The Case of the Terrified Typist

Director Andrew V. McLaglen and Robert C. Dennis make a worthy team here, an intricate mystery you have to watch closely.

Joanna Moore, famous for playing ladies who could pull some fast ones, does just that. She tricks Della into thinking she's a substitute typist -- all the while there's a robbery going on upstairs at a diamond company. Intriguing set of circumstances to fall in Perry's lap!

Needless to say there's a murder, which happens to be a partner in the company. The other partner (played by Alan Marshal) is accused of the crime, and comes the connection to Moore. Perry ends up defending Jefferson (Marshal), however the twist here is he may be defending a killer in disguise, and with two names.

I agree, Dennis' story borrows from the school of Agatha Christie, requiring you to follow it most carefully. The courtroom reveal is one of the best for the first season, and the acting, thanks to McLaglen, is superior.

McLaglen was the son of the famous actor, also the director of several of John Wayne's later films. On a sad note, Marshal (known for HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL) passed suddenly a few years later.

SEASON 1 EPISODE 38 remastered CBS dvd box set. Volumes 1 and 2. Thanks to METV for running these solid gold oldies twice daily.

This is a funny little coincidence: Jack Raine plays George Baxter in The Case Of The Terrified Typist. In the previous episode, The Case Of The Black-Eyed Blonde, Whitney Blake played Diana Reynolds, the accused (she also played the title character in the very first Perry Mason episode, The Case Of The Restless Redhead). Three years after this episode, 1961, Ms. Blake started playing Dorothy Baxter, wife of George Baxter (played by Don DeFore), who were the employers of the housekeeper named Hazel (1961 - 1966 - the title character, Hazel Burke, was played by Oscar, and other awards, winner Shirley Booth).

This Perry Mason story is really going to have you reaching. The writers must have put in plenty of overtime to get this one down. Blink and you'll miss an important clue.

It starts when Joanna Moore shows up as an temp at Perry Mason's office and Barbara Hale puts her right to work and compliments her. Then there's a robbery on the floor above at a diamond exchange and one of the partners is killed.

Another partner is charged with murder and it's Alan Marshal who Raymond Burr winds up defending. One thing however is that it is Marshal who is seen disposing of a body in the Los Angeles harbor. A disquieting most atypical of the Perry Mason paradigm.

In fact there's a lot atypical in this story as Marshal when he's put on the stand tells a tale that Burr finds incredulous.

In the last 10 minutes all is revealed and this one could have been written by Agatha Christie. William Hopper does some of his best detective work and engages in some atypical fisticuffs proving Paul Drake can handle himself if needed.

And I thought Hamilton Burger was going to give birth right there in court when Perry Mason reveals the truth in court. William Talman's reactions are priceless.

One of the best

Even though this episode has twist at every turn it does delivery a watchable show.

It involves a diamond company, located one floor above Perry's office, where they have a little break-in and then a murder. All the evidence points to Duane Jefferson (Alan Marshall) as being the person that committed such a crime. We even get a boats-man, played by Hank Patterson of Green Acres fame (Fred Ziffel) that actually can ID Jefferson near where a body was dumped.

Mr Jefferson case hinges on a women he was with the night of the murder but he refuses to name the women. Which makes the viewer scramble to find/guess the woman before it is brought out in court. But there is a surprising twist that leads the meeting of two people useless to the crime.

Also this is one where Perry actually loses the case. Hamilton Burger is aglow with excitement as the foreman of the jury reads "guilty". Even the viewer more than likely have voted guilty after Lt Tragg presented evidence from a broken concrete block that I feel sure 'had his mark'.

But hold fast Perry fans. The show still has ten minutes and that means just enough time for Paul and Perry to do some checking on the facts. And from the Chubby Checker recording - It is time to do the twist all over again.

Throw in some lies, photos and a heaping of switcheroo and Perry could get this guy off before the show ends. But in another seemingly endless twist, the person that Perry is defending may not be found innocent of the crime after-all. Perry maybe having dinner with Paul and Della but the man Perry was defending may have his dinner catered by the prison system.

As sore as I was from all the twist of the show- it was enjoyable to watch.