Synopsis
Includes:
Perry Mason: The Case of the Dangerous Dowager (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Petulant Partner (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Romantic Rogue (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Jaded Joker (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Caretaker's Cat (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Last Act (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Bedeviled Doctor (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Fraudulent Foto (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lame Canary (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Spanish Cross (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Calendar Girl (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Howling Dog (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Deadly Toy (1959)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Dangerous Dowager
Wealthy widow Matilda Benson (Kathryn Givney) rules over her children like a dowager empress, threatening to cut them out of her will for the slightest infraction. Even so, the children can't help but get involved with crooked gambler Danny Barker (Robert Strauss), who ends up murdered after threatening to bring scandal upon the Benson family. It is Sylvia Benson (Patricia Cutts) whom the police arrest for the crime, and it is Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) who rushes to Sylvia's defense. This episode is based on a 1937 novel by Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner, which was previously adapted as the 1940 theatrical film Granny Get Your Gun--with Perry Mason written out of the story! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Petulant Partner
The business partnership of Harry Bright (R.G. Armstrong) and Chuck Clark (William H. Wright)--and their lifelong friendship--comes to an abrupt end when Chuck marries the much-younger Margaret Roper (Nan Leslie). Harry regards Margaret as nothing but a cheap gold-digger, and is not too careful about telling everyone what he thinks of her. As a result, Harry is arrested when Margaret turns up murdered. Taking Harry's case, Perry (Raymond Burr) soon finds that there are quite a few people who like to have seen Margaret dead. Stafford Repp, aka "Chief O'Hara" on the 1960s version of Batman, appears in a small role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Romantic Rogue
Having planned to marry heiress Helen Harvey (played by future Happy Days costar Marion Ross) only for her money, Stacey Chandler (John Bryant) has fallen genuinely in love with her. Thus, Stacey is none too happy when his ex-girlfriend Irene (Jean Willes), a crooked private detective, shows up to demand a cut of Helen's inheritance to keep her mouth shut. Inevitably, Irene is murdered--but it is Helen rather than Stacey her is charged with the crime. Of course, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is convinced that Helen is innocent, and intends to prove it. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Jaded Joker
Singer Frankie Laine makes a rare acting appearance in this episode, which includes a truly offbeat characterizaton by musician-composer Bobby Troup). Laine is cast as comedian Danny Ross, whose long-awaited TV comeback is sabotaged by his duplicitous agent Charles Goff (Harry Jackson). Danny contemplates suicide, but is talked out of it by his longtime pal Freddie Green (Walter Burke). When Green is charged with Goff's murder, Danny asks Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) to defend his buddy, obliging the detective to take a crash course in "hip" jazz lingo. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Caretaker's Cat
When the body of wealthy Peter Baxter (Anthony Joachim) is found in the charred ruins of his mansion, caretaker James Hing (Benson Fong), who'd been made Baxter's sole heir in his will, is accused of the crime. Hing admits to burning down the mansion, but insists that he did so on the orders of Baxter, who'd planned to fake his death in order to test the loyalty of his heirs. Can it be that someone else got wind of Baxter's scheme and decided to bump him off for real? That's what Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) must find out before the final commercial. This episode is based on Erle Stanley Gardner's novel The Case of the Black Cat, previously adapted as a 1935 theatrical feature, with Ricardo Cortez as Mason. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Stuttering Bishop
A man claiming to be Australian Bishop Arthur Mallory (Vaughn Taylor) arranges a reunion between orphanage alumnus Carol Delaney (Rebecca Welles) and her millionaire grandfather Charles Burroughs (Carl Benton Reid. Shortly thereafter, Burroughs is murdered and Carol is arrested for the crime. While preparing Carol's defense, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) unearths some disturbing information about the so-called Bishop. This episode is based on a 1936 novel by Earl Stanley Gardner, which was previously adapted (and considerably rewritten!) as a 1937 theatrical feature with Donald Woods as Mason. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Last Act
