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#25: The Case of the
Empty Tin
Original Airdate: 03/08/58

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
A deceased war veteran’s estate and his long-lost daughter set the scene for murder and deceit. Perry must set the facts straight and help the daughter, Doris Hocksley, regain her identity and fortune.

Credits Edit

Opening

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

Trailing

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
Teleplay by Seeleg Lester
Ben Brady | Producer
Produced by CBS Television in association with Paisano Productions
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive Producer
Sam White | Associate Producer

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

Cast

Toni Gerry as Doris Hocksley
Warren Stevens as Alan Neil
Olive Deering as Rebecca Gentrie
Benson Fong as Gow Loong
Mary Shipp as Miriam Hocksley
Anthony Jochim as Elston Carr
Frank Wilcox as Judge
Otto Waldis as John Lowell
Bert Holland as Dr. Morton

Uncredited Actors
Lee Miller as Sgt. Brice
Dean Casey as Sanchez
Don Anderson as Courtroom Spectator (added by gracep 10/7/2010)

Crew

Gene Wang | Story Editor

Production Supervisor … J. Paul Popkin
Director of Photography … Frank Redman, A.S.C.
Art Direction … Lyle Wheeler, Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Robert G. Stone
Editorial Supervisor … Art Seid, A.C.E.
Film Editor … Richard Cahoon, A.C.E.
Makeup … Mel Berns
Wardrobe Supervision … Dick James
Hair Stylist … Annabell
Set Decorations … Walter M. Scott, Charles Q. Vassar
Properties … Ray Thompson
Rerecording Mixer … Robert O’Brien
Script Supervisor … Cosmo Genovese

This has been a CBS Television Network Production
Filmed in Hollywood by TCF Television Productions, Inc.

Trivia Edit

In the opening scene, John Lowell deftly tears an ad from a newspaper and hands it to Doris Hocksley. As she looks at it, we see there’s no printing on the back. How odd! See here. Submitted by Eli Kaminsky, 10/3/2005.
+ If you look closely at a high quality source (DVD) of the show, there is indeed printing on the back of that newspaper clipping. See here. Submitted by Richard Childers, 12/25/2006.

Small world: Miriam Hocksley (played by Mary Shipp) says “My father’s name was Adam Hocksley. He had a biblical turn of mind. He called me Miriam.” Olive Deering, who plays Rebecca Gentrie, also had a blibical turn of mind. She played Miriam in the biblical epics The Ten Commandments and Sampson and Delilah. Submitted by Charles Richmond, 12/23/2005.

Small World 2: In a strange twist, Olive Deering gets to play Miriam once again when, in this episode, she calls Perry pretending to be Miriam Hocksley about to commit suicide. Submitted by Charles Richmond, 10/11/2007.

Elston Carr’s house number is 3927 as seen twice on the curb outside his home. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 1 December 2009.

Another episode that contains multiple murders. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 1 December 2009.

Uncredited Actors: Don Anderson is a courtroom spectator in the last row on Burger’s side of the aisle near the door. Submitted by FredK, 7 October 2010.
+ We have two uncredited actors playing plainclothesmen. (See Credits, above). Submitted by gracenote, 8/31/2011.

Sightings: It’s easy to miss, but an un-hatted plainclothesman dusting for fingerprints behind Tragg is none other than Pencil Mustache Man. Later, the Man and several other cohorts—Distinguished Lady #2, Little Old Lady #2, and Little Old Lady #1—appear in the courtroom gallery. Distinguished Gentleman #1 is the court reporter, again. Submitted by gracenote, 8/31/2011.
+ Also in the gallery is Distinguished Lady #4. Submitted by gracenote, 8/31/2011.

Comments Edit

CARS: No cars. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

Erle Stanley Gardner published his novel The Case of The Empty Tin in 1941. This episode has the same name, but little else in common with that novel. In the novel, Perry never enters the courtroom. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 27 May 2009.

In Erle Stanley Gardner’s 1941 novel, The Case of the Empty Tin, the character of Arthur Tragg makes his first appearance. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 27 May 2009.

Frank Wilcox plays the judge in this episode, his fifth of seven appearances as a judge in the prolific first season of the series. He gets to show a bit more of a human side than most actors did in that role. First, he shows considerable amusement at Mason and Burger’s wrangling over the meaning of the word “pretender.” Later Wilcox delivers what is (in my opinion) the best line given to a judge in 271 episodes. As Mason starts to dismantle the empty tin, Burger begins to splutter in protest. Wilcox says: “If Mr. Mason's going to crawl out on a limb, the least we can do is let him saw it off.” Submitted by FredK 17, Oct 2010.

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