I Just Watched...

[txfilmfan]

LOL! Hopper was good casting as Drake. I don't think he could've carried the show as Perry. I don't think it would've been the long running hit it became. Perry needed someone with gravitas. "Star Quality". Burr had it. Hopper was a good supporting actor.

I never realized they ever showed Gertie! Blink, I guess, and you miss her. I'll be watching for her appearances now! I don't think my cable lists the year of the tv episodes. I know it does for movies. I'll have to check next time. Also has the main cast list and pictures (often different than how they appear in the film or episode!)

He was terrific as Drake. Of course we're so used to seeing him that way it's hard
to imagine him as Perry. I can't remember Perry wearing anything other than a dark
suit, whereas Paul had more jazzy ones.

Considering how few people actually come to Perry's office over the course of an
episode Gertie must have had it easy. And she was a pretty blonde with big eyes
a la Bette Davis. I read she was once a stand-in on a Bette Davis movie.

I'm having so much fun getting into my pjs to watch AHP late at night with a yummy
snack at hand. Good evening.

I didn't know she was a stand in for Bette Davis. What was her name? I hope I see her soon. I'm intrigued.

Connie Cezon. I first knew her from watching Three Stooges as a kid. She was in several of the 1950s episodes. They used her as a stand in and double for the film where Bette Davis played twin sisters (Dead Ringer)

This is the one episode I remember well (well, it's two episodes, because they remade it, replacing Shemp with Joe), mainly because of the line she delivers: "I knew you were coming so I baked a cake."

[Andree]

Gertie believed in an informal office atmosphere.


{She'll show up sooner or later. Della didn't need
to smoke that often. She got plenty of second-hand
smoke from Perry's & Paul's coffin nails.}

[Grumpytoad]

Have reached the point where I am no longer sure why I have any given movie in my watch lists. This one had to be either the desire to watch Janet Leigh or Robert Ryan. I went in cold, with no idea of what to expect plot-wise. Did know a bit of these actor’s work.

Act of Violence (1949)

Outstanding first scene. A silent character preparing to do something. On the characters face, pure determination.

After the first ten minutes or so, was positive that I could predict exactly how the movie would unfold. Who would do what, why they would do it, and how things would conclude.

Was not even close. Did not mind at all because the writing was so good.

What I like about the roles that I have seen Leigh do, is that she played women that were written to be more assertive than usual for movies of the time. Nothing against the submissive girlfriend/wife type or the aggressive femme fatale-enjoy those too. But Leigh's characters were less cliché and more interesting, at least for me.

Have seen Ryan act in half a dozen movies. Only one of those roles was as a decent human being. So, no surprise that in this picture he is not so nice. His character has a singular goal, and it eats at him constantly. The brief time he shows true happiness would horrify most people. It is Ryan’s best performance that I have seen so far.

Van Heflin had the third lead in the picture. The man he played was subject to a lot of emotional trauma and indecision. Saw that Heflin usually performed as a supporting character, so I assume that those experiences helped him navigate all the ups and downs of his role in this movie.

Finally, there is Mary Astor. The first few times I watched her in movies, I just did not like her work. And I can’t really say why. Was it the characters she played, or was it her performances? I’ll never know. But this is the second time in a row I thought she was special. And those two roles could not have been more different from each other. In this movie she plays a world-weary woman with questionable morals. But the character also cannot help being kind to a stranger. The movie would have been a much lesser one without Astor’s work.

The camera work and lighting in this black and white picture are excellent as well. For example, there is a well-lit scene between two people where a lie is told. After it is told, the person who is lied to moves into shadow while the liar remains in the light.

The photo below has no relation to the movie. It’s just a really beautiful early portrait of Astor.

[Lorna]

OMG!
GERTIE was CUTE as A BUTTON!

