Gail Patrick Movies

Perry Mason may have slipped out of the "Top Thirty" TV series during its seventh season on the air, but CBS decided to renew it for an eighth year all the same, acknowledging the fact that the series still had a loyal cotillion of fans and strong sponsor support. That Raymond Burr was growing tired of his Perry Mason role was evidently only in his conspicous absence in two episodes this season, in which he is replaced by Mike Connors and Barry Sullivan, respectively cast as "guest attorneys" Joe Kelly and Ken Krammer. Otherwise, Burr's performance is as sharp as ever, and the same can be said for costars Barbara Hale, William Hopper and William Talman. Likewise registering well is series newcomer Wesley Lau, cast as Lt. Anderson, successor to Mason's perennial adversary Lt. Tragg (actor Ray Collins had retired in late 1963; he died one year later). Guest stars this season include June Lockhart, between her Lassie and Lost in Space assignments; former Miss Americas Mary Ann Mobley and Lee Meriwether; future movie-studio executive Lynn Loring; and celebrity offspring Gary Crosby. Also, Bill Williams, the husband of series regular Barbara Hale, makes his third guest appearance in "The Case of the Murderous Mermaid". Although Perry Mason's improved slightly this season, the network opted to move the show to the Sunday-night suicide slot opposite Bonanza for its ninth (and is turned out, its final) year on the air. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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, Rovi

Season Five of Perry Mason marked the series' last stand in its traditional Saturday-night timeslot. Though ratings were quite good (the series ended the season in the Top Five), the CBS executives thought that the show would be more valuable on Thursdays, where the network had been floundering--so Thursdays it was, beginning with Season 6. Raymond Burr of course is still in harness as the fabulously successful defense attorney Perry Mason, with Barbara Haleas secretary Della Street, William Hopper as Paul Drake and William Talman (now fully reinstated after the unpleasantness of Season 3, during which the actor had been briefly fired because of his off-camera shenanigans) as prosecutor Hamilton Burger. Ray Collins is also on hand as irascible Lt. Trag, though illness had forced the veteran actor to curtail his appearances. The guest star roster this season includes Denver Pyle in the opener, "The Case of the Jealous Journalist"; Burt Reynolds in "The Case of the Counterfeit Crank", James Coburn in "The Case of the Angry Astronaut; future TV icons Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan's Island) and DeForest Kelley (Star Trek) in "The Case of the Unwelcome Bride"; and James Drury, one year removed from his ascent to stardom as The Virginian, in "The Case of the Missing Melody". Significant to the overall Perry Mason saga is the presence of Bill Williams, real-life husband of series regular Barbara Hale, as the defendant in "The Case of the Crippled Cougar"; and Wesley Lau, who later joined the cast as Lt. Anderson, in a markedly different role in "The Case of the Impatient Partner". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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, Rovi

