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#15: The Case of the
Fan Dancer's Horse
Original Airdate: 12/28/57

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Returning to L.A., Perry and Della witness an auto accident. The Mexican woman who was driving the overturned vehicle leaves behind some high-heeled shoes and ostrich plumes. Perry is delighted to find out that the owner of the feathers is none other than fan dancer Cherie-Chi-Chi. He is not so delighted to find out the trouble she is in.

PMESG

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in Erle Stanley Gardner’s
The Case of The Fan-Dancer’s Horse
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman, Ray Collins

Closing

Directed by William D. Russell
Teleplay by Stirling Silliphant
Ben Brady | Producer
Produced by CBS Television in association with Paisano Productions
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive Producer
Sam White | Associate Producer

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

Susan Cummings as Lois Fenton
Scott Elliott as Arthur Sheldon
Judy Tyler as Cherie Chi-Chi
Robert Bice as Faulkner
Minerva Urecal as Landlady
Hugh Sanders as John Callender
Sydney Smith as Judge Donahue
John Brinkley as Jasper Fenton
Connie Cezon as Gertie
Rusty Westcoatt as Sgt. Holcomb
James Nolan as Meeker
Herbert C. Lytton as Dr. Lambert

Uncredited Actors
Dennis Moore as Stablehand
Lois De Banzie as Carol Nielson

Crew

Production Supervisor … J. Paul Popkin
Director of Photography … Frank Redman, A.S.C.
Art Direction … Lyle Wheeler, Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Art Marks
Editorial Supervisor … Art Seid, A.C.E.
Film Editor … Richard Cahoon, A.C.E.
Makeup … Mel Berns
Wardrobe Supervision … Dick James
Set Decorations … Walter M. Scott, Charles Q. Vassar
Properties … Ray Thompson
Recorded by … Alfred Bruzlin
Rerecording Mixer … Harry M. Leonard
Script Supervisor … Cosmo Genovese

This has been a CBS Television Network Production
Filmed in Hollywood by TCF Television Productions, Inc.

Trivia Edit

CARS: 1957 Ford Skyliner retractable, black, top down (Mason). Cameo: 1957 Mercury 4dr sedan. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

Phone Numbers: Perry’s office number, MA 5-1190, makes its second appearance. Perry gives the number to the hotel operator when he calls police headquarters from the detective’s room across the hall from the murder victim. It’s first used for Perry’s office in episode #17, TCOT Sun Bather’s Diary. Submitted by D. A. Supernaw, 6/30/05.
+ Correction: This is the first appearance of what would be Mason’s phone number. The previous episode used MA 5-1199. Submitted by alan_sings 10/01/10.
+ When calling from room 510 of the Richmel Hotel, Perry uses the number MA 5-1190 to phone the police, so Paul Drake can report the murder. In the previous episode (TCOT Baited Hook), the very similar MA 5-1199 was used as the number of Tydings & Dawson. In later episodes, the phone number MA 5-1190 becomes Perry’s office number. Submitted by Charles Richmond 10/9/08. Edited by alan_sings 9 Oct 2010 and gracep 11/21/2010.

Judy Tyler (Cherie Chi-Chi) never got to see her work in this episode. She died in a traffic accident on 4 July 1957 shortly after filming this episode. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 21 June 2008.
+ Miss Tyler, who started her career as Princess Summerfall Winterspring on the Howdy Doody Show, had been on Broadway and had made two films before filming this episode: Bop Girl Goes Calypso and Jailhouse Rock. Submitted by Francis, 10 June 2011.

Pilot or not? I believe this is the 2nd Perry Mason episode filmed. It has an early script date, 20 March 1957. Plus Perry drives a 1957 Ford and wears a hat, both characteristics of the first set of episodes filmed. As an aside, it also shows a characteristic Perry Mason driving habit: Zooming up to a car and pressing hard on the brakes causing quite a bit of subsequent oscillation (up/down). Perhaps what I assume to be “normal” driving doesn‘t film well? Submitted by billp. 29 November 2009.
+ In an interview on the 50th Anniversary Edition DVD, series producer Arthur Marks identified this episode as the pilot episode. Submitted by alan_sings 9 October 2010.
+ I think Mr. Marks may be an unreliable witness. In the same interview, he says the “pilot” was directed by Ted Post, but William D. Russell is credited as Director for this episode. Marks also says he was 2nd Assistant Director for the episode but he is credited as Assistant Director, his initial job after signing on for the series. Ted Post is credited as Director of #13, TCOT Moth-Eaten Mink. See that episode for more information. Submitted by daveb, 11/1/10.
+ Could this be a “2nd Pilot,” then? Also this seeming confusion might bolster my hypotheis that this is the 2nd episode filmed. Submitted by billp, 12 November 2010.

Uncredited Actors: This is another possible three-spot for Don Anderson. He’s one of the uniformed policemen with Lt. Tragg at the crime scene and later a courtroom spectator. He may also be a nightclub patron on the dance floor, but this is another sighting that’s difficult to be certain of. Submitted by FredK 30 September 2010.

Sightings: Carefully guarding the defendant is a police matron played by Distinguished Lady #2. A courtroom spectator when court reconvenes is Distinguished Gentleman #2. Submitted by gracenote, 8/28/2011.

Uncredited Actors: Prolific B-Western actor Dennis Moore (a.k.a. Denny Meadows) plays the amicable stablehand at Etondale Stables. He gets lots of lines, but no credit. Submitted by gracenote, 8/28/2011.

Character Names: Meeker’s first name is Sam. Faulkner’s first name is Frank. Submitted by gracenote, 8/28/2011.

Comments Edit

While “processing” this episode today, I was impressed by its high production values. There were many extras and elaborate sets. And, if I didn’t miscount, there were seven uncredited actors with speaking parts. daveb, 5/20/09.

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