Show24
CARS: 1957 Cadillac convertible, black, white top up (Mason), 1957 Chevrolet 150 4dr sedan, V8, black (Police). From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.
Uncredited Actors: Don Anderson is one of the spectators in the courtroom. He’s seated just behind the defense table and can be seen over Raymond Burr’s shoulder in some reaction shots. Submitted by FredK 7 October 2010.
Sightings: Pencil Mustache Man is in Johnny's Bar when we first see Joyce. We see him again in court on Perry's side along with Distinguished Lady #4, Distinguished Lady #2 and Distinguished Gentleman #1. Submitted by BigBill767, Nov 12,2016.
Character Names: Johnny Hale’s middle name is Davis. Submitted by gracenote, 9/2/2011.
+ Speaking of Murray Hamilton as Johnny Hale, I knew I had seen him in something else...I think he may be best known as the egotistical mayor Larry Vaughn in Jaws (and Jaws 2). Submitted by mesave31, 04/22/15.
++ "The Case of the Repeated Surname": MH played Emory HALE in "The FBI: Ninth Man" episode ['68: IMDb]. Mike Bedard 8.11.16
+++ Hamilton was a murder trial witness in Otto Preminger's Anatomy of a Murder (which all PM fans should see), as well as Mr. Robinson in The Graduate. He was also in John Frankenheimer's Seconds and The Hustler. He was a fine actor, known for playing unpleasant characters. Submitted by Vladimir Estragon 9/27/2020.
++++ Hamilton was also known for his appearance in an early (second aired) Twilight Zone episode (opposite Ed Wynn) as Mr. Death. He also was the first actor to play Blanche's father on The Golden Girls. Wiseguy70005, 3/18/24.
Syndicated cuts: Lt. Tragg and Sgt. Grant arriving at the Crest Apartments, their conversation and Tragg noticing Mason's car; Tommy saying prayers and Sarah taking him to bed; Mason going to Hale's office, knocking and finding Hale alone, showing him the half photo and their conversation and Perry leaving [This edit makes it seem like Perry arrives at the club, fiddles with a light fixture and just barges in without knocking and making it seem strange that Hale does not comment on Mason's entering without knocking or why he is there.]; desk clerk Johnson's testimony [Johnson leaving the stand can still be seen in the edited episodes] and Burger resting his case;
Additional Hallmark cuts: scene of "Joyce" in Hale's office after Hale brings her there; Joyce's description to Crane about nightmares being senseless and having no beginning or end; Mason asking Cora Dunbar about Reed's portrait; Crane recounting Helen's nightmare 25 years ago concerning a bread knife; Perry's question of Hale concerning custody rights, Burger's objection and the judge telling Hale to ignore the question; Burger stipulating to Dr. Maitland's qualifications; reaction shots from witnesses when Mason asks Helen to try an experiment; Helen telling Dr. Maitland how frightening and difficult it is to be accused of things you didn't do and Dr. Maitland saying she's coming along splendidly. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 7/19/12.
+ I stopped watching the syndication ones on MeTV given they are chopped up so much. Once you see the full uncut, you real how much "ambiance" that is being left out. Submitted by Perry Baby 12/5/14.
++ I just finished carefully watching this episode on MeTV on 29-30 October, 2020. All but one of the scenes listed as Hallmark cuts were in place, and two of the listed MeTV cuts were back in place as well: the prayers and the business with Mason and Hale before Perry barges back in and finds Joyce in the office. It seems that MeTV may be butchering the episodes a little less and may be OK watching. BTW: the description of a Hallmark cut which ends with the judge telling Hale to ignore the question has the lawyers reversed - Burger questions and Mason objects. :-) OLEF641 10/30/2020
+++ Just to enlarge on my comment above: at some point in late 2021, MeTV added 7 minutes to their broadcast slot for PM, for a total of one hour seven miniutes, allowing them to add back most, if not all, of the syndication cuts noted for each episode in this wiki. OLEF641 12/18/21
++++ Hate to be obvious here but the "Additional" Hallmark edits were on the Hallmark channel not MeTV. That's what made them "additional" cuts. My apologies for the inaccuracies in some edit descriptions but at the time I did not have the DVDs so I couldn't tell exactly what was cut. I believe I was reading some detailed summaries of the unedited episodes (don't remember where) and compared that with what I saw on MeTV and Hallmark. And just to clarify things, I believe the extended time slot for the MeTV Perry Mason airings is only the nighttime broadcast. The daytime broadcast is still just 60 minutes with the more extensive edits. Wiseguy70005, 3/18/24.
Burger correctly identifies the murder weapon as a "Colt .45"; more specifically it is a Colt Pocket Positive,made until about 1940. Submitted by SteveP
+ You must mean incorrectly on the .45 part as the Colt Pocket Positive is a .32 caliber. Submitted by HamBurger, 9/9/2017.
++ Actually, at 31:02, Burger CORRECTLY identifies the gun as a Colt.32, when he shows it in court and says, "This is the gun that killed [Spoiler Name]. It's a .32 Colt revolver." Submitted by catyron, November 26, 2020.
It's for you, Mr. Mason: It's always a special moment when someone tracks down Perry in the field. This time he's cooling his heels at Reed Industries when Della finds him. Submitted by francis, 6/09/14.
Denver Pyle makes the first of six appearances on Perry Mason including the final episode: TCO the Final Fade Out. Submitted by Perry Baby 12/5/14
During Perry's first meeting in his office with Helen Reed and Robert Crane, there is a set of law books on the shelf behind Perry, the book nearest Perry (seen over his right shoulder) is turned upside down. An upside down book is shown again in the epilogue scene in episode 179, TCOT Skeleton's Closet. jfh 11May2017.
Pierre Watkin was 1 of 5 actors who Judged 3 Perrys; his 344 movie appearances included "Meet John Doe" & "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" [IMDb]. Mike Bedard 4.22.15
This is the first of six PM episodes for writer Sam Neuman....MikeM. 8/10/2016
This is the first of seven PM episodes for British-born film and television director Andrew V. McLaglen...MikeM. 8/10/2016
This is the first of two PM appearances for Illinois-born Carole Mathews who, according to IMDb, had an uncredited movie role as a dancer in 1935 when she was fifteen. Carole Mathews passed in Murrieta CA in 2014 at the age of 94...MikeM. 5/23/2018
The first of three appearances for Abraham Sofaer. Born in Rangoon, Burma, Sofaer was most noted for his deep, melodious voice. A prolific character actor, Sofaer may be best remembered by television audiences for playing the leader of the Kyban in the Outer Limits classic, Demon with a Glass Hand. However, his most memorable movie performance may have been as the heavenly judge in A Matter of Life and Death. Submitted by Kenmore 09/21/2020.
Gavel Tally - After Perry finishes his cross-examination of Mr. Vance, Vance bursts out with an exclamation and the judge gavels him to silence. OLEF641 12/18/21
Another example of a fictional character with the same name as a real-life personality (Bob Crane). As the World Turns had a regular character named Dick Martin, Charlie's Angels had Kelly Garrett (a real-life actress/singer) and All in the Family/Archie Bunker's Place had Stephanie Mills (another real-life singer).
Of course, in some cases the name was used before the personality was well-known (although both Garrett and Mills were well-known before those series started). In addition, the character Bob Crane played on Hogan's Heroes was actually named for actor Robert Hogan who was originally selected to play the part but the network wanted a better-known actor. Wiseguy70005, 3/18/24.
This is the first of 49(!) appearances for George E. Stone, who played Earl Williams, the convicted man in The Front Page alongside Adolphe Menjou and Pat o'Brien in 1931. jfh 26Mar2024