie |
Bellboy |
Steve Stevens |
Howard Roper |
Myron Healey |
Kellogg |
Tony Regan |
[3-5/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] A Ford Country Squire drives into Bardo,, pop 250 elev 1100, stops for gas, honks impatiently. Nell (Gridley) of Nells Diner is told by station owner Salty Sims that Chuck is back in town. Harry (Bright) is cleaning his pipe when Nell yells to him "Chuck's back." They are told by Salty that Chuck bought the Brandywine estate in Palm Valley for $200,000 cash. Harry drives Nell in her station wagon to Clark's, past a private sign. / A woman (Margaret Clark) is fighting with a man (Howard Roper, her brother) over her diary. Harry asks for Chuck, then Bill Shayne, Chucks nephew. He then asks Roper how much he got for selling his sister to Clark. As he leaves, Harry is hit from behind by Howard. Harry pulls a gun, fires it into the gravel pathway to prove he'll use it. // [3-9] Night. Chuck goes to Bright's where Harry confronts him over his child bride. Salty, outside, listens. Chuck then writes him a check for $100,000, which is promptly torn up by Harry as Shayne looks on. / Los Angeles (the standard establishing shot of the freeway with decades old cars). / Perry Mason's private office. Harry tells Perry and Della Street of his plight. He is reminded by Mason that there is a written agreement which gives Chuck control of the finances. He was offered $100,000 for his share, but they have $5 million in properties working for them. Since Harry doesn't want Chuck to go to jail - his disagreement is with Chucks wife - Mason agrees to visit Chuck, asks Della to shuffle his schedule. / Mason drives to Clark's in his black Cadillac convertible (all other cars are Ford products). Mason is greeted by Bill Shayne, then introduced to Chuck Clark, who says he wasnt forced into marriage, but chose Margaret by himself. He introduces his very young wife. With a smile on her face, she says she married Chuck for his money, then smiles as Chuck laughs. She also explains her duties to Chuck, which includes teaching him how to play, then asks if Mason can help bring Harry and Chuck together, then leaves to visit Aunt Jane. Clark offers to set up a trust so that Harry won't get too much money all at once. Harry gets a drink as Perry and Bill go to their cars. Bill notes that he does not lose by Chuck's marriage, for Chuck set him up with a trust fund five years earlier. / Margaret is dressing when brother Howard bursts in on her. She indicates she'd give up $2,000,000 for Harry and Chuck to get together, but Howard says he's worked too long to allow that. She wants to do something decent for a change. / Salty brings Harry and Nell a detective report that was mailed to him. It states that Margaret and Howard are not brother and sister. / White Sun Guest Ranch. Perry and Della sit down for a breakfast. Della tells Carlos, the waiter, that Masons game was good, mine was interesting. Carlos brings Mason a phone call from Clark. Margaret's been murdered. // [4-9] Local District Attorney (Mel Topham) and Sergeant (Givens) are in Margaret's bedroom. Feathers from a pillow used as a silencer are all over the room. They call Howard in. / Clark asks Mason to defend Bright. Shayne informs Mason of a report from Philip Morgan, detective from Sierra City. Clark says he was going to kill them both, then insists that he and Harry talked the previous night and patched things up. Topham and officers are shown a place to dig by Roper, as Mason, Clark and Shayne look on from a distance. They find the bullet Harry fired when he first met Roper. / Mason goes to Bright's, leaving his car with Sims for a filling. Harry doesn't have his gun and he asserts that Chuck wanted to kill his wife and phony brother when he saw the detective report. Harry went to Margaret to tell her to clear out, found her dead, while Shayne took Clark for a drive to cool him off. Harry wont tell the story hes told Mason because he wont hurt Chuck. Sergeant Givens enters to arrest Harry. / Nell Gridley is waiting with Della Street for Mason in the hotel lobby. Mason joins them, but first a bellboy brings a phone call from Paul Drake, who says Margaret and Howard did visit an Aunt Jane Caldwell at a sanitarium every Wednesday, for a half hour, then register at the Desert View Inn in Mesa in adjacent bungalows. Nell offers to lie for Harry. She explains theyre two kinds of desert people, Mr Mason, the lovers and the haters. Salty is a hater. She says Salty was getting even with both Chuck and Harry by giving them the detective's report. Mason asks her why she didn't marry, and if Chuck Clark wouldn't have been her choice. She admits she was tempted, but likes her freedom. // [5-9] Drake visits Philip Morgan regarding his report. Morgan shows his carbon copy, which lacks the key "not," apparently typed in at an open space at the end of a line. / Drake shows the original and carbon to Mason, with Della, at a restaurant. Mason shows Drake that the "n" on the altered letter matches those typed by Nell on the back of her business card. // Mason looks at a photo album with Clark. There are many photos of Salty Sims. Shayne explains that when the gypsum company came to town, Salty salted a supposedly worthless mine in the hills and offered to trade it to Uncle Chuck for the roadside property on which his gas station now stands. Then Chuck and Harry took out a half million worth of ore the first year from what is now known as Saltys Folly. Roper arrives, and Clark tells him to get out, using a broken bottle to prevent an attack. Roper threatens; Clark and Harry will both go to the gas chamber. // Sgt Givens testifies that a pillow was used to muffle the shot. Also, the bullet that killed the deceased was fired from the same gun as the fired bullet found in the ground outside. Mason gets the sergeant to admit that he doesn't know which bullet was fired first, and shows that this is important. Roper describes events of the eve. At 9 p m the defendant arrived, and he left before 1 a m. Mason questions him. He and his sister left the sanitarium at 2, went to the Desert View Inn in Mesa where she got her hair done, then got back at 7. Roper says you can always tell where a bullet goes enters the ground. With permission of the judge, Mason tests him by firing into a box of decomposed granite. Roper says he fired a blank. Mason digs a bullet out. Roper says Mason planted it, still fired a blank. Which proves Masons point; you cant tell when or who fired it. Walter