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#13: The Case of the
Moth-Eaten Mink
Original Airdate: 12/14/57

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Morey Allen's restaurant is a regular eating spot for Perry and Della. But on this night, Morey has a problem: One of his waitresses has been struck by a car while fleeing the steak house after spotting a man stalking her. She's left behind a moth-eaten mink, which hints that she might be one of those enterprising waitresses who "mingle with the guests" after hours. If word of this gets to the press, Morey will be ruined. When the man who frightened the waitress in the first place is found murdered, Morey and the waitress are strong suspects.

Perry and Paul take up Morey's defense--there's a very funny scene when the pair "interrogate" a dumb blond bombshell witness--and the episode climaxes with Tragg and the real murderer shooting it out in Perry's office.

PMESG

Credits Edit

Cast

Douglas Kennedy as Sgt. Jaffrey
Robert Osterloh as Morey Allen
Kay Faylen as Dixie Dayton
Than Wyenn as Frank Hoxie
Roxanne Arlen as Mae Nolan
Grandon Rhodes as Judge Lennox
Marc Krah as George Fayette
Connie Cezon as Gertie
Brian Hutton as Parking Attendant
Jack Gargan as Bailiff
Lyn Guild as Drake's Operator

Trivia Edit

CARS: Early 50s Cadillac series 75 limo, black, Early 50s Chrysler product Taxi. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

This show was the pilot episode of the series. It was filmed in October 1956. Source: Perry Mason: The Authorship and Reproduction of a Popular Hero by J. Dennis Bounds who cites Jim Davidson, “Writing the Perry Mason Pilot: Interviews with TV Writers Ben Starr and Lawrence Marks,” National Association for the Advancement of Perry Mason Newsletter, no. 46, Winter 1990–91, 3, as his source. Submitted by daveb, date unknown.

+There are several tip offs that this episode was filmed far in advance of the other episodes. First, Perry's hair is much thinner than in the other episodes. It is very short. Second, Perry has not yet acquired a vehicle, he uses a taxi for transportation. Submitted by PaulDrake 33.

Unfortunately, the script for this episode is undated. But, this is undoubtedly consistent with the view that this was the first episode (pilot). The call sheets for this episode would be particularly interesting. Submitted by billp. 4 November 2009.

Comments Edit

The episode opens with an establishing shot of a long, busy boulevard at night. We see a sign at the right that says Mayflower. That's the old Mayflower Hotel at 535 S. Grand Avenue in Los Angeles. For a modern view, see here. In the episode, we're looking roughly south on the street in the direction of W. 6th Street. Today the hotel is called "Checkers," and it's in a canyon of large, ugly buildings. LA was a lot nicer in Perry's day. billp 1/12/09.

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