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#84: The Case of the
Gallant Grafter
Original Airdate: 02/06/60

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
An embezzling accountant is a battle fatality in a war for the control of a company and a woman.

Credits Edit

Opening

Starring Raymond Burr
in The Case of THE GALLANT GRAFTER
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 Arthur Marks
Written by Sy Salkowitz
Herbert Hirschman | Producer
Gail Patrick Jackson | Executive Producer
Seeleg Lester | Associate Producer, Story Consultant
Produced by The CBS Television Network in association with Paisano Productions
Arthur Marks | 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

Charles Aidman as Arthur Siddons
Fintan Meyler as Patricia Martin
Herbert Rudley as Edward Nelson
Virginia Arness as Sylvia Nelson
John Stephenson as Frank Avery
Phillip Terry as Robert Doniger
Charlotte Austin as Norma Williams
Nelson Leigh as Judge
Henry Hunter as Banker
Eve McVeagh as Saleswoman
John Alvin as Bank Teller
Joan Staley as Judith
George E. Stone as Court Clerk

Uncredited Actors
Don Anderson as Courtroom Spectator (added by gracep 9/26/2010)
Robert Wegner as Man Boarding Elevator (spotted by gracenote 12/23/2011)

Crew

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
Assistant Director … Morris Harmell
Film Editor … John D. Faure
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 … M.E.M. Gibsone
Sound … Glen Glenn Sound Co.
Perfume counter display by … Carven

Perry Mason \ A Film Presentation
A CBS Television Network Production

Trivia Edit

Virginia Arness was the ex-wife of James Arness. This episode was her final acting role. Submitted by Craig, 4/23/2010.

Location: The exterior of Pacific Palms appears at 10:44 and again at 14:36 on the DVD. A friend of mine owned this building in the 80s. It’s located at 757 Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica. If you look closely you can see the address and “Pacific Palms” on the window. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 14 September 2010. Some pictures here.

Sightings: A great many regulars watch the proceedings in court today, including Distinguished Gentleman #1, the Cute Young Lady, the Quiet Old Man (#1), and the Little Old Lady in a Hat (a/k/a Little Old Lady #1). And just who are they? Submitted by gracep, 9/26/2010; updated by gracenote, 2/4/2011.

Uncredited Actors: The often uncredited Don Anderson also turns up, and can be seen in the same shot with DG #1 and LOL #1 (see Sightings above), whispering and conferring as Patricia makes emotional accusations on the stand. Submitted by gracep, 9/26/2010.
+ At the opening of the scene in the Nelson building, Robert Wegner walks briskly into an elevator. Additionally, Veteran extra Sam Harris also sits in the courtroom gallery. He is not on our Uncredited Actors page yet (see link in sidebar). Submitted by gracenote, 12/23/2011.

Phillip Terry’s most famous role was one he performed offscreen. Terry was Joan Crawford’s fourth husband. Submitted by Fifty-Niner, 4/6/2011.

Comments Edit

The original airdate of this episode was 02/06/1960. Note the timeframe of the action. They’re contemporaneous! George Livingston (a.k.a. Robert Doniger) apparently opens the bank account on 01/04/1960 because he tells the bank teller when he does so that by the beginning of February he’ll have over $100,000 in the account. Next, we plainly see his withdrawal slip/check for $112,000 is dated 02/02/1960. (One of the few times [the only time?] we see a completely articulated date in the series.) January 1 was a Friday; February 2 was a Tuesday. As an aside, the $112,000 in 1960 would be about $803,770.27 today. Submitted by billp, 1/11/2009.
+ A dating of the action does occur in at least one other episode. The date of the murder is almost explicitly articulated in Episode #216, although by an odd and completely different means: Solar Observation! Thanks to gracenote for bringing this connection between these two episodes to my attention! Submitted by Gary Woloski, 17 Jan 2012.

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