Sims testifies to overhearing Chuck and Harry get into such an argument that Bill had to separate them. He tells Mason that he held no grudge to Harry or Chuck. He identifies the detective report he gave Harry. Mason asks about "not" in the report. Harry says he didn't do it, ask Nell, who then calls him a dirty skunk and liar, says he borrowed her typewriter often. Mason proves her assertion with a note from Salty to Morgan typed on Nell's machine. The judge orders Salty taken into custody, which on order of Topham a policeman does after the judge adjourns for the day. // [6-9] Paul joins Della and Perry at dinner, says Roper had girlfriend up in Mesa, cocktail waitress at the Desert View Inn, Louise Dayton. How long a drive to Mesa? Two hours. Mason tells Della to buy Paul a drink, just one! / Dayton tells Mason that Roper spent every minute on each Wednesday visit with her. / Court. Shayne admits to being at Clark ranch alone until his uncle returned at 8. Mason asks if instead didn't he register as Howard Roper at the Desert View Inn as he had often done. Mason has Mr Kellogg, manager of the Desert View Inn, stand and identify himself, then give him the registration cards that will prove Mason's challenge, that Bill had an affair with Margaret, and killed her. The judge orders Sgt Givens to check the handwriting. Shayne remains frozen in the witness chair, even as the judge orders him to step down. // [7-9] Mason tips generously a bellboy to take his bags to his car. He then points out that Bill Shayne couldn't profit by Margaret Clark's death, but he could lose by her being alive, for the uncle could have revoked Shayne's trust fund. Bill got the gun out of Brights car, shot Margaret when she returned. Roper was blackmailing his sister over her involvement with Shayne, and he just transferred this scheme to Shayne. The registration cards were the key. There were 12, but should have been 6, since Roper was with Louise Dayton. Mason knew it was Bill, because it couldnt be Salty! [8-9 end credits] [51:35]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE |
65 |
9 May 59 |
20452 |
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[4-5/1-9 Title credits](3-1) [2-9](3-2) Sylvia Oxmon drives up to the Clover Club, goes in, has the floor man (Arthur Manning) announce her to his boss (Danny) Barker. She enters Barkers private office, offers him $7,500, but he says the highest bidder gets the IOUs. Your grandmother, Mrs Oxman, how many millions shes got? He toys with his goldfish as she pleads that she doesnt want the IOUs to go to her husband who will use them to get custody of her child. He asks $25,000 and she threatens dire consequences, for nothing must happen to my child. // [3-9](3-3) Manning on the phone passes on the $7,500 vs $25,000 situation to (Matilda) Benson . . . who says shell send another check, then tells her son (Robert) that buying the IOUs would be submitting to blackmail. Shell let Sylvia muddle over the situation for a while before settling it herself. / Matilda, in Perry Mason's office, dictates her terms with her son, Robert Benson, at her side. She is rich, expects Mason to charge an exorbitant fee which she will not pay, only a reasonable one plus expenses. When Mason initially dismisses her, she tells the story with Della Street taking notes; the place, Gardena, the web, the Clover Club Poker Parlor, the spider, Daniel Barker, and her grand daughter, the fly. Sylvia is a gambler. Frank Oxmon is bidding because he wants custody of their son, Peter. Sylvias husband was a weak man, a snob interjects Robert, who killed himself when his wife ran away with a Neapolitan fisherman. Peter is the family strength reborn, glows Matilda. The problem is blackmail, agrees Mason. Mother and son leave. Thus spake begins Della, which is finished by Mason; Zarathustra. Mason puts Paul Drake on the case and has him open a new bank account. / Drake and Mason at the Clover Club. Paul bluffs, loses. An old lady challenges him to show what she won against, and Manning forces him to show his cards. Paul asks to cash a check. / Barker looks at the check Manning hands him; $200, Frank Oxmons signature. Barker tells Manning to admit Oxmon, and Drake and Mason enter. Mason speaks for Paul, warning Barker that the check is signed Frank Oxmon, which only means he has a bank account in that name. Barker is sure that Drake is Oxman. Barker questions how it would look in a custody case when the IOUs were introduced, then tries to get more than $25,000, but Mason corners him regarding the IOUs, which would be worthless if in court Barker denied their existence. Charles Duncan, Barker's partner, deals with the issue, rejecting Pauls offer of $7500, saying only Sylvia Oxman can collect the IOUs, which Manning overhears. Sylvia will get her IOUs at ten the next morning. After Mason and Drake leave, Duncan threatens Barker, saying hell put him down the nearest sewer headfirst, if he does anything like this again. // [4-9](3-4) Matilda gets an update from Mason via phone. She tells Robert to inform Sylvia of the meeting. / Frank Oxman is moving paintings in his room when Sylvia arrives at 1:50 a m. Shes been drinking and gambling. He says hell have her son whatever it takes. She kisses him passionately. He says he wont put up with her domineering grandmother any more. Three times they left her and three times they returned. No more. The courts will give him her son. Hell have the notes by 9 the next morning. She says hes half of her life, her son the other half, and rushes out. / The Clover Club. Mason tells a policeman he has an appointment with Barker, and the policeman advises him to follow him just as Barker's body is wheeled out of the club. Mason joins Lieutenant Tragg and Duncan; 10:05. Tragg gets a phone call; the murder bullet is from a gun that is licensed to Sylvia Oxmon. / Phone between Perry and Matilda; Sylvia never came home all night. Frank Oxmon knew about the gun, having given it to her and he saw Barker, or so Manning told her. / Mason at the Clover Club asks Manning about Frank, is told there were two, and their paths crossed. Mason then queries Duncan about the size of his operation, learns that average daily income is about $10,000 (a suitable motive for Manning). Mason leaves. Duncan finds Manning in Barker's office and chair. Manning threatens Duncan with revelations to the police of what he knows. Hes only a floorman to Duncan, who manhandles him. / Perry parks his Ford convertible next Pauls Thunderbird