Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion (1991) (TV)

Director:

Christian I. Nyby II

Writers:

Robert Janes (written by)
Erle Stanley Gardner (characters creator)

Release Date:

24 September 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Dyan Draper, an editor of a well known fashion magazine, is infamous for writing columns that destroy other people's career...

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Courtroom | Perry Mason | Detective | Character Name In Title

Cast

Raymond Burr	...	Perry Mason
Barbara Hale	...	Della Street
William R. Moses	...	Ken Malansky
Valerie Harper	...	Dyan Draper
Diana Muldaur	...	Lauren Jeffreys
Scott Baio	...	Asst. D.A. Peter Whelan
Robert Clohessy	...	Tony Loomis
George DiCenzo	...	Albert Nardone (as George Di Cenzo)
Bruce Kirby	...	Det. Lt. Brennan
Robert Knepper	...	Kim Weatherly
Gianni Russo	...	Marco Sabatini
Ally Walker	...	Julia Collier
Claire Yarlett	...	Tanya Sloane
Deborah Brown	...	Secretary (as Debra-Jayne Brown)
Gil Colon	...	Bailiff
Leanna Creel	...	Shannon Wilson
Susan Edwards	...	Mrs. Wilson
Pat Finley	...	Judge Treyball
Mary Pat Gleason	...	Amanda Cooper
Leigh Reyburn	...	Deborah Richards
David Richards	...	Supervisor / Gerald
Blair Weickgenant	...	Lacy Reynolds (as Blair Weickgenont)
Wendelin Harston	...	Maid
Sue Leiser	...	Buyer
Wayne Meledandri	...	Mechanic
Lance Migliaccio	...	Henchman #2
Gary Montgomery	...	Maitre D' / Gerard
Mark Schwiesow	...	Rocket
Norm Silver	...	Security Guard
Huey Stewart	...	Henchman #1

Directed by
Christian I. Nyby II

Writing credits
Robert Janes		(written by)
Erle Stanley Gardner		(characters creator)

Produced by
Dean Hargrove	....	executive producer
Fred Silverman	....	executive producer
Billy Ray Smith	....	producer
David Solomon	....	producer
Joel Steiger	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Dick DeBenedictis

Cinematography by
Robert Seaman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carter DeHaven		(as Carter De Haven IV)

Casting by
Robert J. Ulrich

Production Design by
Paul Staheli

Set Decoration by
Charlie Helms

Costume Design by
Ronn Rynhart

Makeup Department
Rosanne Bigelow	....	hair stylist
Patti Dallas	....	makeup artist
Emily Katz	....	makeup artist
Kathy MacKay	....	hair stylist (as Kathy Mackay)
Dionne Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mike Moder	....	executive in charge of production
Billy Ray Smith	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gail Joyce Fortmuller	....	second assistant director
Gary Grillo	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Randy Holland	....	construction coordinator
Susan MacDonald-Petersen	....	property master (as Macdonald-Petersen)

Sound Department
James L. Aicholtz	....	re-recording sound mixer
James Emerson	....	production sound mixer
Robert L. Harman	....	re-recording sound mixer
Eileen Horta	....	supervising sound editor
Greg LaPlante	....	sound editor
Allen L. Stone	....	sound re-recording mixer
John O. Robinson III	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Gary Jensen	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jerry Jencks	....	key grip
Brad Lipson	....	gaffer
Lee Nakahara	....	camera operator
Douglas O'Kane	....	first assistant camera: a

Casting Department
Eric Dawson	....	casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sharon T. Brunn	....	costumer: women
Kelly Andrew King	....	costumer: men (as Kelly A. King)
Kathleen A. Saunders	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Hal Harrison	....	post-production executive
Victoria Jensen	....	assistant editor
Haya Tawatao	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Ted Roberts	....	music editor
Fred Steiner	....	composer: original Perry Mason theme

Transportation Department
Gil Talamantes	....	transportation coordinator
Dave West	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Karen Beard	....	location manager
Robert Benevides	....	production consultant
Donna Colabella	....	production executive
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer: main title
Jeff Glasser	....	script supervisor
Pamela Knapp	....	production accountant
Dennis Smith	....	legal advisor
Carol Ann Thomas	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Dean Hargrove Productions
• Fred Silverman Company (as The Fred Silverman Company)
• Viacom Productions (as Viacom)

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1991) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Do Re Mi Music  music editorial
• Horta Editorial & Sound  sound effects (as Horta Editorial)
• Meridian Studios  re-recording by
• R.B. Productions  consultant (as RB Productions)
• Reuben Cannon & Associates  casting
• Viacom Productions  author: Berne Convention

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG

Company:

Dean Hargrove Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dyan Draper is typing her column at home she is using an IBM-style PC with the monitor turned slightly toward camera. Later, when Perry Mason is inspecting the desk the computer has transformed into an Apple Mac.

Quotes:

Julia Collier:Because I hate her. I hated her when I was five, I hated her when I was twenty-five, and I hate her now.

Movie Connections:

Follows The Case of the Black Cat (1936)

Foolish Boy

Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion finds Perry and Della Street in New York getting an award from the American Bar Association. An undefeated trial record ought to get some recognition I would think. Anyway a friend of Della's, fashion editor Diana Muldaur gets herself arrested for the murder of a rival, Valerie Harper and in fact Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale witness a confrontation between the two at a posh eatery.

These two rivals have a thing going that makes Hedda and Louella look like school girls. Of course Harper has a number of other people who loved her equally as much.

The same perpetrator also ran down a fashion designer who could have exposed the individual. This throws Perry with his trusty investigative lawyer, William Moses in an alliance with some mobsters. Seems that the designer was a cousin of a mob boss who wants also to mete out some justice in their usual manner.

One thing I could not get is when Moses and mobster Robert Clohessy track down the perpetrator I cannot believe that the police were also not vigorously pursuing the case. Of course Clohessy has some access to sources that the cops just don't have.

But the best part of this particular Mason entry is Scott Baio as the young rather full of himself Assistant District Attorney introducing himself to Raymond Burr saying how he studied all of his cases and looked forward to beating him. Foolish Boy.

In fact my favorite scene is Burr and Baio at a sidebar with the judge. Baio was wanting to reopen his case and add a witness and came ready and prepared with precedents. Burr catches him off guard and says he has no objection to the new witness and then proceeds to demolish the witness on cross examination. Absolutely priceless.

Scott Baio is the best thing in this particular Perry Mason movie and it should be seen for him alone if nothing else.