Show197

The radio broadcast of the horse race is called by Jim Healy, who, while not credited for the part, does actually announce “this is Jim Healy.” Mr. Healy was a well known radio and television sports personality in the Los Angeles area for 30+ years. Submitted by D. A. Supernaw, 2/24/2005.

The radio broadcast of the horse race has "Turkish Dream" finishing third. The next day when Perry and Della return to the track, the P.A. announcer in the background gives "Turkish Dream" as one of the entrants. Thoroughbred horses rarely race more than once every two weeks. Submmitted by Teejay 6/14/2012

Burger presented a list of serial numbers of the $20 bills in the theft case. On the stand he had the detective Sgt. McClanahan & Rodney Banks compare the last number on the list to the $20 he handed them. If you look closely you’ll notice someone has pasted on 2 new serial numbers on the $20 bill .... K 0 0 4 9 _ _ _ _ A. The line of numbers on those 2 places are lighter paper than the rest of the bill. Submitted by Daniel Jones, 12/27/2007.
+ The serial numbers on the bill are K00460975A. They definitely appear to have been pasted on. Both numbers show the “border lines” one would expect from the thickness of the stick-on. Quick picture here (use browser’s back function to return). Submitted by daveb, 1/11/2011.
+ Had they wished to be a little more authentic, the writer and the props crew could have begun the serial number with the letter "L" to match the Federal Reserve District bank which issued the bill. The district seal can be seen in the close-up, showing the letter "L" corresponding to the San Francisco Federal Reserve district. If you could read the writing in the round seal surrounding the "L," it would identify the San Francisco Federal Reserve bank. The number "12" seen in four corners of the inner space also refer to San Francisco ("L" is the 12th letter). Letter "K" corresponds to the Dallas district (which should likewise show "K" in the district seal, and the number "11" in its corners). The redesign in 1996 changed some of these features for newer bills. Submitted by alan_sings, 1/1/2012.
+Perhaps there was some legal reason they couldn't use the serial number of an actual bill, because they easily could just have used a real bill with the real serial number. --yelocab 19JUN19

One more time: Ray Collins billed as Lt. Tragg, but a no-show. Submitted by gracenote, 3/5/2011.

Sightings: At the racetrack, Distinguished Gentleman #1 might walk behind the angry Marvin Fremont as he yells at Perry. Then he walks a few seconds later behind Sgt. McClanahan, and then again (but this time with an escort) just before leaves the confrontation. But he definitely shows up at trial, along with Quiet Old Man #1. Submitted by gracenote, 3/5/2011.
+ At least four times during the courtroom sequences, beginning at 29:01, Perry is shown silently observing Burger's questioning of witnesses. These are re-used shots, not "fresh" to this episode, and the people behind him are actually those first filmed for Episode 183. They are the Asian Woman with Pearls and the African American man -- but his usual partner, the African American Woman #1, is behind Perry's head in these shots and cannot be seen, although she is fully visible in Episode 183, and the two are usually together as the African American Couple. In addition, there is an African American Man with white hair as a juror, plus another African American Man (older than the male member of the Couple) in the "fresh" (not re-used) gallery scenes -- and we also have Jack Crowder as a desk officer -- giving this episode the highest ratio of Black people to White people yet seen in the series. Submitted by catyron, May 31st, 2018 ++"Miss Carmody" is in the front row, middle, of the jury (30:47 on the DVD). Submitted by Miss Carmody, 26 October 2023.

Robert Wegner looks only a bit less scowling at his promotion from his usual bailiff to Burger's No. 2 in this episode. Submitted by FredK 3Feb12.

Hard to believe, but the beautiful Joyce Bulifant later played Murray Slaughter’s wife in the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Submitted by cgraul, 7/12/2011.

Halstead and Paul have a rare extended conversation in Della’s office. Note the oddly empty bookcase we usually see only in quick glimpses when Della enters and exits Mason’s office. Submitted by cgraul, 10/13/2011.

Hamilton Burger delivers one of the few opening statements in this show (this might be the only one). This is rare because of (a) time, (b) money to pay more extras, and (c) the show (and books) rarely used juries, as Perry usually revealed the murderer at a preliminary hearing (also called “probable cause” hearing). Submitted by cgraul, 10/13/2011.

