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#159: The Case of the
Dodging Domino
Original Airdate: 10/25/62 Revised

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
Someone entered Phil Schuyler’s bungalow on Halloween and threw an electric heater into the bathtub while the wastrel was taking a bath. He never knew what hit him. An eyewitness testifies that only Prof. Damion White (played by David Hedison of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) went into the bungalow during the time of the murder, but Perry thinks otherwise. After all, weren’t trick-or-treaters coming and going all night long?

Future Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn appears in this episode.

Credits Edit

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

Trailing

Directed by Athur Marks
Written by Charles Lang
Art Seid | Producer
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive Producer
Jackson Gillis | Associate Producer
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
Wesley Lau as Lt. Anderson

Music composed and conducted by Van Cleave

Cast

David Hedison as Damion White
Jeff Morrow as Alex Chase
Ellen McRae as Mona Winthrope White
Lloyd Corrigan as Rudy Mahlsted
Robert H. Harris as Jerry Janda
Eddie Firestone as Leonard Buckman
Janet Ward as Freda Chase
James Forrest as Phil Schuyler
Maureen Arthur as Vera Jordan
Tom Palmer as Frank MacManus
Herbert Rudley as Charles Noymann
Barney Biro as Judge
Amanda Randolph as Grace (Maid)
Pat Goldin as Old Man
Orville Sherman as Kirkwood
Diana Reese as Girl
Rusty Stevens as Boy No. 1
Gary Hart as Boy No. 2
Charlotte Thompson as Operator

Uncredited Actors
Lee Miller as Sgt. Brice
Bert Stevens as Party Guest
(two spotted by gracep, 1/12/2010)

Crew

“Perry Mason”

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 … Cosmo Genovese
Theme Composed by … Fred Steiner
Automobiles Supplied by … Ford Motor Company
Fiberglass Home and Garden Furniture Supplied by … John Hall Originals, Malibu, California

Perry Mason
Produced by the CBS Television Network in association with Paisano Productions

Trivia Edit

In the summary, it is mentioned that Academy Award winner Ellen Burystn appears in this episode. An even more famous actor also appears here. Robert “Rusty” Stevens makes his only Perry appearance playing a young boy. He was 13 at the time. Rusty Stevens will forever hold a place in all baby-boomers’ hearts as the character Larry Mondello on Leave It To Beaver. All information I have been able to scrape up shows that Mr. Stevens is still alive in the New Jersey-New York area. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 2 September 2009.

Lt. Arthur Tragg (Ray Collins) does not appear in this episode, despite oncscreen credit. The veteran actor’s health was starting to fail. Submitted by gracep, 1/12/2011.

Character Names: The Old Man listed in the credits introduces himself as 56-year-old Joe Hudson (which is not terribly old). Boy No. 1 is Brucie Hillman; Boy No. 2 is Gene Karger; and the Girl is Michelle Strule. Submitted by gracep, 1/12/2011.

Location: The Royal Pacific Court in this episode plays double duty by appearing again in “TCOT Mischievous Doll.” Also shown briefly in “TCOT Pathetic Patient.” Submitted by Eric Cooper, 28 April 2011.

Uncredited Actors: At the party, that might be Bert Stevens playing a party guest. After the murder, Sgt. Brice Lee Miller appears behind Vera Jordan as she walks through the door at the Royal Pacific Court. He reemerges behind Lt. Anderson at the White residence. Submitted by gracenote, 7/23/2011.

The poem recited in the wrap-up scene is from “Sleep and Poetry” written by John Keats and published in 1817. Submitted by gracenote, 7/23/2011.

Comments Edit

Van Cleave’s music really makes this episode. Submitted by gracenote, 7/23/2011.

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