Perry Mason: The Case of the Calendar Girl

Faulkner · Jul 7, 2024

Mrs. Faulkner was watching an old Perry Mason rerun from season 2 which first aired in April of 1959 entitled "The Case of the Calendar Girl". I was in the room and wasn't really paying attention until I heard the local police detective mention a 38 was used in the alleged crime. He then produced a "Colt 38" that was found in the suspect's glove box and I glanced up and what seemed to be a new in the box Colt model M caught my eye.

I grabbed the remote and paused it, then backed it up and snapped a picture of the so called "Colt 38". Yep, looks like a Colt model M, probably a 1908 in .380 ACP.

I commented to Mrs. Faulkner, "I guess even in the '50's Hollywood couldn't get the gun stuff quite right."

"Well", she said, "that episode was over 70 years ago and they're all dead now. I doubt they care."

Puller · Jul 7, 2024

People didn't lock their cars back in the 1950's, pretty much anyone could have planted that gun in there.

Rudi · Jul 8, 2024

One of the best TV shows ever made. They did frequently get the gun stuff right. And, Della was a babe.

jimmyj · Jul 8, 2024

technically it is a "Colt .38" ??

Mike0251 · Jul 8, 2024

Watched all of them. There are a few episodes with beautiful Colt 1911's in 38 super. Some nice S&W's too.

C3Ranger · Jul 8, 2024

The author who created the Perry Mason character and stories was a lawyer and based some of his tales on his own experiences. He also wrote a non-fiction book describing several cases of wrongful convictions that he and a group of associates called "The Court of Last Resort" investigated. The book of the same name is an interesting read.

Forgot to mention the author's name above. He was Erle Stanley Gardner.

SMSgt · Jul 8, 2024

Robert Parker, who wrote the Spenser and Jessie Stone novels series, mentioned having to cock a Glock and all semiauto pistols had to be cocked in his novels. His co-authors--since Parker's passing--have continued the trend.

DWalt · Jul 8, 2024

C3Ranger said:
The author who created the Perry Mason character and stories was a lawyer and based some of his tales on his own experiences. He also wrote a non-fiction book describing several cases of wrongful convictions that he and a group of associates called "The Court of Last Resort" investigated. The book of the same name is an interesting read.

Forgot to mention the author's name above. He was Erle Stanley Gardner.

Gardner's inspiration for Perry Mason was a San Antonio lawyer named Park Street, his best friend. Gardner visited Street often and always stayed with him. That is how Della got her last name. But Park Street was not a criminal lawyer. Street built a replica of Mason's conference room and law library just like the ones in the TV series in his own law office. Allegedly he was a very colorful and flamboyant character. Street also had something to do with "The Court of Last Resort."

sheepdawg · Jul 8, 2024

Rudi said:
One of the best TV shows ever made. They did frequently get the gun stuff right. And, Della was a babe.

Indeed, Della was hot.

SMSgt · Jul 8, 2024

sheepdawg said:
Indeed, Della was hot.

Her role was badly underutilized.

swsig · Jul 8, 2024

sheepdawg said:
Indeed, Della was hot.

SMSgt said:
Her role was badly underutilized.

You guys would like "darbski", a guy who has reviewed every episode of Perry Mason on the Internet Movie Data Base. He is obsessed with Della, and never fails to comment on how beautiful she is.

She wasn't the only one. The producers had kind of a stock company of beautiful women who were "semi-regulars" on the show. Two of my favorites are below:

Lisa Gaye

Leslie Parrish

Women like these gave the lecherous Paul Drake plenty of opportunities to do his patented ogling. I guess you could say Drake was the series' King Leer.

DWalt · Jul 8, 2024

I remember reading about one male bit player who appeared as a jury member in every episode. What a job to have.

ACORN · Jul 8, 2024

swsig said:
Lisa Gaye

Women like these gave the lecherous Paul Drake plenty of opportunities to do his patented ogling. I guess you could say Drake was the series' King Leer.

Yowza she is sharp!!

I always thought Paul was batting for the other team.

31FordA · Jul 8, 2024

I was at a gun auction last fall that included Earl Stanley Gardners S&W Chiefs Special. Although it wasn’t why I was at the auction, I did bid on it. Didn’t win it unfortunately. Would’ve been cool to have, I watch Perry Mason on MeTV almost every day.

Golddollar · Jul 8, 2024

sheepdawg said:
Indeed, Della was hot.

And not from the Amana Radar Range.

Erle Stanley Gardner played a judge in the last TV episode "The Case of the Final Fadeout" (I just looked it up to be sure). I have all of the DVDs, most of the books, and the Perry Mason TV Show Book.

Perry Mason: The Case of the Calendar Girl

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