<< Witless Witness | Episodes | Shifty Shoe-Box >>

#182: The Case of the
Nebulous Nephew
Original Airdate: 09/26/63

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
Perry defends a seaman with two names who’s been switching identities with another man.

Credits Edit

Opening

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

Trailing

Directed by Arthur Marks
Written by Jonathan Latimer
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

Beulah Bondi as Sophia Stone
Ron Starr as John Brooks
Kate Manx as Irene Stone
Mark Roberts as Wayne Jameson
Hugh Marlowe as Ernest Stone
Ivan Dixon as Caleb Stone
Meg Wyllie as Nineveh Stone
Arthur Space as Leonard
Irene Tedrow as Sister Theresa
Kenneth MacDonald as Judge
William Woodson as Coroner’s Physician
Linda Marshall as Young Nun
Kathy Willow as Stewardess

Crew

[TBA]

Trivia Edit

Veteran movie actress Beulah Bondi makes her only Perry appearance here playing Sophia Stone. She made a living playing Jimmy Stewart’s mother. Ms. Bondi played Jimmy Stewart’s mother 5 times—4 times in movies and once in his television show. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 16 September 2009.

Meg Wyllie was in the Star Trek pilot, “The Cage” (1966) as the Talosian Keeper. Submitted by Steve-O, 11/18/2009.

The new season begins with an appearance by the Curious Coffee Set, from which the mysterious seaman pretends to sip as he waits for Great-Aunt Sophia. Submitted by gracenote, 2/11/2011.

Sightings: Both Quiet Old Man #1 and Distinguished Gentleman #1 appear in the courtroom: the former as a spectator and the latter as court reporter. Submitted by gracenote, 2/12/2011.

Alas, Neither D.A. Burger not Lt. Tragg appears in this episode, notwithstanding the billing. Submitted by gracenote, 2/12/2011.
+ Correction: Actually, yes, Hamilton Burger is the prosecuting trial attorney in this episode. Submitted by cgraul, 9/22/2011.

Goof: Perry’s “wireless” intercom box is missing from its usual place on the desk in the office scene with Nineveh Stone. Somewhat later, after Paul enters through the side door, the intercom has returned. Submitted by daveb, 4/14/2011.

Location: Double duty. The house the two sisters live in appears to be the same house the rich lady from “TCOT Bullied Bowler” lives in. Maybe it’s a timeshare. The window patterns are different but check out the 2 very unique and unusual hanging lanterns by the front door. Also on the nightime scenes the porch light is in exactly the same place. The house is probably in Hancock Park which is again close to the studio. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 28 April 2011.

Location: I found the house! It’s at 357 Lorraine Blvd in the Hancock Park section of Los Angeles. It was originally built in 1898 for Issac Newton Van Nuys who developed much of the San Fernando Valley. The house is about 12,000 sq ft and looks exactly the same. Even has the same unique porch light after 50 years. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 6 June 2011. Pictures here.

At the beginning, Ernest announces the aunts’ ages as 72 for Sophia and 70 for Ninevah. The actual ages of the actresses, respectively: 74 and 46! You can tell the age difference if you look closely. Submitted by Ed Zoerner, 8/23/2011.

Comments Edit

On the phone, Irene mentions her husband is in Ithaca, NY, at trapshooting contest. Ithaca is where they used to make Ithaca Guns (shotguns, that is), which Annie Oakley used. The brand still exists but the factory has been destroyed, replaced by a parking lot for student housing for Cornell Unversity. Many students and townies walk or drive along the rather steep Gun Hill Road, where the abandoned factory sat, decaying and probably polluting the groundwater, on their way to campus. Though long an eyesore, its demise is kind of sad, too. The smokestack that says “Ithaca Gun” is still there, however. Submitted by gracenote, 2/11/2011.

Two thumbs up for Della Street’s spiffy new hairdo on this first episode of the new season. Submitted by gracenote, 2/11/2010.

Kate Manx, the episodes “babe,” died the year after this show aired at the young age of only 34. Submitted by cgraul, 9/22/2011.

On the DVD release of Season 7 Part 1, the credits which run at the end of this episode are actually the credits for episode #233, TCOT Sad Sicilian. Submitted by alan_sings, 8/21/2012.

<< Witless Witness | Episodes | Shifty Shoe-Box >>