Show56

CARS: 1959 Plymouth Fury 2dr hardtop (roof & interior only), 1958 Ford Thunderbird convertible, black, black & white interior, top down (Drake), 1957-8 Ford F100 Styleside pickup, white, 1959 Plymouth Savoy 4dr sedan, black & white (Police), Cameos: 1958 Edsel 4dr hardtop, medium color w/ white top, 1955 Oldsmobile 2dr hardtop, medium color & white. From The Cars by Greg Cockerill.

Gary Lockwood seems to have appeared (for just a few seconds) in this episode, as a policeman in the final outdoor scene. He has no lines and is not listed in the credits. Submitted by Allan Barnie, 9/20/2001.
+ Maybe not! On close inspection I believe it more likely the actor is Dick Davalos. Submitted by Ted Parker, 9/28/2002.
++ Pictures of all three here. Decide for yourself.
+++ To me it still looks like Gary Lockwood. Look closely at the eyes and eyebrows, and, especially, the mouth. Also, if you do an image search for both actors Davalos looks nothing like Lockwood. Try these, by Arisia 2/16/2018
++++ IMDb lists this uncredited role by Gary Lockwood. He would return to PM in 1962 as Davey Carroll in TCOT Playboy Pugilist...MikeM. 7/5/2018

Hamilton Burger on crutches! He must have slipped at a wild pot party. [Ouch!] Submitted by Patrick Herlihy, 11/8/2005.

Sara Haden (Aunt Millie in the Andy Hardy series) makes her only Perry Mason appearcnce playing a character quite unlike Aunt Millie. In this episode she is mean, petty, and vengeful. Submitted by PaulDrake33, 22 June 2008.

Was John Bryant the original Marlboro Man? What cigarette brand(s) sponsored PM? Submitted by MikeM, 10/29/2012
+ The Marlboro Man was David McLean. Submitted by HamBurger, 05/13/2018
++ After David McLean's death, his widow and son sued Philip Morris, claiming that the cigarettes McLean was required to use caused his lung cancer. But a California court ruled that CA law protected the cigarette company from such a lawsuit...MikeM. 7/5/2018

Location: The hotel where Stacey Chandler is staying is the Culver Hotel. We see an establishing shot of it in the episode. The hotel is at 9400 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA. You can find a picture and some history here. billp, 2/9/2009.
+ The Culver Hotel was also featured in episode #168, TCOT Prankish Professor. See history there. Submitted by Eric Cooper, 4 January 2011. More about the hotel here.

Sightings: There’s a very close shot of Pencil Mustache Man as Stacey Chandler sits down next to him in the courtroom. You can see our nameless extra several times throughout the trial. And right behind him is our beloved Little Old Lady in a Hat, who can also be seen clearly in a shot next to Margo Lawrence. And Distinguished Gentleman #1 is the court reporter! Submitted by gracep, 18 August 2010.
+ “Miss Carmody” also appears among the courtroom spectators. Later, Blue Collar Guy drives a truckload of workers to a vacant lot. Among the crew is Quiet Old Man #2. Both of these men pitch in and help dig up the place. Submitted by alan_sings, 16 Oct 2010.
++ The Distinguished Lady #4 sits behind Miss Carmody on Burger's side. Submitted by BigBill767, 2/4/17.

Syndicated cuts: Paul and Perry driving to West's house; Helen telling Stacey that Irene was murdered; scene with Margo and Burger and Tragg; testimony from the autopsy surgeon; Mason going to West's property with Paul and a digging crew. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 8/08/12.
+ The surgeon testified & Perry/Paul did go to West's property "to look for Uranium" in Today's MeTV airing. Mike Bedard 6.17.16 viewing.

Incorrect show Summary: Irene was not "Stacey’s old girlfriend." Submitted by Duffy, 9-10-2014.

Cold case / old case: Perry also solved the murders of Frank Harvey and Vivian West killed 8 years earlier. Submitted by H. Mason 9/27/14
+ Perry not only solved two eight-year-old murder cases but discovered the murders (previously thought to be simple disappearances) and solved them at the same time. jfh 13Oct2017

This is the only PM appearance for Albert Linville (Harry West)...MikeM. 9/23/2016

This is the second of six PM appearances for John Bryant (Stacey Chandler), who passed in Hollywood in 1989, aged 72...MikeM. 9/23/2016

This is the only PM appearance for Marion Ross (Helen Harvey), whose career has stretched over seven decades. Marion Ross is still working at the age of 89...MikeM. 7/5/2018

Reused Set and Props: The interior of the Harvey house, with that distinctive staircase, was Marchand’s restaurant in the previous episode “Fraudulent Foto”. DOD 07/31/20
+ Yes, indeed! I recognized the same Victoriana immediately -- same set! The left-over Victorian decor from the previous episode is all that is left of Marchand's -- and also note that the small hotel letter box (wood, with vertical slots, holding letters) that was seen in last week's Waring City Hotel has migrated to the current episode's Esquire Motel! Submitted by catyron, December30th, 2020.

TCOT Substitute Coffee Cups: White awaiting the arrival of Canonical Curious Coffee Set, we are again witness to coffee service in one of several recurring other sets -- this is the one my husband and i call the "bird" set with a fat chickadee or a duck (?) on one side and ill-defined floral or aquatic stuff on the other side. Submitted by catron, December 30th, 2020.