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#49: The Case of the
Fancy Figures
Original Airdate: 12/13/58

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
After spending a bitter year-and-a-half in jail for a crime he did not commit, Martin Ellis is exonerated, thanks to evidence that his wife received in the mail. Charles Brewster, the real thief, is justly sent to jail for stealing the $300,000 in question, but manages to get out on bail. When Brewster later turns up dead, guess who is the prime suspect? It’s a good thing Martin Ellis has Perry Mason on his side this time around.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE FANCY FIGURES
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 Arthur Hiller
Written by Barry Trivers and Gene Wang
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

Frank Silvera as Jonathan Hyett
Joan Banks as Valerie Brewster
Anne Barton as Carolyn Ellis
William Phipps as Martin Ellis
Ralph Clanton as Charles Brewster
Ray Kellogg as Richard Hyett
Harvey Stephens as Victor Squires
S. John Launer as Judge
Chuck Webster as Sgt. Brice
Leslie Kimmell as Mailman
David McMahon as Walter Vico

Uncredited Actors
Don Anderson as Bailiff
(spotted by FredK & posted by gracep, 12/20/2010)

Crew

Gene Wang | Story Consultant

Production Supervisor … J. Paul Popkin
Story Editor … Alice Young
Director of Photography … Frank Redman, A.S.C.
Assistant Producer … Robert Wechsler
Art Direction … Lyle Wheeler, Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Morris Harmell
Editorial Supervision … Art Seid, A.C.E.
Film Editor … Richard Cahoon, A.C.E.
Casting … Marvin Schnall, Harvey Clermont
Makeup … Richard Hamilton
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 … Robert O’Brien
Script Supervision … William E. Orr

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

Trivia Edit

CARS: 1958 Ford Thunderbird convertible, black, top down. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

Look for the black actor and director Frank Silvera playing lead Jonathan Hyett—a somewhat daring situation in 1958. Submitted by Karl Eggert, 5/7/05.

Joan Banks plays almost exactly the same character that she played in Episode 12, “TCOT Negligent Nymph,” the alcoholic wife of the murder victim—a woman who cannot function without a drink in her hand. Submitted by PaulDrake33.

Strange casting. Frank Silvera, an African-American actor age 44 at that time, is cast as the father of Joan Banks, a light-skinned strawberry blonde age 40 at that time. (Joan Banks looked every bit of 40 by the way). Submitted by PaulDrake33.

When Squires is in Mason’s office, Della dials a number for him. She dials seven digits, whereas in previous episodes when people dialed a # they would dial only five numbers. Submitted by Craig, 3/25/10.
+ In 1958, the year this show was broadcast, Ma Bell had just started to implement 7-digit phone numbers and All-Number Calling, especially in larger cities. In some rural areas, even into the 1980s and 1990s it was not necessary to dial the full exchange (the first three numbers). Submitted by gracep, 1/17/2011.

Uncredited Actors: The bailiff stationed at the main courtroom door is Don Anderson. Submitted by FredK, 20 December 2010.

Sightings: Seated in the back row of the courtroom gallery on the defendant’s side is the Little Old Lady in a Hat who also appears in the opening credits. Quiet Old Man #1, Distinguished Gentleman #1, and “Miss Carmody” appear on the prosecutor’s side. When court reconvenes the next day, however, we find that all four of them have switched sides. These are some of many recurring spectators that are fun to spot. Submitted by gracep, 12/16/2010.

Comments Edit

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