The Case of the Lawful Lazarus (14 Mar. 1963)

Trevor Harris returns to Los Angeles after a lengthy absence and decides to visit his wife only to find that she is seriously ill in hospital. He also finds that two years before, she had ... See full summary »

Director:

Jesse Hibbs

Writers:

Erle Stanley Gardner (based upon characters created by), True Boardman

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
Wesley Lau	...	Lt. Andy Anderson
David McLean	...	Trevor Harris
Maria Palmer	...	Nora Kasner
Irene Hervey	...	Jill Garson
Max Showalter	...	Clarence Henry
Philip Bourneuf	...	Edgar Thorne
Abigail Shelton	...	Michaela Martin (as Abbagail Shelton)
Joy Hodges	...	Clara Thorne
Kay Stewart	...	Barbara Billings
Morris Ankrum	...	Judge
Mack Williams	...	Doctor

Storyline

Trevor Harris returns to Los Angeles after a lengthy absence and decides to visit his wife only to find that she is seriously ill in hospital. He also finds that two years before, she had him declared legally dead. He had left 10 years ago and had never been in contact, not even to send birthday messages to his two young children. After his wife dies, he asks Perry Mason to intervene in the custody of his children. He doesn't want custody for himself but feels Jill Garson would be the best candidate. The children are set to inherit $150 million and Harris' interference does't sit well with Edgar Thorne who manages their huge business empire. When Thorne is murdered, Harris is charged and Perry defends him.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 March 1963 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Paisano Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

I was hoping Perry lost this murder case

This was not an impressive script. In fact, one begins pulling for Perry's client to have been given the gas chamber when we learn that this dead-beat dad abandoned his wife and kids some ten years ago without even a note and then suddenly reappears wanting some control of the two kids life. This was not a character that the viewer can feel sorry for in any shape or form. Thus from the beginning this story was painful to watch.

Trevor Harris is the person that left his wife and two children ten years ago. When the wife is dying he suddenly returns wanting a say in how the children will be cared for after the death of their mother. Yet he does not want to care for the children himself- but wants a say on the future of the kids even though he left them without a word years ago.

Anyway when Trevor's wife dies, the children will be in the care of an uncle named Edgar Thorn. Trevor does not want the kids in his care and believes that the uncle is after the $150 million in the children's fund.

The uncle says that the reason Trevor left was that he embezzled $50,000 from the company and he has proof, in his safe, of the actual record on the theft. When Trevor tries to gets the records the Uncle is found dead and all the evidence points to Trevor killing the uncle because of the kids. Perry will defend him in court of the charges.

Not only was the background of Trevor Harris uncomfortable but the person playing him, David McLean, seemed uncomfortable portraying the character. This was a character that needed to show some forgiveness but instead we get a even more bad feeling about the guy by the way the actor seemed uncaring about the topic. Better actors may have helped but really it was just a poor script and one that Perry should have refused to defend.