(Not that PERRY would've noticed)

Speaking of, I can't help but take interest in the fact that over the course of the seasons, numerous PERRY MASON episodes feature bit parts for lean, boyish, handsome, YOUNG blonde MEN- there's even a dim-witted INTERN(?)/LEGAL STUDENT working with PERRY in a fe wepisodes who, while he is adorable, absolutely throws the brakes on every episode in which he appears because the show then becomes "MR. MASON'S WORLD" for about 3-5 minutes while DADDY PERRY dryly explains at length to LEGAL EAGLE KEN DOLL various aspects of the legal process. (and he usually has NO ATTACHMENT AT ALL to the plot of the episode)

I know they were tossing a treat to RAY, and to be fair, he deserved it.

He worked hard.

[Hibi]

He was terrific as Drake. Of course we're so used to seeing him that way it's hard
to imagine him as Perry. I can't remember Perry wearing anything other than a dark
suit, whereas Paul had more jazzy ones.

Considering how few people actually come to Perry's office over the course of an
episode Gertie must have had it easy. And she was a pretty blonde with big eyes
a la Bette Davis. I read she was once a stand-in on a Bette Davis movie.

I'm having so much fun getting into my pjs to watch AHP late at night with a yummy
snack at hand. Good evening.

I didn't know she was a stand in for Bette Davis. What was her name? I hope I see her soon. I'm intrigued.

Connie Cezon. I first knew her from watching Three Stooges as a kid. She was in several of the 1950s episodes. They used her as a stand in and double for the film where Bette Davis played twin sisters (Dead Ringer)

This is the one episode I remember well (well, it's two episodes, because they remade it, replacing Shemp with Joe), mainly because of the line she delivers: "I knew you were coming so I baked a cake."

OH, HER!!!! Yes, I'm familiar with her due to the Stooges shorts. Thanks. I didn't realize she was the double in Dead Ringer all these years.

[Hibi]

OMG!
GERTIE was CUTE as A BUTTON!

(Not that PERRY would've noticed)

Speaking of, I can't help but take interest in the fact that over the course of the seasons, numerous PERRY MASON episodes feature bit parts for lean, boyish, handsome, YOUNG blonde MEN- there's even a dim-witted INTERN(?)/LEGAL STUDENT working with PERRY in a fe wepisodes who, while he is adorable, absolutely throws the brakes on every episode in which he appears because the show then becomes "MR. MASON'S WORLD" for about 3-5 minutes while DADDY PERRY dryly explains at length to LEGAL EAGLE KEN DOLL various aspects of the legal process. (and he usually has NO ATTACHMENT AT ALL to the plot of the episode)

I know they were tossing a treat to RAY, and to be fair, he deserved it.

He worked hard.

LOL. Yeah, I remember that young apprentice or whatever he was. Maybe they were trying for a spin off? There were a lot of young, handsome actors, but a lot of old, ugly ones too! A lot of older Hollywood types appeared also (not big stars, but people like Fay Ray; Colleen Gray; Marie Windsor etc.)

[Lorna]

LOL. Yeah, I remember that young apprentice or whatever he was. Maybe they were trying for a spin off? There were a lot of young, handsome actors, but a lot of old, ugly ones too! A lot of older Hollywood types appeared also (not big stars, but people like Fay Ray; Colleen Gray; Marie Windsor etc.)

there's just no way, the guy had NO charisma.

there were also some extremely good-looking women who showed up along the way, whoever ran HAIR AND MAKE-UP on PERRY MASON was nothing like THE ABSOLUTE MONSTER who did MsW.

MONTE MARKHAM- who was REALLY CUTE played PERRY in THE NEW PERRY MASON some time in the 1970's, but it went over about as well as MRS. COLUMBO.

[Lorna]

[kingrat]

The young man in a few of the stories is probably Jackson, a law clerk who is mentioned in a few of the novels. Jackson has no personality in the books, so it's not surprising he is rarely used in the series.

I agree that the hairstyles are usually becoming. We're past the helmet hair and sausage roll curls of the 1940s and not yet into the bouffant era.

