User Reviews

**SPOILERS** Yeah, Dickie Durham was a double dirtbag. His whole purpose in life seemed to be screwing things up for other people, including the one and only friend he had, Lord Henry Fothergill. Cut to chase, even getting killed for being a complete rat, he screwed things up for his friend. And what an appropriate place to croak; on the waterfront docks, with other rats; killer by another rat.

Now, when Perry shakes all the nuts out of the trees, we find out that the Dickster was actually put out of everyone else's misery by a rat with more attitude. Turns out, it may well have been self-defense! Hmm.... could be. Problem is, Rat #2 was willing to let Lord Henry take a fall foe Murder One; NOT cool. Changes things more in the direction of Manslaughter One.

Guess what? Lord Henry inherits EVGERYTHING. Very cool. It's a given that he'll only want what's rightfully his: enough for his pub, back in Austrailia. He only wants $18 grand, but I'm sure that Perry will negotiate a more reasonable sum equitable to all. With the dead brush swept aside, Paula's father Russell will be able to manage a lot better future for their family as well.

Barbara Parkins (Paula) was quite beautiful in this episode; Pre-Peyton Place infatuation crush (we all loved her). Della, of course, was perfect. Lord Henry perfectly represented the oil concerns through subliminal advertising (hair tonic). As usual, it's the minor players that keep this episode real. Many thanks to S.A.G. for having the deep pool of talent that these shows depended so much on. Thanks to IMDb for references, and history.

***SPOILERS**** After an almost 20 absence heavily intoxicated and pain in the butt Richard W. "Dickie" Durham, Liam Sullivan, shows up from far off Australia with his drinking buddy Harry Fothergill, Sean McClory, in town, L.A, to start trouble with his brother Russell, Ford Rainey, who's a very successful oil entrepreneur. It's Dickie's rude and obnoxious behavior that has his brother almost want to ring his neck or hire a Mafia hit man to do the job for him. Trying to shake down Russell for $18,000.00 as a down payment for a pub that he and Harry plan to run down under, Australia, soon becomes a bit ridicules. That's in that Dickie in a will that he has attorney Perry Mason, Raymond Burr, write out for him that has a $250,000.00 pay out! Far far more then the $18,000.00 he wants from Russell to open up his & Harry's pub!

Is all this, the will, some kind of joke by Dickie or does he, who seems to be penniless, have the cash and had been keeping it from everyone, including Harry, around him all these years. There's also the case of Dickie's niece Paula, Barbara Parkins, whom he's been keeping in touch with over the last eight years without his brother's, Barbara's father, knowledge! It's later when Dickie in found stabbed to death at the L.A waterfront that the truth about Dickie's money and relationship with Barbara comes out of the wash or the Durham's family dirty laundry.

***SPOILERS*** