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#135: The Case of the
Brazen Bequest
Original Airdate: 12/02/61

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
President-elect of Euclid College, Charles Cromwell, a.k.a. Curly Oliver, contacts Perry when some unpleasantness in his past leads to murder.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE BRAZEN BEQUEST
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 Arthur Marks
Written by Robert Leslie Bellem

“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
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Cast

Phyllis Avery as Mary Cromwell
Alan Hewitt as Dr. Marcus Tate
Karl Weber as Charles Cromwell
Mort Mills as Sgt. Landro
John Wilder as Dick Wilson
Barbara Stuart as Maizie Freitag
Strother Martin as Pete Gibson
Joseph Julian as Deputy D.A. Horner
William Allyn as Robert Haskell
Will Wright as James Vardon
James Millhollin as Prof. Grove
Charles Irving as Judge
Elvia Allman as Julia Slovak
Nelson Olmsted as Dr. Hunterlin
Dick Whittinghill as Jerry
Ernest Sarracino as Rafael Sandoval
Sally Mills as Nurse Talbot
Charles Tannen as Cabby
Frank Behrens as Autopsy Surgeon
Morris Erby as Jonas
Herbert Lytton as Motel Clerk
Richard Geary as Deputy Sheriff
Sandy Shaffer as College Girl

Crew

Director of Photography … Robert G. Hager
Art Direction … Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Gordon Webb
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

Location: Some exterior shots were filmed at the University of Redlands and at the somewhat “modernized” old La Posada (aka La Pasada) hotel on State Street (long since torn down) in downtown Redlands, CA (not far from Big Dave’s home town). Submitted by Tom Southard, 4/29/2000.

Character Names: Charles Cromwell (Karl Weber) is addressed several times as Dr. (presumably Ph.D.), but this credential is not reflected in the closing credits, even though Dr. Tate was granted his. Additionally, Ernest Sarracino’s character’s full name is Sr. Rafael Dominguez y Sandoval. Submitted by gracep, 12/24/2010.

Euclid College: TCOT Brazen Bequest (#135, 5.12) and TCOT Prankish Professor (#168, 6.15) are both set at Euclid College. In fact, the opening sequence, showing the sign that says "Euclid College" and a man (probably a student) walking up the steps into a building behind the sign... is the *same* lead-in sequence used in *both* episodes! Submitted by Charles Richmond, 8/29/2012

Although credited, Lt. Tragg (Ray Collins) does not appear in this episode, one of many times this season. Submitted by gracep, 1/7/2010.

This is one of the episodes in which Raymond Burr did not remove his pinkie ring (worn on his left hand) prior to shooting. Submitted by cgraul, 11/8/2011.

As requested below in the Comments, I can identify the music heard at the very beginning of the episode. It is a very abbreviated quote from a traditional student song, Gaudeamus igitur ("So Let Us Rejoice"). Its use in soundtracks to suggest an academic setting has become a bit stereotypical, but it is still a fine piece of music. Its words in Latin exhort students to live life fully (a sentiment akin to the saying, carpe diem, "sieze the day"). You can hear umpteen versions of it (with varying quality) on YouTube. The version by Mario Lanza from The Student Prince is a good one, though the sound quality is a little old. The tune is also heard during Brahms' Academic Festival Overture at about the eight and a half minute mark. Submitted by alan_sings, 11/10/2011.

CARS. (1) A 1961 Ford Fairlane 4-Door Sedan TAXI, light color with rates painted on door, brings Maizie Freitag to the campus.

• (2) 1961 Buick Electra 225 4-Door HardTop, black, Lic No VBV 990, Charles Cromwell.
• (3) Paul's black 1961 Thunderbird Convertible, top down.

While Charles questions the Cabby (15:00), there's some interesting vehicles in the background:

• (a) The Left (driver's) side of the familiar Aerocoach P-372 is a backdrop to much of the scene. This last linked image shows the exact livery (paint scheme) on the bus as filmed for this episode and also for the P-372's previous appearances in Episodes 80, 99 & 117 (Location shoots in Fawnskin, the LA waterfront and San Diego respectively). In greater clarity but not quite in the same livery, here's the Right and Left sides of the P-372.

When the camera angle reverses, there's some unusually-styled cars parked across the street:

• (b) 1951 Studebaker sedan, dark color.
• (c) The white car behind the Studebaker appears to be a 1961 Valiant V-100 2-Door Sedan. Valiant was Chrysler's entry into the smaller-car market in 1960.
• (d) 1952 Hudson. The big triangle, center of grill, is found only on the '50 to '52 Hudsons.

With this further appearance of the Aerocoach P-372 in Redlands CA, I believe that it's virtually certain that this bus was routinely used to transport Cast & Crew to Location Shoots (as first proposed by DocRushing in Ep#99 Trivia). Added by Gary Woloski, 2/7/13.

Comments Edit

An interesting casting choice was made in this episode. According to the story, it’s certainly implied, if not directly stated that Charles Cromwell (Kurt Weber) was younger than Maizie Freitag. Yet Barbara Stuart who played Maizie was almost 19 years younger in “real life” than Weber. And as hard as they try with the makeup, Stuart still looks younger than Weber. Submitted by Kenmore, 9/15/2010.

The song played during the opening scene is the same melody used for my high school’s Alma Mater, but I recall that it’s something more famous. If anyone knows it, please post in Trivia! Submitted by gracenote, 7/12/2011.

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