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#224: The Case of the
Blonde Bonanza
Original Airdate: 12/17/64

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
Dianne Adler, a friend of Della’s from back home, has the face of an angel and a figure that was voted the best in the Smoky Mountains. Dianne has come to L.A. to work a modeling job that actually calls for her to gain weight.

Now why would someone pay her $200 a week for two years to risk ruining her figure? Dianne says that Harrison Boring hired her to model a new line of clothes made for women just a little overweight.

When Perry sees a clause in Dianne’s contract calling for her to split 50-50 with Boring any money she earns over $200 a week, he gets curious. But, when Boring is killed, it’s only the beginning of Perry’s troubles….

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in Erle Stanley Gardner’s
The Case of THE BLONDE BONANZA
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman, Ray Collins

Trailing

Directed by Arthur Marks
Teleplay by Robb White
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
William Talman as Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Music Composed by Richard Shores
Music Supervision by Herschel Burke Gilbert

Cast

Mary Ann Mobley as Dianne Adler
Michael Constantine as Dillard
Bruce Gordon as Mr. Winlock
Vaughn Taylor as Montrose Foster
Paul Gilbert as Harrison Boring
Ruth Warrick as Mrs. Winlock
Jonathan Lippe as Marvin Palmer
John Gallaudet as Judge
Larry Blake as Plainclothesman
Jack Pepper as Waiter
Len Hendry as Police Officer
Jim Henaghan as Delivery Boy

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

Location: In an early sequence, Della makes a call from a phone booth on Ocean Avenue across from Palisades Park in Santa Monica. The following pier scene is at Santa Monica Pier. Submitted by Mitch English, 4/2/2005.
+ The restaurant appears to be the Belle-Vue. Look for the Surf View Cafe on the pier. Later, there’s a glimpse of the Breaker’s Motel sign. See more here.

Location: The restaurant from which Della emerges is now called the BOA Steakhouse and is located where Santa Monica Blvd comes to an end at Ocean Blvd. A more interesting way to phrase it, of course, is to say that it’s where the historic Route 66 ends, making BOA Steakhouse an interesting trivia answer to the question “What’s the last business or restaurant you can pull into on the iconic Route 66?” Posted by Eric Cooper, 8/7/2009
+ Also, Paul Drake can be seen standing by the Surf View Cafe on the pier. The 330 address is clearly visible. The Surf View is still in business and still at 330 on the Santa Monica Pier. Later in that same scene as Paul stands by the scales, over his shoulder you can see a sign for a shooting gallery. That too is still in existence just a few feet away inside the Arcade. Posted by Eric Cooper, 8/7/2009. See more here.

Ruth Warrick makes her only Perry appearance here playing Mrs. Winlock. Ruth Warrick’s first movie role was as Orson Welles’ first wife, Emily Kane in the classic movie Citizen Kane. However, most people will remember her as Phoebe Tyler, the matriarch of All My Children for 35 years until her death at age 89 in January 2005, Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 26 August 2009.

Sightings: The ubiquitous Distinguished Gentleman #1 works behind the counter at the Surf View Cafe and silently serves coffee to Dillard. At the hearing, Quiet Old Man #1 and “Miss Carmody” are there to see how Perry solves this one. Submitted by gracenote, 4/16/2011.

Character Names: Mr. Winlock’s first name is George. We never learn Mrs. Winlock’s first name. Submitted by gracenote, 4/16/2011.

Ray Collins (Lt. Tragg) appears in the credits only. Submitted by gracenote, 4/16/2011.

Comments Edit

Poor Della Street shouldn’t be so hard on herself. She’s beautiful! But I think all the female readers of this wiki can relate to the feelings of inadequacy that models provoke. Submitted by gracenote, 4/16/2011.

Hollywood seems to have funny ideas about weight and eating. If the young lady kept eating as she did at lunch, she would gain 12 times 12 pounds. She must have consumed 1000 calories at lunch alone, not to mention the half-dozen candy bars for a snack on the beach, followed by an ice-cream cone. (Additionally, the cottage cheese that Della was dieting on is actually quite fattening.) Submitted by gracenote, 4/16/2011.

PM shows, of course, have cast many former beauty contestants (Miss This or That; Mary Ann Mobley was Miss America 1959), but director Arthur Marks took especial care here to slowly pan up Diana’s legs, thighs, stomach and chest as she lies on the beach. Really unnecessary emphasis of her body, but the shot has been appreciated for many years. Submitted by cgraul 11/21/2011.
+ Perhaps he was practicing for his future career in blaxpoitation/exploitation film? Submitted by gracenote, 12/6/2011.

Normally, the attorney court objections in PM episodes are legally sound, even if not appropriately raised. In this case, Perry crosses a witness as to physical layout, and Hamilton objects that he already covered that material, and the objection was sustained. In fact, the cross-examining attorney has every right to re-question on every item covered in direct examination. Submitted by cgraul, 11/21/2011.

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