"Perry Mason" The Case of the Tragic Trophy (1964)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writer:

Mann Rubin (writer)

TV Series:

"Perry Mason" (1957)

Original Air Date:

19 November 1964 (Season 8, Episode 9)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Perry Mason | Courtroom | Secretary | Lawyer | Murder Confession

Cast

Raymond Burr	...	Perry Mason
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
E.J. André	...	Druggist
Robert Bice	...	Uniformed Man
Alex Bookston	...	First Reporter
George Brenlin	...	Coley Barnes
Richard Carlson	...	Anthony Fry
Alvin Childress	...	Janitor
Mimsy Farmer	...	Kathy Anders
John Fiedler	...	Howard Stark
Robert C. Gormley	...	Guard
Reed Hadley	...	Medical Examiner
Barbara Hale	...	Della Street
William Hopper	...	Paul Drake
Patricia Huston	...	Lydia Lawrence
Bobby Johnson	...	Redcap
Wesley Lau	...	Lt. Anderson
Kenneth MacDonald	...	Judge
Walter Mathews	...	Second Reporter
Charles McDaniel	...	Third Reporter
Paul Stewart	...	J. J. Pennington
Jack Swanson	...	First Cameraman
Constance Towers	...	Joanne Pennington
Russ Whiteman	...	Second Cameraman

Runtime:

USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Paisano Productions

A Hollywood Story

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Big name director Anthony Fry (Richard Carlson) arrives at the Burbank airport on a flight from Mexico where he is mobbed by reporters (kind of odd for a guy who's last film in Spain was never completed and is in the downside of his career) who he introduces to Kathy Anders (Mimsy Farmer) a young actress he claims to be in love with. However, we soon learn the love affair is just publicity for his film about a May-December romance, partly cooked up by his publicity man Howard Stark (John Fiedler). What Fry doesn't know is Kathy is the daughter of a cameraman with a drinking problem who Fry ruined and blamed for the picture in Spain. She's hired Paul Drake to find out the identity of a mysterious woman Fry meets at the airport. When Fry turns up dead, beaten with an award, Kathy is the prime suspect.

I like it when the Mason show casts its eyes on Hollywood. While this isn't their most biting of looks at show business, it does feature some fine performances, notably by Paul Stewart as studio head JJ Pennington and Richard Carlson as Fry. Mimsy Farmer isn't bad either as the accused, but once again in his quiet, subtle way, John Fiedler makes the most of his part as Stark. The voice of Piglet, Fiedler really has been in everything, from "Star Trek" and "Get Smart" to "The Bob Newhart Show" "Sheriff Lobo", "Colombo", "Rockford Files" and "Quincy". He is a under-appreciated character actor of the first rank. It's also nice to see Perry, Della and Paul all working together after a couple of episodes separated them while Perry was in Europe...or the MGM back lot version of Europe!