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pursuitoftruth · 2 years

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more niche memes.

i think of this every time the trio finds a body before the police. poor tragg!

#my memes #perry mason #della street #paul drake #arthur tragg #tragg #lieutenant tragg #60s television #harry potter #professor mcgonagall

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caseopened · 4 months

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“Oh no, Mason. I would never go after you,” Tragg began, helping himself to one of Perry’s cigars. “You see, despite your stony exterior, you’re a very easy man to read. If I ever wanted to get to you, I’d go after your friends.”

I've posted another Perry Mason fic that fills in a missing scene in The Case of the Sulky Girl. It covers what happens after Lieutenant Tragg threatens Paul Drake's private investigator license and serves him a subpoena to testify for prosecution. How do Perry and Della find out? And what do Paul, Della, and Perry learn about one another in the process?

#perry mason #perry mason fic #paul drake #della street #the case of the sulky girl #them <3 #perry mason 1957

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raphianna · 1 year

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During the run of the show, the actor who played Lt. Tragg died. I am requesting a trio reacts to finding out Tragg is in the hospital, dying. Thanks!

… ow, ow, ow, ow, ow… I got an anonymous ask requesting the same thing a while back (still in my ask box tbh; sorry anon), but I couldn’t do it ._. I am well aware that Ray Collins died during filming, but still… anyway.

Under a read more since my reactions are like little stories, sorry .-.

Perry:

He’s quiet when Hamilton tells him, but the district attorney doesn’t hold it against him. Tragg has been around ever since Perry first set foot in his office, so for him to one day not be there…

He knew it was going to happen at some point. In fact, when Perry first met the lieutenant, he was surprised he wasn’t retired already. The man responded by saying he’d continue to do his job until he dropped. Well here they are.

The lawyer’s largely emotionless when he goes to see Tragg, but Tragg sees right through him.

Perry cries. He shamelessly, unabashedly, cries. Tragg even holds him as he does, and Perry doesn’t stop until his nose stings and his head throbs and his mouth is painfully dry.

He just about loses it when Tragg hands him his badge, telling him he can keep it.

Perry keeps it framed in his home and he doesn’t leave the hospital.

Della:

She’s at the hospital as soon as she can make it.

It was like being punched in the stomach, seeing him in that hospital bed. It felt so wrong to her. That wasn’t the man she knew.

Tragg, she discovers, doesn’t have any family left. Before it can make her feel any worse, he quickly amends his statement, saying he does still have an older brother who lives a couple states away. Though he’s too weak himself to come see him, he did send a few letters.

Della's heart warms at reading the exchanges between the two siblings.

“You really love each other, huh?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Tragg laughed, “saw him once not long before I tumbled. Wish I could’ve seen him more often, but I couldn’t get away from work easily. I’m thankful he understood.”

“Paul, Perry, and I can go see him after…” she trailed off at the implication. Her chest burned and the back of her throat felt heavy.

Tragg tells her he appreciates it, and he’s sure his brother will, too.

She can only nod, the pain in her stomach doubling, before she’s up and hugging him, trying not to get his shoulder wet (and failing).

It only worsens as Tragg’s arms tighten around her.

Paul:

What he would’t give to shoot rubber bands with Tragg in his office again. Under less tense circumstances anyway.

So that’s what Paul does. He brings a box of rubber bands to Tragg's hospital room, and they quietly shoot them across the room. Despite what would inevitably happen, it was less tense. Peaceful, even.

Tragg still has incredible aim and range despite his condition.

Paul feels heavy and hollow. He’s known Tragg for a long time, and he’s terrified of what will happen when he’s no longer there.

He trusts Andy, and has no doubt he’ll be a wonderful step-in for the old lieutenant, but still…

“I really don’t want you to go, Tragg…” He forces out, looking at the ground dejectedly. It feels so airy and weak when it leaves his lips, he isn’t sure if he was heard.

He feels a firm yet gentle squeeze on his arm and it breaks him. He leans on Tragg's hospital bed and starts sobbing. He can’t say anything else, and even if he could, he isn’t sure what.

#ask raphianna #perry mason #arthur tragg #della street #paul drake #trio reacts #tw death mention #perry-mason-della-street

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kudosmyhero · 1 year

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW) #7: Enemies Old, Enemies New - part 2

Read Date: September 19, 2022 Cover Date: February 2012 ● Writer: Tom Waltz ● Art: Dan Duncan ● Colorist: Ronda Pattison ● Letterer: Shawn Lee ● Editor: Bobby Curnow ●

Synopsis: The armor-clad General Krang stands on a battlefield on the planet Neutrino. Looking over the devastation, he inquires as to the number of his troops killed in action. Captain Tragg informs him that six Stone Soldiers, some of the best from their spec-ops group, died during the ambush. Krang states that he wouldn’t call it an ambush, he’d call it a disaster, since only one Neutrino Resistance Fighter fell in the battle. Krang doesn’t like those numbers and orders Sergeant Granitor to teleport them back to Burnow Island on Earth.

Returning to his compound, Krang, who is revealed to be a small brain-monster in a robot body, asks Lieutenant Pogue if he’s reached Baxter Stockman yet. The Lieutenant replies that Stockman has yet to reply. Krang then orders the Lieutenant to prepare his plane, as he intends to pay a personal visit to Baxter Stockman in New York.

Meanwhile, in the alley behind Rupert’s Pizzeria, Mike won’t stop telling Raph about how awesome his human buddy Woody Dirkins is. The guy works at the pizza place and Mike met him while he was scrounging through the dumpster for chow. Woody introduced him to fresh pizza and Mike has been obsessed with the stuff and grateful to Woody ever since. Mike introduces Woody to Raph and picks up his order, trading fist bumps and annoying lingo with his equally dorky friend. Raph rolls his eyes.

Down in the sewer lair, Donatello and Leonardo discuss the realities of Splinter’s story; that they are reincarnations of dead Japanese children. Leo is willing to take Splinter at his word, but Don cannot trust something so fantastic-sounding. At the very least, he plans to investigate the legend of Oroku Saki and see what he can dig up on the Foot Clan. Leo, though, has been having dreams of his mother, Tang Shen, though he isn’t sure what to make of them. Suddenly, a horde of Mousers invade the lair, attacking the Turtles and Splinter.

At the New York Tech University gym, Casey continues with April’s self-defense courses. Finishing up, April tells Casey it’s time to hit the books. As they leave the gym, a romance appears to blossom.

Down in the lair, Old Hob reveals himself to be at the controls of the Mousers and is enjoying making the Turtles and Splinter scurry for their lives. The Mousers are overwhelming, so Splinter tells his sons to retreat. Hob isn’t having that, though, and orders the Mousers to collapse the ceiling on his foes.

At Baxter’s posh apartment, he receives a surprise visit from General Krang and his Stone Soldiers. Krang is furious that a year has passed and he still has not received the super soldier mutagen or psychotropic drug that he commissioned Stockman to create for him, though he’s supplied him with the necessary ooze components to get the work done. Stockman says that he’s fulfilled his end of the terrapin exo-armor experiment, citing the Stone Soldiers as proof of his success, then uses the break-in at his lab as an excuse for the delay. Krang refuses to accept any excuses, so Stockman assures him that he’s undertaking initiatives to retrieve the lost psychotropic drug as they speak.

