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Perry Mason
S9.E30
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IMDbPro

The Case of the Final Fade-Out

  • Episode aired May 22, 1966
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
8.9/10
606
YOUR RATING
Erle Stanley Gardner in Perry Mason (1957)
CrimeDramaMystery

Barry Conrad has become a major star with an oversized ego. At the last moment, he tells his producer, Jackson Sidemark, that he won't be signing a new contract. Conrad, then Sidemark, are k... Read allBarry Conrad has become a major star with an oversized ego. At the last moment, he tells his producer, Jackson Sidemark, that he won't be signing a new contract. Conrad, then Sidemark, are killed giving Perry two clients back-to-back.Barry Conrad has become a major star with an oversized ego. At the last moment, he tells his producer, Jackson Sidemark, that he won't be signing a new contract. Conrad, then Sidemark, are killed giving Perry two clients back-to-back.

  • Director
    • Jesse Hibbs
  • Writers
    • Erle Stanley Gardner
    • Ernest Frankel
    • Orville H. Hampton
  • Stars
    • Raymond Burr
    • Barbara Hale
    • William Hopper
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.9/10
    606
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jesse Hibbs
    • Writers
      • Erle Stanley Gardner
      • Ernest Frankel
      • Orville H. Hampton
    • Stars
      • Raymond Burr
      • Barbara Hale
      • William Hopper
    • 15User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos26

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    Top cast45

    Edit
    Raymond Burr
    Raymond Burr
    • Perry Mason
    Barbara Hale
    Barbara Hale
    • Della Street
    William Hopper
    William Hopper
    • Paul Drake
    William Talman
    William Talman
    • Hamilton Burger
    Richard Anderson
    Richard Anderson
    • Lt. Steve Drumm
    James Stacy
    James Stacy
    • Barry Conrad
    Estelle Winwood
    Estelle Winwood
    • Winifred Glover
    Jackie Coogan
    Jackie Coogan
    • Pete Desmond
    Denver Pyle
    Denver Pyle
    • Jackson Sidemark
    Dick Clark
    Dick Clark
    • Leif Early
    Gerald Mohr
    Gerald Mohr
    • Andy Rubin
    Marlyn Mason
    Marlyn Mason
    • Erna Landry
    Kenneth MacDonald
    Kenneth MacDonald
    • Judge One
    William Tannen
    William Tannen
    • Studio Guard
    Margaret Shinn
    • Starlet #1
    Linda Burton
    • Starlet #2
    Maureen Crow
    • Adlib
    Louie Elias
    • Stunt Man No. 1
    • Director
      • Jesse Hibbs
    • Writers
      • Erle Stanley Gardner
      • Ernest Frankel
      • Orville H. Hampton
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    8.9606
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    10

    Featured reviews

    9Hitchcoc

    Good Finale with One Clinker

    This is kind of a fun episode with two murders at the center of it. It's about a hit TV show where the star is insufferable and leaves his producer out to dry. The star is eventually shot to death while shooting a scene. There are plenty of suspects and a couple of courtroom scenes. The biggest weakness is the casting of Dick Clark as a significant character. He is one of he worst actors I've every scene. I would give him a 2 because he was easy to dance to.
    10forryjesse

    Great last episode

    Weak in a few spots but very good overall. At least Marks was not directing Great that the behind the scenes crew was shown.
    10govett

    Lt. Tragg, you are still missed, lo these 50+ years

    A well-done series ending. The ensemble of Perry plus four was magic. All legal dramas since have been pale derivatives. But I have few quibbles about the final show:

    * The actual crew appeared on screen, deservedly, but their dialog seemed a bit too amateurish.

    * Lt. Tragg (Ray Collins) should have been mentioned somewhere, for old time's sake. He was my favorite actor in the series, and his wry wit was sorely missed after his death.

    * Fred Steiner finally appeared in the credits as the composer of the Perry Mason theme, which is entitled Park Avenue Beat. (Incidentally, live performances of the full piece are on YouTube.)
    7bote

    Dogs Eating Dogs

    Hollywood certainly is a dog-eat-dog world, but that's exactly why Barry shouldn't have been so smug.

    In reality Sidemark would have simply found somebody else to fill the role, star or no, or just written him off the show. Even if ratings tanked, it still beats just walking away from the mess and taking a big loss. Now *THAT* would be how the Hollywood machine handles this.
    1pmike-11312

    Cute, but not very good

    Oh, there are the little inside jokes and references (wink, wink), but it's typical PM fare - extremely poor dialogue writing, meandering plot, overacting, and ham-fisted direction.

    Stick a fork in it! It's done! (mercifully)

    Related interests

    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The only episode to feature Erle Stanley Gardner, the creator of Perry Mason. He portrays the judge at the second trial.
    • Goofs
      The first murder is committed with a prop gun, specifically a semi-automatic pistol modified to fire blanks. Such guns have bore restricters, weakened springs and ground-off locking lugs, all necessary to operate with the weak chamber pressure and recoil impetus of blanks; they invariably blow up or fly apart if fired with live ammunition.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Perry Mason: Now, it seems to me the place to start is at the beginning.

    • Connections
      References Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 22, 1966 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Chaplin Studios - 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Gate where Perry & Paul drive into studio.)
    • Production companies
      • CBS Television Network
      • Paisano Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h(60 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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