PERRY MASON: THE CASE OF THE PRODIGAL PARENT (TV)

Summary

One in this series of dramas, based on the novels by Erle Stanley Gardner, about the cases of trial attorney Perry Mason, who proves his clients' innocence by solving the crimes himself, with assistance from his savvy secretary Della Street and private investigator Paul Drake. In this episode, Mason represents businessman Joseph Harrison, who has been accused of murdering his stepson Philip. At first, it seems that District Attorney Hamilton Burger has little evidence to substantiate his case. In court, however, Burger introduces a silent home movie of the defendant arguing with the deceased. Mason realizes that the unheard argument on the reel is the key to solving the crime, but all of the people present during the making of the home movie, including Harrison, refuse to reveal the context of the dispute. Commercials deleted.

Details

NETWORK: CBS
DATE: June 7, 1958 7:30 PM
RUNNING TIME: 0:51:24
COLOR/B&W: B&W
CATALOG ID: T82:0468
GENRE: Drama, legal
SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, legal
SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1957-1966
COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

Gail Patrick Jackson … Executive Producer
Ben Brady … Producer
Sam White … Associate Producer
Arthur Marks … Director
Erle Stanley Gardner … Based on characters created by
Seeleg Lester … Writer
Gene Wang … Writer
Fred Steiner … Theme Music by
Raymond Burr … Cast, Perry Mason
Barbara Hale … Cast, Della Street
William Hopper … Cast, Paul Drake
William Talman … Cast, Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins … Cast, Lt. Arthur Tragg
Virginia Field … Cast, Irene Collaro
Herbert Rudley … Cast, George Durell
Fay Wray … Cast, Ethel Harrison
Andra Martin … Cast, Lorraine Stevens
Ann Doran … Cast, Claire Durell
John Hoyt … Cast, Joseph Harrison
Terry Becker … Cast, Philip Larkin
Morris Ankrum … Cast, the Judge
Nancy Kulp … Cast, Sarah Winslow
Chet Stratton … Cast, Mr. Alcorn
Michael Fox … Cast, Dr. Samuel Anders
Richard Bull … Cast, the Court Reporter
Dean Casey … Cast, Det. Sanchez
Leo Needham … Cast, Officer Norton