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#5: The Case of the
Sulky Girl
Original Airdate: 10/19/57

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Rod Gleason and Frances Celane have been secretly married for five years and are expecting a child. Frances doesn’t want this to be known until she secures her million-dollar trust fund from Uncle Norton. Norton is holding out until the girl is twenty-five.

When Norton is murdered, and Gleason accused, the question Perry must answer is: Who had a greater motive to kill Uncle Norton than his client Rod Gleason? Watch for a rare appearance of Perry’s receptionist, Gertie, in this episode.

PMESG

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in Erle Stanley Gardner's The Case of The Sulky Girl
Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman, Ray Collins

Trailing

Directed by Christian Nyby
Teleplay by Harold Swanton
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

Olive Sturgis as Fran Celane
William Schallert as Graves
Lillian Bronson as Clara
Robert Griffin as Crinston
Connie Cezon as Gertie
Brian Hutton as Rod Gleason
Raymond Greenleaf as Norton
Howard Wendell as Judge Purley
Paul Bryar as Sgt. Wilbur
Frank Wilcox as Judge Markham
Bob Kline as Officer Delaney
Larry Thor as Police Surgeon
Jack Gargan as Court Clerk
Dick Winslow as Reporter

Crew

Gene Wang | Story Editor

Production Supervisor … J. Paul Popkin
Director of Photography … Lloyd Ahern, A.S.C.
Art Direction … Lyle Wheeler, Lewis Creber
Assistant Director … Wilbur McGaugh
Editorial Supervisor … Art Seid, A.C.E.
Film Editor … Richard Cahoon, A.C.E.
Makeup … Mel Berns
Hair Stylist … Annabell, S.C.H.
Wardrobe Supervision … Dick James
Set Decorations … Walter M. Scott, Charles Q. Vassar
Properties … Ray Thompson
Recorded by … Bernard Freericks
Rerecording Mixer … Harry M. Leonard
Script Supervisor … Elizabeth Fancher

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

Trivia Edit

CARS: 1957 Ford Skyliner retractable, black (Mason), 1957 Thunderbird, black, top down (Drake), 1957 Mercury 4dr hardtop, 2-tone (Burger), 1957 Imperial convertible, white, top down, 1957 Lincoln, 4dr sedan, black. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

In the scene where Crinston and Judge Purley pull up to Norton’s house at 11:06 PM, it seems to be daylight. In fact several of the trees are casting shadows. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 6/17/2008.

We see Paul’s office. On the desk there is a framed caricature of Dick Tracy. Written on the caricature are the words “Paul Drake — With our best wishes” The caricature is signed by Chester Gould, the creator of Dick Tracy. A much better shot of the caricature can be viewed in episode #62, “TCOT Howling Dog.” Submitted by PaulDrake33, 6/17/2008.
+ The Dick Tracy caricature can also be seen 17 minutes in Episode #33. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 12 January 2011.

Location: PaulDrake33 notes that the house seen in #37, “TCOT Black Eyed Blonde,” is the same house used in this episode. Posted by daveb, 6/17/2008. Pictures here.

Location: There’s a nice establishing shot of Parker Center, the LAPD headquarters. Picture here.

The (shooting?) script for this episode was dated 16 May 1957. At least 6 other scripts were dated earlier. This episode was probably no earlier than the 7th filmed. There was about a 5-month lag between filming and broadcast. Submitted by billp, 3 November 2009.

Sightings: Blue Collar Guy appears as the gardener. More about him and other frequently-seen people here. Submitted by alan_sings, 9/26/2010.
+ Seen exiting the courtroom are both Distinguished Lady #2 and Distinguished Gentleman #1. They are later both seen sitting in the courtroom. Submitted by evelyn1, 2/5/2011.
+ (Also Continuity Error:) What’s more, the aforementioned Gentleman preforms an amazing feat of magic. On the very first shot of the courtroom, we see the back of his head the jury box. Then, hey presto, he’s in the gallery. Two cuts later, back in the jury box. Submitted by gracenote, 8/24/2011.

Uncredited Actors: Don Anderson makes his fourth Mason appearance as the bailiff at the door of the courtroom, another frequent role. Submitted by FredK, 30 September 2010.
+ Lee Miller shows up as a courtroom spectator, sitting right behind Crinston. Submitted by gracenote, 8/24/2011.

Character Names: Norton’s first name is Edward. Submitted by gracenote, 8/24/2011.

Comments Edit

Sure is a lot of smoking in this one (Perry and Paul). Submitted by daveb, 11/17/2008.

The $67,585 that Crinston stole would be worth something like $497,804.94 in 2007 dollars. Submitted by billp, 12/26/2008.

Larry Thor makes his first of two appearances on Perry in this show. Larry Thor was a big name in old-time radio, playing the lead in Broadway Is My Beat from 1949 until 1954. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 1/28/2009.

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