Ray Collins Movies

As a move to bolster up CBS' sagging Thursday-night schedule, the network's evergreen legal drama Perry Mason was moved from its traditional Saturday night slot in the fall of 1962, going head-to-head with ABC's popular sitcom lineup and the NBC hit Doctor Kildare. Unfortunately, to paraphrase the series' traditional episode-title format, Perry Mason's sixth season very nearly became "The Case of the Missing Star." Undergoing surgery early in the season, Raymond Burr was unable to make anything but token appearances in four episodes. To compensate for this, the scripters contrive to have Perry Mason, likewise hospitalized, briefly replaced by four of his most trusted associates, played consecutively by Bette Davis in "The Case of Constant Doyle", Michael Rennie in "The Case of the Libelous Locket", Hugh O'Brian in "The Case of the Two-Faced Turnabout", and Walter Pidgeon in "The Case of the Surplus Suitor". For many years thereafter, these four Mason-less episodes were missing from the series' syndication package, and only recently have been restored. Other guest stars this season include Adam West of Batman fame in the opener, "The Case of the Bogus Books"; Leonard Nimoy (of you-know-what fame) in "The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe", future film favorite Ellen Burstyn (billed as Ellen MacRae) in "The Case of the Dodging Domino", veteran movie funnyman Stuart Erwin in a surprising characterization in "The Case of the Double-Entry Mind", and, in his second series appearance, Bill Williams, the husband of series regular Barbara Hale (Della Street) as the murder victim in "The Case of the Bluffing Blast". Worth mentioning for historical purposes are the Season Six episodes "The Case of the Velvet Claws", adapted from the very first Perry Mason novel, written in 1933 by Erle Stanley Gardner); and "The Case of the Greek Goddess", in which defendant is played by John Larkin, who portrayed Perry Mason on radio. And finally there is the season closer, "Case of the Witless Witness", marking one of the few times that Mason loses a case (albeit NOT a murder case). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Several of the episodes in Perry Mason's fourth season did without the services of costar William Talman (aka luckless prosecutor Hamilton Burger), who as a result of a wild and highly publicized party at his home was fired from the series by CBS. Raymond Burr, who of course headed the cast as defense attorney Perry Mason, rallied his coworkers Barbara Hale, William Hopper and Ray Collins, demanded that Talman be reinstated, threatening to quit the show himself unless CBS reversed its decision. Ultimately of course, Talman was rehired, but not before such guest actors as Walter Burke and Paul Fix filled the gap by portraying various one-shot prosecutors. Outside of these backstage intrigues, Season Four was distinguished by a wealth of familiar faces in the supporting-player category, beginning with a young Robert Redford in the season opener "The Case of the Treacherous Toupee" and including in later episodes such future Oscar winners as Louise Fletcher and James Coburn. Also seen were quite a few TV-series stalwarts, including Sue Randall (Miss Landers on Leave It to Beaver), Connie Hines (Carol Post on Mister Ed), John Banner (Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Heroes), Adam West (Batman himself) and Gavin McLeod (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mister Ed). Despite a shaky start, the season ended on a high note, with Raymond Burr winning his second Emmy Award. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

By the time Perry Mason rolled into its third season in the fall of 1959, the series was the 10th most popular program in America, and the uncontested leader in its Saturday night timeslot--despite formidable competition from the upstart NBC western Bonanza. Ironically, Perry Mason would ultimately wither on the vine in its ninth season when once again CBS moved it opposite the by-now extremely profitable Bonanza, but that was still several years in the future. Ratings and popularity, aside, the series' star Raymond Burr and his costars Barbara Hale, William Hopper and Ray Collins had ample reason for complaint this season, thanks to a corporate decision by parent network CBS. In March of 1960, William Talman, who played defense attorney Mason's friendly adversary, prosecutor Hamilton Burger, was hauled into jail for throwing a wild party (marijuana may or may not have been involved). Though Talman was never charged with anything, the network invoked the "morals clause" in his contract and fired him on the spot. Only