Theatrical "angel" (and former gangster!) Frank Brooks (Stacy Harris) is charged with the murder of playwright Ernest Royce (Jerome Cowan), who has been killed in the same manner as the main character in one of his unproduced plays. It turns out that Royce has based his play on the real-life murder of underworld figure Rick Valponi back in 1947. In order to clear Brooks in court, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) must locate the "lost last act" of Royce's play, which may not only solve the present crime but also the one that occurred 22 years earlier. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Bedeviled Doctor
Someone has stolen the confidential tapes of conversations between psychiatrist David Craig (Dick Foran) and his patients, and is using those tapes for blackmail. It so happens that Dr. Craig is in love with his nurse Edith (Marianne Stewart), whose brother Mark (Barry McGuire) who is in big trouble with the "mob" and is the primary suspect in the theft of the tapes. When Mark is murdered, Craig is charged, and Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) swings into action. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Fraudulent Foto
The target of a smear campaign instigated by crooked hospital committeeman Marshall Scott (Bartlett Robinson), Waring County DA Brander Harris (Hugh Marlowe) faces political ruin when he is framed by a compromising photograph. The situation becomes more serious when Scott is murdered and Harris is charged with the crime. In order to handle this case, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) must keep a grand jury in session, requiring him to become a temporary DA himself! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lame Canary
Hoping to divorce her husband Walter (Walter Prescott) so she can marry her sweetheart Jimmy McLain (Biff Elliot), Ruth Prescott (Stacy Graham) is terrified that Walter is trying to kill her. Actually, it may be the other way around: Walter turns up dead, and Ruth is charged with the crime. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is convinced that Ruth is innocent, and that there is more to this seemingly open-and-shut case than meets the eye. Based on a 1936 novel by Erle Stanley Gardner, this is the final episode of Perry Mason's second season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Spanish Cross
On probation for car theft, young Jimmy Morrow (Peter Miles) tries his best to "go straight", only to be accused of stealing a priceless Spanish cross. Worse still, Jimmy is charged with the murder of the relic's owner, Curtis Runyan (Donald Randolph). Out of sympathy for Jimmy's beleagured parents, Perry (Raymond Burr) agrees to handle the boy's defense. (Trivia note: Peter Miles is the brother of actress Gigi Perreau, who'd played Perry's client in the first-season episode "The Case of the Desperate Daughter".) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom
Perry (Raymond Burr) is startled late one evening to find a beautiful young woman (Joan Tabor) climbing into his office window. She identifies herself as Virginia Colfax, the secretary of Ed Garvin, and insists that she was escaping from Garvin's jealous wife. Investigating, Perry finds that Mr. Garvin actually has two wives, one of whom (K.T. Stevens) is subsequently murdered--and that Virginia Colfax isn't Virginia Colfax after all. Featured in the cast is Thomas B. Henry, who had been Raymond Burr's acting teacher at the Pasadena Playhouse. This episode is based on a 1949 novel by Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Calendar Girl
Not long after trying to strike a deal with political "fixer" Wilfred Borden (George Neise), building contractor George Andrews (John Anderson) is in a car accident. When Borden is murdered and Andrews arrested for the crime, Perry (Raymond Burr) hinges his defense on locating swimsuit model Dawn Manning (Dolores Donlon), the girl who was with Andrews at the time of the accident--and that, folks, is why Mr. Mason is posing as a professional photographer. This episode is based on a 1958 novel by Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Howling Dog
Having escaped from a mental institution, Evelyn Forbes (Ann Rutherford) is the primary suspect in the murder of her ex-husband Arthur Cartwright (Robert Ellenstein). Things get worse for Evelyn when another person is killed, as well as a strange dog that has been howling nonstop throughout the proceedings. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) sets about to save Evelyn's life, even though the evidence against her is overwhelming. This episode is based on a novel by Erle Stanley Gardner, which was previously adapted as a 1934 theatrical feature starring Warren William as Mason (in the movie, it is implied that the heroine is actually guilty, but Perry manages to get her off in the spirit of "justifiable homicide"!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perry Mason: The Case of the Deadly Toy
Determined to win Claire Allison (Mala Powers) for himself, no-good Martin Selkirk (Dennis Patrick) has Claire's boyfriend Dirk Benedict (Robert Rockwell) beaten up, and also besieges Claire with threatening news clippings. Thus, when Selkirk is murdered (and if anyone "needed killing", it was him), Claire is charged with the crime. While putting together Claire's defense, Perry is surprised to learn that even Selkirk's five-year-old son (David Brady) might have had "motive and opportunity"--not to mention a toy gun that is anything but a toy! This episode is based on a 1959 novel by Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner, though the ending has been considerably altered. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
