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#132: The Case of the
Posthumous Painter
Original Airdate: 11/11/61

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Everyone knows that dead artists sell more paintings than live ones do. Jack Culross is an artist who puts that theory to the test. He fakes his own suicide, and sure enough, sales of his paintings go through the roof. Trouble is, he didn't let his wife, Edna, in on the scheme. When she sees a painting of his that she knows he didn't finish, she starts to get wise.

Culross contacts Edna, but they fight and she knocks him down. Later, Culross is found dead for real and at first, Edna's brother is arrested for the murder. Then Edna herself stands accused. Perry takes the case and sets out to determine just who knew the "dead" artist was really alive before he was murdered.

Credits Edit

Trailing

Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski
Written by Richard Grey

“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
William Talman as Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Cast

Stuart Erwin as Austin Durrant
George Macready as Dr. Vincent Kenyon
Carol Rossen as Linda Burnside
Lori March as Edna Culross
Karl Held as David Gideon
Wesley Lau as Lt. Anderson
Jason Evers as Clint Miller
Britt Lomond as Jack Culross
James Griffith as Walter Hutchings
Nelson Leigh as Judge
John McNamara as Robert Shelby
Vera Marshe as Woman
Don Lynch as Deputy
Paul Barselow as Resident
Chuck Hamilton as Postal Inspector

Uncredited Actors
Bess Flowers as Spectator at Art Exhibit (from IMDb)
Lee Miller as Sgt. Brice (spotted by gracep 12/1/2010)

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 … Pacific Title

Perry Mason \ A Film Presentation
A CBS Television Network Production

Trivia Edit

The painting The Three Witches also appears in #187, TCOT Reluctant Model. See appearances here. Submitted by Xanthippe Svanström, 12/24/2003.

Chuck Hamilton, as the Postal Inspector, makes his first of four appearances on Perry in this episode. Even though Mr. Hamilton made four appearances, this is the only one in which his name appears in the credits. Mr. Hamilton was born in 1903, and of this date is yet alive. Mr. Hamilton holds the present record for oldest alumni of the Perry show at 106 years of age. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 6 August 2009.
+ NOTE: Chuck Hamilton died the day before Christmas, 1978, at age 75. Submitted by cgraul, 11/3/2011.

Stuart Erwin makes his first of four appearances here playing Austin Durrant. From 1950 until 1955 Mr. Erwin starred in his own sitcom The Stu Erwin Show aka The Trouble With Father. Stuart Erwin was a long time actor who, believe it or not, was nominated in 1937 for an Academy Award in the supporting actor category. He lost out to Walter Brennan for Come and Get It. Mr. Brennan was also the star of an early television sitcom The Real McCoys. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 24 November 2009.

Sightings: Once again, the Little Old Lady in a Hat appears. As Hamilton Burger questions Lt. Anderson, we see her sitting in the back row during a cutaway of David (Gerd Helm) & Austin Durrant (Stuart Erwin) as they watch from the gallery. Submitted by Kenmore 9/13/2010.
+ Distinguished Gentleman #1 is also observing in the courtroom today. Read more about him and other regulars on the Who Is That? page. Submitted by gracep 12/1/2010.

This episode makes the fourth appearance of Karl Held as David Gideon—which he will repeat another five times, for a total of nine. Submitted by gracep, 11/22/2010.

Character Names: Clint Miller’s middle name is Robert. Submitted by gracep, 12/1/2010.

Location: Durrant Art Gallery building was at 23732 Pacific Coast Highway near the intersection of Webb Way and PCH, which was down the hill just a couple of hundred yards from where Raymond Burr lived at the time. Posted by Eric Cooper, 10 April 2010.

When Hutchings slams the door at the end of the scene where Paul and David interview him outside his apartment, the entire wall behind him (look closely) vibrates. Shoddy construction I guess. Submitted by daveb, 4/14/2011.

Location: About 6 minutes in, there is an exterior shot of Malibu Road and then, as the guy enters, “24246” is visible on the gate where Jack Culross is painting. All this makes perfect sense. The house still exists and is just a few houses south of where Raymond Burr lived at the time making the shoot very easy for him to make his call time. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 23 May 2011. Some pictures here.

While Edna tells Perry her story, on the desk sit a cup and saucer from the Curious Coffee Set. Submitted by gracenote, 6/21/2011.

Once again, there is no Lt. Tragg even though Ray Collins receives credit for playing him. Submitted by gracenote, 6/21/2011.

Comments Edit

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