As they near the lair, Mike and Raph see the destruction and hear Leo curse. Dropping the food and ripping off their disguises, they run to the rescue as Leo calls for them. Don and Splinter are down and Leo is standing alone against a horde of Mousers.

(https://turtlepedia.fandom.com/wiki/Enemies_Old,_Enemies_New,_part_2)

Fan Art: Krang by BrendanCorris

#idw #idw comics #my idw read #tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #comics #comic books #fan art #fanart #podcast - shellheads

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sporcafaccenda · 2 years

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Où est le cadavre?

Par là. Deux de vos hommes s'en occupent. Le lieutenant Tragg se retourna vers la route, aboya quelques ordres et fut rejoint par un photographe, ainsi que par un technicien portant, dans une sacoche, le matériel nécessaire pour relever des empreintes digitales. -Laissez vos phares allumés, dit alors Tragg à Mason, ça contribuera à l'éclairage. Si votre batterie tombe à plat, vous pourrez vous en procurer une autre à la station-service…Maintenant, montrez-nous le chemin, mais faites attention de ne pas oblitérer des empreintes de pas…

Quand je suis venu là, je ne m'attendais pas à découvrir un cadavre et j'ai donc marché sur cette espèce de sentier. Mais en m'en retournant, je me suis tenu sur le bord….

Oui, voici vos traces…Tâchez seulement de ne pas en laisser d'autres. Les deux policiers qui étaient déjà près du cadavre rectifièrent la position à l'arrivée de Tragg et l'un d'eux expliqua:

Il s'agit indubitablement d'un meurtre, mon Lieutenant. Le cadavre, ainsi que des registres qui se trouvent auprès de lui, ont été arrosés d'essence. Nous avons également découvert un ouvre-lettres, genre stylet, qui doit être l'arme du crime. Craignant que l'assassin ne revienne mettre le feu à l'essence, nous sommes demeurés sur les lieux. Un des compagnons de Tragg, qui s'était penché sur le cadavre, se redressa en disant :

Il n'y a pas longtemps qu'il est mort.

Mais il est mort?

Oh! pour ça, oui. Tandis que le photographe commençait à opérer, Mason demanda l'autorisation de s'en aller jusqu'à la station-service où Della Street était demeurée en attente, et Tragg y consentit sans trop de mauvaise grâce.

SOMBRE SAMEDI par Erle Stanley Gardner (The Case of the Spurious Spinster, traduit par MB Endrėbe_Un Mystère n.585, Presses de la Cité, 1961)

The Case of the Spurious Spinster in The Saturday Evening Post (Feb/March, 1961)

#Perry Mason #Erle Stanley Gardner #crime fiction #The Saturday Evening Post #1960's

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perry-mason-della-street · 2 years

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Case Of The Husband One Step Ahead Part 6

Dedicated to @perrylovesdella, @nicoles-story-corner, @organanation, @muir2244-blog, @goldenteadust

__________________________________________

Della sat on the exam table in the hospital room, still a bit woozy from the medication she had been given. Her right arm was all bandaged up.

"Della?!" Perry burst through the hospital doors, starting the nurse on duty.

"Perry!"

"What happened?!?" he demanded, looking horrified at her arm.

"I found a way to catch up with you," Della gave a small smile.

"Your wife saved Yvonne Direz's life," Lt. Tragg, who had been waiting with Della until Perry had gotten there, now stood and spoke, "You should be very proud of her!"

"What happened?" Perry asked, still bewildered.

"Yvonne Direz saw the man who murdered her step father, but she ran away before he could get to her. The man was following her around and finally caught up with her. He tried to kill her, but Della got between them and the knife. The knife went through her arm. She'll most likely be scarred for life," Lt. Tragg explained.

"How did...?"

"I was looking for you and ended up finding out about that there was another guy trying to find her. I found several threatening notes to her, and had to find her before anything happened to her," Della said.

Perry choked and pulled Della into a hug, mindful of her arm.

"We caught the guy who killed Mr. Direz and stabbed Della," Lt. Tragg put on his hat, "I'm going to leave now. Let me know if you need anything. I'm proud of you, Della," he gave Della's good shoulder a squeeze, "Goodnight!"

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Della called after him.

"You could have been killed!" Perry said, everything just now sinking in.

"But I wasn't."

"I went back to the office and Gertie left a note saying that you were looking for me. I couldn't find you anywhere!"

"I followed you around for awhile, then got a lead on Yvonne that I had to check out."

"Why were you looking for me?"

Della leaned closer to Perry and said softly,

"I am going to have a baby."

Perry's jaw dropped and every emotion known to mankind crossed his face all at once.

"Really?!" he laughed.

She nodded.

Perry grabbed her by the waist and spun her around the room. He then kissed her hard. Suddenly, all of the gaiety was gone.

"No more detective work for you. You almost got killed! From now on, you have to take it easy, Mommy!" he said seriously, but his eyes twinkled with joy.

"I am going to be a mother!" Della said, realizing for the first time she would have a new name.

"And the very best you shall be!"

________________________________________

I am about to begin a new chapter in the Mason's life! What do you think about the big announcement?

#perry mason #della street #della mason #perrylovesdella #dellalovesperry #perry+della #perry and della #perry loves della #della loves perry #my writing #fanfiction #a story #anne's ramblings #anne b. mae #anne's story

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somanywords · 3 years

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okay i know none of you have read the perry mason books, but i’m only just now realizing that mason is probably in love with both della and lieutenant tragg, and i simply had to tell someone--

#perry mason #cass rambles #cass reads

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only-in-december · 2 years

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For the 40 Questions — Meme for Fic Writers ask game,

7, 11, 29, and 37

Sorry that it's taken me so long to answer, I got a little distracted😅

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

"It felt like someone was looking through his brain in the most literal sense. Pulling out memories forcefully, flashing them in front of his eyes and then grabbing more. (The phrase 'pick your brain' suddenly seemed a lot darker.) He saw so many events from his life at once. But they were all out of order. His and Maddie's wedding. Sara dying. Vlad looking through his ghost binder for the first time. Pops glaring at him for speaking. Danny's first steps. Ma ignoring him because he wasn't Sara couldn't be Sara. Vlad smiling. Vlad's accident. Jazz dancing. Danny lying in front of the Interdimensional Wormhole possibly dead.

Jack would have screamed if he could. But whatever ghost or other entity was possessing him, was making sure that he was locked up tight. The ringing was so loud. The memories kept flashing in his mind. His and Maddie first date. Harriet's article. Jazz's first dance recital. Danny explaining the birth of a star. Falling out of a tree and breaking his arm in fifth grade.

Jack distantly felt his arm get burned. He almost wondered if it would hurt later. But the ghost didn't seem to be done invading his mind and memories. Ma and Pop looking disapprovingly as he sang Danny Boy for Sara at her funeral. Finding out that Vlad wouldn't let him visit the hospital. Getting a returned Christmas card from Vlad with his face scratched out and the words "I HATE YOU" angrily scrawled on it. Him Vlad and Maddie sitting and laughing and talking." -Five Times Vlad Defended Jack (And The One Time He Didn't) Chapter 6, 'A Bitter Reunion'

This section just turned out exactly how I wanted it to. I have other parts that I'm proud of, but right now, I think this is my favorite because it feels scared. (If that makes any sense😅) This entire chapter ended up how I wanted it to. But this section, where Vlad is possessing Jack and looking through his brain? It just turned out precisely how I envisioned it.

11. Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

A hobby. I like doing it, and don't plan on quitting any time soon. But it isn't my passion.

29. If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

This is the question I had the hardest time with. Because like, I'm sure that there are tons of fics that I'd love to write a sequel or prequel for. But, I couldn't think of any. At all. And it aggravated me to no end. So I'm leaving this one open ended with an, "I don't know. I'm sure there's at least one out there. But I'm sure I'm under qualified."

37. Talk about your current wips.

I'm gonna just do all the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I'll link all the ones that are on AO3 already.

"The Twin Trap" is an AU fic I'm working on with @deaths-true-mortal-enemy about the Maximoff twins. Kind of a parent trap au. I think it's a lot of fun.

I'm working on a sequel to "On Pride And Failure." About the moments after the fight, and how it all affected Jack. (There's also a lot of mentions of his sister, and her death. It's a little dark.)

"I'M GOIN'..." is a fic (that I need to finish) about Danny's accident. It starts a second AU about if Kwan was on Team Phantom. And I think it's pretty good so far.

"From The Ghost Zone Into Your Home" is about the ghosts, and how they choose who they become. (Because in my AU they're not dead.)

"Never Play Among Us With Two Lawyers, A Private Detective, And A Police Lieutenant (it won't end well for your receptionist)" is a goofy modern AU Perry Mason fic. Perry, Della, Paul, Hamilton, Tragg, and Gertie all play Among Us. (I started it back when the game was huge and haven't really touched it since.)

I hope that suffices! I could ramble about them, but this post is pretty long already.😅

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fandomwritings-cm13 · 2 years

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The Case of the Missing Maid (A Paul Drake fic) -- Chapter 5

Pairing: Paul Drake x OC (Maisie Sciortino)

Summary: Maisie Sciortino is on trial for the murders of those in her closest circles, with none other than the Perry Mason representing her. What will the verdict be?

Warnings: lots of dialogue, most likely inaccurate courtroom proceedings (I’m watching the show while writing so hopefully it’s helping!)

A/N: This is more court proceeding, so please bear with me! I promise there’s more action towards the end of the chapter.

Word Count: 1286

“Mr. Jones, how long have you been working for Ms. Sciortino?” Mr. Mason inquires.

“Since shortly after she bought the house about three years ago,” Bradley replies.

By this point, I have finished the first pillowcase Ms. Street gave me to work on. It has several purple flowers embroidered on it. Now, I have a second, and I’m embroidering it with sunflowers, like what grew at Nonna’s house when I was a kid.

“What kind of work do you do?” Mr. Mason continues.

“Mostly gardening, but I’ve done some handiwork around the house as well. Though, I tend to run packages and try to keep her from overworking herself in her work as well,” Bradley states, practically chuckling at the end.

“On the night Harley Delacruz was murdered, what time did Ms. Sciortino leave the house?”

“Between 5:15 and 5:25. It would’ve taken just a few minutes to pick up Mrs. Delacruz.”

“How do you know she was going to pick up Mrs. Delacruz?”

“They did this often enough that all of us staff knew the routine. Ms. Sciortino would go pick up Mrs. Delacruz, take her out to dinner, chat a bit, and come home late.”

“What about that night, after she returned home from dinner? What happened?”

“I couldn’t sleep very well since my sister was missing, so I tried to keep busy. Ms. Sciortino had gone into her workroom, which is right by the front door of the house. She had gone in not long after she had seen Lara to the guest room.”

“Did she leave at any point?”

“No, not until I woke her the next morning when Lieutenant Tragg arrived.”

“What about Mrs. Delacruz?”

“No, sir.”

“And how would you know that, Mr. Jones?”

“I was closer to the front door than I usually would. Tried to get a little work done myself.”

“Thank you, Mr. Jones. No further questions. Your witness.”

Mr. Mason is seated beside me a moment later.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

“When did Ms. Sciortino arrive with Mrs. Delacruz to Le Petit Cafe Jaune on the night in question, Ms. Reeves?” Mr. Mason asks the young woman on the stand.

“It was about six o’clock,” she answers. “They were sat at one of my tables just after six.”

“Just after? Could you be more specific, please?”

“It couldn’t have been after 6:05.”

“What impression did you get from the two women?”

“I don’t know. They seemed close, talking for a few hours.”

“Did either of them leave at any point?” Mr. Mason questions.

“No, sir,” Ms. Reeves replies. “They may have used the powder room, but it couldn’t have been for more than ten minutes at a time.”

“Did either of them use or ask to use the telephone?”

“No.”

“When did they leave the restaurant?”

“About 10 o’clock. It may have been five minutes before or after.”

“Thank you, Ms. Reeves. Your witness, Mr. Burger.”

. . . . . . . . . . . .

“Mrs. Batteux, how long have you known Ms. Sciortino?” Mr. Mason asks.

“Over ten years,” Madame Batteux answers.

She was one of the last people I would’ve expected to be called to the stand. Not that I’m ungrateful that she’s flown all the way from Paris to help me.

“How did you come to know the defendant?” Mr. Mason continues.

“She got into contact with me through an agency here in the states when she was 18 years old,” Madame Batteaux states. “She moved to Paris shortly after she graduated high school and began studying fashion under me with several other young people.”

“And her performance?”

“Always incredible. Sure, she had plenty to learn, but she seemed to catch on quickly and took criticism well.”

“What about now?”

“She lives here in Los Angeles,” Madame Batteux replies, “but still works for me.”

“How so?”

“Each quarter, we put out a new seasonal collection. She contributes a few pieces and sends both the finished pieces and patterns to duplicate them.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Batteux.” Mr. Mason returns to his seat. “Your witness.”

Once he’s seated, Mr. Burger is up cross-examining Madame Batteux. I don’t pay much attention to the questions he asks, focusing on the sunflowers I’m embroidering. After a few minutes, I hear the door to the courtroom open followed by rather heavy and slow footsteps. Curious, I turn and look at the person who entered. It’s a big, muscular man I’ve never seen before.

My eyes widen as he pulls out a gun from his belt, and it looks as if he’s aiming for Mr. Mason. I make the split second decision to move in front of him before he’s able to fire the shot. A second later, I hear a shot followed immediately by pain in my left side.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Paul Drake stands quickly and catches Maisie as she begins sinking to the floor clutching her side. He grabs her under her arm at her left shoulder with one hand, and with the other, he firmly grabs her waist opposite her wound.

The man who fired the shot is detained by the officer who was by the door who also wrestles the gun from him.

“Paul, take my car to get her to the hospital,” Perry commands in a whisper, standing beside Paul and looking at Maisie with his brows furrowed. “I think this is our man.”

“You’re going to put him on the stand?” Paul asks incredulously, his brows raised.

Perry nods. “If the court will allow it. Just make sure she gets the treatment she needs. Take Della with you.”

Paul nods quickly, scooping Maisie into his arms as Della gathers both her things and Maisie’s. Maisie loosely clutches onto Paul’s lapel and the back of his suit coat.

“Your honor, I’d like to put this man on the stand,” Perry announces. “He should be Mr. Arthur Howard, the husband of the deceased maid hired by my client.”

