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#66: The Case of the
Deadly Toy
Original Airdate: 05/16/59

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book (Revised)
Martin Selkirk wants Claire Allison back in a bad way. Claire is no longer interested and is now dating Dick Benedict. Selkirk decides to get Claire’s undivided attention and has Benedict’s jaw broken. Now Claire is terrified, especially since she’s been receiving threatening mail. Claire is almost off the hook when Selkirk is murdered in his beach house. But then the police arrest her for the murder.

Perry takes her case and finds there’s no shortage of suspects. He even questions Selkirk's five-year-old son, since the kid’s favorite toy was a real gun!

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
In Erle Stanley Gardner’s The Case of THE DEADLY TOY
Barbara Hale as Della Street
William Hopper as Paul Drake
William Talman as Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg

Trailing

Directed by William D. Russell
Teleplay by 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

Mala Powers as Claire Allison
Max Adrian as Ralph Jennings
Robert Rockwell as Dick Benedict
Dennis Patrick as Martin Selkirk
Jennifer Howard as Lorraine Jennings
Paul Cavanagh as Horace Selkirk
Kathryn Card as Hannah Barton
Nancy Kulp as Katherine Collins
Morris Ankrum as Judge
Norm Alden as Darrel Reed
David Brady as David Selkirk
Pitt Herbert as Autopsy Surgeon
Nina Stevens as Nurse
Richard Hervey as Counterman
George E. Stone as Court Clerk
Lee Miller as Sgt. Brice
Bob Howard as Bill Evans

Crew

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

Art Direction {	Lyle Wheeler
	Lewis Creber

Editorial Supervision … Art Seid, A.C.E.
Assistant Director … Robert G. Stone
Casting … 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 … Roy Meadows
Script Supervision … William E. Orr

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

Trivia Edit

CARS: 1957 Continental MkII, light color*, 1957 Ford Skyliner retractable, black, top up (Mason)*, 1958 Ford Thunderbird convertible, black, black & white interior, top down (Drake), 1959 Ford Skyliner retractable, black, medium interior, top down (Mason), 1959 Lincoln Continental MkIV, 4dr hardtop, white, *reuse of footage from The Vagabond Vixen, season 1. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

When Mason is originally taking his client Claire Allison to see Martin Selkirk at Selkirk’s Oceanside condo, he is driving a 1957 Ford Fairlane Retractable Hardtop. Later during the show, when Perry visits the grandfather Horace Selkirk, he is driving a 1959 Ford Galaxie Retractable Hardtop. I guess Perry had time to buy a new car in between court sessions! Submitted by Walt Broadnax, 12/10/07. Posted by daveb.

Robert Rockwell makes his first of 5 appearances here on Perry playing Dick Benedict. Robert Rockwell made a name for himself in 1950’s television playing Eve Arden’s love interest in Our Miss Brooks. Many years later he was familiar to a new generation of television watchers as the grandfather who offers his grandson a Werthers candy. He and his wife were married for 61 years, a record for any Perry alumni as far as I have been able to ascertain. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 18 August 2009.

Character Names: The Nurse’s name is Walsh. Not only does Miss Allison address her thus, the caregiver identifies herself on the phone in the hospital. Mrs. Jennings’ full name is Lorraine Selkirk Jennings. Submitted by gracep 9/2/2010.

Sightings: Distinguished Gentleman #1 (in glasses) sits in the back row of the courtroom gallery, on the prosecutor’s side. There is a really good shot of him behind Hannah Barton during the second part of the hearing. Submitted by gracep, 9/2/2010.
+ Meanwhile, our beloved Little Old Lady in a Hat sits on the defendant’s side. We can see her better as the courtroom clears for lunch; she lingers behind a bit. Then as Perry pulls Hannah aside for a chat, she scoots down the hall behind them. After lunch, she reappears on the defendant’s side, on the front row, right next to Dick Benedict. Submitted by gracep, 9/2/2010.
+ “Miss Carmody” is seated in two places in the courtroom. First she is next to Hannah Barton and behind Horace Selkirk on the prosecution side. Later she is next to Lorraine Jennings on the defense side. Submitted by alan_sings, 9 Oct 2010.
+ Distinguished Gentleman #2 appears in a corner of the courtroom gallery in at least one cutaway (when Tragg testifies). Submitted by gracenote, 7/3/2011.

Location: About 5 minutes in and again at the 15 minute mark a car drives up the back way up to Gulls Way in Malibu which is featured in several episodes including #9. The main entrance to Gulls Way which is now owned by Dick Clark is off Pacific Coast Hwy. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 6 January 2011.

Comments Edit

About three minutes in and again 8 minutes in there is some classic product placement of a very cool American Flyers train set. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 6 January 2011.

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