Perry Mason (TV Series) The Case of the Accosted Accountant (1964) User Reviews

Beautiful, shrewd, flunked ethics, and still graduated law school

[bkoganbing · 9/10 · 15 February 2013]

Richard Anderson who later became a Perry Mason regular becomes a client when he is concerned about his father-in-law Murray Matheson mismanaging the company that he heads. Anderson is also concerned with Matheson's relationship with Dee Hartford a young attorney who is retained by the company. She's also quite the fox and has Matheson spinning out of control as the widower would dearly love to make her a trophy wife.

Raymond Burr and William Hopper arrange to go on a fishing retreat at the same lodge that the company will be retreating at. On that trip Matheson confronts an embezzler and is murdered for it.

Other than Anderson and his wife and Matheson's daughter Gail Kobe, this company is some rogue's gallery. But it's Anderson who is charged with the crime.

This episode was unusual for two reasons. First before he's ever in court, William Talman becomes convinced that he has the wrong guy, but he joins with Raymond Burr and they use the preliminary hearing to unmask the real killer. Unusual step for Hamilton Burger.

Secondly the one you will remember from this story is Dee Hartford. This woman is beautiful and shrewd and flunked ethics and still graduated law school. She in fact puts down Perry Mason to Paul Drake on the subject of legal ethics and wow does she get a comeuppance.

Lt. Drumm in Disguise?

[zsenorsock · 8/10 · 27 May 2008]

Richard Anderson makes his final guest appearance before joining the cast as Lt. Drumm for the final season of "Perry Mason", replacing Lt. Tragg (Ray Collins) who was forced to leave the series due to illness, making his final appearance in the very next episode. Collins apparently was in pretty bad shape, but Burr reportedly insisted on keeping his name on every episode while the actor still had a chance to recover.

Anderson plays accountant Edward Lewis who accuses his father in law BK Doran (Murray Matheson) of embezzlement and of ruining the company. Ever since his wife died, the old coot has turned to a life of wine, women and song and taken up with flashy attorney Leslie Ross (Dee Hartford) who has him wrapped around her little finger. BK claims he has evidence that its Lewis, not he who has cheated the company, and when BK turns up dead, stabbed to death at a company retreat, guess who's the main suspect? Anderson is good here as is Gail Kobe as his wife. Howard Hawks then wife Dee Hartford looks like she could probably wrap just about any guy around her little finger, though she has less success with Paul when she bad mouths the justice system in an interesting little scene lakeside. She is undeniably beautiful, yet doesn't have the same power and range that the sultry Lisa Gaye demonstrated in the episode prior to this. But she does okay as the bad girl.

Murray Matheson is always solid and is strong as BK Doran while Leonard Stone appears to be a bit out of control as his nervous nephew. "King Kong" star Robert Armstrong makes his final appearance in the series playing Phil Jenks and leaves the stage in grand fashion.

The plot here is VERY complicated and its interesting to see Mason ask Burger for his help and indulgence in trapping the murderer. It is nice to see them both working on the same side so justice, as Paul Drake might say, will be done!

"Murder at the Vero Plastics Lodge"

[coolplanter · 9/10 · 20 February 2021]

Very good, ENJOYABLE, episode for the following reasons: (1) The killer is introduced earlier, and as an important character--AND acted consistent with being the killer. (2) The CEO, though not apparently the sharpest knife, is screwing the hottest woman on memory in Perry Mason episode --and hatches a plan to to determine the embezzler. (3) The gorgeous Dee Hartford playing "Leslie Ross" (4) Richard Anderson's debut in a PM--he goes on to replace "Andy Anderson" in season 9. (5) Paul Drake being easily infatuated with a good looking woman. (6) Della recites a passage from Proverbs 1:10 in some attempt to dull criticism of the numerous adulterous relationships in the series (I counted 3 in this episode)--it is such a surprise that I imagine it was a way for the producers to offer a defiant rebuttal to families writing-in that wanted this "godless" show off the air.

Best show of season 7

[kfo9494 · 10/10 · 11 October 2011]

As season seven of "Perry Mason" began some of the shows looked tired and grasping at any form of a mystery. Some of the shows lost the appeal by having poor acting and rehashed story lines. However this episode is a gem among the rough.

