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#75: The Case of
Paul Drake's Dilemma
Original Airdate: 11/14/59

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Paul’s life is at stake in this one, so Perry puts up quite a fight to clear his friend from a murder charge. The situation: After putting the pressure on Frank Thatcher to confess to a hit and run accident, Paul dukes it out with him, is popped, goes down for the count, and wakes up to find Thatcher dead. Ham Burger is reluctant to prosecute, Tragg is suspicious, but a confident Perry Mason jokes with Paul that the only doubts he has concern Paul’s ability to pay his bill.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of PAUL DRAKE’S DILEMMA
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 William D. Russell
Teleplay by Jackson Gillis
Story by Al C. Ward
Herbert Hirschman | Producer
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive Producer
Produced by The CBS Television Network in association with Paisano Productions
Seeleg Lester | Associate Producer, Story Consultant
Arthur Marks | Associate Producer

Music Composed and Conducted by Jerry Goldsmith

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

Vanessa Brown as Donna Kress
Basil Ruysdael as Henry W. Dameron
Bruce Gordon as Frank Thatcher
Dean Harens as Tad Dameron
Simon Scott as Charles Dameron
Jennifer Howard as Judith
Sheila Bromley as Mrs. Colin
Robert Lieb as Joe Marsden
Robert Cornthwaite as Anders
Kenneth MacDonald as Judge
Norman Leavitt as Ballistics Expert
Ralph Moody as Jacob Wiltzy
Robert Bice as Private Detective
James Callahan as 1st Policeman
William Hughes as 2nd Policeman
George E. Stone as Court Clerk
Ann Bellamy as Margo
Steve Stevens as Paper Boy

Art Seid, A.C.E. | Assistant to the Producer
Production Supervisor … Dewey Starkey
Director of Photography … Frank Redman, A.S.C.
Art Direction … Lewis Creber
Film Editor … John D. Faure
Assistant Director … Morris Harmell
Casting … Harvey Clermont
Makeup … Irving Pringle
Hair Stylist … Annabell, S.C.H.
Wardrobe Supervision … William Zacha, Evelyn Carruth
Set Decoration … Charles Q. Vassar
Sound Effects Editor … Gene Eliot, M.P.S.E.
Music Editor … Gene Feldman
Properties … Ray Thompson
Production Sound Mixer … Herman Lewis
Script Supervision … Robert Gary

Perry Mason \ A CBS Television Network Production

Trivia Edit

The famous and award-winning Jerry Goldsmith “composed and conducted” music for this episode. Submitted by Wilson Maffetano, 7/22/2003.

An instrumental version of the song playing in the murder room and heard elsewhere in this episode is used as background music for the pool scene in #18, TCOT Cautious Coquette. Submitted by Charles Richmond, 3/4/2005.

Basil Ruysdael makes his only appearance on Perry Mason as the patriarch of the Dameron clan. Old-time radio fans better remember Basil Ruysdael as the announcer who was forever singing out “L/S/M/F/T” on The Jack Benny Program. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 23 June 2008.

Vanessa Brown makes her only appearance on Perry Mason in this episode. Vanessa Brown used her birth name of Smylia Brind when she frequently appeared on the radio show The Quiz Kids in the 1940s. Smylia reportedly had an IQ of 165. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 15 August 2008.

I know everyone will say the unnamed policeman who testifies during Paul’s trial has a really familiar face. That is James Callahan, who for 73 episodes in the late 80s played Walter Powell, the father on Charles In Charge. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 19 August 2009

Location: The house that Paul visits to see Mrs. Colin appears to be the same one that Tragg visits in #97. It’s located at 812 N. Las Palmas Avenue. Submitted by daveb, 4/2/10. Picture here.

Perry cites a case “…decision of the Supreme Court of the state of Colorado reported in 339 Pacific Second page 993…” regarding the dermal nitrate test not being reliable. This appears to be legitimate, but I was not able track down that exact source. This legal talk is a bit obscure. Submitted by daveb, 5/23/2010.
+ Actually, this case is still being cited. An example here is from PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. WIDHALM, Defendant-Appellant. No.97CA1077, decided February 18, 1999 which quotes: “As a general rule, when an appeal has been perfected, the trial court is divested of jurisdiction to issue any further orders in the case. BROOKE V. PEOPLE, 139 Colo. 388, 339 P.2d 993 (1959).” Submitted by Crimson Lips, 16 August 2011.

Sightings: The first three subjects on the Who Is That? page can be seen lurking about in the courtroom gallery. [At the time of posting this referred to Little Old Lady #1, Distinguished Gentleman #1, and Quiet Old Man (#1).] Submitted by daveb, 9/10/10. Updated by gracenote, 9/4/2011.
+ Yes indeed, and the Little Old Lady, in particular, at one point sits between Charles Dameron and Donna Kress. Submitted by gracep, 9/12/2010.

This episode features a rare glimpse into Paul Drake’s office. Submitted by gracep, 9/12/2010.

Sightings: Blue Collar Guy appears as Mr. Colin, the hit-and-run victim. Submitted by alan_sings 26 Sep 10.
+ “Miss Carmody” is seated behind the Dameron family during courtroom closeups. Late in the episode, she can also be seen immediately behind Burger when he stands to raise an objection. Submitted by alan_sings, 3 Oct 2010.
+ Also in the courtroom gallery are Distinguished Lady #2 and Little Old Lady #2, and later Distinguished Gentleman #2. Submitted by gracenote, 9/4/2011.

Comments Edit

In stark contrast to today’s gimme, gimme, greedy, everybody with a hand out world, several people in this episode refuse money. First the hit and run victim's wife refuses $25,000.00 from Paul Drake, then Paul Drake refuses $10,000.00 from Frank Thatcher, and finally Perry tears up a check from Henry Dameron for an undisclosed amount. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 8/30/2008.

I was looking at DVD vidcaps of the closing credits that Big Dave sent me. Such a contrast from the closing credits on the syndication print! Instead of the Halo shampoo, Colgate tooothpaste, and Wildroot Cream-Oil hair tonic, in the corner is a small version of the lawbooks that were in the credits of the earlier season. Submitted by gracenote, 2/5/2011.

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