"Perry Mason" The Case of the Two-Faced Turn-a-bout (1963)

User Rating:

(awaiting 5 votes)

Director:

Arthur Marks

Writer:

Samuel Newman (writer)

TV Series:

"Perry Mason" (1957)

Original Air Date:

14 February 1963 (Season 6, Episode 18)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Perry Mason | Courtroom | Secretary | Lawyer | Murder Confession

Cast

Raymond Burr	...	Perry Mason
Barbara Hale	...	Della Street
William Hopper	...	Paul Drake
William Talman	...	Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins	...	Lt. Arthur Tragg
Wesley Lau	...	Lt. Andy Anderson
Lee Miller	...	Sgt. Brice
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Trevor Bardette	...	Garrett Richards
Lisa Gaye	...	Alyssa Laban
Dale Johnson	...	Ride Attendant
Werner Klemperer	...	Ulric Zenas
Berry Kroeger	...	Darius Tyson
Kenneth MacDonald	...	Judge
Walter Mathews	...	Reporter No. 2
Gregory Morton	...	Amos Waldemar
Hugh O'Brian	...	Bruce Jason
Joan Petrone	...	Tess Noyman
Charles H. Radilak	...	Franz Schreck
Robert F. Simon	...	Philip Hillman
Abraham Sofaer	...	Elihu Laban
Henry Travis	...	T.V. Reporter
William Woodson	...	Commentator

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Paisano Productions

The Doppleganger

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Hugh O'Brien is the next attorney to pinch hit for Perry Mason while Raymond Burr recovered from surgery. He is Bruce Jason, a suave playboy, known more for partying and getting engaged 6 times in one year than his questionable legal expertise. Yet this entertainment lawyer is the person chosen to defend Elihou Laban (Abraham Soufaer), a foreign exile accused of killing Franz Schreck (Charles Radilack) while visiting an amusement park in Santa Monica. Paul and Della are on hand to help out Jason, and Perry appears in one scene to consult with Jason, then makes a second appearance on the phone right before the final fade out. O'Brien brings a lot of energy to the role and he has a lot of charisma, but given his background as an entertainment attorney and playboy, one has to wonder if he's really the right choice to argue a murder case. The script doesn't help O'Brien much, establishing him as a former OAS agent, but then saddling him with a exact lookalike involved in the crime. It is more than a stretch. Lisa Gayle is gorgeous and most intriguing as Laban's daughter Alyssa. She does a great job and makes one wonder why her career didn't take her further than it did. But at least we have this, "Get Smart", "Maverick" "the Wild, Wild West" and her many other TV credits to enjoy her in. It's nice to see Lt. Tragg rally and make what was becoming a rare appearance on the show, but all in all, the best I can say about this one is "Hurry back, Perry!"