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#126: The Case of the
Missing Melody
Original Airdate: 09/30/61

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
Perry and Delta are attending the wedding of Polly Courtland to jazz musician Eddy King (played by James Drury of The Virginian). Suddenly the ceremony is halted when, at the altar, Polly starts screaming “No! No!” and then runs from the church.

What happened? Polly had spotted George Sherwin holding an envelope she knows contains incriminating photographs showing her younger sister, Midge, checking into a Las Vegas motel with musician Bongo White. Polly also knows that Sherwin plans on ruining her family’s reputation unless she gives up Eddy for him. But Sherwin’s plan backfires when someone shoots him to death. When Tragg arrests Eddy, Perry takes over.

Constance Towers sings “The Man I Love” and “The Thrill is Gone.” David Gideon, played by Karl Held, makes an appearance as Perry’s assistant.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE MISSING MELODY
Based upon Characters Created by Erle Stanley Gardner
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman, Ray Collins

Trailing

Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski
Written by Jonathan Latimer

“Perry Mason”
Art Seid | Producer
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive Producer
Jackson Gillis | Associate Producer
Produced by The CBS Television Network in association with Paisano Productions
Samuel Newman | 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

Music Composed and Conducted by Barney Kessel

Cast

Constance Towers as Jonny Baker
James Drury as Eddy King
Bobby Troup as Bongo White
Jo Morrow as Polly Courtland
Karl Held as David Gideon
Andrea King as Enid Markham
Walter Burke as Jack Grabba
Grant Richards as George Sherwin
Lorrie Richards as Midge Courtland
Crahan Denton as Templeton Courtland
Barney Kessel as Barney
Frederic Worlock as Judge
Owen McGiveney as Boyson
Lee Miller as Sgt. Brice
Richard Geary as Detective
Irving Mitchell as Minister
Tony Mafia as Waiter
Jack Williams as First Gambler
Philip Harron as Second Gambler

Crew

Director of Photography … Robert G. Hager
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 … Ed McDermott, Evelyn Carruth
Set Decoration … Charles Q. Vassar
Properties … Ray Thompson
Production Sound Mixer … Herman Lewis
Script Supervision … M.E.M. Gibsone
Automobiles Supplied by … Ford Motor Company
Titles and Opticals by … Pacific Title

Perry Mason \ A Film Presentation
A CBS Television Network Production

Trivia Edit

Except for the opening & closing credits, all the incidental music in the episode is done by a jazz quartet. Submitted by Kenmore, 9/12/2010.

Sightings: The ever-present Distinguished Gentleman #1 got an invitation to the wedding. He strolls in with a lady escort, and he laughs with others in the back pew. Must be a friend of the family! But then he reappears in a blackmail photograph as a hotel clerk. He certainly gets around! Submitted by gracep 11/22/2010.
+ The Pencil Mustache Man also steps outside the usual spectator role to play a waiter at the nightclub where Ms. Baker (Constance Towers) sings. Apparently both of the above gentlemen decided to attend the hearing, as they sit in the back row of the courtroom gallery. Little Old Lady #1 and “Sasha Magaloff” join them as well. Submitted by gracep, 11/23/2010.
+ Distinguished Gentleman #1 also reappears in another photograph as a gambler and in the nightclub as a patron in a back table. Lastly, also appearing in the coutroom gallery are Quiet Old Man #1 and Little Old Lady #2. Read more about all these fascinating people on the Who Is That? page. Submitted by gracep, 6/4/2011.

Anomaly: Although listed as “Jonny Baker,” Constance Towers’ character is addressed throughout the episode as Joanie. Submitted by gracep, 11/23/2010.

For the second time, Karl Held plays law student David Gideon. He will continue to play this role seven more times, for a total of nine. Submitted by gracep, 11/30/2010.

According to Wikipedia, Constance Towers attended the Julliard music school. So I suppose that she did her own singing for the episode (which I rather like). Ed Zoerner, 5/17/2011.

Music Alert: The music playing in the scene where Perry discovers the tape in Bongo's room is "A Walk in the Black Forest" by Horst Jankowski. It reached #1 on the US easy listening chart, #12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and #3 on the UK Singles Chart, in 1965! How many times has a major hit song appeared on TV four years before it charted? Mr. Kessel is credited with all the incidental music. Did Horst lift it from Barney, or vice versa? One of the great TV music mysteries of all time, in my humble opinion. Submitted my Masonite, 6/27/2011

Comments Edit

Love the jazz music in this episode! And how nice of Perry to compare the fictional Eddy King to the real David Brubeck! Submitted by gracep, 11/23/2010.

The theme music and titles for the closing credits have changed. There is a shortened version of the theme played showing the director and writer. Then the theme restarts with a title card reading “Perry Mason” (with quotation marks), and it is played a little more slowly than before, definitely reorchestrated a bit. And the “Paisano Productions” card has moved a little, too, and the ident at the end has different music. Submitted by gracep, 11/23/2010.

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