There’s a resounding gasp through the courtroom.

“Do you have any objections, Mr. Burger?” the judge asks.

“No, I’m quite curious what Mr. Mason intends to prove with this man,” Mr. Burger replies.

“I, too, would like to see where this goes. Officer, bring that man to the stand.”

After the officer passes the gate with the man, Della opens the gate for Paul. Paul walks past, carrying Maisie in his arms, and Della follows just behind him, clutching the items she’s carrying to her chest. The man is sworn in as Paul and Della are leaving with Maisie.

“You are the husband of Heidi Howard, correct?” Mr. Mason asks pointedly.

The man on the stand simply stares at Mr. Mason with a rather blank though perturbed look on his face.

“The witness will answer the question,” the judge orders.

“Yes,” the man grits out, a snarl on his face.

“And you’d been married for how long?” Mr. Mason continues.

“Just over five years.”

“When did you last see your wife Heidi?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, how about last week? Did you see her at all last week?”

“Yes, earlier in the week.”

“Did you go to Mr. Delacruz’s home at any point?”

Mr. Howard shakes his head. “No.”

“Not once in the nearly six years you’ve been married to your wife?” Mr. Mason grills.

“No.”

“Is it not a fact that you thought Ms. Sciortino was trying to separate you from your wife?”

“No!”

“Then why did you kill Mr. Delacruz, his wife, and your wife? And attempt to kill Ms. Sciortino!”

“She was cheating on me with that good for nothing rich boy!” Mr. Howard roars, gripping the railing in front of him so tightly his knuckles are white. “And he had the gall to deny it! She wouldn’t even tell me that she was unfaithful to me.”

#chloewritesfandoms #perry mason #paul drake #paul drake x oc #William Hopper

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rachelkaser · 2 years

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Masonry Monday: The Case of the Restless Redhead

A woman finds a mysterious gun in her apartment, and a man in a hood attempts to run her off the road. Later, the police discover the gun was used to murder a man... found in a crashed car with a hood over his head.

Who’s Who

Perry Mason’s client: Evelyn Bagby, a redheaded waitress accused of jewelry theft who finds a gun in her apartment

The victim: Harry Merrill, a.k.a. Lester Gladden, a conman who fleeced Evelyn and later set her up for the jewel theft

Suspects: Helene Chaney, the actress whose jewelry Evelyn was accused of stealing Mervyn Aldritch, a rich man engaged to Helene Louis Boles, the proprietor of the hotel where the jewel theft occurred Vinny Boles, his wife and the desk clerk

The Case

Evelyn Bagby, a very jittery woman in a waitress uniform, comes home to the Villa Espana apartments. Unbeknownst to her, a man in a white hood is watching her from a parked car. When she enters her apartment, she looks around nervously before locking herself in. But she can’t relax even then: She opens her cigarette case to see a revolver sitting on top of the cancer sticks. Leafing through the phone book, she calls the night number of Perry Mason.

At her tone, the operator obligingly puts her through to Mason’s home number. He picks up, and listens to her explain the situation. With her help, he determines that the gun hasn’t been fired. When he asks the obviously terrified Evelyn why she won’t call the police, she says she was recently acquitted of stealing jewelry from movie star Helene Chaney in Riverside, and is afraid of seeing the police again. Mason tells her to stay in a hotel for the night, and come to his office with the gun in the morning.

As Evelyn is driving down a winding road, another car suddenly pulls up alongside her, driven by the man in the white hood. He aggressively gestures to her to pull over, but she keeps driving, still frightened. When he doesn’t back down, she pulls out the gun and fires two bullets. The other car swerves off the road as Evelyn keeps going. Mason shortly after receives a phone call from a sobbing Evelyn, and he tells her to meet him at his office immediately. At the office Mason and his secretary, Della Street, recall the jewel theft -- Evelyn was acquitted for insufficient evidence.

Their redheaded client arrives at the office, on the verge of collapse, and explains what happened. Mason asks her if she hit the other driver, but she says she wasn’t aiming at him. While Evelyn rests, Mason calls detective Paul Drake, who’s in the middle of a card game, and asks him to trace the gun’s serial number. Mason drives out to the scene of the accident, and finds the police already there -- specifically Homicide detective Sgt. Holcomb. He won’t tell Mason who the dead man is, but Mason spots that the hood that was over the man’s head is made from a pillowcase embroidered with the name “Villa Espana.”

When he returns to the office, he asks Evelyn if a pillowcase was missing from her bed when she came home, and Evelyn says she didn’t check. They’re interrupted by a loud knocking on the door: It’s Lieutenant Tragg from Homicide, who knows Mason must be up to something based on his presence at the scene of the accident, and that he has a client hiding in his law library, but Mason won’t give up any information. Tragg does tell him one thing before leaving: The dead man’s name is Harry Merrill.

When he leaves, Mason confronts Evelyn, detailing all the evidence stacked against her. She confesses that she did know the dead man: He conned her out of her money when she first arrived in Los Angeles, and she saw him again recently when he came into the café where she was working. She demanded he pay her back or she’d go to the police, and he promised to do if she met him at the Eucalyptus Grove Motel in Riverside. He never showed up, and Evelyn was charged with stealing jewels that were found buried behind her cabin. Mason says that gives her a motive to kill Merrill, but Evelyn protests that she couldn’t have seen that it was him with the hood over his head, which Perry concedes.

Later, Paul arrives with details on the gun: It’s one of two, both purchased by someone named Mervyn Aldritch -- someone important enough it makes Mason whistle in surprise to hear his name. Perry asks Paul to dig up more info on the man. Mason goes to visit Evelyn in her apartment at the Villa Espana, where he questions again whether or not she’s been lying to him -- she eventually cops that Mervyn Aldritch was at the Eucalyptus Grove when she was arrested. Tragg arrives and arrests Evelyn, and Mason urges her to tell the truth. When Perry returns to his office, Paul arrives with new info: The dead man, Harry Merrill, was once married to Hester Charles, now known as Helene Chaney -- and she’s now engaged to Mervyn Aldritch.

Perry begins investigating the suspects, starting with Helene Chaney. She initially charmed that the well-known lawyer is a fan, but ices up when he mentions Evelyn Bagby: She’s convinced that Evelyn stole her jewelry. Next he visits the Eucalyptus Grove, and meets the proprietors: The timid Mr. Boles and his ballbuster wife, who initially doesn’t want to cooperate with him. He notes that they have a master key, meaning either of them could have taken the jewels, and notices Mr. Boles flinch when he mentions Harry Merrill’s name.

In his car, Perry scores a small mark on the underside of the barrel of the gun Evelyn gave him. Next he visits Mervyn Aldritch and confronts him with the details of Helene Chaney’s previous marriage. Aldritch confesses that he was at the Eucalyptus Grove to pay off Merrill, who could have claimed an improper divorce from Helene. When Mason asks if the gun is his, Aldritch takes it out of the room to check if his is still where he left it. He returns a few moments later and says it is his and must have been stolen. Later, Perry checks the gun in his car. There’s no mark on the barrel.

