The Case of the Laughing Lady

Again, with what some of the reviewers said, why do you watch the show at all? To be able to complain about it? Beyond me. I thought this episode was good in terms of the overall plot and the underlying mystery, including the laughter. However, there were a few holes in the plot.

First, it was never explained why the cage was sent to the victim's residence. Did he have a bird and needed a cage for it, or did he do it in connection with his blackmail scheme because he knew the cage was a counterfeit, and who owned the bird? I assumed it was the victim, and when the killer did him in, he took the cage outside in anticipation of disposing of it later. OK, but when I heard the laugh, I immediately thought "that's a bird, not a human," so it's extremely unlikely that either the female gallery owner or the initial suspect thought it was human, and how could each of them hear it so clearly anyway and each think it's the other cackling? Weak part of the plot. And did the sound expert NOT think it was a bird and not a human? He never implied that. In fact, I think he said it was a laugh caused by panic or stress. And lastly, the killer's reaction when he saw the bird (amazing how the bird kept so quiet until Paul raised the sheet covering the cage) was a bit over the top, because why would he think he was cooked at that point? Mason had just said that there was no proof of when he had been at the victim's residence. Almost like 48 minutes of good mystery and a rushed 3-minute ending. But hey, the three main characters were terrific (and Della was smashingly beautiful as always), Burger was his usual pensive spoiled bratty child (he said he wanted to beat Perry's brains in? Really?!?), and the tightly wound, tense, never smiling, angry Andy was finally replaced by a great character actor playing Lt. Drumm. Good for me.

The final season of the series MAY have been the most offbeat, with the introduction of some truly unsual cases. It could have all been a lark, however it made for some very intriguing mysteries. This may have all began with the famous "gorilla episode," from Season Eight. A possibility. Only debit, the last season was not filmed in color, except for the final episode. That would have been the cherry on top.

Popular actress Jean Hale (who made two appearances on the show) plays Carla Chaney, held for murdering her ex-boyfriend, also starting a riot in jail! She has gone through several attorneys, and now it's Perry's turn. What makes the case so bizarre is Carla claims the killer has a very peculiar laugh? Bottom line, it's all about a laugh.

She also claims to have seen the killer in question (a woman) on tv, a beautiful and wealthy lady called Leona, best played by Constance Towers. It comes down to a she said/she said feud between Carla and Leona.

Great supporting cast, and with the introduction of Richard Anderson as Lt. Drumm and popular character actor Dan Tobin as Terrence. I agree with the last reviewer, John Abbott is a hoot as the speech pathologist who tries to connect the laugh.

Alison Hayes, who appeared five times on the series, plays Cho Sin. Master character actor Bernard Fox (known for BEWITCHED and HOGANS HEROES) plays Peter.

Flawless direction by series director Jessie Hibbs, who later headed the FBI tv series. Note, Jean Hale passed in 2021.

SEASON 9 EPISODE 1 remastered CBS dvd box set.

Volume 1 released 2013. 4 dvd set. Collectors Edition.

The case itself is interesting. A prisoner hears a laugh during a TV program and realizes it is that of a woman for whom she is serving a sentence. Perry gets a back strain from twisting and helping her amid negative evidence. All that is fine. The problem is the conclusion. It is a childish one not deserving of the show.

The story centers around "Gerald Havens" an uncast murder victim that we learn was blackmailing the Devore gallery as to Chinese art reproductions that were being sold in the gallery at full price. Carla Cheney is the defendant that watches, with other women prisoners, a TV program of a society fund raising auction--put on by Leona Devore--who Carla claims was at the murder site, and associates the haunting laugh with her--who she believes killed her old boyfriend, Gerald.

An interesting subplot is that Della interjects about Lenore (Constance Towers) is that "She's beautiful," and Perry ends up being unusually kind in his treatment of a woman who he discovered lied about her alibi, witnessed at the murder scene by his client, and had the motive to kill the blackmailer.

This is the first episode of Season 9, and introduces Dan Tobin as the restaurant/bar owner frequented by Steve Drum (Richard Anderson) and Hamilton Burger.

Not a great episode for a season opener--but an important episode to understand what were the thoughts in production this final year.

A hard and bitter Jean Hale locked up in LA County Jail for a murder she didn't commit while watching television sees the woman she thinks did the crime and hears the same maniacal laughter she heard that night. After getting out of solitary from the riot she started, Hale finds she has a new attorney in the person of Perry Mason. That should tell you right away she didn't do it.

The whole thing in this episode is identifying that same rather unique laugh and during the course of the investigation Raymond Burr and William Hopper run into Professor John Abbott who happens to be a speech pathologist. His expertise becomes invaluable.

The murderer and the laughter are identified. But wait till you see what the solution was. Rather intriguing for this episode of Perry Mason.