at Oxmon's. Paul reports that Sylvia came at 2 a m to see Frank. / Room 209; Frank Oxmon tells Mason that Barker only offered to find the IOUs, for $25,000, and come back the next day at 9. Mason discovers Sylvias glove on the mantle, says that Barkers murder was committed between 6 and 9. Sylvia is called in. She swears that she was with Frank since 5 in the morning, and brother Robert joins them and confirms her story. Lieutenant Tragg, with Sergeant Brice, arrives, arrests Sylvia. // [5-9](3-5) Court. As Robert and Matilda enter the courtroom, D A Hamilton Burger has Lt Tragg explain a street diagram. Manning, at 9 a m, recognized the 59 Ford convertible of Mrs Oxmon in the lot and saw her running from Barker's office. She had been there the previous evening to buy back her IOUs. Mason asks him if the keys were in her car, if he opened the glove compartment where Mrs Oxmon kept her gun. Barker had the only key to the desk with the IOUs. Duncan also saw Oxmon running to the car. Sylvia quietly protests to Mason that they both are lying. Mason asks Duncan if Barker's blackmail wasn't threatening his business. Burger protests; incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial. Also improper, as it was not covered in direct examination. Mason tells the judge that this is to show bias of the witness. The judge warns Mason to not go on a fishing expedition. Yes, admits Duncan, it was affecting the business. Walter Cobb testifies that Oxmon's car ran out of gas just as it pulled into his station, two blocks from the Clover Club, at 8:45. Mason traps Cobb, who is owner of the gas station as well as a close friend of both Duncan and Manning. It seems incredulous that, somehow, he remembered one single person he saw once out of 3000 he sees in a month? Dr Ralph Caldwell, a priest, identifies Mrs Oxmon as the driver of the car. // [6-9](3-6) Jail. Masons come to think together with Sylvia, who has lived an orderly life since mom ran away "with a Neapolitan fisherman." She doesnt like to think. She's a Siamese twin of her grandmother's thinking; all she ever lived are "the things she must not do." Finally, sitting alone in a jail cell, shes gained freedom. She details three visits to Barker. The first to get the IOUs. On the second, Barker took her gun away from her and put it in his desk drawer. She returned with jewels, to find Barker, dead. She took the gun, threw it into a storm drain, went home. When she told Robert, he was upset. He went to his mother, returned to say she should try to reconcile with Frank. She didn't take the IOUs. Thats the truth. Yes, yes it is the truth confirms Perry, and a smile appears on Sylvias lips. / Robert is reading to his mom. A maid announces Mason, who confronts Matilda with perjured alibi for Sylvia, asserts it was Robert's idea to bring about reconciliation, not hers, and Robert admits it. Robert never told Sylvia of the 10 o'clock appointment, because he wanted Frank to have his son. Mason knew this because the reconciliation came after Barker's death, and Frank would support the alibi only in exchange for Peter. Matilda asks, You killed this man? Why should killing shock you so much? You killed us all and, further, he asserts that she tried to resurrect her youth through her children, killing them over and over again each time they showed a spark of life. Robert admits he bungled it, because he didn't know that the gun in Barker's desk belonged to Sylvia. Bedridden Matilda hugs her child. Mason phones Tragg. // [7-9](3-7) Della has a roulette wheel on Mason's desk as Paul enters. They bet, over a dime. Paul choses 7, Della 3. As Mason joins them, 3 wins. Mason reads an accompanying letter that reveals that the wheel is a gift of Duncan who, in the accompany letter, advises, you always be the bank, let the pigeons play the odds. Pigeon Paul gives the bank, Della, her dime. [8-9 end credits](3-8) [51:42](51:29)
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE |
66 |
16 May 59 |
24375 |
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[5-5/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] (Martin) Selkirk, who has just arrived in San Francisco from Los Angeles, enters a restaurant, where he is greeted by a detective. He asks if (Claire) Allison is still seeing Richard Benedict. At a nearby table, the named two look at letters with newspaper clippings from Selkirk, news items about jilted suitors killing former sweethearts. Claire tells Dick that Martin mistreats his son David whom he thinks needs discipline. Dick notes that the letters are not typed, but from a small hand press, all postmarked Los Angeles. Claire tells Dick that she must stop seeing him, heads out. Dick follows, is intentionally tripped as he passes Selkirk, whose detective picks him up. Selkirk then hits Benedict, and lets Allison know who he is by his comment, "I'm sorry, Claire, but your escort was so clumsy." // [3-9] Allison is greeted by nurse Walsh, of whom she asks how Benedict is. A phone call comes to Allison from Lorraine Selkirk Jennings, David's mother, Martin's first wife. She offers to help Allison rid herself of Martin, if she'll come to Los Angeles where she can also see David. Lorraine informs her husband Ralph Jennings that Allison is coming. / At his oceanside home, Selkirk is apprised of Claires arrival in Los Angeles and being met by Lorraine and Ralph. Selkirk says he is used to getting what he wants, and he wants Claire. / Lorraine shows Claire that David is sleeping in a tent in the back yard, protected by a German shepherd, Mr Guts, when they cannot get Hannah Barton as a baby sitter. In the morning the boy is going to Camp Kilgore. / Inside their home, Ralph and Lorraine ask Claire to testify against Selkirk. She hesitates. They suggest a good night's rest, offer a sedative. Allison goes out with Lorraine, and Ralph goes to his American Flyer train setup. / 3:05. A shot wakens Claire. The wind is blowing. She goes to a closet for a blanket and finds a printing press, gets ink on her finger, panics, starts to dress. / Perry Mason's office. Claire reviews the evening with Perry. She heard a shot, found the printing press, dressed and wandered until dawn. Then she called the Paul Drake Agency, which had been mentioned by Benedict, and from which she was referred to Mason. Clippings started coming after she met Benedict. Before Benedict, Selkirk had told her if she didn't marry him she'd never marry anyone. Mason gives Street instructions to get Paul Drake looking in to the