the combined protests of the cast members--led by Burr, who threatened to quit the show if Talman wasn't reinstated--and tons of supportive fan mail compelled CBS to reverse its decision in December of 1960. By this time, however, Talman had missed several episodes (most of which were seen in the series' fourth season). March 1960 Talman had his wild party. Fay Wray murdered in "The Case of the Watery Witness", "The Case of the Lucky Legs", in "The Case of the Prudent Prosecutor", Burger asks Mason's help to clear an old friend on a murder charge. Otherwise, things moved smoothly on the series, with Perry Mason consistently proving the innocence of his clients and and exposing the real murderer on a weekly basis. Also, as in previous years, Season Three had its share of noteworthy guest performers, ranging from old-timer Francis X. Bushman to comparative youngsters Barbara Bain, Bert Convy and future Oscar winner Louise Fletcher. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Despite a less than spectacular showing during its first season, the marathon courtroom series Perry Mason quickly built up an enthuastic following, and by Season Two the series was ranked 19th in TV's "Top 25", just one notch below the western Cheyenne. Joining stars Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale, William Hopper, Ray Collins and William Talman this season is an impressive guest lineup. Edgar Buchanan (Petticoat Junction) and Joe Kearns ("Mr. Wilson" on Dennis the Menace are seen in "The Case of the Perjured Parrot", with the voice of Mel Blanc as the title character. Future [#Happy Days mom Marion Ross is Perry's client in "The Case of the Romantic Rogue". Singer Frankie Laine and jazz great Bobby Troup figure prominently in "The Case of the Jaded Joker". Longtime movie favorite Ann Rutherford (one of Scarlett O'Hara's sisters in Gone with the Wind) is in "The Case of the Howling Dog"; and the ubiquitous Tom Browne Henry, who'd once been Raymond Burr's teacher at the Pasadnea Playhouse, shows up in "The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom". Finally, real-life jockey (and TV quiz show winner) Billy Pearson essays the title role in "The Case of the Jilted Jockey". Perry Mason's prestige received an enormous boost this season when both Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale received Emmy awards for their work. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Every time Republic Pictures head honcho Herbert J. Yates starred his minimally talented wife Vera Ralston in a film, the studio's stockholders began trembling in their boots. Like most of its predecessors, the 1957 Ralston vehicle Spoilers of the Forest just barely made back its cost. Vera plays Joan Milna, who shares several thousand acres of valuable Montana timberland with her stepfather (John Alderson). Coveting Joan's property, lumber baron Eric Warren (Ray Collins) sends out his foreman Boyd Caldwell (Rod Cameron) to persuade her to sell. Instead, Caldwell falls in love with the girl, vowing to protect her trees from the eco-unfriendly Warren. Republic's wide-screen Naturama process is shown to good advantage throughout Spoilers of the Forest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This emotional drama concerns a WWII medic who marries a German woman but leaves her in a jealous rage, taking their baby with him. They lose touch after she is arrested behind the Iron Curtain after the war. Eight years later, she sees him in a Chicago cafe, rushes across the street to see him, and is hit by a truck. He operates on her and saves her life, and they get back together. Eventually, the daughter accepts her mother, and the whole family is reunited. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide

Claudette Colbert makes a long-overdue entree into the Western genre in Texas Lady. Looking at least a decade younger than her 50 years, Ms. Colbert plays Prudence Webb, who arrives in the wide-open town of Fort Ralston, Texas, to assume control of her late father's newspaper. Her first major print crusade is aimed at gambler Chris Mooney (Barry Sullivan), whom Prudence holds responsible for her dad's suicide (Mooney isn't, but it takes our heroine nearly eight reels to find this out). She then takes aim at a couple of crooked cattle barons (Ray Collins and Walter Sande), who'd like nothing better than to put Prudence out of the way for keeps. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The 20th Century-Fox Hour (later syndicated as The Hour of Stars) ran on CBS just shy of two years, from October 1955 through September 1957. An anthology program, the series typically featured readaptations of 20th Century-Fox feature films for a sixty-minute TV airslot. The 1955 production of Miracle on 34th Street - a reworking of George Seaton's 1948 blockbuster and Christmas perennial - was just such an example and became one of the first episodes of the series. The program makes its home video debut following recent appearances on The Fox Movie Channel. In this slightly condensed version of the Seaton story, Thomas Mitchell takes over the Edmund Gwenn role, portraying Kris Kringle, Teresa Wright plays Doris Walker, and Sandy Descher stars as her daughter, Susan Walker, filling the role originally made famous by Natalie Wood. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