He then goes to the Sunset Canyon road where the accident occurred. Using the new gun, he fires two shots, one into a tree and another into a post. When he returns to his office, he finds Lt. Tragg waiting for him. Before Tragg can frisk him, Mason hands over the gun. Tragg accuses him of withholding evidence, but Mason says it hasn’t been established that the gun in Tragg’s hand is evidence. Tragg hits him with a new fact: The pillowcase on Merrill’s head had no bullet hole, meaning Merrill was dead before his body was placed in the wrecked car.

The Trial

At the preliminary hearing, District Attorney Hamilton Burger puts Tragg on the stand to establish that Evelyn Bagby was in possession of the murder weapon. Perry casts doubt on this assertion by pointing out that there are two guns, and that there appear to be bullet marks (from the bullets he fired) at the scene of the crime. This forces Burger to admit that the fatal bullet and the second, which went into the car’s engine, are too badly damaged to be identified. Mason insists that Aldritch be called to the stand to give the provenance of the gun, since there are two of them in play.

When Aldritch takes the stand, Mason successfully calls him out on the fact that he switched the guns. The gun that he gave Mason -- and which the prosecution claims fired the fatal bullet -- was in his possession and not Evelyn’s at the time of the murder. Having successfully confused the issue, and establishing that more than one person had access to a gun that could have fired the fatal shot, Mason turns attention to the Eucalyptus Grove jewel theft.

With the testimony of Louis Boles and Mervyn Aldritch, Mason establishes that Merrill was present at the Eucalyptus Grove, but he didn’t register at the motel. Aldritch paid Merrill $10,000 in blackmail money, but none of it has been found. Mason seeks to establish that more than one person had motive and opportunity to commit the crime. He established opportunity with the gun subterfuge, and now he’s looking for a motive.

Now having the upper hand, Mason calls a surprise witness: The manager of the Villa Espana apartments. Mason asks her if anyone in the courtroom other than Evelyn Bagby rented an apartment at the Villa Espana. To everyone’s surprise, she says yes. She then points out one particular suspect...

Final Report

I’m testing several new things with this column, so things may not stay the same through the next week. The subheadings I’m especially iffy about, and I’m not sure if I’m going to refer to our hero as “Perry,” “Mason,” or alternate. I’ve decided that, unless I think it’s necessary to discuss for the sake of analysis, I’m not going to spoil the culprit of any of these cases -- I want to motivate everyone to watch the episodes themselves! They’re all on Paramount+ -- I know nothing much else is, but at least they’re more easily accessible than they used to be.

“The Case of the Restless Redhead” is a tricky one to start with, because it’s both unusual for a Perry Mason case and yet very typical at the same time. Several of the events established in this episode will become series staples: Mason keeping odd hours, and somehow dragging Paul and Della into doing so as well. Mason using legal tricks and technicalities to point out flaws in the prosecution’s case. Witnesses committing blatant, provable perjury on the stand. Mason’s tense but strangely amicable interactions with both Tragg and Burger.

It’s also very typical for the legal part of the episode to be a preliminary hearing. As far as I can tell -- and keep in mind that I’m not an expert in any kind of law, much less California law in the 1950s -- this kind of a trial is just to establish that a crime has been committed and that the defendant is most likely to have committed it. From what I can tell, this allows Mason and Burger a certain leeway with regards to how they present their evidence and witnesses, as they can get away with things that would almost certainly be unrealistic in front of a jury.

That said, there are some elements to this case that will not be typical for cases going forward. In this episode, we never actually see the victim, Harry Merrill. Usually the episode opens with the lead-up to the murder, showing how the victim, client, and suspects relate to each other. It’ll be a good change -- it’s much easier to keep everyone and their relationships straight if the episode shows us rather than tells us.

Another part of the episode that’s not typical, which is sort of an offshoot of the above, is that Mason seems to doubt Evelyn’s story, at least early on. It is a plot point in the episode that the real murderer wanted her story to sound as unbelievable as possible, so she’d look even more guilty. But even so, it’s not very common for Mason to outright accuse his clients of lying to him and being guilty, as he does to Evelyn about midway through the episode. Normally he’s not so tough on his clients.

Considering this is the first episode, it’s a feat of both acting and directing that it already feels like all of the primary actors have known and worked with each other for years. Della, Perry, and Paul all have instant chemistry, and Tragg and Burger give the impression that they’ve squared off with Mason multiple times and know all of his usual tricks. Tragg is more hostile to Perry than usual, but it seems almost like a friendly rivalry, albeit just barely.

Another thing that stands out for me is just what things feel modern and which things feel dated. For example, the precise ballistics of the gun are a factor in court, just as they would be today. But it appears the laws are not what they used to be: Mason and Burger repeatedly spring new pieces of evidence on each other, in a way that even the most casual viewer of Law & Order knows would not be permitted in modern courts, probably not even in the preliminary hearing. Mason also fires a gun at the crime scene, which would probably be considered some kind of illegal tampering today.

Outside of the legal aspects, other parts of the episode are just... vintage, in a kind of charming way. Everyone smokes like a chimney, to the point where everyone, even struggling waitress Evelyn Bagby, has a beautiful cigarette case in every room of their house. Tragg mentions that he knows who Mason’s client is because he read her name on the book in the elevator. I wasn’t aware that was ever a thing, but I’ll take his word for it.

I have no idea if it was it was more common in the 1950s for criminal defense lawyers to be celebrities. Here in our day and age, I think the notion pretty much died with O.J. Simpson’s Dream Team, though I’m certainly not the expert. But somehow it seems reasonable that Mason can just walk through a film studio right up to the set and start chatting up their lead actress, and she’s the one who’s gushing over him.

Overall, the first episode is a bit of a slow start. Most of the episode is about the two-gun switcheroo, and not so much about the murder case. While we know (because the episode tells us) that Mason spends so much time on it because it establishes opportunity for multiple suspects, that doesn’t make it interesting to watch. The first half of the episode is given over mostly to actress Whitney Blake’s terrified sobs -- another reason we need more than her word to establish relationships. And then at the very end Mason produces a concrete piece of evidence that would have ended the trial much sooner, and gets the real culprit to confess on the stand with almost insulting ease.

The Verdict

Judgement: ⚖⚖ (two scales out of four) Perry Mason’s inaugural case is one of his less interesting ones, with some early weirdness. But it’s still a fun case, especially since Perry uses some underhanded tactics he doesn’t use elsewhere in the series.

#perry mason #s01e01 #masonry monday #paul drake #della street #the case of the restless redhead

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papermoonloveslucy · 4 years

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THE BIG STREET

August 13, 1942

Producer: Damon Runyon

Director: Irving Reis

Screenplay: Leonard Spigelgass, based on the short story “Little Pinks” by Damon Runyon, first published in Collier’s magazine.

Dance Staging: Chester Hale

Gowns: Renie

Miss Ball’s Dancing Costume: Freddy Wittop

Miss Ball’s Make-Up: Perc Westmore

The film is sometimes referred to as Damon Runyon’s The Big Street.

The film premiered in New York City at the RKO Palace on August 13, 1942. That same day Disney’s long-awaited Bambi opened at Radio City Music Hall. At the Capitol, Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons, also starring Agnes Moorehead and Gil Perkins, continued its run. Nearby, at the Albee, a second-run cinema, Top Hat (1935) starring Ginger Rogers and Lucille Ball was playing. The Big Street opened nationally September 4, 1942.

