Show107

When Perry begins his cross-examination of Tom Stratton (Ed Platt), his voice sounds hollow and stilted. Clearly he’s had to be dubbed later by Raymond Burr for some reason. Also, Ed Platt turns in a good performance in this episode. I think he was a very under-rated actor. Submitted by billp, 25 October 2009.

The police matron in the courtroom is very lax in her demeanor, first sitting with her legs crossed during the morning session, then sitting casually draped across her chair on the afternoon session.

So…what was is the larceny alluded to in the title? Queried by gracenote, 7/4/2011.

Good question. Blackmail and extortion are separate crimes from larceny, and so is murder. Those are the only crimes involved here, right? (although there might be a sort of "insider trading," but that's how all cities operate their real-estate deals, right -- the insiders get rich?) cgraul 6.27.12

I believe they refer to Mona Henderson stealing the photo from Sykes. As he says on the stand to Perry, "(She) Took it right out from under my nose." DellaFan 3/25/21

When Julia Webberly drives up to Frank Sykes's house at 24:43, we see the license plate of her car, KYL 907. I'm sure we've seen that creepy plate before in another episode. Submitted by 10yearoldfan, 10 February 2012.
+ 10yearoldfan is right. At the least, "KYL 907" has appeared as follows:

  • in this ep#107, on Julia Webberly's 1961 Dodge Polara 2-Door HardTop V8;
  • in Ep#9, on the plates of Edgar Ferrell's '57 Lincoln Convertible (screenshot here) AND on the Automobile Registration form of John Addison's '57 Continental MkII (same License Number for two different cars in the same episode);
  • in Ep#41, on "Theodore's" car (see 10yearoldfan's Trivia entry); and
  • in Ep#97 on the plates of Everett Dorrell's '60 Mercury Park Lane Convertible.

Perhaps "KYL 907" was a defunct pair of real plates held by the Props Dept and used on unlicensed cars. Thanks to 10yearoldfan for bringing this out! Another multi-use Lic Number is NFL 252. It is seen on the Automobile Registration forms of four different cars in episodes 77, 83, 86 & 89 (plates not seen, just the forms). Another strange license number is the UAR 076 seen on Perry's '60 Sunliner in Ep#99. Submitted by Gary Woloski, 28 Sep 2012.
+ The plate number KYL 907 was also on Tony Davis' car in episode 41 TCOT Lucky Loser. Added by H. Mason 11/1/14

1957 Ford Model Names. In the CARS Trivia entry above, I have used descriptive names for cars (3a) & (3b). The Official 1957 Ford model-names for those cars are:

Ford confused almost everybody by varying its nomenclature every year. Here is a translation guide for 1957 Fords (limited application for other years):

  • Models from "Base" to "Top-of-the-line": Custom --> Custom 300 --> Fairlane --> Fairlane 500.
  • "Club" = 2-Door (Tudor). "Town" = 4-Door (Fordor).
  • "Victoria" = HardTop (no B-Pillar). "Sedan" = sedan (!) (B-Pillar at center of roofline).

The excellent website 57fordsforever.com lists 23 Ford models for 1957, excluding special vehicles. While you're there, be sure to click on "Exterior Colors" at the left and check out the paint scheme for your '57 Ford! From that site, here's a twin of this episode's Getaway Car (3), a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Club Sedan. Submitted by Gary Woloski, 10 Oct 2012.

I thought it humorous that after Sykes' first appearance on the stand, Mrs. Webberly states that "there wasn't a word of truth" in his testimony. Then, when Sykes' was called to testify again, the judge reminded him he was still under oath! Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 6/12/14.

And speaking of the judge, this case seems to have an unprecedented amount of interference - for want of a better word - from the judge in the proceedings: I don't recall any other episodes where the judge directs the prosecutor who to call as a witness (or tries to direct, for when the latter refuses, the judge himself calls her). The premise - that Perry had been deprived of an opportunity to cross-examine - doesn't make much sense, since he could have called her himself as his witness. Submitted by Notcom, 112415.

In this case the DA was obviously playing games. When Perry objected, during Sykes' questioning by the DA, he also requested that "...the Court admonish the District Attorney and assign the question to misconduct." The Judge said he agreed and sustained the objection. Then he asked the DA why he wasn't presenting best evidence. The DA replied about not being able to locate Mrs. Webberly, blah, blah, blah, and then added "I will promise the Court, however, that we intend to put Mrs. Webberly on the stand..." Perry delayed his cross-examination of Sykes until after Mrs. Webberly was put on the stand, and the Court agreed.

