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#112: The Case of the
Wintry Wife
Original Airdate: 02/18/61

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Inventor Walter Randall wants a divorce. His wife Laura says no way. Walter is playing around with a sweet young thing named Phyllis Hudson. Laura gets back at him by blackmailing one of his assistants into building a time bomb that will destroy Walter's underwater sounding invention.

One night, while doing a last-minute check on the bomb in a warehouse, Laura is surprised to find Phyllis. Taking advantage of the situation, she clubs the young woman. But Phyllis survives the explosion-—only to be charged with Laura’s murder.

Perry agrees to defend her and stages an elaborate demonstration in the courtroom, using Paul, flying in a helicopter forty miles away, to make a key point.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
The Case of THE WINTRY WIFE
Based Upon Characters Created By Erle Stanley Gardner
Barbara Hale as Della Street
William Hopper as Paul Drake
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Trailing

Directed by Arthur Marks
Written by Samuel Newman
Seeleg Lester | Producer
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive Producer
Arthur Marks | Associate Producer
Produced by The CBS Television Network in association with Paisano Productions
Jackson Gillis | Story Consultant

Raymond Burr as Perry Mason
Barbara Hale as Della Street
William Hopper as Paul Drake
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Cast

Jerome Thor as Walter Randall
Robert Karnes as Deputy D.A. Chamberlin
June Vincent as Laura Randall
Alan Hewitt as Bruce Sheridan
Marianne Stewart as Phyllis Hudson
Fredd Wayne as Roger Phillips
Jean Howell as Amelia Phillips
Barney Phillips as Mr. Johnson
Sue England as Judy Baldwin
Willis B. Bouchey as Judge
Paul Barselow as John Penner
Michael Fox as Autopsy Surgeon
Robert Bice as Second Operative
George E. Stone as Court Clerk
Rudolph Salinger as Chemist
Chuck Stroud as First Operative

Crew

Art Seid, A.C.E. | Assistant to the Producer

Production Supervisor … Dewey Starkey
Director of Photography … Frank Redman, A.S.C.
Art Direction … Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Robert G. Stone
Film Editor … Richard H. Cahoon, A.C.E.
Casting … Harvey Clermont
Makeup … Irving Pringle
Hair Stylist … Annabell
Wardrobe Supervision … William Zacha, Evelyn Carruth
Set Decoration … Charles Q. Vassar
Sound Effects Editor … Gene Eliot, M.P.S.E.
Music Editor … Gene Feldman
Properties … Ray Thompson
Production Sound Mixer … Herman Lewis
Script Supervision … M.E.M. Gibsone
Sound … Glen Glenn Sound Co.
Titles and Opticals … Pacific Title

Perry Mason \ A Film Presentation
A CBS Television Network Production

Trivia Edit

Anomaly: Paul Barselow, listed as John Penner, is called Ben Penner by Amelia Phillips and Deputy D.A. Chamberlin in court. [Submission date unknown]
Character Names: Not anomalous, but related. For the first time, we see the door to the deputy D.A.’s office, and that his full name is Victor Chamberlin. Additionally, the Autopsy Doctor’s name is, presumably, Hoxie, although it is never used, but golden-voiced Michael Fox keeps playing this same role. Submitted by gracep 11/4/2010.

This show is the beginning of Part 2 of the 4th season, as sold on CBS DVDs. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 3 January 2010.

Goof: Laura Randall does not drive the automobile that is parked in her garage to the warehouse. The car in the garage is a light-colored two-toned vehicle, and she drives a dark colored 1959 Chevrolet to the warehouse. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 22 January 2010.

Continuity Error: When Phyllis Hudson bursts into Mason’s offices after the explosion and fire, she is wearing no coat. When Paul drives her to the house to retreive some of her effects, she has acquired a coat from somewhere. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 22 January 2010.

Sightings: The Thin Man is particularly busy in this episode, appearing in three separate roles. He is one of Paul’s operatives in the street huddle when Paul sends them to check chemist shops. Later, he is in uniform at the wheel of the Harbor Patrol launch that takes Tragg and Chamberlin out to Walter Randall’s research boat. Still later, he is a spectator in court, seated next to the door on the prosecution side. Read more about him and other frequently seen people here. Submitted by alan_sings, 9 Oct 2010.
+ Even more regulars turn up in the courtroom. Next to the Thin Man sits the Quiet Old Man (#1), and next to him, the beloved Little Old Lady in a Hat. Across the aisle, we find Distinguished Gentleman #1. “Miss Carmody” also appears as a courtroom spectator, and then during the wrap-up she reemerges as a waitress serving Della and Paul’s table. So many favorite frequent faces! Submitted by gracep, 11/4/2010.

For the second episode in a row, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) does not appear in the wrap-up scene, leaving Paul and Della to explain it all for us. Submitted by gracep, 11/4/2010.

I’m not 100% sure, but I think that the restaurant patron behind Della and Paul in the epilogue just might be sipping from a curious coffee cup. Submitted by Ed Zoerner, 5/24/2011.

Comments Edit

A good episode, the whole “Wintry Wife” angle is wonderful. It would have been better if they'd handled the technology involved differently. Generally I think the Perry Mason series (or any series, past or present) makes a mistake anytime it gives too much detail on “technology” unless they’re prepared to spend a lot of money on the mock-up, computer animation or what-not. Otherwise it tends to date the episode. Another problem is that the technology depicted risks looking ludicrous with the passage of time and thus a distraction to the story. It’s better to just give some vague impression of the technology and let the viewer’s imagination do the rest. Instead of letting us see the “sounding device,” it would have been better to just show Walter pushing some undefined object into the crate, etc. Imagination is always current. Well, unless the technology at issue is something like the automobile or light bulb or garage door openers. Really, it’s best to avoid technological references altogether. In the series’ defense, I‘m sure not in their wildest dreams did they imagine people would be watching Perry Mason 50-plus years later. Submitted by billp, 13 December 2009.

Is it just me or does anyone else think that Private Detective Penner looks a lot like the little old man in the Six Flags commercials? I suppose it could be possible, because IMDB says Paul Barselow is still living at 87 years of age. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 22 January 2010.
+I don't know about that, but Mr. Barselow’s voice sounded very much like that of Wally Cox! Close your eyes and listen for yourself! Submitted by Ed Zoerner, 5/24/2011.

The Summary above is incorrect. Laura deliberately sent Phyllis to the warehouse, to deliver (unbeknownst) the bomb, and lay in wait for her. The eponymous Wintry Wife was tring to kill two birds with one stone, as it were. Submitted by gracep, 11/4/2010.

Perry and Della work late on drafting corporate documents. Interestingly, Paul Drake is also there. Doesn't he have anything better to do with his late nights than watch Perry draft boring documents? cgraul 10.6.11

In the sum-up, Paul uses the phrase "Deadly Device;" might that have been the original title of the episode? cgraul 10.6.11

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