whole situation. / Mason and Allison at the Jennings home. Ralph comes in on a cane, claiming arthritis. Did they hear a gunshot? No. Nor did David, they offer. Mason raises the issue of the printing press; they investigate. It is not there. Who has the key? Baby-sitter Hanna Barton and Martin Selkirk. The Jennings were out an hour to pick up Miss Allison. Could Selkirk have planted the printer, asks Ralph. Hes the kind of man whod do anything to keep Allison and Claire apart. / At the oceanside house of Selkirk, Mason and Allison find the man, dead, and the printing press. // [4-9] Sergeant Brice brings Lieutenant Tragg a gun for marking. Lt Tragg takes Allison from Mason to interview her and Mason follows along. Tragg gives Allison a letter, which contains news clippings. Tragg has several more of these. Sgt Brice brings Tragg a fingerprint, found on the printing press. / Los Angeles Chronicle headline reads EX-FIANCEE HELD IN SELKIRK MURDER. Della Street fails to reach Benedict. Horace Selkirk, president of the Wayne National Bank and Martin's father, wants custody of child David. Martin was his only son and, yes, cruel and vindictive. Now he has to turn to David. He doesn't care who murdered Martin, but wants Mason to prove Allison did it. No soap. Selkirk threatens; hell get David with or without Masons help, and he leaves. Benedict is in Paul Drake's office. His jaw is still wired. He arrived in town about 5:30. As he headed to his motel, he saw a woman, tall, almost skinny, drive off with the boy David. (Mason lights a cigarette; still smoking.) Did he kill Selkirk? "It's an interesting theory" says Benedict as he leaves. Drake believes Benedicts story. Mason wonders if the boy saw a murder (so was taken away early). / Camp Kilgore at Crystal Lake. The camp counselor tells Paul Drake that David is not there. Jennings phones that the boy was not well. / Ralph Jennings tells Mason over the phone that he will not reveal where David is. / Mason hatches a plot with Street; would she pose as his wife? / Della poses with Mason, and a baby, as his wife. Hannah Barton arrives (but is neither tall nor thin, and grandmotherly). Mason, Mr Street to her, uses a ruse to get her to identify where she didn't take the baby, but where someone else did (Sonora, Mexico). He also gets her to reveal she let David play with his favorite toy, a gun. Della gets a headache, which allows Mason to tip her and send her off. Della muses that maybe David shot his father. / At the airport, Mason finds a record of Katherine Collins and David Selkirk, but the counterman says two men with badges, he thinks they were policemen, took them away. // [5-9] Court. Autopsy surgeon tells D A Hamilton Burger that the murder occurred between 4 and 5 a m. Drake enters, informs Mason that the police do not have the boy. Mason gets the surgeon to admit that the deceased could have driven from one place to his house before dying of the wound. Tragg identifies the hand press and fingerprint, then the murder weapon which is registered to Ralph Jennings. No fingerprints on the gun. Isnt it unusual for only one fingerprint to be found? Well, answers Tragg, Ive learned theres something unusual in every homicide. Benedict testifies that Claire showed the clippings to him at a restaurant in San Francisco. Yes, he loves Claire. Yes, the deceased hit him, with brass knuckles, and he hated him enough to kill him. The judge admonishes him for the outburst. Court adjourns for lunch. The elder Selkirk passes by Barton without a word, so Mason chases after her, asks why. She reveals that father and son argued like cats and dogs at the son's beach house, even in front of David. It was the only place elder Selkirk could see the boy, whom he loves as much as he hates his son. // [6-9] Mason, with Street, confronts Selkirk on getting the boy produced. Mason suggests the police, or Lorraine, might have David. Selkirk is uncooperative. The attorney and his secretary leave. They wait outside Selkirks estate. They see a white Lincoln leave with the boy. / They follow to Katherine Collins's apartment, where they meet David. He can wiggle his ears, and does so for Della. Mason confronts Collins with her complicity in the crimes. He points out that Davids grandfather has no more to say about his custody than the man in the moon. She responds that they keep telling David it was just a dream and maybe someday hell come to believe it. She then relates how David shot his own father. / Ralph Jennings testifies to waking on the sofa, finding Allison gone and, later, his gun also gone. He never gave permission for David to play with the gun, which he kept in the guest room. Mason raises the question of Mrs Barton, who stayed in the guest room, and who let David play with a gun. He says he didn't know of Davids having done so. Where is David? Sonora. When he went to the airport to pick up the defendant, didn't he leave David alone asleep in a tent? Yes. Didn't he permit him to keep the gun under his pillow? No. Mason notes that David is in Los Angeles, and can be brought to the court to tell what did happen. Ralph, under pressure, finally admits that David did come in, said he'd shot someone. He found Martin Selkirk, unconscious. His wife told him of Allison's finding the printing press, so he took Selkirk and the press to Selkirk's beach house. Mason says, then, that he allowed an innocent person to be accused of murder. Further, Mason says there is another alternative, for the shot fired by boy did not kill Selkirk, as he was not there. Ralph's arthritis, is it real, or a gun wound? Ralph shows bent knee. So it was the dog? It is at a vet's, says Lorraine Jennings. Now Ralph confesses. David shot the dog while he killed Martin, for Lorraine. // [7-9] Paul explains to Della and Perry that, yes, the hand press was Jennings's. Jennings felt sure that Selkirk would be blamed for the letters, but when Claire discovered the hand press, he became rattled and murdered Selkirk at the beach house. Della remembers that she owes Jill Carter for lending them her child. Paul, sensing a chance to be alone with Della, offers to help baby sit. Della, picking up the phone, says she has just the sitter to keep you company, Hannah Barton! Paul laughs with Perry and Della at his own chagrin. [8-9 end credits] [51:34]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
CBS TAPE |
67 |
30 May 59 |
26313 |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
CHARACTER |
ACTOR |
Perry Mason |
Raymond Burr |
