The Case of the Skeleton's Closet

I believe this was not the first Perry Mason episode to feature an African American judge.

In regards to the review by kfo9494: It is incorrect that they stated that the man who wrote the tell-all and was subsequently murdered was Harry Collins. It was not Collins but Richard Harris. It would be nice, if one goes to all the trouble of writing a review, that at least the characters mentioned are correct. It would save the readers of these reviews some confusion.

In the Goofs is an offering about the purse that Mrs. Layton brings to Mr Harris's study. The review says that the purse is tubular before the shot is fired. After the shot is fired it says that the purse is rectangular and also in the wrong spot. I believe the Goof is not a Goof but is just an error in viewing the scene.

Now, I have a question about the papers that were supposedly seen in the desk drawer. Mrs. Layton says she saw them in the bottom drawer and there were about 400 to 500 pages in a cover. In my multiple viewings of the scene there were no such papers like that in a drawer anywhere to be seen. I believe the script was too ambitious in that regard.

This episode is properly titled since nearly everyone in the small community of Cliffside has some sort of skeleton in their closet they want hidden from the public eye.

Harry Collins is the writer of a book that is a tell-all of people in Cliffside. Some of the big wigs hire Perry Mason to force the publisher to change the concept of the book from true stories to fiction. This change is much to the dislike of Harry Collins. Mr Collins is so upset that he claims to have another manuscript that tells all and names people that he will publish himself.

Margaret Layton, who use to be married to Harry Collins, hears about the book. She has interest in the book since her two children's father was Harry Collins. She had their named changed and did not want them to know that they came from such a wicked man. Ms Layton goes over to see Harry and tries to pay him for not publishing the book. When Harry refuses Ms Layton pulls a gun out of a drawer and points at Harry. Harry grabs her wrist and the gun fires into a desk. Ms Layton then flees the house.

Later Harry Collins is found shot and the manuscript missing. All evidence point toward Ms Layton and Perry will defend her in court on charges of murder.

Since many people did not want to see the book published, there are many suspects to choose from in this story. Not too many people are sadden by Harry's death. But the missing manuscript may prove to be the key into getting Perry's client released of the charges.

Good script, good acting makes for a nice episode.

It isn't the murder that will get you riled about this episode--it's Perry Mason's casual attitude towards censorship. Someone wrote a "smutty book" and Perry is out to help punish him.What an antique!

Apparently the tiny town of Cliffside is rife with naughty people who have sex with each other, and sex did not exist in 1963 America. Babies were made by birds. So, when a nefarious novelist decides to write about ladies and men doin' it, all the bluenoses puff up. Except for publisher David Lewis he says he will, then says he won't, after Perry slaps a class defamation suit against him. This is weird because the lurid book cover looks like a Perry Mason novel.

Anyway, whatever sordid sex details were covered in Michael Pate's novel would be tame topics today. They'd likely be put in a reality show.

To sum up, Perry should have had a keener eye to the First Amendment. What a prude..

Ever since the premier of PEYTON PLACE, there have been so many similar stories of WHAT goes on behind closed doors, especially in small towns where everybody knows each other -- OR knows too much.

Australian actor Michael Pate plays Richard Harris who has written a sizzler of a book, based upon the exploits of his real-life friends and neighbors. Holy smokes! The catch is his ex-wife, Margaret (played by Peggy McCay) wants him to dump the project for the sake of their children. Do you really think he would? Not a chance, and what a work of art this guy is.

Harris naturally turns up dead and Margaret is the prime suspect. I agree with the last reviewer, when it's difficult to guess WHODUNIT, you know it's a good mystery. This is an exceptional mystery, written by Sam Neuman, who had a long career in tv drama.

Also has some very familiar faces; Keith Andes plays Dave, Frank Aletter as Harry and David Lewis as Albert, the publisher. Also Dabbs Greer ( Jack), who turned up everywhere on tv. Peggy McCay is especially good in the lead, the perfect actress for soap opera material, later associated with DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

Yes, this episode also marks the return of Ray Collins (LT. Tragg), who was ill, and has just a couple of lines here. Collins would pass a few years later.

Director and series co-producer Arthur Marks gets some fine performances, his trademark, in particular the classic courtroom scenes. You can't wait for Perry to take this steamy case to trial.

Best of SEASON 6 EPISODE 26. Remastered CBS dvd box set. Vol. 1 and 2. Released 2011.

Perry Mason is representing the small community of Cliffside which has just been made the target of a racy novel by Michael Pate. It's a kiss and tell memoir painting the town to be west coast version of Peyton Place. And the good citizens of Cliffside have retained Raymond Burr so that their secrets are not spilled to the world.

But Peggy McCrary has a special secret, she's a bit puritanical and doesn't trust the good judgment of her kids. She was once married to Pate and gave the kids the name of her second husband and she doesn't want her girls to find out they come from the seed of a rat.

But rats have more than one enemy and Pate has his usual collection, the same as any victim in a Perry Mason story. Just publishing a Peyton Place novel guarantees that. It turns out to be a surprise perpetrator, a character you thought of as peripheral.

When you can't figure the perpetrator, it's the sure sign of a good Perry Mason.