What Really Happened (11 Jan. 1963)

A woman stands trial for her wealthy husband's murder. Her vengeful mother-in-law is convinced that she did it, but a family servant knows the key to what really happened.

Director:

Jack Smight

Writers:

Marie Belloc Lowndes (novel), Henry Slesar (teleplay)

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, Anne Francis, Ruth Roman

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
Anne Francis	...	Eve Raydon
Ruth Roman	...	Adelaide 'Addie' Strain
Gladys Cooper	...	Mrs. Raydon
Stephen Dunne	...	Jack Wentworth (as Steve Dunn)
Michael Strong	...	Molloy
Tim O'Connor	...	Halstead
Gene Lyons	...	Howard Raydon
Charles Irving	...	The Judge
Theodore Newton	...	The Doctor
Fern Barry	...	The Maid
Michael Crisalli	...	Gilly Strain

Storyline

A woman stands trial for her wealthy husband's murder. Her vengeful mother-in-law is convinced that she did it, but a family servant knows the key to what really happened.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 January 1963 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Last of only three roles for Michael Crisalli.

User Reviews

Anne Francis and Ruth Roman

"What Really Happened," like the previous "I Saw the Whole Thing," is a superior episode set mostly in the courtroom. Howard Raydon (Gene Lyons) is a wealthy stockbroker married to a younger wife, Eve (Anne Francis), whose best friend Addie (Ruth Roman) is employed by Howard as a housekeeper. When an agitated Howard catches Addie's young son accidentally breaking a valuable antique clock, he decides to fire her, leading the desperate woman to spike his nightly dose of warm milk with liniment, believing that his death would be blamed on his illness. Due to the hysterical accusations posed by Howard's possessive mother (Gladys Cooper), Eve is subsequently arrested and put on trial for her husband's murder. The smarmy prosecutor (Tim O'Connor) points out several motives, such as Eve's extravagance on shopping sprees, which Howard wanted her to pay with her own money, and also a shocking revelation involving Eve's first husband, a former employee of Howard's, who left her a widow at age 17 after only four months of marriage. During the period when PERRY MASON was still riding high, courtroom intrigue provided foolproof drama. Prominently featured are a pair of future STAR TREK veterans, Gene Lyons from "A Taste of Armageddon," and Michael Strong (as the defense attorney), from "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"