Then, when Mrs. Webberly appeared, instead of honoring his promise to the Court the DA tried to rest his case and BLATANTLY, AND DEFIANTLY REFUSED TO HONOR HIS PROMISE. This is why the Court ORDERED the DA to put her on the stand or he would. The Judge SHOULD HAVE also found him to be in Contempt of Court.

My only question is whether or not the DA WAS brought up on charges of misconduct as a result. It was the DA who was COMPLETELY out of line, NOT the Court. Burger did this before, but since he did NOT PROMISE to call the witness the Court could not force him to do so. This DA DID PROMISE THE COURT. Submitted by Arisia, 03/11/18.
+ I didn't know this episode very well, and for once followed the story rather than watch the neckties and the levitating spectators. I thought the acting was quite good -- Edward Platt's calm and determined deceit, and Byron Morrow's extended stern speeches as the judge. Which of course points to the quality of the script. The lack of histrionics, except maybe from the golf pro, and the defendant I suppose, kept the story tense. For me at least, in this viewing. Respectfully submitted by JohnK, 26 October 2021

I wonder if the prosecutor has Asperger's. He seems to have a lot of trouble making eye contact. Submitted by scarter, 8/27/14

+ No, he only had trouble making eye-contact because he was a shady character. He was relying on hearsay, and refusing to follow procedure; then, if that wasn't bad enough, he made a promise to the Court and reneged on it which prompted the Court to allow Mrs. Webberly to be cross-examined by Perry without being first examined by the DA. It was almost as if he knew who the real murderer was and was protecting him. Submitted by Arisia, 03/11/18

Audio from TCOTLL can be heard on a patient tv screen in an episode of "The Bold Ones": Perry is talking to "Mr. [Mayor] Henderson"; Raymond Burr is co-listed above "Harbour Productions Unlimited" in closing TBO credits. Mike Bedard 2.27.15.
+ More information please. Do you know the title of The Bold Ones episode? Also The Perry Mason story refered to above would be episode 107 "The Case of the Larcenous Lady". Other LL episodes were Latent Lover, Laughing Lady, Lavender Lipstick, Lawful Lazarus, Libelous Locket, Loquacious Liar, Lover's Leap, Lucky Legs, Lucky Loser, and Lurid Letter. [Reminds me of some old DC comics Superman stories.] Added by H. Mason 3/4/15
++ Sorry, I did a three hour search and couldn't find ANYTHING. There aren't even videos of complete episodes, or detailed descriptions of the episodes. Considering that Burr was in an executive capacity for that show, AND it was set in the same "Universe" as Ironsides, I would guess the episode in question would have to have been early on in Season 1 because it was probably done to unofficially link the two shows and maybe get some of PM's audience watching. Submitted by Arisia, 03/11/18

I wonder how the priority in the credits was decided. Ellen Drew gets first billing but I would guessed Arthur Franz and Patricia Huston (has that Patrica Barry look) would have been listed 1 and 2. Submitted by Perry Baby 9/29/15.

She (Patricia Huston) not only has that Patricia Barry look, her character has the same cold-blooded approach - the difference being that Ms. Barry could make a statue perspire, whereas Ms. Huston, in my opinion, is as passionate as a chunk of dry ice .. and talk about seeing, but NOT seeing, I just noticed that Ms. Huston played a similar role in #76 Golden Fraud, along with Arthur Franz, but not as his wife, but as the wife of the character who was competing with Franz for a position in the firm they worked for ... man, could that woman play an ice-cold you-know-what! I guess women were more genteel in those days ... if my wife were in the position of 'Julia Webberly' (Ellen Drew), she'd likely had kicked 'Mona Henderson's' little tail all the way back to her home! Submitted by MikeReese, 12/5/2016.

Location: Susan Connelly meets Mr. Stratton at the Highway Hotel which is clearly the Oxnard Hotel now gone but located in Oxnard a 30 minute ride up the coast from where Raymond Burr lived in Malibu. Eric Cooper 30 Aug 16

The view out the window to the judge's left seems to change. At first we see a bit of shingled roof. Later we see a shuttered window. In either case, the view has no relation at all to what we see in exterior shots. The exterior shot of the courthouse is obviously stock footage- not a car in view later than the late 1930’s. DODay 09/04/2017

Despite the episode's flaws, most notably the actions of the defendant as Mason and the Mayor arrive which stretch credulity, I do like how Mona's actions are still influencing the characters well after her death. It's almost like she is still around. That is a really nice touch in an otherwise typical episode of Perry Mason. Submitted by Kenmore 7/25/2021.