The Case of the Jaded Joker (21 Feb. 1959)

Fading funnyman Danny Ross has been promised a new television show, which he desperately needs for a comeback. Charles Goff, the television executive who promised Danny the new show, ... See full summary »

Director:

Gerd Oswald

Writers:

Milton Krims (teleplay), William L. Stuart (story)

Stars:

Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale, William Hopper

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Raymond Burr	...	Perry Mason
Barbara Hale	...	Della Street
William Hopper	...	Paul Drake
William Talman	...	Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins	...	Lt. Tragg
Frankie Laine	...	Danny Ross
Bobby Troup	...	Buzzie
Walter Burke	...	Freddie Green
Tom Drake	...	Cleve Niles
Mary LaRoche	...	Lisa Hiller
Martha Vickers	...	Sheila Hayes
Harry Jackson	...	Charles Goff
S. John Launer	...	Judge
Jon Lormer	...	Coroner

Storyline

Fading funnyman Danny Ross has been promised a new television show, which he desperately needs for a comeback. Charles Goff, the television executive who promised Danny the new show, double-crosses the jaded joker and pitches the show for another talent. Danny and his gofer, Freddie Green, consult with Perry Mason about the case. Goff is killed and Freddie is charged with murder. Perry has to dig cool jive to wade through some of the testimony.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 February 1959 (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 (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Jaded Joker Theme"
Written by Bobby Troup
Performed by Bobby Troup

User Reviews

a possible record for the number of suspects

This episode is worth seeing simply because it's off-beat (no joke intended).

There's Bobby Troup (Dr Early in "Emergency!) as a bearded beatnik who plays cool piano and smokes pot. (Yes, really.) Then there's Frankie Laine as comic Danny Ross -- who looks remarkably like Danny Thomas. He doesn't sing "Mule Train" or crack a whip, though. And we learn that Della isn't familiar with Yiddish slang -- amazing for someone who lives in Los Angeles.

Perhaps the best moment in the entire series occurs in the courtroom when Mason argues with Burger over a point of testimony. Mason says something like "Mr Burger's taste for the obvious leads him to confuse my desire to protect my client's interests with arguing over technicalities." (That isn't exact, but it expresses the thought.) Burger is not happy, and murmurs sotto voce.