James Morrow, Sr |
Arthur Space |
Della Street |
Barbara Hale |
Curtis Runyan |
Donald Randolph |
Paul Drake |
William Hopper |
Everett Wormser |
Jonathan Hole |
Hamilton Burger |
William Talman |
Judge |
Richard Gaines |
Lt Tragg |
Ray Collins |
Sgt Kenyon |
Harlan Warde |
Felix Karr |
Jacques Aubuchon |
Roger |
Herman Rudin |
Miriam Baker |
Josephine Hutchinson |
Court Clerk |
George E Stone |
Jimmy Morrow |
Richard Miles |
Harry Kline |
Chuck Zacha |
Grace Runyan |
Linda Watkins |
|
|
[2-4/1-9 Title credits] [2-9] A chauffeur (and Felix Karrs butler, Roger) leans against a white Lincoln. Karr complains about the $125,000 price tag on the Spanish Cross, but (Curtis) Runyan claims he's been offered $200,000. Karr offers coin of the realm, then raises his offer to $150,000, leaves Runyan and (Everett) Wormser in his chauffeured Lincoln. Runyan observes Ive got him hooked, but good. On their return to Runyans office, the cross is gone, and Jimmy (Morrow), the gardener, is the suspect. Why the dirty little thief is Runyans comment. // [3-9] A woman (Miriam Baker) is gardening, overhears an argument. It is Runyan reminding Jimmy that he's on probation. Runyan slaps Jimmy and Jimmy hits back, knocking Runyon on to the couch as Wormser watches. Jimmy runs to Grace Runyan, who is in a wheelchair, to say he didn't mean it. Curtis walks in, calls Jimmy a liar. Grace tells Miriam to tell Curtis he's not wanted, and Curtis says he doesn't care if his wife doesn't talk to (him) for another five years. Curtis threatens Jimmy with jail over the Spanish Cross, while Grace asks Miriam to pour tea for Jimmy. Curtis knocks the cup to the floor. Jimmy swears to Grace that he didn't take the cross, and he'll get by, says hes never known anyone like her, then leaves to avoid the police. / Runyan and Wormser search Jimmys room for the cross. They find the case under a mattress, but it is empty. / Perry Mason's office. Karr interrupts Perry Mason, who is dictating to Della Street, to ask him to defend Jimmy Morrow, whose photo is in the newspaper as a suspect in jewelry theft. Karr lights a hand-made Cuban cigar. He prides himself on his character judgement. The boy, on probation, was convicted of grand theft auto. Mason refuses to take the case until Jimmy is found. Paul Drake can do that says Karr. Hell pay $1000 for Mason to represent the boy, then exits gracefully. Why does Karr want him to represent Jimmy, Mason asks Della. If he really believed in the boys innocence, hed not raise a finger to help him. / Drake gets his weight, from a machine, and with it a card which he reads to Perry; hell meet a tall handsome gentleman who would make him independently wealthy. Mason says hell tell him if he sees him. / Together, Paul and Perry find (James) Morrow, Sr, sleeping off his drink. He looks for a cigarette, takes one when Paul offers. Sr apologizes for being a poor father to Jimmy. He knows the kid (Barney Kellogg) who stole the car from Mrs Runyan, who in turn gave Jimmy a job which gave him probation. Sr pours himself a drink, gulps it down. Hes angry with Curtis Runyan who is no good and thinks Paul and Perry are police. Mason identifies himself as a possible attorney for Jimmy, but Sr doesn't know where he is. / Mason is looking at a photo of the Cruz de Sta Maria with Drake. Runyan paid $75,000. The cross was originally made with nails from Columbus ship of the same name. The Spanish king encrusted it with diamonds, rubies and pearls, then presented it to Cortez before his trip to Mexico. Drake says only that Karr expressed interest in it. Mason notes that Runyan is a half hour late for a meeting. Della dials the phone . . . it is ringing; Jimmy is holding a gun. A man (Curtis Runyan) lies dead on the floor. Wormser walks in as Jimmy runs out. / Mason returns to Morrow Srs place, finds a crowd outside. Inside, Lieutenant Tragg tries to get Sr to tell him where Jimmy is. Then Mason enters. Tragg harasses him about Runyan and the stolen cross and Jimmy being seen with the murder gun. How does he know since no gun was found, queries the attorney. Mason accepts Jimmy as a client when his drunk father pleads. // [4-9] Drake reports that Jimmy hasnt been in touch with his father. He might be with the boy who stole the car. Drake leaves. Next, Karr, offended by Dellas taking notes, first offers to pay for Jimmys defense, finally offers $25,000 cash for the Spanish Cross, which Jimmy might have. He knows nothing of the murder, detests violence. Mason rejects his second offer, also. / Karr brings roses for Grace Runyan, to Miriam Baker, who is asked to report anything regarding the Cross. Mrs Runyan serves Mason tea. She explains how five years earlier she fell down the stairs during one of her and her husbands colorful quarrels. At 6 (the time of the murder) she was out driving. Mason knows that she has a restrictive license to drive with hand controls. She doesn't know Karr. Baker, Grace's cousin, brings in the roses. She thinks Jimmy is the killer. Miriam admits she keeps forgetting her place. Curtis Runyon was one of her benefactors. / Sherry is next, served by Roger to Karr and Wormser who says he can have the cross in five minutes. Shortly after being offered only $500 for the Cross, he faints. Roger pulls a cloth out of Wormser's pocket, and Karr opens it to find the Spanish Cross. // [5-9] Drake reports. At 7:05 Karr had a visitor. Two hours later the man, Wormser, staggered out. Drake gets a call from Harry Kline; Jimmy has been located via the boy who stole the car. / Mason and Drake meet Harry Kline who shows Mason, alone, the entrance to Jimmy's basement hiding place in a vacated building. Mason slowly steps down to the dark basement, talks softly to Jimmy. I talked with your father. I want to help you. Honest men dont deceive each other. The boy eventually comes out of hiding. Jimmy doesnt trust Mason, but listens. Mason says hell turn him in, but help him, then walks out. Jimmy hesitates, then joins him. // [6-9] Court. D A Hamilton Burger has laryngitis and the judge offers a continuance, but the D A declines graciously. Sergeant Kenyon says that about 4:30 p m Curtis Runyan reported the loss of a jeweled cross. Kenyon found an empty cross case in the defendant's room, then admits that Wormser and Runyan had found it and gave it to him. There were no fingerprints on it. Lt Tragg found the murder gun in (Jimmys) basement wrapped in a black leather jacket belonging to Jimmy Morrow. The court clerk marks the coat for identification. Mason