1954's Rose Marie is the third film version of the 1924 Otto Harbach-Oscar Hammerstein-Rudolph Frinl operetta of the same name. Though not a completely faithful adaptation, this version is closer to the original than the (admittedly enjoyable) Nelson Eddy-Jeanette MacDonald version of 1936. Ann Blyth stars as Rose Marie Lemaitre, a hoydenish French-Canadian lass who is "tamed" by cheerful mountie Mike Malone (Howard Keel). At first, Mike is only interested in using Rose Marie to capture her sweetheart, renegade trapper Duval (Fernando Lamas), but eventually he falls in love with her, and she with him. Counterpointing the romantic main plot are the comic antics of Bert Lahr, who elucidates his sorry lot in life with the song "I'm the Mountie Who Never Gets His Man." The original Rudy Friml score is well in evidence, along with several new Friml compositions and a few extra tunes penned by Georgie Stoll and Herbert Baker. There's also a remarkable "Indian sacrifice" production number spotlighting a young Rita Moreno. Original Cinemascope prints of Rose Marie included a nine-minute prologue, wherein conductor Alfred Wallenstein led the MGM orchestra in a rendition of "Poet and Peasant Overture" (this was evidently inspired by the similar symphonic prologue which opened 20th Century Fox's How to Marry a Millionaire). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This fifth entry in Universal's "Ma and Pa Kettle" series finds the Kettle family taking a trip to Paris (courtesy of the Universal back lot). All the standard "innocents abroad" gags are in attendance, including Pa Kettle's (Percy Kilbride) efforts to extinguish a flaming serving of crepes suzettes, and Ma's (Marjorie Main) entanglement with a team of Apache dancers. Somewhere along the way, the Kettles agree to help the American authorities trap a gang of international spies. A running gag finds Pa Kettle trying to purchase a set of postcards depicting "zee beauties of Paree." There's even a throwaway joke about the Marshall Plan! Sharp-eyed viewers will spot Rita Moreno as a nightclub chanteuse in one scene. Of the nine "Kettle" programmers produced by Universal, Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation is arguably the most memorable. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Audie Murphy is suitably cast as cavalry lieutenant Jed Sayre in Universal's Column South. Stationed in Navajo country, Sayre has a pretty good understanding of, and rapport with, the local Indians, but his new CO Lee Whitlock (Robert Sterling) is of the "only good Indian is a dead Indian" school of thought. Eventually Sayre is able to make Whitlock see the light -- and, as a bonus, he gets to romance Whitlock's sister Marcy (Joan Evans). Further complications arise when Confederate General Storey (Ray Collins) hatches an underhanded scheme -- one that will potentially cost many innocent lives -- to force the cavalry troops to join the Southern cause when the Civil War commences. Of interest to modern viewers is the presence of Dennis Weaver, here cast as Navajo chief Menguito. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Young Man with Ideas in this MGM production is idealistic lawyer Maxwell Webster (Glenn Ford). Too self-effacing for his own good, Webster vegetates in Montana with his wife Julie (Ruth Roman) and children for nearly 10 years before starting life anew in California. Living penuriously while studying for his California bar exam, Webster tries out several moneymaking schemes, most of which come acropper. Along the way, he inadvertently gets involved with a bookie ring, culminating in a climactic courtroom scene wherein Webster defends himself -- and surprise, he doesn't have a fool for a client. In typical Hollywood fashion, the script requires the talented Ruth Roman to express jealousy when a brace of lovely females played by Nina Foch and Denise Darcel briefly set their caps for the ingenuous Glenn Ford. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide