John Gallaudet Movies

With Adam-12 temporarily out of commission, Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) are temporarily assigned to "The Beast", the oldest and least reliable vehicle in the department. Not only does "The Beast" spew out dangerous pollutants wherever it travels, but the old heap also continually breaks down as Jim and Pete struggle manfully to answer their calls. This evening's case log includes a run-in with a beautiful woman (played by The Beverly Hillbillies' former "Elly May" Donna Douglas) who proves to be nothing but trouble. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While watching a TV kiddie show, Tabitha makes the show's Punch and Judy puppets come to life. Duly impressed by Tabitha's "ventriloquist" skills, the show's sponsor -- who happens to be Darrin's new client -- offers the girl a regular speaking role on the show. Problem is, Tabitha doesn't really want to be a performer, especially when she finds out that she may be depriving work to a deserving child actress. Featured in the supporting cast are Robert Q. Lewis as the show's director, and former movie leading lady (and ex-wife of Audie Murphy) Wanda Hendrix as the sponsor's wife. First telecast on November 3, 1971, "TV or Not TV" was written by Bernie Kahn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of an eight-part story arc, the Stephens family -- and most of their witch-and-warlock relatives -- are still paying a visit to Salem, MA, where most of the episode was filmed. Entranced by the community's Fisherman's Memorial statue, Samanatha's lookalike cousin, Serena, brings the statue to life and installs a bronzed Darrin in the monument's place. Robert Brown, late of Here Come the Brides, appears as the humanized statue, John Gallaudet is seen as Darrin's new client, umbrella manufacturer Barrows, and comedian/folksinger Jud Strunk shows up as a Maitre D'. Written by Bernie Kahn, "Darrin on a Pedestal" first aired on October 22, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sleazy George Emory (Ted DeCorsia) presents retired general Roger Brandon with an offer he may not be able to refuse: Unless Brandon steps down as head of an anti-crime commission, Emory will make public several compromising photographs of Brandon's wife Laura (Bettye Ackerman). Much to Emory's surprise, Brandon calls his bluff--only to be rewarded for his courageous stand when he is framed for Emory's murder. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) must save Brandon from execution without exposing Mrs. Brandon to public humiliation...a tricky proposition indeed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Moving to a new Sunday-night timeslot opposite Bonanza for its ninth and final season, Perry Mason gets the ball rolling as Perry (Raymond Burr) is requested by a judge (Dan Tobin) to handle the defense of Carla Chaney (Jean Hale) a destitute young woman with a really nasty attitude. Charged with the murder of two-bit journalist Gerald Havens, Carla has failed to convince three previous lawyers that she is innocent, especially since her fingerprints were all over the murder weapon. But Perry is willing to take a chance, and immediately set about to locate the mysterious "laughing lady" whom Carla claims to have seen standing over the corpse. With this episode, Richard Anderson becomes a regular as Lt. Steve Drumm. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Mrs. Drysdale tries to interest Granny in astrology. but Granny declines, expressing terror over the notion of practicing "black magic." This plot situation is played to the hilt when Granny becomes convinced that Mrs. Drysdale has turned herself into a crow! Among the dependable character actors in the supporting cast are Tris Coffin as the psychiatrist and John Gallaudet as the veterinarian. "That Old Black Magic" first aired on September 22, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This is one of a handful of episodes in which Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) appears only fleetingly, with the bulk of the drama handled by a "special guest attorney." While Perry is in Europe on business, fellow attorney Joe Kelly (Mike Connors) agrees to help Bill Jaris (Robert Harland), the owner of a bowling alley in the town of Tesoro. The town is controlled by Bill's monstrous mother-in-law Bonnie Mae Wilmot, aka "The Duchess", who conspires with Dr. Max Taylor (Milton Selzer) to have the bowling alley closed down for health reasons. When Taylor is murdered and Bill is charged with the crime, Kelly works overtime to defend his client. Reportedly, this episode (which for many years was not included in the series' syndication package and thus considered "lost") was contrived by the producers to test out Mike Connors as a potential replacement for Raymond Burr, who at the time was seriously considering retirement at the end of Perry Mason's eighth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Toward the end of Jerry Lewis's Paramount studio period, Lewis slapped together