“Love is something that gets you one room, two chins, and three kids.” ~ Gloria Lyons (Lucille Ball)

PRINCIPAL CAST

Lucille Ball (Gloria Lyons aka ‘Her Highness’) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.

Gloria’s singing voice was provided by Martha Mears, who also did Ball’s singing in DuBarry Was a Lady (1944).

Henry Fonda (Augustus Pinkerton II aka ‘Little Pinks’) first worked with Lucille Ball in the 1935 film I Dream Too Much. When Lucille Ball first got to Hollywood, the two actually briefly dated. They collaborated on the TV special “The Good Years” (1962) and the film Yours, Mine and Ours (1968). During the 1970s, Fonda and Ball often turned up on the same awards and tribute shows. Fonda was nominated for three Oscars, winning in 1982 for On Golden Pond. He also won an honorary Oscar in 1981. Fonda died in 1982 at age 77.

Barton MacLane (Case Ables) was seen in the film The Maltese Falcon (1941) but is probably best remembered for his final role, the blustery General Peterson on “I Dream of Jeannie” (1965-69).

“A fat man’s always listening to love stories, but he’s never go any to tell.” ~ Nicely Nicely Johnson

Eugene Pallette (Nicely Nicely Johnson, The Greatest Eater Alive) was seen as Friar Tuck in Robin Hood (1938) and in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939).

The character of Nicely Nicely Johnson was played by Stubby Kaye, who reprised the role he played on Broadway, in the film version of Runyon’s Guys and Dolls (1955). He was so named because his usual reply to the question “How are you doing?” was typically “Nicely nicely, thank you!”

Agnes Moorehead (Violette Shumberg) was a classically trained performer who collaborated with Orson Welles on Citizen Kane (1941) and The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). She is best remembered as Samantha’s exotic mother Endora on the TV series “Bewitched” (1964-72).

Violette weighs 100 pounds, four ounces.

“She has a very large capacity for groceries.” ~ Pinks (about Violette)

Sam Levene (Horsethief) originated the role of Nathan Detroit in the Broadway stage musical of Runyon’s Guys and Dolls. Singing great Frank Sinatra played Nathan Detroit in the movie version in 1955.

Ray Collins (Professor B) also collaborated with Orson Welles on Citizen Kane (1941) and The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), along with Agnes Moorehead. He is best remembered for playing Lieutenant Tragg on “Perry Mason” from 1957 to 1965.

Marion Martin (Mimi Venus) would also be seen with Lucille Ball in Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945). Although she was often cast as a brassy stripper, showgirl or tough gun moll, off screen she was known to be extremely shy and retiring.

“That dame is a lump of mud!” ~Gloria (about Mimi)

William Orr (Decatur Reed) was an actor turned executive. As the head of WB Television for nine years, he was executive producer of the studio's early forays into the medium, helping to put ABC on the prime-time map with a steady staple of westerns and detective shows. In 1959 he received a Golden Globe for his contributions to television.

Vera Gordon (Mrs. Lefkowitz) emigrated with her family from Russia when she was seven years old. She became involved in the theatre and was active in silent films and early talkies. She had previously appeared with Lucille Ball in 1938′s Having Wonderful Time.

George Cleveland (Col. Venus) makes his fourth film appearance with Lucille Ball. In 1949 they also did Miss Grant Takes Richmond. He is best remembered for playing Gramps on “Lassie” (1954-57).

Ozzie Nelson (Himself) was considered the pre-eminent TV dad of the 1950s thanks to his successful family sitcom “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” (1952-66). Before TV fame, he was a bandleader with his wife Harriet the lead singer. Nelson later appeared on several talk shows with Lucille Ball.

UNCREDITED CAST (with connections to Lucille Ball)

Baby (Gloria’s Pekingese Dog)

Louise Beavers (Ruby, Gloria’s Maid) went on to appear in three more films with Lucille Ball: DuBarry Was a Lady (1943), Lover Come Back (1946), and The Facts of Life (1960).

Charles Cane (McCarty, Holland Tunnel Policeman) also appeared with Lucille Ball in The Dark Corner (1946) and as one of the theatre patrons at “Over The Teacups” in “Ethel’s Birthday” (1954) which also featured Big Street extras Bess Flowers, James Conaty, Sam Harris, and Harold Miller.

Jack Chefe was seen as a Paris waiter in “Lucy Meets Charles Boyer” (ILL S5;E19) and played a bellhop in “Lucy and John Wayne” (ILL S5;E2) and had also appeared in five films with Lucille Ball, including playing a waiter in Forever, Darling. Of Chefe’s 358 film roles, 165 were waiters!

James Conaty (Nightclub Patron) was also seen with Lucille in I Dreamed Too Much (1935), Lured (1947), and The Long Long Trailer (1953). He was one of the theatre patrons at “Over The Teacups” in “Ethel’s Birthday” (1954) which also featured Big Street extras Bess Flowers, Charles Cane, Sam Harris, and Harold Miller.

Hans Conried (Waiter) played Harry Martin in “Redecorating” (ILL S2;E8) and Percy Livermore in “Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (ILL S2;E13), both in 1952. He also did two episodes of “The Lucy Show,” both as her music tutor Dr. Gitterman in 1963.

Pedro de Cordoba (Doctor) was also seen with Lucille Ball in Five Came Back (1939).

Helen Dickson (Florida Club Patron) had appeared with Lucille Ball in Carnival (1935) and Two Smart People (1946). She was one of the aging flapper showgirls in “Ricky Loses His Voice” (ILL S2;E9) in 1952.

Jimmy Dime (Truck Driver / Stunts) was seen with Lucille Ball in 1951′s The Magic Carpet. He did a half dozen episodes as a background players on Desilu’s “The Untouchables” (1959-61).

Eddie Dunn (Mulvaney) was also part of Ziegfeld Follies (1945) featuring Lucille Ball.

Jay Eaton (Late Night New York Nightclub Patron) did a total of nine films with Lucille Ball between 1934 and 1949, including her other Damon Runyon film Sorrowful Jones (1949).

Bess Flowers (Florida Nightclub Patron) aka 'Queen of the Extras’ made numerous uncredited background appearances on both “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.” She holds the record of the most film collaborations with Lucille Ball: 17.

Karen X. Gaylord (Florida Club Patron) was also part of Ziegfeld Follies (1945) featuring Lucille Ball.

Charlie Hall (Caviar Waiter) also did Kid Millions with Lucille Ball and went on to do four more films with her until 1942.

William Halligan (Detective) was also with Lucille Ball in 1940′s You Can’t Fool Your Wife.

Art Hamburger (Joe Duffle, Eating Contest Opponent) makes his final of three screen appearances. He became an associate director. This is his only time working with Lucille Ball.

Joe Duffle is from Boston and weighs 337 and a half pounds. There is some irony that Nicely Nicely (then Violette’s) eating contest opponent is actually named Hamburger.

Mary Halsey (Showgirl) also did Seven Days Leave with Lucille Ball in 1942.

Sam Harris (Passerby on Florida Boardwalk) was in the background of a dozen Lucille Ball films, as well as being seen on “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” and “The Lucy Show.” He was one of the theatre patrons at “Over The Teacups” in “Ethel’s Birthday” (1954) which also featured Big Street extras Bess Flowers, Charles Cane, James Conaty, and Harold Miller.

