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#122: The Case of the
Grumbling Grandfather
Original Airdate: 05/27/61

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
David Gideon is in deep. His lying girlfriend has convinced him to raise $10,000 for her, supposedly to pay off her punch-drunk husband. But when hubby turns up stiff, David is arrested for murder. And why not? He was seen fighting with the soon-to-be-deceased man, who, it turns out, was most likely holding some damaging info on David’s family. Despite these obstacles, and the fact that the matter goes beyond the usual preliminary court hearing, Perry takes the case.

Gavin MacLeod (of McHale’s Navy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Love Boat) makes an appearance in this episode.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE GRUMBLING GRANDFATHER
Based upon characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman, Ray Collins

Trailing

Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski
Written by Jackson Gillis
Arthur Marks | Producer
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive 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
William Talman as Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Cast

Patricia Barry as Dorine Hopkins
Otto Kruger as J. J. Gideon
Karl Held as David Gideon
Frances Rafferty as Sue Franks
Gavin Mac Leod as Lawrence Comminger
Phil Arthur as Si Farrell
Fifi D’Orsay as Woman Witness
Dub Taylor as Stroller
John Gallaudet as Superior Court Judge
Kenneth MacDonald as Trial Judge
Henry Hunter as Avery Bellison
John Close as Police Sergeant
Maura McGiveney as Waitress
Fred Coby as Tony Mongomery
Hal Dawson as Watchman
Lee Miller as Sgt. Brice

Uncredited Actors:
William. H. O’Brien as Courtroom Spectator
(from IMDb)

Crew

Production Supervisor … Dewey Starkey
Director of Photography … Robert G. Hager
Art Direction … Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Morris Harmell
Film Editor … John D. Faure, Roy V. Livingston
Casting … Harvey Clermont
Makeup … Irving Pringle
Hair Stylist … Annabell
Wardrobe Supervision … Ed McDermott, 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

Here is Karl Held’s initial appearance as David Gideon. He would go on to appear as David Gideon 8 more times in the 1961-62 season. He had appeared 3 months earlier in an episode under a different name. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 15 January 2010.

Dub Taylor makes his only Perry appearance here as a witness noted only as “Stoller.” Dub Taylor was an old time cowboy star using the name “Cannonball Taylor.”He appeared in over fifty B-Westerns as the sidekick of Wild Bill Elliott, The Durango Kid, Red Berry, and Jimmy Wakley. Often Kenneth MacDonald, who plays the judge in this episode would also have a part as the villian in his Westerns. Dub Taylor, though, is probably best known as Ivan Moss, the man who set up Bonnie and Clyde for their ambush in the 1967 movie of the same name. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 15 January 2010

Character Names: John Gallaudet is listed in the credits as “Superior Court Judge,” even though the door to his courtroom is clearly labeled Judge Thomas J. Hood. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 15 January 2010.

Whose courtroom, actually, is it? At about 18:07 (on the 2009 Paramount DVD) Kenneth MacDonald is using Hood’s courtroom. Then, at about 33:26, John Gallaudet is using it. Submitted by masonite. 12 March 2010.
+ Kenneth MacDonald and his scene described above do not appear in the syndication print. Also, Ray Collins is listed in the credits but does not appear. Someone else needs to verify if this is only in the syndication print or if he has a scene in the DVD. Submitted by gracep, 11/18/2010.
+ I didn't see him in the episode, only listed in the credits at the beginning and end. At about 22:17 (on the 2009 Paramount DVD) a Sheriff’s car drops David Gideon off at the scene of the crime, and later Sgt. Brice is at the same scene. Submitted by masonite, 21 November 2010.
+ On the Paramount DVD, the first courtroom scene runs from about 20:15 to 22:55 with MacDonald as the judge. The second courtroom scene starts at about 34:50. It’s the same courtroom as the first scene. Such cutting is not unusual in broadcast episodes. Submitted by daveb, 11/21/2010.

Sightings: “Miss Carmody” is a smiling but silent hostess at a restaurant. She reappears in the courtroom gallery during the trial, along with Quiet Old Man #1 and Distinguished Gentleman #1, not to mention the Little Old Lady in a Hat, who is very prominent in a cutaway to Miss Franks. Read more about these and other regular faces here. Submitted by gracep, 11/18/2010.
+ Distinguished Gentleman #1 can also be seen driving the cab outside Doreen's place. Or is that Blue Collar Guy wearing glasses? Submitted by daveb, 4/11/2011.

Comments Edit

This is yet another episode where violence against women, particularly husband against wife, has hardly any consequences for the perpetrator. Assault and battery, anyone? Submitted by gracep, 11/18/2010.

For all the folderol made concerning the age difference between Dorine and David, at the time of the episode Patricia Barry was 40 and Karl Held 30, hardly the "child" he is made out to be. cgraul 10.20.11

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