The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise (13 Feb. 1966)

This is based on the same book as one of season 1's episodes, The Case of The Moth-Eaten Mink. A cop discovers that an art dealer is selling a stolen painting named Sausalito Sunrise. When ... See full summary »

Director:

Jesse Hibbs

Writers:

Erle Stanley Gardner (based on a novel by), Ernie Frankel (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 / George Turner
William Talman	...	Hamilton Burger
Richard Anderson	...	Lt. Steve Drumm
Dan Tobin	...	Terrance Clay (credit only)
Francine York	...	Bobbi Dane
Donald Murphy	...	Francis Clune
Mark Tapscott	...	Sgt. Deke Bradley
Allan Melvin	...	Bert Kannon
Peter Mamakos	...	Olaf Deering
Elisabeth Fraser	...	Estelle Paige
Richard Angarola	...	Campbell Boyd
Stanley Clements	...	Floyd Walters
Steve Conte	...	Mac

Storyline

This is based on the same book as one of season 1's episodes, The Case of The Moth-Eaten Mink. A cop discovers that an art dealer is selling a stolen painting named Sausalito Sunrise. When the cop is found dead in the gallery, Perry has to defend the dealer and an employee against murder. Paul Drake must pose as a semi truck driver to uncover the real fencing operation. Perry and Drake both face criminal charges.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 February 1966 (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

Did You Know?

Goofs

Near the end, when Lt. Steve Drumm shoots Sgt. Bradley, Bradley gets off one wild shot that knocks a large fragment out of a picture frame sitting on a table. But later, just before the final fade-out, the camera pans over to the picture frame, and the damage is gone.

User Reviews

Action packed episode

This episode is perhaps the best in the Season 9 series. There was a lot of action in this episode with the regular cast getting out from behind the desk and taking part in the action. The action reminded me more of the first season than the last so this ranks as one of the best episode, in sometime, for the series.

Someone in this episode is stealing items and then fencing them off to other to be sold for profit. It just so happens that it is the Clune Art Gallery that is being taken and the local police is already on the case.

One detective has broken open the case and knows who has been fencing the art items. However before he can report the person, the detective is shot and killed inside the Clune Gallery. And it does not help Perry's clients when Mr Clune and Ms Dane, both already suspects, are the one that finds the body.

We also have Paul Drake going undercover as a truck driver and is given a baggage claim ticket to look into. When he goes and claims the baggage, Paul is arrest because the dead detective's gun is in the bag that Paul opens. {NOTE- At this point in the story is where red flags should alert regular Perry viewers to something very strange}

Perry has to go to trial when Hamilton Burger gets warrants on Mr Clune and Ms Dane but it proves fruitless as Perry keeps thinking about that gun in the baggage.

This leads Perry to the true murderer and ends the show in a very different way than most Perry episodes. It was looking like Perry may have met his match but thanks to Lt Drumm, Perry will be back for next week's episode. A good ending to a good show.

The acting and writing were very good in this episode. The only problem was the casting of Lt Dumm's sidekick Sgt Bradley (Mark Tapscott). It appears that they went and got a real cop, which may have won a raffle down at the local police precinct, and because he had the winning number that placed him in the role. The person that gave him a speaking part should be arrested for forgery 1st degree- he was no actor.

Note- During most of the show the writers had Lt Drumm perform his part in a rather aggressive manner. After a police officer is killed it seems that Lt Drumm is taking the killing too personal. However at the end it becomes clear that the writers knew exactly what they were doing.