[Hibi]

LOL. Yeah, I remember that young apprentice or whatever he was. Maybe they were trying for a spin off? There were a lot of young, handsome actors, but a lot of old, ugly ones too! A lot of older Hollywood types appeared also (not big stars, but people like Fay Ray; Colleen Gray; Marie Windsor etc.)

there's just no way, the guy had NO charisma.

there were also some extremely good-looking women who showed up along the way, whoever ran HAIR AND MAKE-UP on PERRY MASON was nothing like THE ABSOLUTE MONSTER who did MsW.

MONTE MARKHAM- who was REALLY CUTE played PERRY in THE NEW PERRY MASON some time in the 1970's, but it went over about as well as MRS. COLUMBO.

True, but he was nice to look at! . I vaguely remember the remake. Never watched it though. Did they have the same characters? (Della etc.) Perry had a variety of wigs/hairstyles in the series. Some good some not so. (Not Perry himself, I mean the cast!!!)

I think I came across the worst wig in MSW history awhile ago. That teased platinum blonde monstrosity in "Tainted Lady" I think it was. The actress only had one scene (thankfully). Playing some bimbo trying to impress Jessica with her caviar snacks; a past friend of the "Tainted Lady" (Dee Wallace Stone). Seriously, the wig was twice as big as her face!!!!

[Lorna]

I KNOW THE WIG and the episode you mention, but for my money- the official worst wig in MSW HISTORY appears in HANNIGAN'S WAKE (which is an otherwise GENUINELY Interesting season 7(?) episode with a good part for BRADFORD DILLMAN and the last appearance of VAN JOHNSON on the series.)

they hired a 38 year old actress to play a 19 year old (as I recall it) and slap a PARTY CITY "CAROL ANN" FROM POLTERGEIST WIG ON HER MADE FROM THE FINEST PLATINUM POLYESTER** and it DERAILS THE ENTIRE EPISODE.

**I'm surprised you can't see THE CREW in THE REFLECTION

[Hibi]

I KNOW THE WIG and the episode you mention, but for my money- the official worst wig in MSW HISTORY appears in HANNIGAN'S WAKE (which is an otherwise GENUINELY Interesting season 7(?) episode with a good part for BRADFORD DILLMAN and the last appearance of VAN JOHNSON on the series.)

they hired a 38 year old actress to play a 19 year old (as I recall it) and slap a PARTY CITY "CAROL ANN" FROM POLTERGEIST WIG ON HER MADE FROM THE FINEST PLATINUM POLYESTER** and it DERAILS THE ENTIRE EPISODE.

**I'm surprised you can't see THE CREW in THE REFLECTION

That one is aired a lot! I'll have to look for it! Don't understand why the wigs were so bad on that show. You'd think the actors would rebel!

[jimimac71]

I was watching MSW on my computer screen using my Roku. Strange but true.
Sitting closer to my computer than my TV, I noticed a lady being questioned at the police station.
Not only was the wig noticeable, but her eyeglasses did not have lenses.
A few days ago on either The Roku Channel or Pluto TV.
I believe they show the same episodes at the same time.

[Hibi]

I was watching MSW on my computer screen using my Roku. Strange but true.
Sitting closer to my computer than my TV, I noticed a lady being questioned at the police station.
Not only was the wig noticeable, but her eyeglasses did not have lenses.
A few days ago on either The Roku Channel or Pluto TV.
I believe they show the same episodes at the same time.

LOL! I'll have to look out for that one!

[jimimac71]

I was watching MSW on my computer screen using my Roku. Strange but true.
Sitting closer to my computer than my TV, I noticed a lady being questioned at the police station.
Not only was the wig noticeable, but her eyeglasses did not have lenses.
A few days ago on either The Roku Channel or Pluto TV.
I believe they show the same episodes at the same time.

LOL! I'll have to look out for that one!

Right now Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Freevee Live are showing "Amsterdam Kill" on Murder, She Wrote.
The Freevee app has MSW On-Demand, 6 seasons. The Amazon Prime app is needed for the Freevee live channels.