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#202: The Case of the
Arrogant Arsonist
Original Airdate: 03/05/64

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
When retired fire chief Carey York is accused by TV reporter Tommy Towne of burning his own warehouse, he contacts Perry, who tells Towne to broadcast a retraction or face a whopping $1.5 million slander suit. Towne eventually goes on the air to admit his first charge was incorrect, sort of . . . Carey didn't torch the building to get the insurance, he says; he did it to keep his son from bankruptcy. A sophisticated machine destroyed in the fire would have helped his son's competition. Carey never gets a chance to file a second suit against Towne--the reporter is found dead inside a car at the bottom of a cliff. The car belonged to Carey and that lands the ex-chief in jail for murder.

Credits Edit

Cast

Tom Tully as Carey York
Frank Aletter as Tommy Towne
Jeff York as Ross Walker
Wynn Pearce as Dorian York
Elaine Devry as Sylvia Gwynne
Russell Thorson as Farrell Moorefield
Byron Morrow as Captain Hillman
Connie Cezon as Gertie
Tenen Holtz as Otto Joseph
Holly McIntire as Elaine Joseph
John Gallaudet as Judge
Tommy Farrell as Herbert Baker
Michael Harris as Cameraman
Robert Chadwick as Policeman
Robert Kenneally as Radio Dispatcher
Coby Denton as Phone Dispatcher
Lester Dorr as Bailiff

Trivia Edit

Anomaly: Tommy Farrell, listed as Herbert Baker, is called Mr. Herbert in the show, twice by Perry. [Mitch English]

Location: Look for the real L.A.F.D Fire Station 99 in this episode. See here. Submitted by Steve Fox, 1/12/05. Additional info from Barbara Brafman, 1/13/05.

Location: Vincent Thomas Bridge. A pan shot of this bridge is used to open the scene by the fireboat dock. See here. Submitted by Mitch English, 3/3/05, and D.A. Supernaw, 3/4/05. Also seen in the pan shot is L.A. City No. 2 (Fireboat).

+Russell Thorson makes his final of four appearance on Perry, and his first since 1959. Russell Thorson is best known as a prolific old time radio actor, most notibly as Jack Packard on "I Love a Mystery". Submitted by PaulDrake 33.

Comments Edit

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