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#130: The Case of the
Pathetic Patient
Original Airdate: 10/28/61

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
Doctor, heal thyself! Perry is called on to travel outside L.A. to defend a doctor—already with a malpractice suit hanging over his head—accused of murdering his wife’s former boyfriend (with a scalpel, no less). And it only gets worse.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE PATHETIC PATIENT
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 Bernard L. Kowalski
Written by Maurice Zimm

“Perry Mason”
Arthur Marks | 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
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Cast

Skip Homeier as Doctor Edley

Frank Cady as {	Joe Widlock
	Hiram Widlock

Virginia Gregg as Mrs. Osborn
Richard Eastham as Prosecutor Parness
Mort Mills as Sgt. Ben Landro
Peter Whitney as Roger Gates
Bek Nelson as Janice Edley
Edward Kemmer as Leslie Hall
Charles Irving as Judge
Wally Brown as Mr. Morgan (Manager)
Percy Helton as Asa Cooperman
Bill Erwin as Autopsy Surgeon
Maura McGiveney as Miss York
Wayne Heffley as Grif Roland
Thomas Freebairn-Smith as Banning

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
Sound … Glen Glenn Sound Co.
Automobiles Supplied by … Ford Motor Company
Titles and Opticals … Pacific Title

Perry Mason \ A Film Presentation
A CBS Television Network Production

Trivia Edit

This episode reunites fellow Rear Window actors Raymond Burr and Frank Cady, well-known for his role as Mr. Drucker on Petticoat Junction, Beverly Hillbillies (along with Perry Mason, one of my all-time favorites), and Green Acres. Submitted by billp, 15 November 2009.

Goof: About a third of the way in, Perry tells Paul to look on page 2 of the newspaper for the story about Leslie Hall’s murder. But Paul clearly finds the story on page 3, complete with picture. Submitted by Ed Zoerner, 6/17/2010.

Could the establishing shot at the beginning of the episode be Franklin Avenue or thereabouts? I note there’s a Haig’s Market sign visible. I think there used to be such a place in the vicinity once upon a time. Perhaps someone in the LA area could check this out? Submitted by billp, 25 September 2010.

Although credited, Lt. Tragg (Arthur Collins) does not appear. D.A. Burger (William Talman) appears neither on screen nor in the credits. We have Sgt. Landro and Prosecutor Parness as subsitutes. Submitted by gracep, 11/30/2010.

Sightings: Some people are true fans of Perry Mason. The Pencil Mustache Man, Little Old Lady #1, and “Miss Carmody” sit together in the back row of the courtroom, with “Sasha Magaloff” in front of them. Across the aisle, Distinguished Gentleman #1 just couldn’t miss watching Perry in action, either. Find out more about these and other regulars on the “Who Is That?” page. (No doubt the rest would have made it if they could). Submitted by gracep, 11/30/2010.

The actor who plays Leslie Hall is instantly recognizable to people of a certain age from his 175 episode run as Commander Buzz Corey on the ground-breaking science fiction series Space Patrol (1950-55). Submitted by old daveb, 4/12/2011.

Location: About 7 minutes in, there is a quick shot of the W. 5700 block sign of Wilshire Blvd. This could be an inside joke as the building behind at 5757 is the Screen Actors Guild headquarters. Submitted Eric Cooper, 20 May 2011.

Location: At exactly 17:17 on the DVD you can see from the background that he is in what is called the Royal Pacfic Court apartment complex used in episode #159 as well as #241. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 20 May 2011.

Character Names: Doctor Edley’s first name is Wayne. Though merely listed as “Banning” in the credits, the plant-watering physician (see picture on this page) is Dr. Wm. Banning, radiologist, according to his door sign. Submitted by gracenote, 6/16/2011.

Comments Edit

Interesting to note the smoking doctor early on. Although pretty common once (doctors even were quoted in cigarette ads on old-time radio), it is nonetheless somewhat startling as it isn’t something you see in TV shows today. Submitted by gracenote, 6/16/2011.

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