Another Perry Mason that uses the reappearance of someone to drive the plot. This time it's a businessman who left the area two years before and he returns to town the very day that his company is being sold. He's polite enough to call his home first. It may be the only polite thing Hartley does, since he is to be the victim.
House Cleaner responding to Hartley's request to speak to his wife: She went downtown to some kind of meeting. Could it be “sharecroppers’ meeting”?
Hartley crashes the meeting which disbands and he and his wife go home.
Hartley: Do you still have to hide the liquor from that useless son of yours?
Sybil: Would you like a drink, Hartley?
Sybil is not happy to have Hartley back. She calls her (useless) son only to learn that he has just married a woman he barely knows.
Sybil: It never rains but it pours.
Sybil's new daughter-in-law is a witness in the murder. She enters Hartley's office just as a man -- the presumed killer -- is leaving. Bride doesn't hang around to help with the investigation and Perry asks Paul Drake to track her down. Groom isn't much help.
PD: He doesn’t even have a snapshot of his wife.
PM: Interesting.
PD: He’s only known her a week so it could be true.
I'll have you know that I have a snapshot of his wife. When I learned that Robert Redford was in this 1960 episode, I was ready with my camera to snap him when he first appeared. The bride is Cindy Robbins.
As the title implies, a toupee is a clue in this murder. Hartley had a clump of hair from a toupee belonging to Mason's client, Peter Dawson, in his cold, dead fingers.
Tragg: In the ordinary toupee there may be forty to sixty thousand hairs. In Mr. Dawson’s toupee, I believe there are six different shades.
House Cleaner responding to Hartley's request to speak to his wife: She went downtown to some kind of meeting. Could it be “sharecroppers’ meeting”?
Hartley crashes the meeting which disbands and he and his wife go home.
Hartley: Do you still have to hide the liquor from that useless son of yours?
Sybil: Would you like a drink, Hartley?
Sybil is not happy to have Hartley back. She calls her (useless) son only to learn that he has just married a woman he barely knows.
Sybil: It never rains but it pours.
Sybil's new daughter-in-law is a witness in the murder. She enters Hartley's office just as a man -- the presumed killer -- is leaving. Bride doesn't hang around to help with the investigation and Perry asks Paul Drake to track her down. Groom isn't much help.
PD: He doesn’t even have a snapshot of his wife.
PM: Interesting.
PD: He’s only known her a week so it could be true.
I'll have you know that I have a snapshot of his wife. When I learned that Robert Redford was in this 1960 episode, I was ready with my camera to snap him when he first appeared. The bride is Cindy Robbins.
As the title implies, a toupee is a clue in this murder. Hartley had a clump of hair from a toupee belonging to Mason's client, Peter Dawson, in his cold, dead fingers.
Tragg: In the ordinary toupee there may be forty to sixty thousand hairs. In Mr. Dawson’s toupee, I believe there are six different shades.
During cross-examination:
PM: Do you think it plausible that someone could tear out a section of hair from a toupee?
Toupee Pro: Oh, entirely plausible if it were properly attached with spirit gum. If you’d like a test, Mr.Mason, tear away (and the witness lowers his head for access).
Regarding the murder weapon found in a culvert four blocks from the crime:
PM: Isn’t it true that the police rate culverts as their favorite hunting grounds for missing weapons?
D.A. Burger alleges misconduct by PM. They are in chambers to discuss things and the judge lights up. Still in his robes, yet. Funny how social conventions change.
PM: In the interest of my client, I had to take a desperate chance. If I lose, I’ll take full responsibility.
Perry, Della and Paul are wrapping things up when the office door opens.
PM: Well, Lieutenant, we weren’t speaking of the devil but come right in.