From the guest actors which included Richard Anderson(Edward Lewis) and his wife Gail Kobe(his wife and later "Payton Place" star) do a great part in leading this episode along the path of viewable.

Australian Murray Matheson(BK Doran) does a great job as playing the leader of the family business. His presents on screen makes one believe that he is just the right person for the role. His action and screen appearance could not have been better if it was a million dollar silver screen project. Instead on the small screen he leads the viewer into the world of business and transgressions all while maintaining the perception of a business leader.

Robert Armstong (Phil Jenks) who is best known for his line in "King Kong"- "Twas beauty killed the beast" is cast in one of his last performances. It was reported that Mr Armstrong suffered a series of small stokes the following year effecting his speech and movement. Was good to see him at his full abilities during this episode in which he played a large part of the story line.

Maybe I knew that this was his last, or near last, acting jobs. But when Mr Armstrong, who played Phil Jenks, makes his last speech of the show- it kind of pulled on the old heart strings. An actor performing his last lines with the pomp and circumstance of his long and brilliant career. This was one show that I will not forget.

Another great moment is when, outside the courtroom, Perry and Hamilton Burger work together to solve the crime. And even in the courtroom they are still working at one goal which is to bring justice to a cloudy set of facts.

Overall this episode is one of my favorites from season seven. With good acting and a good script, even after seven years "Perry Mason" still has what it takes to make a great show.

Proverbs 1:10

[darbski · 9/10 · 4 January 2018]

***SPOILERS*** Della had the last line in this episode, and it was a great one. Look it up; simple, sensible, right. Thank The Almighty we didn't have to see Ed Lewis (Richard Anderson) in the last scene. The last story before he became a pompous butthead cop, he shows up as a foolish accountant; Perry saves him, of course. Perry and Hamilton actually work together in this episode to expose a number of dirty deeds. Not the least of which is the (speaking of witches), a crooked conniving lawyer who is not only good looking, but smart, and also, rotten. Just a little better than a Rat's trifecta. She's got Old Buzzard B.K. Doran around her dirty little finger, and is playing him to get eventual control of the plastics company that he's built. He, on the other hand seems to forget that when you start and then make successful a company that employs a lot of people, those workers, no matter their station, depend on you for their continued livelihood. He wants to play with her. She obliges. She also foolishly underestimates Perry and Paul, and I tell you it was a pleasure just knowing what was gonna happen to her. I just love it when Perry destroys some intellectual crook on the stand. She, Leslie Ross (played well by Dee Hartford), is exposed for embezzlement and fraud. So long law practice; but as Paul observed, she's got a lifetime pass with her good looks and brains. Problem with that is her involvement was part of an ongoing criminal, and felonious act that was part of (even inadvertently), a homicide. So, it's gonna be Murder2 (maybe Man2), professional malfeasance, and Fraud. Probably about fifteen years in Tehachapi. The guy who actually did the killing? Phil Jenks? Yeah, he's done. Murder2 plus whatever they throw on, and his accomplice, Vera Hillman? Same situation. Good episode. Anyone who thought that Dee Hartford looked hot just had to see Barbara Hale to put their thought on beauty in proper order. A good 9.

Lots of Great Suspects and Behind the Scenes Maneuvering

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 9 February 2022]

This is a really sophisticated episode. A man who is nearing the end is playing footloose and fancy free with company assets. The head accountant knows this, but a wave of duplicity is under the surface. A truly foxy attorney has the males drooling, including Paul Drake. The old guy is murdered and the accountant held, but there are so many possibilities. Excellent Perry Mason offering.

What is coolplanter referring to?

[raypierce-48543 · 10/10 · 14 July 2022]

The other reviews are spot on, but I am more curious as to what coolplanter is referring to at the end of his or her review. My only disagreement with the others is that I did not find Dee to be among the hottest girls in the series history.

Clusters of Murder Suspects

[bote · 8/10 · 12 June 2020]

Seems like everybody and his cousin cluster around the dead body, some hiding to witness the murder, some trying to steal something within seconds of the murder, some stumbling across the murder scene and then touching everything in sight to ensure that their fingerprints make them the prime suspect. They're like moths to the flame, lemmings over a cliff, they just can't resist the urge to be in the same place in the same short stretch of time with all the others. It's uncanny.