<< Empty Tin | Episodes | Desperate Daughter >>

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

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
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

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

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, 10/24/08. 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 1948-1950. Submitted by PaulDrake 33. 1 December 2009.

Comments Edit

The prosecutor makes the interesting observation in court that Perry is "hoist 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".

<< Empty Tin | Episodes | Desperate Daughter >>