<< Startled Stallion | Episodes | Golden Fraud >>

#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

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

Trivia Edit

The famous and award-winning Jerry Goldsmith "composed and conducted" music for this episode. Submitted by Wilson Maffetano, 7/22/03.

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, 3/4/05.

+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.

+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 1940's. Smylia reportedly had an IQ of 165. Submitted by PaulDrake 33.

+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 80's played Walter Powell, the father on "Charles In Charge". Submitted by PaulDrake 33. 19 August 2009

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, 5/23/10.

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.

<< Startled Stallion | Episodes | Golden Fraud >>