The Case of the Demure Defendant (4 Jan. 1958)

Nadine, a demure young woman, confesses to her psychiatrist on tape that she poisoned her uncle. Evidence has been tampered with and planted, and Perry is in hot water.

Director:

Laslo Benedek

Writers:

Erle Stanley Gardner (novel), Ben Brady (teleplay),

Stars:

Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale, William Hopper

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Raymond Burr	...	Perry Mason
Barbara Hale	...	Della Street
William Hopper	...	Paul Drake
William Talman	...	Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins	...	Lt. Arthur Tragg
Christine White	...	Nadine Marshall
Clem Bevans	...	Capt. Hugo
Fay Baker	...	Marian Newburn
Walter Coy	...	Lester Newburn
Barry Atwater	...	Dr. Robert Denair - Psychiatrist
Sherwood Price	...	John Locke
Alexander Campbell	...	Martin Wellman
Morris Ankrum	...	Judge
Connie Cezon	...	Gertie Lade
Maurice Manson	...	Dr. Granby

Storyline

Nadine, a demure young woman, confesses to her psychiatrist on tape that she poisoned her uncle. Evidence has been tampered with and planted, and Perry is in hot water.

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Plot Keywords:

cyanide | little girl | swimming | boy | evidence tampering | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 January 1958 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 4, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paisano Productions, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Good who done it show..

This is another good episode from season one and this just happens to be the first show from 1958.

It involves a sweet girl named Nadine (Christine White) who is a niece of a terrible old ogre named Uncle Martin Wellman (Alexander Campbell). When she tells her uncle that she is engaged to John Locke, he becomes upset basically telling her that she was no good and shows her some paperwork (we do not know what is in those papers at that time) but it makes her cry.

Her uncle has made her feel so bad that she is thinking about suicide and places some poison pills in her purse. However the poison gets into her uncle's milk and the old man dies. Later she goes to a shrink that gives her some 'truth serum' and she says she killed Uncle Martin. And Perry is defending her with a wide range of evidence against her.

There are bottles, tapes and lead shots all over the courtroom which makes the case interesting. Just when you think you know who killed Uncle Martin you find out that you were wrong.

This is a good watch for us Perry viewers. Even if we know that a confession under doctor induced drugs could never be introduced into evidence in any courtroom.