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#251: The Case of the
Runaway Racer
Original Airdate: 11/14/65

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Pappy Ryan, a race car builder, is one of the meanest men you’d ever want to meet. He’s angry enough to kill when one of the race car drivers, Pete Griston, cracks up one of Pappy’s masterpieces on a test drive and injures another driver.

Pappy accuses Harvey Rettig of tampering with the car, and files charges against both Rettig and Griston. Before the authorities can serve a warrant, Rettig is killed and Pete Griston is found standing groggily over the body. Burger has all the motive he needs when he learns Pete signed for a $50,000 loan that Rettig took out with a loan shark.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE RUNAWAY RACER
Based upon characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman

Trailing

Directed by Jesse Hibbs
Written by Sy Salkowitz
Arthur Marks \ Art Seid | Producers
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive Producer
Ernest Frankel | Story Consultant
Orville H. Hampton | Associate Story Consultant

Raymond Burr as Perry Mason
Barbara Hale as Della Street
William Hopper as Paul Drake
William Talman as Hamilton Burger
Richard Anderson as Lt. Steve Drumm
Dan Tobin as Terrance Clay

Music | Richard Shores

Cast

Hank Brandt as Pete Griston
Jan Shepard as Marge Leonard
Anthony Caruso as Harvey Rettig
Michael Constantine as Pappy Ryan
Richard Eastham as Oliver Stone
Gavin MacLeod as Dan Platte
Robert H. Harris as Marty Webb
Jimmy Cross as Drunk
Michael Harris as Blake Leonard
Paul Winfield as Mitch
Lawrence Green as Medic
Seamon Glass as Joe

Crew

Director of Photography … John M. Nickolaus, Jr.
Art Direction … Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Robert G. Stone
Film Editor … Richard H. Cahoon A.C.E.
Casting … Harvey Clermont
Makeup … Irving Pringle
Hair Stylist … Annabell
Wardrobe Supervision … Bob Wolfe, Evelyn Carruth
Set Decoration … Carl Biddiscombe
Properties … Ray Thompson
Production Sound Mixer … Herman Lewis
Script Supervision … Hazel W. Hall
Theme Composed by … Fred Steiner
Automobiles supplied by … Chrevrolet Division of General Motors Corp.

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

Trivia Edit

Continuity Error: At the end of the show, Paul gets into a right-hand drive foreign car and is taken for a ride. Look close! The car on the track is not the same one he got into! It’s a modified Corvette. That same straightaway run is also seen when Perry goes for his ride about midway through the show. See more here. Submitted by Julie Corson, 2/21/2005.

The character of Harvey Rettig, played by Anthony Caruso, may have been inspired by real-life team owner and race promoter J. C. Agajanian. See here. Submitted by D. A. Supernaw, 9/29/2005.

Location: Towards midway, Perry and Paul drive up to Olivers Stone’s estate in Paul’s Corvette. The house is actually “The Magic Castle” in Hollywood. See here. Submitted by D. A Supernaw, 10/28/2005.

Listen for this odd exchange when Perry and Paul visit Oliver Stone at his estate. Paul: “Now Professor, will you tell the audience what’s written inside the lady’s watchband?” Perry: “One dollar, forty-nine.” Paul: “Right you are, Professor.” This sounds like the dialog from a lame clairvoyant act. Look here for the connection. Submitted by D. A. Supernaw, 10/28/2005.

Goof: At the hospital, Ms. Leonard says, “All I know is that Mike is upstairs in some room with people trying to mend his burned body.” Her husband’s name, however, is Blake, but the actor playing him is Michael Harris. Submitted by gracenote, 5/18/2011.

Sightings: If you look carefully, you can discern the Pencil Mustache Man chatting with a group of friends at a table behind Mason, Drake, Burger, and Drumm at Clay’s Grill (or someplace similar). Submitted by gracenote, 5/18/2011.

Comments Edit

Although he is listed in the credits, Dan Tobin as Terrance Clay does not appear. Submitted by gracenote, 5/18/2011.

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