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#219: The Case of a
Place Called Midnight
Original Airdate: 11/12/64

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
This is a most unusual Mason episode. Della and Paul do not appear. There is no defendant, and therefore no trial. Although Perry is in France on other “business,” he nevertheless manages to get embroiled in an adventure involving Nazis, hidden treasures, and not one but two murders.

Perry is in Paris when he gets a call from prominent American Frederic Ralston II. Ralston wants Perry to go to Germany and check up on his son, Frederic III. Freddy, who is a lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers, has been courting a German singer, Greta Koning, and plans on marrying her. But when Perry arrives in the German lakeside village he is quickly involved in a murder. Freddy is found standing over the dead body of an army captain who was investigating a report of Nazi treasure hidden at the bottom of the lake. But Perry soon learns that the only thing at the bottom of the lake is another body.

Werner (Hogan’s Heroes) Klemperer, who’s made a good living playing Nazis and such, appears as Inspector Hurt.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of A PLACE CALLED MIDNIGHT
Based upon characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, Ray Collins

Trailing

Directed by Arthur Marks
Written by Jackson Gillis
Arthur Marks \ Art Seid | Producers
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
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Music Composed by Richard Shores
Music Supervision by Herschel Burke Gilbert

Cast

Gerald Mohr as Alan Durfee
Harry Townes as Colonel Owens
Robert Emhardt as Frank Appleton
Werner Klemperer as Hurt
Eddie Firestone as Phil Morton
Susanne Cramer as Greta Koning
Fred Vincent as Frederic Ralston
Robert Cornthwaite as Duval
Jim Davis as Joe Farrell
Ivan Triesault as Dr. Kleinman
Eva Soreny as Madame Jurgen
Peter Mamakos as Juan Carlos Ramirez
Monique LeMaire as Stewardess
Peter Hellmann as Max
Jean Bartel as Helga
Will J. White as M.P. Sgt.
Jan Arvan as Swiss Bank Clerk
Werner Reichow as Mechanic
Charles Stroud as Policeman
Ike Ivarson as Swedish Sailor
Ken Willer as Juggler

Uncredited Actors
Don Anderson as Nightclub Patron

Crew

Director of Photography … John M. Nickolaus, Jr.
Art Direction … Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Gordon A. Webb
Film Editor … Richard W. Farrell
Casting … Harvey Clermont
Makeup … Irving Pringle
Hair Stylist … Annabell
Wardrobe Supervision … Ed McDermott, Evelyn Carruth
Set Decoration … Carl Biddiscombe
Properties … Ray Thompson
Production Sound Mixer … Herman Lewis
Script Supervision … Marshall Schlom
Theme Composed by … Fred Steiner
Automobiles Supplied by … Ford Motor Company

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

Trivia Edit

This episode may have been inspired by real events that occurred in 1959 and 1963 involving Nazi loot found in Lake Toplitz. More here and here. Submitted by Steve Fox, 12/26/04.

Jean Bartel (who played Helga) was Miss California 1943 and also Miss America 1943. She went on tour and sold many bonds to aid in the war effort. Submitted by Charles Richmond, 8 March 2011.

The song performed in the the nightclub at the program’s beginning is that old standard “You Are My Sunshine,” sung in German translation. (Du bist mein Sonnenschein…) Submitted by gracenote, 9 April 2011.

Sightings: Distinguished Gentleman #1 has a raucously good time listening to Fraulein Koning sing (see above) in the opening scene. The Gentleman reappears at a pub in Mitternacht where Perry meets Appleton. Submitted by gracenote, 9 April 2011.

Uncredited Actors: He’s hard to see while Greta is performing, but during the next act we can clearly see Don Anderson at the nightclub, too. Submitted by gracenote, 9 April 2011.
+ Anderson gets more footage as a patron of an outdoor cafe seated just behind Durfee (Gerald Mohr). Though his back is to the camera he turns enough to be clearly recognized. In another restaurant scene, he appears to be sitting behind Col. Owens (Harry Townes) but this time he keeps his back to us, making this only a probable sighting. Submitted by FredK, 21 April 2011.

The Curious Coffee Set has gone international! Helga and Greta serve coffee in that ubiquitous china. Even this may be found in place called Mitternacht. Submitted by gracenote, 9 April 2011.

Susanne Cramer was an actual German (as was Werner Klemperer), and reunited with Raymond Burr in Ironsides prior to dying way too young at age 32 while in a medical clinic in California. Submitted by cgraul, 11/15/2011.

Not really acting but playing guitar on the night club stage is jazz legend, Barney Kessel. He does have a credited appearance in “TCOT Missing Melody.” Submitted by Mason Jar, 11 November 2011.

Comments Edit

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