Here's one for the "Trivial Pursuit" crowd: What was the title of the first episode of Perry Mason, and who was Mason's first client? The answer: "The Case of the Restless Redhead", based on Erle Stanley Gardner's 1954 novel of the same name; and Evelyn Bagby, played by Whitney Blake, the mother of Meredith Baxter and later cocreator of the sitcom One Day at a Time. Needless to say, Evelyn is innocent of the murder charge--and of course, defense attorney Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) proves his client's innocence by exposing the actual miscreant in the middle of the trial, to the bewilderment of hapless prosecutor Hamilton Burger (William Talman). In addition to Burr and Talman, all the familiar Mason regulars are on hand from the beginning: loyal secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale), private detective Paul Drake (played along more rough-hewn lines than in later episodes by William Hopper) and phlegmatic police lieutenant Arthur Tragg (Ray Collins). Also making their earliest appearances this season are semi-regulars George E. Stone as the ubiquitous court clerk (he would make 45 appearances in all, more than any other actor, but seldom had a line to speak), Connie Cezon as Perry's receptionist Gertie, and Morris Ankrum and Kenneth MacDonald playing the first of their many nameless judges. Among the noteworthy guest performers this season are Angie Dickinson in "The Case of the One-Eyed Witness"; Fay Wray (King Kong) in "The Case of the Prodigal Parent", Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie) in "The Case of the Angry Mourner"; Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee on The Andy Griffith Show in "The Case of the Crimson Kiss", Werner Klemperer (Col. Klink on "Hogan's Heroes" in "The Case of the Desperate Daughter"; and, in "The Case of the Lazy Lover", Neil Hamilton and Yvonne Craig, cast as father and daughter long before their similar roles on Batman. Finally, Season One yields one of the few times that Perry Mason loses in court, in "The Case of the Terrified Typist"...but fear not, he ultimately triumphs on a technicality. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this Republic musical, all heck breaks loose when the girlfriend of an aspiring composer becomes a model for the starving artist who lives next door. The story takes place at the turn of the 19th century and is set in Miss Rich's boardinghouse, the temporary home of many young artists and performers hoping to make it big in New York. Songs include "Have I Told You Lately?" and "A Bluebird Is Singing to Me." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This drama is an updated version of Ulmer's 1944 film Bluebeard. It is set in New York and follows the exploits of an eccentric Parisian painter who has come to New York to escape a controversy surrounding his work. The trouble stems when the model he has used in all his work is found floating dead in the Seine. Later, his New York model is also found dead. When a second model is also found dead, her sister impersonates a model to prove his guilt. Instead she falls in love with him and helps to clear his name. (Interestingly, in the original, he was the killer.) ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Dorothy McGuire and Robert Young reprise their roles from the film Claudia, which followed the titular young couple as they dealt with the trials of parenthood. Claudia, a bit wiser than she was in the first film but still charmingly naive and a bit nervous, is struggling with the responsibilities of motherhood when a fortune teller predicts that something horrible will happen to her husband. Since David is soon to travel to the West Coast on business, Claudia tries to persuade him not to go, even though it could mean losing his job. Claudia is next convinced that the baby has contracted a fatal illness, though it turns out to be nothing more than the measles. And jealousy creeps into the relationship when Elizabeth (Mary Astor) starts consulting David on a building project, while Claudia is attracting the uninvited attentions of Phil (John Sutton), who happens to be married. Like its predecessor, Claudia and David was based on a series of short stories by Rose Franken, which also inspired a successful stage play and radio series. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The little-known Twice Blessed was an MGM vehicle for the Wilde Twins, who were first introduced in Andy Hardy's Double Trouble. Not surprisingly, the film is predicated on a mistaken-identity gimmick, with "typical" teenage girl Terry Turner (Lee Wilde) trading places with her high-IQ look-alike Stephanie Hale (Lyn Wilde). Amidst a welter of comic complications, romance blooms between Terry's father Jeff (Preston S. Foster) and Stephanie's mother Mary (Gail Patrick). Fresh from Paramount's "Henry Aldrich" series, Jimmy Lydon co-stars as the boyfriend of one of the twins, though he isn't sure which one. Twice Blessed was directed by Harry Beaumont, whose association with MGM extended back to the early-talkie era. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Up in Mabel's Room was one of a mid-1940s series of profitable film revivals of venerable theatrical comedies, all produced by Edward Small and directed by Allan Dwan. Previously filmed in 1925, this rusty-dusty stage perennial was written by Otto Harbach and Willson Collison; Tom Reed was the scenarist hired to bring the play's creaky plot contrivances up to date. The story hinges on the fact that newly-married Gary Ainsworth (Dennis O'Keefe) once gave his former sweetheart Mabel (Gail Patrick) a sexy negligee with his initials embroidered in the lacework. It is Gary's unenviable task to retrieve the incriminating undergarment from Mabel's room before his wife Geraldine (Marjorie Reynolds) gets wise. Most of the film's laughs are generated by Mischa Auer as dour manservant Boris. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The luridly titled Women in Bondage was Monogram's "answer" to RKO Radio's wartime melodrama Hitler's Children. The plot concerns the nationalization and subjugation of Germany's women during the Third Reich. Expected to devote their every waking moment to the cause of Nazism -- and this includes bearing strong Aryan children for Der Fatherland -- several women, notably Margot Bracken (Gail Patrick), begin to rebel. When she finally determines that Hitler has gone to far in his regimentation of the populace, Margot casts her lot with the Allies, becoming a martyr to the cause of freedom. Unusually well-acted for a Monogram film, Women in Bondage boasts an especially strong cast, including Nancy Kelly, Gertrude Michael, Anne Nagel, Tala Birell and H.B. Warner. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Strange but true: Norma Shearer turned down the title role in Mrs. Miniver to star instead in the insignificant trifle We Were Dancing. Loosely based on two Noel Coward playlets originally presented as part of the omnibus production Tonight at 8:30, the story concerns the romance between socialite Vicki Wilomirsky (Norma Shearer) and Nicki Prax (Melvyn Douglas), an impoverished baron who supports himself as a "professional guest." Nicki steals Vicki away from her stuffy attorney fiance Hubert Tyler (Lee Bowman), but their subsequent marriage comes to an end when Vicki spots Nicki in the arms of his ex-lover Linda Wayne (Gail Patrick). Returning to Tyler, Vicki is on the verge of a second marriage, when Nicki once again waltzes into her life?.and on and on it goes, where it will stop, nobody knows. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi