The Case of the Perjured Parrot

This episode may have been the funniest Perry Mason, but it was hard to take it seriously. First of all we have Uncle Joe from Petticoat Junction sort of conducting an inquest but not doing too good of a job. We then have good ole Mr. Wilson from Dennis The Menace trying to be a crime expert who ended up being just as inept as Mr. Wilson was at dealing with Dennis. The whole story was crazy and Mel Blanc topped it off as the voice of a parrot that didn't move his mouth half the time. I'll say this, it was entertaining.

Edgar Buchanan is great in these types of roles that he plays, and this is no exception. But the real star of the show is the parrot, who runs away with it. A really good, different episode and again - the parrot runs away with it. The parrot FTW!

There is almost too much plot in this episode, with too little thought involved. To explain much more would spoil it, which would be a shame because it's still an enjoyable episode in spite of itself.

For openers, good lord there is so much about this story that doesn't make any sense. To take just one example, why Sabin's secretary would devote what must have been months to train a parrot to deliver a half dozen lines in English, when he was ultimately prepared to confess to forging those checks anyway, boggles the mind. Although I suppose he could have gone in business as a parrot trainer at that point.

Others have pointed out the truly awful acting of Pamela Branch, who delivers the worst line readings I can remember in the entire "Perry Mason" series. Not that the lines themselves distinguish themselves in this episode.

On the plus side, Edgar Buchanan's brusque yet charming demeanor is a delight. And as convoluted and silly as the story is, the episode is never dull.

Perry Mason moves out of the mean streets of Los Angeles into rural Logan City to defend client Jody Lawrence on a charge of murder. This was a very well constructed Perry Mason episode in which definitely things are not as they seem at first glance.

The victim here was a millionaire who was not beloved at all including by his wife who originally brings Raymond Burr into the case because her husband suspected her daughter of forging checks. That turns out not to be the case,but in the process Burr gains a client in Ms. Lawrence who maybe the victim's bigamist second wife.

The key to the case is a parrot who is nervously talking and mimicking words he might have heard during the course of the murder. Remember however, parrots have to be carefully taught.

The venue where Perry Mason practices his craft is an informal coroner's inquest, presided over informally by Edgar Buchanan. Joseph Kearns plays a rather officious criminologist who sheriff Frank Ferguson brought in to help with investigation. Burr devastates Kearns on the stand.

Many people had many reasons for wanting the victim dead. I think you'll be a bit surprised at who the perpetrator is.

Camp episode written by Marian Cockrell, who wrote quite a few classic stories for Alfred Hitchcock's tv show, also for BATMAN in the 60s.

The murder of a wealthy man brings forward a talking parrot, which actually is no joke. There have been documented cases where what a parrot "said or repeated" was, in fact, recorded in a court of law. In this case, not too popular businessman Charles Sabin ( Maurice Manson) is murdered while on a camping trip, outside Los Angeles. His wife, Stephanie, played by actress Fay Baker, naturally contacts Perry, and enter Casanova, her husband's pet parrot. This smart bird may have something important to add to the mystery.

An intriguing story, again not to be taken lightly. In fact, a famous case from 2016 included a parrot who was instrumental in convicting a Michigan woman of fatally shooting her husband.

Perry's strange case moves to a small town courtroom, replete with some excellent supporting actors to highlight the proceedings. TV favorite Edgar Buchanan guest stars as Andy, a natural for this story, Jody Lawrence plays Ellen and Joseph Kearns (DENNIS THE MENACE) plays a criminolgist. Many other familiar faces if you're a tv buff.

Fun fact; voice master Mel Blanc is the voice of Casanova. He was a regular on Jack Benny's tv show at the time, many classic radio shows and cartoons.

Something different to be sure, and wait for the courtroom showdown.

Worth an extra cup of coffee if you can figure it all out before Perry.

10 Stars. I rest my case.

SEASON 2 EPISODE 11 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set. Released 2007. Volumes 1 and 2.