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Perry Mason
S9.E15
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IMDbPro

The Case of the Bogus Buccaneers

  • Episode aired Jan 9, 1966
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
268
YOUR RATING
Rhodes Reason in Perry Mason (1957)
CrimeDramaMystery

Ex-con Tony Polk is given a job playing a TV pirate giving gifts to selected viewers. He arrives at an address where an angry woman answers wanting her money. He fights to leave and an eye w... Read allEx-con Tony Polk is given a job playing a TV pirate giving gifts to selected viewers. He arrives at an address where an angry woman answers wanting her money. He fights to leave and an eye witness identifies him as her killer.Ex-con Tony Polk is given a job playing a TV pirate giving gifts to selected viewers. He arrives at an address where an angry woman answers wanting her money. He fights to leave and an eye witness identifies him as her killer.

  • Director
    • Arthur Marks
  • Writers
    • Erle Stanley Gardner
    • Henry Farrell
    • Ernest Frankel
  • Stars
    • Raymond Burr
    • Barbara Hale
    • William Hopper
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    268
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Arthur Marks
    • Writers
      • Erle Stanley Gardner
      • Henry Farrell
      • Ernest Frankel
    • Stars
      • Raymond Burr
      • Barbara Hale
      • William Hopper
    • 9User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos14

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    Top cast26

    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
    Dan Tobin
    Dan Tobin
    • Terrance Clay
    Rhodes Reason
    Rhodes Reason
    • Martin Eldridge
    Patricia Cutts
    Patricia Cutts
    • Ann Eldridge
    Mary Mitchel
    Mary Mitchel
    • Beth Polk
    Richard Jaeckel
    Richard Jaeckel
    • Mike Woods
    Kathleen Crowley
    Kathleen Crowley
    • Grace Knapp
    John Milford
    John Milford
    • Clayton Douglas
    Steve Harris
    • Tony Polk
    Leonard Stone
    Leonard Stone
    • Harlan Keen
    Michael Fox
    Michael Fox
    • Abe Heyman
    Meg Wyllie
    Meg Wyllie
    • Mrs. Webb
    Willis Bouchey
    Willis Bouchey
    • Judge
    Lee Miller
    • Sgt. Brice
    • Director
      • Arthur Marks
    • Writers
      • Erle Stanley Gardner
      • Henry Farrell
      • Ernest Frankel
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    7.6268
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    10

    Featured reviews

    1pmike-11312

    Pirate, Pirate! Who's got the pirate?

    I keep saying that PM eps are ridiculous and keep topping themselves as such. Really though, it's the whole series! What silly, utterly unbelievable garbage!

    What were there in this one? 6, 10 clowns all dressed up in pirate getups and all walking around in public at night? LOL!

    PM does provide laughs.....just call it a parody of a lawyer show and you've got something!
    6Hitchcoc

    Too Many Pirates Spoil the Grog

    A silly TV show that is designed to show us how stupid housewives are. This macho jerk prances around, getting women to swoon over him and his products. One of the Buccaneer's little helpers is at the scene where a formidable, drunk lady is murdered. The whole thing seems awful and probably much like about half of prime time TV today.
    6noplotholes

    Aaaarg..! Ahoy thar, matey..!

    What we have here are more cliche's than you can throw a hook at. We have gone from girls in skimpy bear suits to guys in stereotypical pirate get-ups replete with hook-type prosthetic hands. Again the writers have outdone themselves (and not in a good way). More of the ex-spouse (or should we say wench in this case) blackmail stuff that we've already seen. Add to that a defendant with a past criminal history that makes him an easy mark for the authorities to lay the blame on. Then add in a scared and pregnant wife to add to the angst. The only thing that keeps this galleon afloat is Della's accuracy with a frying pan...
    6bkoganbing

    What an agent

    If you are ever an aspiring actor Michael Fox is definitely the agent to have. When his client Steve Harris gets himself in a huge jackpot, Fox gets him Perry Mason as an attorney. Best move he ever made.

    This was one unusual episode involving an actor played by Rhodes Reason who plays the Beauty Buccaneer like some romance novel hero, but it's a gimmick to sell beauty products. He does his TV pitch and then a couple dozen or so 'Buccaneers' go out like Avon salesmen with the various beauty products.

    Harris is one of those salesmen. Only on his route a somewhat psychotic Kathleen Crowley is waiting for him to deliver some kind of money payoff and Harris hasn't a clue. She scratches him up pretty good and he has to flee. Later on Crowley is found dead and when he's got a good amount of cash on him that he won't explain to the cops, Richard Anderson is thinking Harris is looking real good for it.

    This episode involves a lovely tale of bigamy and murder to cover up same. It even involves Della Street being kidnapped, see how Barbara Hale gets out of that.

    A most interesting tale from Perry Mason's last season.
    8kfo9494

    An odd premise for a mystery- but turns out well

    The episode begins as we see a TV show that features a buccaneer named Martin Eldridge (Rhodes Reason) that makes women feel more beautiful. Through the magic of TV the buccaneer transform a women into a beautiful walking model by means of hair-care products and cosmetics. And for this story's plot-- the TV show is popular.

    Anyway the producers of the TV show also send out other buccaneers in the area of the show and give them baskets of free gifts. Most love the gifts until we get this one situation.

    Tony Polk (Steve Harris) goes through his routine at the home of Grace Knapp (Kathy Crowley). However Ms Knapp actually is upset saying where is the $25,000 that was promised. In fact she gets rough with Tony until he has to push her down and leave the house. However he leaves his costume's hook in the residence when fleeing. All the while a neighbor is seeing the entire incident.

    The neighbor calls the police and by the time they arrive Ms Knapp is dead from a wound with the hook. And all evidence points to ex-con Tony Polk as being the murderer. But thanks to his parole officer, Perry decides to take the case and defend Tony in court.

    For the rest of show the viewer is dished out many meaty chucks as part of the mystery. Blackmail, trickery, bribes, polygamy and intimidation - all these add up to a show worth watching.

    This may have not been the best premise for an episode but I thought it turned out quite well. Overall it was a good watch. There was actually some good acting in this quirky episode.

    Note-- Della has to knock someone unconscious in this episode. That along is a must see.

    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
      Michael Fox was on the series dozens of times as a doctor, autopsy surgeon or medical examiner but in this last appearance he is an actor's agent with gray hair and mustache.
    • Goofs
      Just after "Beth Polk's" (Mary Mitchel's) apartment has been ransacked, she calls Perry from a pay phone to tell him about it. She dials only four numbers (the last four)... 2-1-1-3. However, Perry's office number is Madison 5-1190 (625-1190).
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Tony Polk: Mr. Mason, I'd like to talk about my bill. I-I got it, but it's marked paid. Uh, now that Abe found me the job, I can...

      Perry Mason: Ah, I've talked it over with Clay and with Abe, and we decided we didn't want our godson starting out with any liabilities. Perry Abraham Terrence Polk starts life free and clear. Agreed?

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 9, 1966 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 4, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • 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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