The setting for last night's episode of Perry Mason was a fitness club, Health House. The owner, Bernard Daniels, is fit but he's also ruthless and unscrupulous. His employees include his niece (heiress apparent), her fiancé (defendant apparent), the fiancé's ex-wife (man-eater apparent) and the locker-room attendant (drunkard obvious).
Dabbs Greer plays the locker-room attendant, Buzz. In the early days, Buzz could have been a partner in the concern but now he drinks -- and hates -- on the job.
Buzz: The muscle-headed windbag. He can’t fire me.
Uncle Bernard sends for Ward (the fiancé) and accuses him of forging checks to a mythical supplier as a way to steal from Health House.
Ward: You wanted to see me, Mr. Daniels?
Bernard: Yes, I did, Nichols. I wanted to see if you knew any good reason I shouldn’t send you to jail.
Bernard is soon discovered dead after being hit over the head with a dumbbell. The police investigation commences and another body is found lying on the floor.
Amzie Strickland, looking at Dabbs Greer’s passed-out form in the locker room: Buzz, Buzz de–. (Turning to Lt. Tragg) What have you done to him?
Perry calls in Paul Drake to investigate the people with some authority at the club. Dr. Harrison Berry, for one.
Ward’s girlfriend/Bernard’s niece: He’s consulting physician at the Health House, you know.
PD: Well, he’s consulting with Veronica at night.
Veronica leads exercise classes at the spa. She married Ward Nichols right after he graduated from college.
Dr. Berry: I remember your saying he'd ordered you to report to him last night.
Veronica: I did report.
Dr. Berry: What did he want?
Veronica shrugs: Who knows? He was dead.
And now we're in court. Ward Nichols is the accused. The forgeries and other fraud are fair game.
PM: You testified that you found the lease and other documents hidden in the defendant’s wardrobe. What does the word “hidden” mean to you?
Sgt. Anderson: Concealed, as when something is put in a place where people would have difficulty finding it.
PM: But you found those documents easily, didn’t you? ... The word “hidden” is not quite right. “Planted.” Would that be the word?
Veronica has been spreading the word that she is pregnant. Who's your daddy?
Perry asks his client: This child she claims she is going to have. Any idea who might be responsible?
Later Hamilton Burger asks Veronica: Why did you tell him about the child? He wasn't directly involved, was he?
I enjoy the way Perry's phraseology clues that the big finale is coming.
PM: What did he then do?
Witness: He gave me a choice.
PM: You took (spoiler) but not the $75,000?
Confessor: Mr. Mason, I'm not a thief.
Dabbs Greer had a long, successful career as a character actor. He was from McDonald county, Missouri, and is buried at Anderson. From his Wikipedia entry I learned that Dabbs was not his given name (which was Robert William) but rather his mother's maiden name. And he was the first person saved by Superman in the old TV show. In this clip from a movie, Dabbs Greer is a young husband, of all things. Made me laugh more than once.
Dabbs Greer plays the locker-room attendant, Buzz. In the early days, Buzz could have been a partner in the concern but now he drinks -- and hates -- on the job.
Buzz: The muscle-headed windbag. He can’t fire me.
Uncle Bernard sends for Ward (the fiancé) and accuses him of forging checks to a mythical supplier as a way to steal from Health House.
Ward: You wanted to see me, Mr. Daniels?
Bernard: Yes, I did, Nichols. I wanted to see if you knew any good reason I shouldn’t send you to jail.
Bernard is soon discovered dead after being hit over the head with a dumbbell. The police investigation commences and another body is found lying on the floor.
Amzie Strickland, looking at Dabbs Greer’s passed-out form in the locker room: Buzz, Buzz de–. (Turning to Lt. Tragg) What have you done to him?
Perry calls in Paul Drake to investigate the people with some authority at the club. Dr. Harrison Berry, for one.
Ward’s girlfriend/Bernard’s niece: He’s consulting physician at the Health House, you know.
PD: Well, he’s consulting with Veronica at night.
Veronica leads exercise classes at the spa. She married Ward Nichols right after he graduated from college.
Dr. Berry: I remember your saying he'd ordered you to report to him last night.
Veronica: I did report.
Dr. Berry: What did he want?
Veronica shrugs: Who knows? He was dead.
And now we're in court. Ward Nichols is the accused. The forgeries and other fraud are fair game.
PM: You testified that you found the lease and other documents hidden in the defendant’s wardrobe. What does the word “hidden” mean to you?
Sgt. Anderson: Concealed, as when something is put in a place where people would have difficulty finding it.
PM: But you found those documents easily, didn’t you? ... The word “hidden” is not quite right. “Planted.” Would that be the word?
Veronica has been spreading the word that she is pregnant. Who's your daddy?
Perry asks his client: This child she claims she is going to have. Any idea who might be responsible?
Later Hamilton Burger asks Veronica: Why did you tell him about the child? He wasn't directly involved, was he?
I enjoy the way Perry's phraseology clues that the big finale is coming.
PM: What did he then do?
Witness: He gave me a choice.
PM: You took (spoiler) but not the $75,000?
Confessor: Mr. Mason, I'm not a thief.
Dabbs Greer had a long, successful career as a character actor. He was from McDonald county, Missouri, and is buried at Anderson. From his Wikipedia entry I learned that Dabbs was not his given name (which was Robert William) but rather his mother's maiden name. And he was the first person saved by Superman in the old TV show. In this clip from a movie, Dabbs Greer is a young husband, of all things. Made me laugh more than once.