this bitter comedy about Hollywood phoniness and fame that has to be the most rancid portrait of the Hollywood star system in the Rat Pack era this side of Clifford Odets. When a famous entertainer suddenly is killed in an airplane crash, his team of flunkies -- producer Caryl Fergusson (Everett Sloane), writer Chic Wymore (Phil Harris), press agent Harry Silver (Keenan Wynn), director Morgan Heywood (Peter Lorre in his final film role), valet Bruce Alden (John Carradine), and secretary Ellen Betz (Ina Balin) -- decide to continue their life style by finding a complete unknown and manufacturing him into a Hollywood star. That unknown turns out to be the nervous and inept bellboy Stanley Belt (Jerry Lewis). They train Stanley to become an over-night singing sensation, and despite a disastrous recording session and a failed nightclub performance, the public relations blitz makes Stanley's recording of "I Lost My Heart in a Drive-In Movie" a smash single. So much so that Stanley is given a shot at appearing on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Expecting the worst, Stanley's management team abandons him right before his performance. But Stanley musters up enough confidence to go on the live program alone and manages to surprise his pessimistic ex-staff. A collection of Hollywood celebrities circa 1964 --George Raft, Ed Wynn, Ed Sullivan, Mel Torme, Rhonda Fleming and Hedda Hopper -- make cameo appearances. High spots include an apocalyptic music lesson with voice teacher Dr. Mule-rrr (Hans Conried), Ed Sullivan performing a bizarre impersonation of himself, and an ending that would make even Jean-Luc Godard blush. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Ex-fire chief Carey York (Tom Tully) hires Perry (Raymond Burr) to sue TV repoter Tommy Towne (Frank Aletter) for slander, after Towne claims on the air that York burned down his own warehouse for the insurance money. To avoid ponying up $1.5 million, Towne issues a "retraction"--still insisting that York is an arsonist, but now claiming that he was trying to save his son Dorian (Wynn Pearce) from bankruptcy. Ultimately, Towne is murdered, York is charged, and Perry must find out who is really going around setting fires and killing people. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode opens with an apparent murder in a college classroom--which turns out to be a staged event, dreamed up by Professor Ronald Hewes (Barry Atwater) to test his students' powers of observation. After the demonstration, however, Hewes discovers that the gun used to "kill" him had only one blank and five real bullets, ample proof that someone is planning to do away with him. Can this have anything to do with the fact that Hewes has made a small fortune by claiming authorship of a lurid bestseller which was actually written by one of his former students, a young girl who'd committed suicide? Whatever the case, Hewes is currently being taken to the cleaners not only by the dead girl's sister, but also by his own wife Laura (Patricia Breslin)--and it is Laura whom Perry Mason must ultimately defend on a charge of murdering the "prankish professor". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Todd Baylor (Robert Harland) inherits an equal partnership in his family's successful chain of clothing stores, his brother Martin (Peter Walker) is outraged. It seems that Martin wants the whole business to himself, and he is determined to force Todd out of the picture. In the end, however, it is Martin who is "forced out" courtesy of a sharp knife. It falls to Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) to prove that Todd is not guilty of fratricide. Featured in the cast are two prominent "celebrity spouses": Patrice Wymore, the former Mrs. Errol Flynn; and Nancy Kovack, future wife of conductor Zubin Mehta. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Druggist Herbert Simms (Linden Chiles) hopes to change careers and become a TV writer. To this end, he submits his first script to unscrupulous producer Charlie Cory (John Lasell)--who proceeds to steal Simms' story idea and pass it off as his own. The outraged Simms consults his family's attorney, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr), who tells him that nothing can be done because no contract had been signed. Not long afterward, Cory is bludgeoned to death--and Simms is spotted fleeing the murder scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dr. Kirby (John Gallaudet) announces that Beaver (Jerry Mathers) very well may need a tonsillectomy. To mollify Beaver's fears about going under the knife, dad Ward (Hugh Beaumont) pulls out the old one about "all the ice cream you can eat" -- and he adds that all of Beaver's friends will shower him with presents. Delighted by this prospect, Beav tells one and all that he's going to have his tonsils out...only to have Dr. Kirby spoil all the fun. This episode is a clever reworking of the second-season installment "Beaver Says Goodbye." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide