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#26: The Case of the
Half-Wakened Wife
Original Airdate: 03/15/58

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
It looks like a case of murder and the eternal triangle. Frank Lawton is an old war buddy of Perry’s who has come out of the woodwork needing to be cleared of the shooting death of his boss, Scott Shelby.

It appears that Perry was busy during World War II. In this episode, the defendant is a buddy who fought beside him on D-Day. In later episodes, Perry reveals that he served on a minesweeper in the Pacific during the war.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in Erle Stanly Gardner’s The Case of The Half-Wakened Wife
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman, Ray Collins

Trailing

Directed by Anton M. Leader
Teleplay by Stanley Niss
Story by Donald S. Sanford
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

Phyllis Avery as Marion Shelby
Stewart Bradley as Frank Lawton
Barbara Lawrence as Ellen Waring
Claude Akins as Phillip Dix
Jonathan Hole as Arthur Williams
Tom Palmer as Scott Shelby
Jason Johnson as Judge Ellsworth
Howard Petrie as Ben Parker
Peter Hansen as Howard Black
Paul E. Burns as Richy
Frederick Draper as Ted Young

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 … Art Marks
Editorial Supervision … Art Seid, A.C.E.
Makeup … Mel Berns
Hair Stylist … Annabell
Wardrobe Supervision … Dick James
Set Decorations … Walter M. Scott, Charles Q. Vassar
Properties … Ray Thompson
Production Sound 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

CARS: 1958 Buick convertible, white w/ black & white int., top down, 1958 Cadillac convertible, black, top down (Mason). From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

Location: The opening set-up shot of the lake is identical to the opening shot of #7, “TCOT Angry Mourner.” Not only is the house on the hill the same, but the boats at the lake shore are in the same positions. Submitted by Charles Richmond, 10/24/2008. Vidcap here.
+ The lake mentioned above is the oft-used Malibou Lake and appears in numerous episodes. Posted by Eric Cooper 15 December 2009. More about the lake here.

This is the first of three episodes directed by Anton M. Leader (he would also direct the first season installments #28, “TCOT Daring Decoy,” and #33, “TCOT Long-Legged Models”). Anton M. Leader was a prolific early radio and television director, most notably as director of radio’s Suspense from 1948 to 1950. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 1 December 2009.

The short establishing shot of Pinewood appears identical to that of Sierra City seen in #31, “TCOT Fiery Fingers”, and #45, “TCOT Buried Clock”. Vidcap here. Sierra City here. Submitted by daveb, 3/4/2011.

Although credited, neither Lt. Tragg nor D.A. Burger appear in this episode. But Det. Sgt. Dix has everything under control. Submitted by gracenote, 9/1/2011.

Uncredited Actors: Don Anderson made the field trip to the courthouse in Pinewood to see Perry in action. Submitted by gracenote, 9/1/2011.

Comments Edit

The prosecutor makes the interesting observation in court that Perry is “hoisted by his own petard.” A few minutes later, Paul repeats the sentiment privately to Perry. I was curious about this metaphor. According to Wikipedia, this is defined as falling into to one's own trap. Hoist means to be thrown into the air. Petard—a small bomb—is from medieval French. Hamlet is the origin of the phrase. Oddly enough, I heard the same phrase several days later in a Season 7 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Submitted by Kim 7/21/2010.

I love the striped pajamas on Mr. Shelby. They even have a pocket! Submitted by gracenote, 9/1/2011.

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