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#55: The Case of the
Fraudulent Foto
Original Airdate: 02/07/59

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
District Attorney Brander Harris of Waring County is the victim of smear tactics. A young woman lures him into being photographed in a compromising embrace with her. Later, Harris is implicated in the death of the manipulator, Marshall Scott.

Perry does a role reversal in this episode. Besides defending the DA, Perry is appointed assistant district attorney so as not to cancel a grand jury.

Credits Edit

Trailing

Directed by Arthur Marks
Written by Lawrence L. Goldman and Seeleg Lester
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

Hugh Marlowe as Brander Harris
Carole Mathews as Leora Mathews
Wilton Graff as Cleveland Blake
June Clayworth as Eva Scott
Mark Roberts as James Castleton
Bartlett Robinson as Marshall Scott
Carol Nugent as Helen Preston
Peter Brocco as Theophile Duclerc
Kenneth R. MacDonald as Judge
Herbert Anderson as Eugene Milton
Francis De Sales as George Fairbanks
Nancy Millard as Switchboard Operator
Irving Mitchell as Autopsy Surgeon
Arline Hunter as Receptionist

Uncredited Actors
Don Anderson as Restaurant Patron

Crew

Gene Wang | Story Consultant
Seeleg Lester | Associate Story Consultant
Production Supervisor … J. Paul Popkin
Story Editor … Alice Young
Director of Photography … Frank Redman, A.S.C.

Art Direction … {	Lyle Wheeler
	Lewis Creeber

Editorial Supervision … Art Seid, A.C.E.
Assistant Director … Morris Harmell

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

Perry Mason
Filmed in Hollywood by TCF Television Productions, Inc.
A CBS Television Network Production

Trivia Edit

CARS: 1959 Cadillac series 62 convertible, black, black & white interior, white top up (Mason). From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

In the third office scene, dictating to Della, Perry says “U.S. Code, Annotated, Section 454, U.S. against Thomas, D.C. Washington, 1943.” This is very likely a real case. Submitted by Steve Fox, 10/8/2004.

There are three district attorneys in this episode: Hamilton Burger, Brander Harris, and Perry Mason. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 8/3/2008

Herbert Anderson makes his only Perry appearance in this episode as Eugene Milton. Of course Herbert Anderson was best known for his role as Henry Mitchell, the father of Dennis The Menace. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 22 December 2009.

Eugene Milton is a county inspector. Theophile Duclerc is a building inspector. Submitted by gracep, 17 August 2010.

Sightings/Uncredited Actors: The Little Old Lady in a Hat sits in the courtroom next to Castleton. There is a very good shot of her when the camera cuts to Paul Drake while Mason is questioning Mathews. The Lady is also more easily seen in a few shots after Castleton takes the stand. Submitted by gracep, 17 August 2010.
+Some dubious sightings among the certain ones in this episode: Do we see Don Anderson and “Miss Carmody” sitting together in the back of the first restaurant scene about eight minutes in? That is certainly Distinguished Gentleman #1 as one of the waiters. In the newspaper office, is that DG#1 again with his back turned at the next desk behind Jimmy Castleton’s? In the Grand Jury scene, is that Bert Stevens as the Grand Juror at the top left end? In the courtroom scene, we certainly see LOL#1 as already noted, plus Distinguished Lady #1 and Pencil Mustache Man. Is that DG#1’s hairline yet again just behind Pencil Mustache Man next to the courtroom door? In the tag ending, we definitely see DG#1 again as the waiter, and “Miss Carmody” dining at the next table in the closeup shot of Brander Harris. Submitted by alan_sings 16 Oct 2010.
+ Don Anderson is at Marchand’s and DG #1 is in the courtroom gallery (not only when Alan saw him but also other times). Neither “Miss Carmody” as Anderson’s partner nor DG #1 as the man in the newspaper office are clear enough to determine. Bert Stevens is not a grand juror, although the man in question resembles him in one angle. The rest of the sightings are verifiable. Well done! Submitted by gracenote, 3/28/2011.

Comments Edit

This episode seems to include a higher than usual number of scenes requiring background extras, and thus many opportunities for Sightings of our usual favorites. Writing from memory, I noted the rooming house (twice), restaurant (twice), newspaper office, grand jury proceedings, and the courtroom as scenes requiring background extras. Was it “sweeps week” that week, and thus the lavish casting budget? Submitted by alan_sings, 16 Oct 2010.

Does anyone else think it odd that Lt. Tragg would show up at the scene of the crime, even though the murder apparently takes place in Waring County? Submitted by Ed Zoerner, 2/14/2011.
+ I was wondering the same thing myself. Seems fishy to me. Submitted by gracenote, 3/28/2011.

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