Jack Herrick (Mindy’s Customer) was also seen with Lucille Ball in The Bowery (1933).

John Indrisano (Mug at Mindy's) was also seen with Lucille Ball in The Facts of Life (1960).

Tiny Jones (Small Friendly Neighbor) was seen with Lucille Ball in A Girl, A Guy, and a Gob (1934) and Five Came Back (1939).

Donald Kerr (Pete the Passer) appeared in eight films with Lucille Ball between 1936 and 1954.

Wilbur Mack (Florida Club Patron) appeared in three more films with Lucille Ball: Thousands Cheer (1943), Ziegfeld Follies (1945), and Lured (1947).

George Magrill (Mug at Mindy's / Stunts) appeared with Lucille Ball in ten films between 1933 and 1949.

Richard Martin also did Seven Days Leave with Lucille Ball in 1942

Tony Merlo (Mug at Mindy's) was also seen with Lucille Ball in Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) and Broadway Bill (1934).

John ‘Skins’ Miller (Truck Driver) was also with Lucille Ball in Fancy Pants (1950) and Sorrowful Jones (1949).

Harold Miller (Florida Club Patron) shares 13 film credits with Lucille Ball. He was one of the theatre patrons at “Over The Teacups” in “Ethel’s Birthday” (1954) which also featured Big Street extras Bess Flowers, Charles Cane, James Conaty, and Harold Miller. Harris would return for “Lucy and the Loving Cup” (S6;E12) as a subway strap hanger. He appeared in six episodes of “The Lucy Show,” the last one being as a party guest on “My Fair Lucy” (1965).

Bert Moorhouse (Florida Club Waiter) did nine films with Lucille Ball from 1933 to 1954.

Frank Moran (Mug at Mindy’s) makes his final of five film appearances with Lucille Ball.

George Noisome (Newsboy) also appeared with Lucille Ball in That’s Right, You’re Wrong (1939).

Barry Norton (Florida Club Patron) was also seen with Lucille Ball in Nana (1934) and Dance, Girl, Dance (1940).

Frank O’Connor (Police Captain at Holland Tunnel) did nine films with Lucille Ball from 1933 to 1946.

Gil Perkins (Mug / Stunts) was aboard the train when Lucy and Ricky headed home from California in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5). He was seen in The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) with Lucille Ball. He made one appearance on “Here’s Lucy” (above right) in 1970.

Bob Perry (Toupee, Associate of Ables / Stunts) was also seen with Lucille Ball in Stage Door (1937) and Joy of Living (1938).

Ralph Peters (Florist) was also with Lucille Ball in Sorrowful Jones (1949).

Addison Richards (Dr. Mitchell) played the American Consul in “Lucy Goes To Mexico” (LDCH 1959) as well as three other films with Lucille Ball.

Dewey Robinson (Truck Driver) did five other films with Lucille Ball.

Shimen Ruskin (Waiter Captain at Florida Club) was previously seen with Lucille Ball in Having Wonderful Time (1938) but is best remembered as Mordcha in the film Fiddler on the Roof (1971).

Hector V. Sarno (Friendly Neighbor) was also with Lucille Ball in Muss ‘em Up (1936).

Harry Shannon (Florida Doctor) was seen with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Too Many Girls (1940). He played Jim White (above center), photographer in “Men Are Messy” (ILL S1;E8) in 1951. He is probably best remembered as the father of Rose (Rosalind Russell) in Gypsy (1962).

Walter Soderling (Doctor at Mindy’s) was with Lucille Ball in Easy To Wed (1946).

Mary Stuart (Showgirl) was also seen with Lucille Ball in Seven Days Leave (1942). She is best remembered for her four decade run as Mary on “Search for Tomorrow”.

Elliott Sullivan (Tramp) was also in That’s Right, You’re Wrong (1939) and Next Time I Marry (1938) with Lucille Ball.

Harry Wilson (Fethington) did four other films with Lucille Ball between 1934 and 1950. He was also an extra on Desilu’s “Untouchables” (1959-62).

Marie Windsor (Florida Club Patron) was also in Critic’s Choice (1963) with Lucille Ball.

BIG STREET OPENING

"Loser's Lane - the sidewalk in front of Mindy's Restaurant on Broadway - is not as high-toned a trading center as Wall Street, but the brokers are a lot more colorful. Generally they prefer to put their money on a prizefight or horse race, but when the action slows, anything can happen and it usually does. Tonight, for example, the citizens of the Lane are discussing the latest contest in their usual quiet way..."

BIG STREET TRIVIA

The Big Street was a nickname for Broadway, where this movie's plot starts, and where all Runyon's stories take place. The film opens at West 50th and Broadway in New York City, with the marquee of the Capitol Theatre in the background.

Damon Runyon originally wanted to cast Charles Laughton and Carole Lombard in the lead roles, but neither one was interested in the project. The two had previously paired on White Women (1933) and They Knew What They Wanted (1940), Lombard suggested the producer consider her friend Lucille Ball and, despite pressure by RKO to hire a better-known actress, Runyon offered her the role. Unaccustomed to playing series roles, Lucille asked advice from Laughton on how to approach such a difficult part. Laughton told her not to hold back: “If you are going to play a bitch, play a bitch!”

Ball later recalled that at the time she was cast, "nothing much seemed to be happening for me at the studio. My $1000 weekly paycheck came regularly, but I was still a regular among the Bs."

Philadelphia Daily News ~ June 6, 1942

Reports that Lucille Ball sent a $25 War Bond to each of the ten girls that were fired from backing her up on “The Big Street”.

During filming, Lucy’s new husband Desi Arnaz felt so insecure about leaving Lucy and Fonda alone together that he’d often pop by the set to keep an eye on them. His paranoia so exasperated director Irving Reis that he finally banned him from the set.

This was Lucille Ball’s favorite of her nearly 80 films. She felt her performance was unjustly ignored by the Academy.

The vocals for "Who Knows?" by Harry Revel and Mort Greene, performed by Gloria in Case's Manhattan club, were provided by Martha Mears. The character later reprises the song with Ozzie Nelson and his orchestra in the Miami nightspot.

The film was re-released in 1955, at the height of Lucille Ball’s television success. Although Fonda remains first billed, Ball’s photo clearly indicates that she is the drawing card.

Damon Runyon also created the source material for the hit Broadway musical Guys and Dolls (1950), which starred Robert Alda, who went on to make several appearances on “The Lucy Show.” The two stories share the character of Nicely Nicely Johnson. When the film version was made by MGM in 1955, Lucy and Desi were also under contract to the studio. A brief clip of the film was inserted into the middle of an episode of “I Love Lucy” called “Lucy and the Dummy” (S5;E3), although the clip was removed after its initial airing. Further, when Lucille Ball first came to Hollywood, before becoming a contract player at RKO, she worked for Sam Goldwyn as one of the Goldwyn Girls. In Guys and Dolls, the Hot Box Girls are played by the Goldwyn Girls.

In 1949, Lucille Ball starred in another film based on a Damon Runyon story, Sorrowful Jones, a remake of the 1934 Shirley Temple film, Little Miss Marker.

Damon Runyon was a big fan of Lindy’s, a Manhattan restaurant famous for their cheesecake, and wrote the eatery into his books as Mindy's. The musical Guys and Dolls, based on Runyon's writings, immortalizes Lindy's in one of its songs. In “Ricky’s Contract” (ILL S4;E10), Lucy tells Fred and Ethel that Ricky took his entire band to Lindy’s to celebrate learning that he had been offered a movie contract.

In The Big Street, a sympathetic Pinks decides to take Gloria to Florida to recuperate - by pushing her wheelchair the entire way - starting with the Holland Tunnel! Although Lucy and Fonda never left Hollywood, the locations are achieved by rear projection and establishing footage.

The Holland Tunnel figures into “I Love Lucy,” not once - but twice. In “The Marriage License” (ILL S ), after finding out that her marriage license may be invalid, Lucy goes on a twelve hour walk to East Orange, New Jersey. “How I ever got through the Holland Tunnel, I don’t know.”

The Holland Tunnel will be mentioned again three years later in “Lucy Learns to Drive” (ILL S4;E11). Reportedly, she tried to make a u-turn in the Holland Tunnel resulting in traffic being tied up to East Orange, New Jersey.

Action is also set in Miami Beach, Florida. Pinks and Gloria hitchhike there to visit with Nicely Nicely and Violette who are operating a night spot there.

In “Off To Florida” (ILL S6;E6), Lucy and Ethel also hitchhike to Miami Beach Florida after being left on the side of the road by their ride share, a suspected hatchet murderess. They arrive at the North Miami train station covered in chicken feathers from riding in the back of a poultry truck.

Doting Pinks has a pet name for haughty Gloria: 'Your Highness'. In Florida, her friends conspire to get people to come and hear her sing by fibbing that she is the Princess of Corolia, a fictional place.

In “The Publicity Agent” (ILL S1;E31), Lucy conspires to get Ricky more publicity by pretending to be a fawning fan of royal blood: ‘The Maharincess of Franistan’!

FAST FORWARD!

On a 1971 episode of “The Dick Cavett Show" with guests Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, and Lucie Arnaz, Lucie compliments her mother's dramatic performance in the film.

The film is referenced in the television film Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter (1991)

A poster for the film is on Lucy’s dressing room wall in Lucy, a 2003 TV movie.

The Big Street turns up in the TV listings in the low budget film Hollywood Mouth (2008) starring Joe Bologna.

A clip from the film is featured in a montage during “AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Henry Fonda” a 1978 special attended by Lucille Ball.

Henry Fonda: The Man and His Movies (1982) contains dressing room and dance floor scenes with Lucille Ball.

The Emmy-winning documentary Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie (1993) features a brief clip from the movie.

When Cher is TCM Guest Programmer in 2011, she selects The Big Street as one of her films to be aired.

In December 1948, Lucille Ball reprised her role on radio with John Garfield taking the role of Pinks.

The Big Street on VHS.

The Big Street is available on DVD from Warner Home Video. It is also part of the Lucille Ball Collection DVD, which also includes Dance, Girl, Dance, DuBarry Was A Lady, Critic’s Choice, and Mame.

#The Big Street #lucille ball

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raphianna · 2 years

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Harmony Duncan was a soft man. He never saw a reason to be harsh, even to perpetrators. He preferred asking rather than demanding. He gave everyone a chance to explain themselves. He greeted every person he met with the same level of respect and trust. He supposed then his name was a bit ironic. Being a newly promoted police sergeant, one would think he wouldn’t be cut out for the job. That’s how Tragg and Andy thought at first. He surprised everyone, however. Even though he wasn’t truly confrontational, he had the mind of a leader, nerves of steel, and the patience of a saint. He did his job as well as anyone else. Harmony was never angry. Rather, when the offender was caught, he was disappointed. Which people found more hurtful than the anger. Of course, working in this department had him frequently crossing paths with defence attorney Perry Mason and his employees. He didn’t understand why quite a few people on the force seemed to have a vendetta against Perry. He figured vendetta was too strong a word, but he wasn’t sure how else to describe it. … ok, maybe he was lying to himself. It seemed like they held contempt for him, and often viewed working with Perry like a competition. Hamilton, Lieutenant Tragg, and Lieutenant Anderson were the biggest examples in that regard. They always seemed certain they had the murderer in Perry’s client, but they were always proven wrong. The number of insults and threats he heard leave their mouths directed at Perry always made him uneasy. Yet he never heard the same come from Perry towards the district attorney or his two colleagues. It wasn’t to say he was taking sides. He knew everyone at the end of the day was just trying to do their job and he knew Hamilton, Tragg, and Andy did respect Perry. He just couldn’t grasp why they acted the way they did. Harmony decided he’d try and break the unintentional cycle that Perry found he was in. When he first interacted with the lawyer on a case that they were both working on, he felt slightly disturbed at the office’s reaction to his attitude. All of them were pleasantly surprised, if not a bit confused around him. As if they weren’t used to the type of courtesy Harmony showed them. He was definitely going to be their friend, no matter which way cases went.

— Introducing Harmony Duncan, newly promoted police sergeant that rather sympathises with Perry and occasionally talks with him through the case, from The Case of the Accused Receptionist

#perry mason #harmony duncan #original character #fanfiction #the case of the accused receptionist #for real i had this man's personality chosen before i decided his name #then i saw the name harmony and was like #y'know what i'm going to make that his name cause i think it's cool #then i realised the irony #anyways i love him

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meanstreetspodcasts · 4 years

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Remembering Ray Collins (December 10, 1889 – July 11, 1965)

Best known to generations of television fans as the sly Lt. Tragg on Perry Mason, Collins enjoyed a long career on the Broadway stage, the big and small screens, and on radio - often collaborating with Orson Welles.

On the air, Collins played Commissioner Weston to Welles’ Lamont Cranston on The Shadow, and he appeared on Welles’ Mercury Theatre On the Air productions. He was Dr. Watson to Welles’ Sherlock Holmes in an adaptation of the William Gilette play (“The Immortal Sherlock Holmes,” originally aired on CBS on September 25, 1938), and Collins was heard as several memorable characters in the infamous adaptation of The War of the Worlds. He played Mr. Wilmuth, the owner of the Grovers Mill farm where the Martian cylinder crash lands (where he uttered the memorable exclamation “Zingo!”), and he delivered the haunting monologue as a rooftop broadcaster narrates his own demise as the Martians descend on New York City.

Collins also lent his voice to some classic episodes of Suspense. He co-starred with his Mercury and Shadow co-star Agnes Moorehead in two productions of “The Diary of Saphronia Winters” (aired on April 27, 1943 and August 17, 1944) - Lucille Fletcher’s terrifying tale of a woman who rushes into marriage and discovers her husband is an unhinged maniac.

Like other Mercury players, Collins made his feature film debut in Welles’ masterpiece Citizen Kane. Collins played Jim Gettys, the political boss and Kane’s chief rival. Collins re-teamed with Welles in The Magnificent Ambersons and Touch of Evil, but in 1957 he landed his most famous role when he was cast as Arthur Tragg, LAPD homicide lieutenant and frequent foil of Raymond Burr’s Perry Mason. He’d remain on the show until 1964, when ailing health forced him to step down.

#Ray Collins #Old Time Radio #Golden Age of Radio #Perry Mason #Classic TV

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fyperrymason · 4 years

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