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#88: The Case of the
Bashful Burro
Original Airdate: 03/26/60

Summary Edit

From The Perry Mason TV Show Book
Gold mines and rodeos set the hard pace of life in Placer City. Perry is in town on business looking for an old prospector named Amos Catledge to subpoena for testimony. But it's Just like Perry to go on a trip and end up getting involved in a totally unrelated case. He saunters into the Gold Nugget Saloon and ends up stopping a fight. Later on, one of the antagonists is murdered and the other is accused of the crime. But when Perry goes looking for clues, all hands point to the same man he came to find originally, that old prospector.

Credits Edit

Cast

Ray Stricklyn as Gerald Norton
Elisabeth Fraser as Hazel Bascombe
George Mitchell as Amos Catledge
Sue George as Sally Norton
Ben Wright as Crawford Wright
Charles Bateman as Roy Dowson
Hugh Sanders as Ken Bascombe
Wendell Holmes as District Attorney Williams
John Pickard as Sheriff Keller
Lewis Martin as Judge
Kay Kuter as Deputy
Jack Orrison as Coroner's Physician
Stephen Courtleigh as Ballistics Expert
Mike Mason as Cowboy
Joan Elliott as Button Salesgirl
Tony Michaels as Waiter

Trivia Edit

"In true Hollywood fashion, Perry Mason needed a saloon for TCOT Bashful Burro so they used the Gunsmoke set. Perry walks into the 'Golden Nugget' but it just happens to be the Long Branch. I'd recognize any board of the set instantly." Posted by Dedra Kaye DeHart to the Della-Perry group, 12/6/07. Some pictures here.

+Kay Kuter makes his only Perry appearance in this episode. He has a short scene playing the town deputy. Kay Kuter is much better know as local farmer Newt Kiley on both Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. Submitted by PaulDrake 33.

+William Talman as Hamilton Burger does not appear in this episode, as the action takes place in Placer City. However he is shown in the opening credits, and you had better memorize the face, because he would not be seen again on Perry for another 10 months, until the episode of 21 January 1961, The Case of the Fickle Fortune. The reason for Talman's absence was that he was fired by CBS after his arrest on 13 March 1960. Submitted by PaulDrake 33.

+Noted voice actor Ben Wright appears here as Crawford Wright. For some unknown reason Mr. Wright, who was born and raised in England, adopts what seems to be an East Indian accent for his character here. I can see no reason for this other than for Mr. Wright to practice his accents. Submitted by PaulDrake 33. 5 January 2010.

Location: I believe the shack and mine entrance was located at Upper Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth. If you go to www.cowboyup.com and go to Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas then go to page 5 of "Then And Now" photos of Chatsworth movie locations you can see a photo of a shack that was used in the 1954 movie Tennessee's Partner. Note the similarities: 1) A dirt road runs along the left side of the house 2) Followed immediately by a pile of rocks 3) which are outside the entrance to a mine build into the hillside. 4) Similar log posts on a the shack's porch with 5) the same type of rock foundation and steps and 6) possibly the same black hat rack to the right of the door. This was a popular location to shoot westerns such as Gunsmoke, Roy Rogers etc. The famous intro to the Lone Ranger is on the same property in an area called "The Garden of the Gods." Condos have been built around it but the actual Lone Ranger rock still exists and is easily accessible. Posted by Eric Cooper 4 February 2010. Some pictures here.

Comments Edit

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