probes Tragg until he discovers that the gun was originally sold to Miriam Baker. Grace Runyan admits to getting the gun from Baker, but Burger now has to prove to the Judge that shes a hostile witness. Grace admits then that the defendant knew of the gun. Wormser testifies to seeing the body and seeing Jimmy running away with a gun in his hand. At 3 p m Runyan told Jimmy he'd send him to jail for stealing the cross, and Jimmy attacked Runyan. To Mason, Wormser refuses to admit he saw Runyan hit Jimmy first, claims to be fond of Jimmy, whom he called, as a joke, a "jailbird." On redirect, Burger gets Wormser to reveal Jimmy's interest in the cross. Court adjourns overnight. Morrow, Sr is there. / Jail. Jimmy says he "was just curious." He found the case under a pile of T-shirts, then hid it under his mattress. He found Runyan dead, took the gun, thinking Mrs Runyan had . . . Just like Barney Kellogg comments Mason. / Roger takes the phone to Karr. Mason now gets an offer from Karr of $165,000. Mason knows Karr now has the cross. / Court. Mason asks for recross of Wormser. Drake enters, gives Mason a package, which Mason uncovers to reveal a jeweled Spanish Cross. A flustered Wormser says Miriam Baker had the cross all along, and gave it to him as the price for her silence. Mason applies pressure, and Wormser breaks out in a sweat. She killed him he says, pointing at Baker. She counters, but Mason notes that Wormser was with Runyan when the cross disappeared, so she had to do it. And having done it, she had to give Wormser the cross to keep him quiet. Why? asks Grace. Embittered Miriam says for the last five years Ive waited on you hand and foot. She did it because of her slavery to Grace, showing her overworked hands. Miriams mother was a Marlowe who had servants waiting on her while your family was grubbing in the dirt and she thought if she could sell the cross . . . // [7-9] Della reveals to Jimmy how Mason fooled Wormser with a reproduction of the cross. Jimmy has decided to go back to living with his father, who needs him. Mason tells him to not be a stranger as he leaves. Quite a boy, comments Della. Quite a man says Mason. [8-9 end credits] [51:34]
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
68 |
13 June 59 |
20452/17-31569 |
|
|
[3-4/1-9 Title credits](1-1) [2-9](1-2) Perry Mason is at work late at night in his private office. He turns off the lights, and a woman enters from the left side of the balcony. (Note; the continuity people failed on this. There can be no office to the left, as that is the hallway outside the back door that Paul lDrake always uses. The right side is just as bad, however, because that leads to Masons law library.) He turns on the lights. Virginia Colfax, the woman, has a gun, which she hides. She then runs back out and tosses the gun into a flower pot. Mason captures her, hears her made-up story of being Edward Garvin's secretary at the Ajax Mining and Development Company, going out on the adjacent balcony to look at the stars. She then saw jealous former Mrs Garvin enter her office, so she slipped over to Masons office balcony. The attorney leads her downstairs and outside to find her "flashlight." / Outside, she feigns fainting and, when Mason grabs her, cries that shes being attacked. George, the building policeman, grabs Mason as Colfax escapes in a taxi. // [3-9](2-3) Della Street circles text in the newspaper with a heart, then reads its account of Masons street-side encounter to her boss when he arrives. Edward Garvin consults Mason about his ex wife. Mason describes Colfax, but Garvin says that fits Lorie, his present wife. Mason tells him that Virginia claimed to have been trapped in his office by Lorie. Virginia is not Garvin's secretary, fifty-year-old Katie Miller is that. He's been married 15 days to Lorie. Garvin then relates a story of double stock proxies, the second in the name of E C Garvin, which initials are both his and his former wife's, Ethel Carter Garvin, who is the proxy receiver. She is greedy, has already gotten $50,000 and 50% of his stock and his Coronado beach cottage. He will spend almost anything to be rid of her. Mason has Della call Paul Drake. / Then, in his office next Mason's, Garvin finds the gun. He phones Frank (Livesey) to come with George (Denby), to whom he then shows the gun. He locks the gun in a desk, goes to Henri's for lunch with Lorie. / Paul Drake reports that Garvin is essentially a mining engineer. The stockholders love him. Denby runs the financial end, 49, married, a real worrier. Livesey is the salesman. / Mason confronts Ethel Garvin over the fraudulent proxies. She intends to get everything he owns, and returns the challenge with husband's Mexican divorce. He is a bigamist, and she goes to phone the Los Angeles County district attorneys office // [4-9](1-4) Mason goes to Livesey and Denby, who point out they've gotten only 14 share holders to change their proxies. Garvin is at the Breakers in La Jolla. Mason tells them to telegram him to go over the border to Mexico and stay at Vista del Mar, where Mason will meet him. / Mason crosses the border in his Cadillac convertible, drives to the Vista del Mar. He is greeted by Filomena, who knows him well. The clock strikes nine. / Mason tells Lorie and Edward that they must stay in Mexico, where their Mexican marriage is legal, until he can prove the divorce with Ethel is also legal. He instructs Garvin to phone the stockholders and ask them to be at the meeting in person, leaves. Lorie says Ethel will never give up, they should give in, for as long as Ethel is alive, she'll dog them. She wants Ed to give in. She is stopped from calling Ethel by Ed. A clock strikes 10. Virginia Colfax arrives, checks Garvin's registration in his car. / The usual stock shot of the L A freeway. Della gets through to Perry, says phones have been out of order since 11 p m. Ethel Garvin was shot through the head. / Mason tells Lorie and Ed of the murder between midnight and 12:30, at the Coronado beach house. Lorie swears she was in her room from 11 to 1 she heard the clock and Ed was there, too, outside her room. Mason informs them that the bigamy warrant is still out; they must stay in Mexico. The police will investigate them. / San Diego. Mason informs San Diego District Attorney W B Covington that Garvin has the perfect alibi. Covington is not so sure it is perfect. // [5-9](1-5) Livesey and Denby are in Garvin's office. Livesey gets a call from Ed, who has been arrested for murder. / Jail. Garvin