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#42: The Case of the
Pint-Sized Client
Original Airdate: 10/04/58

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Big city action and back alley crime set the stage for this episode. A bundle is lifted from the Hargrove Finance Company and Frank Anderson is murdered in the aftermath. When old "Pop" Renzi is arrested for theft and murder, he retains Perry.

Paul must question the dead man's widow, who turns out to be a smooth-talking Lauren Bacall type who doesn't like to give a straight answer. Meanwhile, Perry has his work cut out for him, since old "Pop" Renzi has been identified as one of the bank robbers. Our favorite lawyer must prove the police wrong.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE PINT-SIZED CLIENT
Based upon characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner

Barbara Hale as Della Street
William Hopper as Paul Drake
William Talman as Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Trailing

Directed by Buzz Kulik
Written by Herman Epstein
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

Eduardo Ciannelli as Gramp Renzi
Nita Talbot as Iris Anderson
Elisha Cook as Art Crowley
Bobby Clark as Nicky Renzi
James Anderson as Frank Anderson
Otto Waldis as Mr. Kolichek
Robert Lieb as Charles Hays
Eleanor Audley as Lois Gilbert
Joseph Mell as George Koch
Raymond Greenleaf as Judge
Paul Bryar as Sgt. Bender
Edward Marr as Cagle
Than Wyenn as Eddie Merlin

Uncredited Actors
Lee Miller as Sgt. Brice (sighted by gracep 10/17/2010)

Crew

Gene Wang || Story Consultant
Story Editor … Alice Young
Assistant Producer … Robert Wechsler
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 Supervision … Art Seid, A.C.E.
Film Editor … Richard Cahoon, A.C.E.
Casting … Marvin Schnall, Harvey Clermont
Makeup … Mel Berns
Hair Stylist … Annabell, S.C.H.
Wardrobe Supervision … Dick James
Set Decoration … Walter M. Scott, Charles Q. Vassar
Properties … Ray Thompson
Sound Editor … Gene Eliot, M.P.S.E
Production Sound Mixer … Charles Peck
Script Supervision … William E. Orr

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

Trivia Edit

CARS: Cameo: 1958 Chevrolet Delray 4dr sedan, black & white (Police). From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

Elisha Cook, Jr. makes his first of two appearances on Perry playing Art Crowley. Elisha Cook, Jr. was an outstanding character actor best remembered for playing Wilmer Cook in The Maltese Falcon. Elisha passed away on 18 May 1995, the exact day that Elizabeth Montgomery died. At the age of 91, he was the last surviving member of The Maltese Falcon. Submitted by PaulDrake33.

+Prolific character actress Nina Talbot (the Lauren Bacall look-alike referenced above) makes her only Perry appearance here playing Iris Anderson. Among other television shows, Ms. Talbot was a semi-regular on Hogan Heroes, SuperTrain and The Thin Man. Ms. Talbot had a sister named Gloria who was married to Carl Betz. Carl Betz appeared on Perry in TCOT Sunbather’s Diary. However Carl Betz’s wife was not the famous Gloria Talbott, who spelled her name differently. Submitted by PaulDrake33. 21 October 2009.

+Bobby Clark makes his only Perry appearance here as The Pint-Sized Client. Bobby Clark was better known for either Jimmy Grimaldi (the young boy who was afraid of his own mother) in Invasion Of The Body Snatchers or as Casey Jones, Jr. on the early TV drama Casey Jones. Submitted by PaulDrake 33. 3 December 2009.

Character Names: A crowbar in the episode has Gramp Renzi’s initials “A.R.” on it. But what is Renzi’s first name? Apparently, only Mr. Hays uses it: Anthony. Submitted by gracep 10/17/2010.
+ Hamilton Burger clearly identifies Mr. Kolichek as “Joseph Kolichek” even though the credits omit the first name. Submitted by gracep 10/18/2010.

Sightings: The Little Old Lady in a Hat watches with great interest from the front row of the courtroom gallery. “Miss Carmody” looks coolly on from the back row. Read more about her and other favorite frequent faces. Submitted by gracep 10/18/2010.

+ Eleanor Audley (playing Lois Gilbert) might seem familiar to Walt Disney fans. She was the voice and the physical model for two animated villainesses: Lady Tremain, Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, and Maleficent, the Mistress of All Evil who caused Princess Aurora to become the Sleeping Beauty. (She plays a more harmless and comical figure here, but that voice is quite distinctive.) Submitted by gracep 10/18/2010.

+ If you take a good look at the replica safe brought in by Hamilton Burger, you will see that it is the original Hargrove Finance Company safe, badly painted over. Submitted by evelyne 11/02/2010. Some pictures here.

Comments Edit

I wonder if anyone noticed what may have been a nod to Maltese Falcon in the ending of the show, as the camera pans from face to face, eventually ending on Elisha Cook; while not an exact copy, anyone who’s seen Maltese will remember “Wilmer’s” befuddlement and then, horror, as the rest of the players have decided he’ll be the fall guy, and the looks on their faces. Brrr! Submitted by MikeReese, 11/25/2011.

About 50 seconds into this episode is a street scene with Hotel Royal and Victory Clothing. The same scene, with the same cars, is also in the 1948 movie The Street with No Name (at about 77 minutes into the movie). The movie has a slightly different view. Maybe the episode uses an outtake from the movie? (And maybe there are better uses of one’s time, like studying law and becoming a high-powered lawyer?) Submitted by masonite, 12/03/2011.

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