TV and Movies

[Oznell]

5:00 p.m. Eastern, Tuesday FETV--   "The Case of the Crimson Kiss"

How did a happy young woman, on the verge of marriage to the man of her dreams, get mixed up in a sordid crime of passion in her apartment building?   

Her visiting aunt, an old friend of Perry's, recruits him in the middle of the night to begin to sleuth among irate tenants and tipsy bar-hoppers--

The aunt happens to be Frances Bavier, of "Aunt Bee"

fame.  She's delightful, and as entertainingly querulous as ever, in this--

This one is so good, with layer after layer of surprise character motivations, and a wallop of a double twist ending, played right out in the courtroom.

Della's right there, helping with the sleuthing.  Her presence is always integral, whether rather quietly, in some episodes, or more prominently as in this one, and another winner, "The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister."

Elegant, subtle Barbara Hale was a sophisticated but still down-to-earth beauty who complemented the antics of Perry and Paul, seamlessly.

Other excellent first season shows coming up--

Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. Eastern, FETV--  "The Case of the Runaway Corpse"

Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. Eastern, FETV--  "The Case of the Crooked Candle".      In this one, you get a glimpse into the relationship of absolute trust between Perry and Della, when they spend an uncomfortable night, fitfully sleeping and waking on a boat, on the trail of a killer...

Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. Eastern, FETV--  "The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink".    @4kitties favorite "Perry Mason" !  With good reason.  Wonderful settings in a vintage restaurant and a down-at-the-heels downtown hotel, straight out of film noir.  Twists, suspense, and danger for Perry...

Friday, 8:00 p.m. Eastern,  FETV --  "The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister".     A wealthy, but defenseless and introverted young woman seeks Perry's help when a sleazy blackmailing private eye threatens her family and her engagement.  Great sleuthing by Perry's team, and a wonderful Tudor/ Gothic revival house that is the young woman's home.  ( The same house, I believe, reappears, slightly disguised, in any episode requiring a more 'stately' abode...)

 

One of the premium episodes, utterly absorbing from beginning to end. 

[TexasMom1]

Just love the Perry Mason shows! I have my dvr locked and loaded! Ann Rutherford is on now in "The Case of The Melancholy Marksman". It was amazing to me how so many movie actors in the 30's and 40's transferred to the televison medium after their cinema roles waned. Lucky for us!  
Thanks for the heads up! 

I have both MeTV and FeTV!

[azgal]

Thanks for posting these shows. I set my DVR for many of them.

When I was about 10-11 I met Raymond Burr twice. He use to come to do a fundraiser at Holy Names College in Oakland, Ca. He was so nice to a little kid. I have very fond memories of him.

[GinaV24]

@Oznell I've been having so much fun watching the old episodes of Perry Mason. 

[GinaV24]

That's so cool @azgal that you got to meet him in person. Raymond Burr was a favorite actor of mine. I was hooked on Ironside, too!

[azgal]

I liked Ironside too. It plays on GET tv if you have access to that channel.

[Oznell]

That has always fascinated me too, @TexasMom1 --  the bounty of big screen stars that continually showed up.  Apparently, producer ( and former actress), Gail Patrick Jackson, and Raymond Burr,  were also keen to hire veterans of radio, whom they had known in the past, and who might very much need a job in the Fifties and Sixties.  It was dear of them, and those still-vibrant film and radio actors brought richness to the show.

Ann Rutherford was so worried about her cheated-on brother in that episode!

@azgal ,  joining @GinaV24 in thinking it fab that you met Raymond Burr, a complicated and fascinating, and by all accounts gracious, individual.