chews out Mason for getting him in trouble by having Della Street phone and say it was okay for him to return, because the police were waiting at the border. Lorie, not he who would have recognized Dellas voice, answered the phone. Of course, it was not Della, but who? / San Diego City courthouse. Sergeant Holt testifies to finding the murder weapon, registered to Helen Bynum. Virginia Colfax, alias Helen Bynum, testifies to leaving her gun on Garvin's balcony. Ed doesnt know her. She is a licensed private detective. She admits she was in the office looking at files, without a legal right. She broke in. She was interrupted. She refuses to identify her client, and the court orders her to appear in one week on a contempt charge. D A Covington calls Livesey, who says he saw the gun when Garvin locked it in his desk drawer. Mr Denby's photographic memory allows him to identify the gun by its number. (Howard) Scanlon identifies Garvin as the driver of a car which ran out of gas about 1 o'clock, coming from Coronado (the beach cottage). Drake barges in, whispers to Mason that his client has been lying to him. Covington thinks something seems suspicious as does his assistance, and asks for an adjournment, which is granted for the weekend. Drake then tells Mason that Filomena turns off the chimes just after 10, so Lorie is lying. // [6-9](1-6) Filomena explains the chimes, off 10 to 8. She heard two cars in the night, including Mason's, driven by a woman with the same nice figure as Mrs Garvin. Another woman arrived in a taxi. / Mason gets rough with Lorie, who falls for his trap, admitting she did leave the hotel that night, in Ed's car. She telephoned Ethel before the phones went out. Agreed to give her what she wanted, and she and Ed left to sign the papers already drawn up by Ethel. Ed went in, came back saying she was dead. They ran out of gas. She hid in the back under a blanket while he got gas at the station. When they got back, Mason's car was still there. It dawns on Mason who took his car. He phones Drake. / Court. Helen Bynum is recalled. She denies being at the Vista del Mar the night of the murder. Did she use the name of Della Street? Mason presents a phone bill, showing a call from her office to the Vista del Mar. In making the call, she is an accessory to murder. She is forced to reveal Livesey as her client, who told her to make the call. Livesey denies, and is called to the stand. Under oath, he admits to having expected to meet Bynum/Colfax at the office, but the deceased got there first, forcing her to Mason's office. He again denies instructing Bynum to use the name of Della Street. Mason tries to show that if the deceased gained control of the business, Livesey would be out of a lucrative job, but the D A objects, and himself recalls a witness. Denby testifies to several offers of better paying jobs to Livesey. Thus he had no murder motive. An objection by Mason is sustained. Did Livesey tell him of employing a detective to watch Mrs Ethel Garvin? Yes, after the murder. Denby never saw Bynum until she testified. Didn't she call him through his answering service? So Livesey wouldnt know she was working for him? Didn't he send Bynum to Vista del Mar, and didn't she drive Mason's car to Tijuana to call him since the phones were out, and he was in San Diego, 15 minutes from the Coronado beach cottage? Didn't he kill her to prevent an audit of the books that would show how much he'd embezzled! Denby, trapped, hangs his head. // [7-9](1-7) Mason says it was Livesey's denying asking Bynum to use Della's name that tipped him, for to admit that would cause him no more trouble than he already had. So it had to be someone else. Also, Denby didn't know that Mason really didn't have proof of the calls to his answering service! Mason sought out Colfax/Bynum because he was intrigued when he was told there was another Della Street. He thought she was the only one in the world! [8-9 end credits](1-8) [51:32](51:30)
*Herein lies The Case of the Errant Hallway. There can be no room from whence Colfax came. When Paul Drake comes in or exits from the hallway behind Masons desk, it is from/to the left, or straight. So how can an office be fitted where there is a hallway? Attempts to do a plan of Masons office and the building it is in all fail due to this problem. See also The Case of the Fan Dancers Horse in Season One for another configuration. Further, Masons office has, of course, a balcony. Why, then, every time the camera pans up the outside of the Brent Building do we see an exterior wall that has no balconies?
# |
TITLE |
SHOW DATE |
BOOK DATE-ORDER |
CBS TAPE/DVD |
69 |
27 June 59 |
22192/23-35231 |
|
[4-4/1-9 Title credits](1-1) [2-9](1-2) Ruth (Prescott) is pleading with husband Walter, who is busy with a canary in a cage, that their marriage has not worked. She wants a divorce. He threatens a scandal over Jimmy McLain. All he ever wanted was her money, and he hasnt returned $20,000. She won't give him all she has, $40,000. He reminds her, "til death do us part." Outside a man (Harry Jonson) in a Jonson's Transfer Co truck gets a signal from Walter. A man (Walden) in a nearby car observes. The truck tries to run over Ruth, but crashes into the man's car. Ruth understands. Walter and Harry decide to take Walden to a hospital. // [3-9](1-3) Ruth calls McLain, tells him of the attempted murder by Walter. He tells her to come right over in a cab, which will take 20 minutes. He gets out his pistol, writes a note. / Ruth arrives, finds a note saying he had to go out for a few minutes, but the door is unlocked. She finds his gun holster, empty, runs out / And returns home. Here she finds their canary cage knocked to the floor and Walter, dead. She takes the pistol, then a key from Walters pocket, opens a drawer, then a locked box from which she removes some letters addressed to her, then returns the box and key. She burns the letters. (Margaret) Swaine walks in, sees her burning the letters, then the dead man. / Swaine enters the deserted office of Ernest Wray (and Walter Prescott), phones for a truck to pick up her luggage in the Claremont Hotel at 7 p m. Ernest Wray comes in and sees her rifling Prescotts desk. She tells him shes looking for the notes which the police might misunderstand since Walter Prescott has been murdered, she thinks, by Ruth. / Perry Mason's office. Ruth Prescott admits she did not love her husband, does love McLain, and is sure there was no gun near the body. She has brought a lame canary with her. Its cage was knocked over. Mason has Della Street get Paul Drake to check on the truck accident / Dr (Hoxie) tells Lieutenant Tragg that the deceased has been dead 1 to 2 hours. What about the scratches and bruises on his face? He didnt get them from shaving. Sergeant Brice has found some burnt letters. / McLain tells Mason he went to see Prescott, but he wasn't home, so he went to Ruth's room and packed her bag. Mason asks to see his gun. The phone interrupts. Paul Drake has located the truck driver. Mason orders Ruth to a motel, the Crestline. / Mason and Drake confront Harry Jonson. He shows a cut in the brake line after lying about the incident. He denies knowing Walter Prescott other than as a witness to the truck crash. They took Walden to a private emergency hospital. Lt Tragg arrives, grills Jonson, then asks Perry where Ruth Prescott is. Tragg notes, after Mason says theres thousands of attorneys in Los Angeles, but only one Perry Mason. // [4-9](1-4) Margaret Swaine in Ernest Wray's office tells Mason of seeing Ruth Prescott burning letters in the room with the dead husband. Did she often go to Prescotts house to work? Yes. Wray tells Mason that he and Walter were cross-insured for $75,000, with a proviso that the wife of the deceased get the money while relinquishing her interest in the partnership. / Lt Tragg, with Sgt Brice, confronts McLain who denies knowing where Ruth is. Tragg hands him a search warrant. Ruth gives herself up. / Mason confronts Ruth Prescott in jail, chiding her on staying with Jimmy. Doesnt she know what the court will make of this? What did Lt Tragg ask? About the business insurance and the gun which the police found. He mentions Jonson, then Walden; she recognizes neither. The account books were on her husbands desk. Mason warns her to not speak another word on order of her attorney. / Walden's car is found overturned in an accident, with a dead driver, Walden. Mason queries the police officer if it was an accident. / Paul Drake brings Dr Fowler, who treated Walden after his accident. Fowler says that the dead man is not the man he treated. // [5-9](1-5) Court. The murder weapon is registered to Walter Prescott, testifies Tragg for D A Hamilton Burger, and was found in Ruth Prescott's bag. He identifies photographs of the burnt remains of the letters. The court clerk marks the evidence. Swaine tells of entering the house at 2:30 and seeing Ruth burning the letters. She reports on meeting with Mrs Prescott weeks earlier, and of being accused of seeing her husband after office hours. Ruth wanted help in getting a divorce, she couldn't go on living with Walter. Mason asks her if she met often with Walter at his home, or at her apartment. He means not the one she rents for $80 a month, but the other one she leases in the Westwood Arms under an assumed name (with same initials, M S) for $350. She refuses to give a direct answer. On the afternoon of the murder, did she not have her belongings moved from the cheaper to the more expensive apartment? Again, she says, that is her private affair. Now she denies seeing Walter at the expensive apartment. McLain says that the deceased was not at home at 1:50. Yes, he wrote the love letters to Ruth (Juvenal), before her marriage. Mason examines. Did he have his gun with him? Always, in a shoulder holster. Harry Jonson says that, after several timings of the trip for the police, he was probably back at the Prescott house at 2:08, thus the decedent was alive up to about 2:15. Court adjourns. In the presence of Drake who has just arrived, Tragg compliments Mason on his maneuver with Swaine. Paul notes that Swain is planning on leaving town that evening. This confuses Tragg. Wray made the moving arrangements. Prescott had six-figure bank account. Walden was the top investigator for the board of fire underwriters. Mason adds, "Prescott and Wray, insurance brokers." Accident in front of Prescott's house, Walden found dead. Mason orders Della to get duplicate trunks and have them monogrammed M S and delivered to the $350 apartment. He then asks Paul to find who is doing the moving. / A hotel clerk stops the transfer man, telling him the police wont allow anything to be removed. He says he doesnt want to remove anything, just put something in! The clerk relents, lets him take some trunks to Swaine's room. He then phones Lt Arthur Tragg. / The trunks are left in the room. / Della and Mason show up to reclaim baggage sent to the wrong place. They are then joined by Tragg and Brice. All the cases are marked M S, and Della says she told the man she was Miss Street. Tragg gets the trick. But he doesnt have a search warrant. Della will waive her rights this one time, Mason announces cheerfully. The first case is opened by Sgt Brice, and is full of stolen furs. // [6-9](1-6) Wray says Mrs Prescott would have gained $75,000 by her husband's death. Today the business is worth over a quarter million, he tells Mason. Mrs Prescott loses because she only gets $75,000 (rather than $125,000). Drake hands Mason a file. Hasnt one of his accounts lost lately because of fire, specifically burnt furs? asks Mason. Yes, $108,000 loss. Did he know insurance investigator Walden? No. Why did he visit the Westwood Arms? What did he expect to find? Burger objects and the judge concurs. Miss Swaine refuses to answer whether she worked with Walter Prescott in the fur theft, claiming self-incrimination to four questions. Harry Jonson admits he ships things for Margaret Swaine, then is told by Mason that perhaps the accident was not meant to kill Mrs Prescott, but Walden. Dr Fowler did not treat Walden, but someone else. Was it Walter Prescott, who had gone to the hospital with Jonson? Under Mason's grilling, Jonson breaks down. He took the chances, and Prescott wanted him to be satisfied with a lousy 10%. Has the fact hes committed two murders satisfied him? // [7-9](1-7) Mason's office. Perry, Paul, Della and Ruth Prescott. Swaine and Jonson were partners in all but murder, says Mason. Prescott rode to the hospital in Walden's car, while Walden was in the van of the truck. Hamilton and Arthur join the quartet, announce that Jonson confessed fully. After pushing Walden in his car over the cliff, Jonson took Prescott home, and the real battle began. Mason says that's the only explanation for the cage falling down. "A little bird told me." Burger retorts, "that's the first time I've heard of a lame canary turning out to be a stool pigeon." [8-9 end credits](1-8) [51:31](51:29)