CARS. I've not listed any of the hundreds of background cars. Cast Cars are:

  • Nancy Banks' 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner, top down. In the opening sequence at the racetrack, it's readily recognized by the (dummy) hood scoop; taillights on the '58 Fords were also distinctive. There's a better view of the whole car at 22:12 when Nancy arrives at Valley Trout Farm ("Tackle & Bait Furnished - Open 10AM to 8PM Daily").
  • Perry's white 1963 Lincoln Continental Convertible, top down. It's still the '63 model; the 1963 rear grill is seen at 13:14 but lighting is dim. Confirmed as 1963 when we next see Perry driving it in ep#201.

For the second time in two consecutive episodes a beautiful Blonde driving a flashy convertible ditches her tail in L.A.! Added by Gary Woloski, 9/17/14.

Recycled newspaper: The newspaper Mr. Halstead was folding as Paul entered Della's office was made for episode 182 TCOT Nebulous Nephew but never used. Part of the headline...BABY...TUNE can be seen. The full front page was shown in 204 TCOT Woeful Widower. Submitted by H. Mason 9/29/14

Name: Actor Jack Crowder, the officer who returned Rodney's belongings at the jail, was probably better known as Thalmus Rasulala, the name he started using in 1971. Submitted by H. Mason 3/13/15
+ Crowder also appears in a pivotal role in the Twilight Zone episode, "The Brain Center At Whipples", where he plays a technician - a bold step for those days, when even a Black actor playing a judge on PM (albeit with no lines or screen credit!) could stir some to racial animosity.. Submitted by MikeReese 3/21/15

Cards: Perry seemed to give a business card to the police detective at the race track. That was the first time he gave out a card since episode 79 TCOT Lucky Legs. Submitted by H. Mason 3/13/15
+ He also happens to have a card with Della’s address. DOD 02/15/21

Latin: CAUSA SINE QUA NON literally means "a cause without which not" or a necessary condition. From Amo, Amas, Amat and More by Eugene Ehrlich. Submitted by H. Mason 3/13/15

The Bible: Paul Drake partially quoted Matthew 7:6/the Sermon on the Mount: "Do not give what is holy to dogs; and DO NOT THROW YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you [Full citation NRSV]." Mike Bedard 3.17.15.

A Mistrial?! (Reprise): At approximately 39:30, after an unexpected courtroom confession by one of the witnesses, the judge says, “I agree, Mr. Mason, there are grounds here for a mistrial.” A furious and exasperated Hamilton Burger then shouts “A mistrial?!” but he is not shown during his exclamation. This same sound bite (with video) was used during Burger’s courtroom meltdown in Episode #139 TCOT Shapely Shadow. Submitted by Dan K, 6/28/16.

This is the second of two PM appearances for Joyce Bulifant who, according to Wikipedia, is currently married to actor Roger Perry. Wiki says that Bulifant and Perry were honored on the Walk of Stars in Palm Springs...MikeM. 1/2/2017

In two of the three PM novels published in 1962--"TCOT Reluctant Model" and "TCOT Ice-Cold Hands"--the murder victim's body was found in a shower stall/bathtub. (Both novels were adapted for TV during the show's seventh season.) One wonders how much ESG, in establishing the two unusually similar murder settings, might have been influenced by the Hitchcock movie "Psycho," which had been released in 1960. Submitted by BobH, 2 January 2017.

This is the third and final Perry appearance for Glenn-Close-lookalike Lisabeth Hush, whose first such appearance (The Case of the Lucky Legs (1959) Marjorie Cluny) was apparently her professional acting debut. jfh 07Jan2018.

This is the second of two PM appearances for Dick (Richard) Davalos, who played "Aron Trask" brother of James Dean's "Cal Trask" in the 1955 film "East of Eden"...MikeM. 4/30/2018

Not damp (but still all wet) Andy makes reference to the victims'c clothing being "damp", but dry ice doesn't "melt" into a liquid... it turns into a gas. Notcom, 060419.