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#151: The Case of the
Ancient Romeo
Original Airdate: 05/05/62

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
A night at the theater proves fatal. The lights mysteriously go out during the dueling scene between Romeo and Paris. When the lights come back on, we find the leading man playing Romeo has been stabbed to death. Perry’s actor friend, Steve Brock, is accused of the murder, so the lawyer goes behind the scenes to investigate the cast of characters.

Perry decides to have the cast reenact the final scene that was played before “Romeo’s” death to upstage the killer. When the action begins, this play begins to look more like Macbeth than Romeo and Juliet.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE ANCIENT ROMEO
Based upon characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman, Ray Collins

Trailing

Directed by Arthur Marks
Written by True Boardman

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

Cast

Jeff Morrow as Franz Lachman
Rex Reason as Steve Brock
Harry von Zell as Phil Scharf
Patricia Huston as Claire Adams
Antoinette Bower as Ellen Carson
Wesley Lau as Lt. Anderson
K. T. Stevens as Margit Bruner
Kendrick Huxham as Kelvin MacRae
Robert Cornthwaite as Carl Bruner
Willis Bouchey as Judge
Donald Curtis as Amos Martin
Stafford Repp as Shipping Agent
Rosemary Day as Helen Finney
Charles Stroud as Court Clerk

Uncredited Actors
Don Anderson as Pilot Henry Whalen (spotted by FredK)
Bess Flowers as Audience Member (spotted by gracep)
Lee Miller as Sgt. Brice (spotted by gracep)

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 by … Pacific Title

Perry Mason \ A Film Presentation
A CBS Television Network Production

Trivia Edit

Harry von Zell makes his first of two appearances here on Perry playing Phil Scharf. Harry von Zell was a prolific old time radio announcer, most notably for George Burns, following him to television. Harry von Zell will forever be remembered as the announcer who introduced the 31st President of the United States as Hoobert Heever. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 12 August 2009. + According to snopes.com, the slip-up occurred at the end of a narrative about Hoover in honor of the anniversary of his birth. The apocryphal story of him mis-introducing the President during his inauguration comes from a re-enactment on a blooper record. Submitted by gracenote, 2/2/2011.

The following commercials were shown during this episode’s initial broadcast: Brought to you By (BTYB): Gleem Toothpaste commercial with Ken Wetherwax (Pugsly from the Addams Family); Prell Concentrate Shampoo; Loving Care hair color; Tarryton Cigarettes; Philips Milk of Magnesia; [Bayer card in credits] BTYB: Bayer and Philips Milk of Magnesia; CBS TV tag. Submitted by billp, 25 October 2009

Location: About 30 minutes in, Perry and Paul visit Amos Martin. I think the rock formation when they drive up is of Upper Iverson Ranch. Since there was a similar scene in the previous episode (#150) I am going to speculate that they filmed both at the same time to save money. If not they should have. Ha! Upper Iverson was used numerous times by Perry Mason as well as shows like Roy Rogers and many westerns. However, Perry’s confrontation with Amos Martin seems to be shot in the studio and intercut with location footage. Other than this quick shot of the jeep pulling up and a scene in the theater alley, every other scene in this episode was shot inside. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 5 May 2010.

Uncredited Actors: This is one of Don Anderson’s potentially more significant appearances. He portrays Henry Whalen, Amos Martin’s driver and pilot. As Mason and Drake attempt to interview Martin, Anderson pulls a rifle from the Jeep he’s driving and does some low-key intimidation of the unwelcome visitors. Later, we discover that Whalen was at the scene of the murder and is a key member of a smuggling ring. Improbably, he does not appear at the trial where his testimony would have been vital. Perhaps we’re supposed to presume that he’s in hiding. Despite his importance, Anderson has no lines. Submitted by FredK, 25 Oct. 2010.

Perry whispers to Della that Claire Adams is “not Katharine Cornell.” Quite likely, as Miss Cornell (1893-1974) of Buffalo, NY, was once called “The First Lady of American Theater.” More information at her website. Submitted by gracenote, 1/5/2011.

Uncredited Actors: This seems to be the episode for unacknowledged players. Besides Don Anderson (see above), we find a couple of others. During the Romeo & Juliet performance, Bess Flowers sits in front of unentertained Perry and Della. And Sgt. Brice (Lee Miller) shows up at the crime scene and dutifully questions potential witnesses in the background. Submitted by gracenote, 1/5/2011.

Although credited, Lt. Tragg (Ray Collins) does not appear, leaving the younger Lt. Anderson (Wesley Lau) to handle matters. Submitted by gracenote, 1/5/2011.

Reunited in this episode are Jeff Morrow and Rex Reason, who appeared in the 1955 sci-fi classic This Island Earth. Submitted by Kenmore, 1/18/2011.

Comments Edit

I have to agree with FredK (see Trivia item, above) that it is improbable to have Whelan missing from the hearing. It seems rather convoluted going on without him. What a shame the producers just didn’t seem to want to pony up the money for Anderson to appear. (It’s more frustrating when on realizes it would have been possible to have Anderson on screen without speaking at a time when his presence was most critical). Submitted by gracenote, 7/21/2011.

A professional theatre of that size (note the large stage and house) would have been a union house. At the re-enactment, Perry has Paul lower a “tormenter” (side blocking curtain), which would have been allowed under no circumstances without a union stagehand present—and probably even then the union would have prohibited Paul from operating the curtain rail, insisting a stagehand perform the function (at scale rates of course). Submitted by cgraul, 11/30/2011.

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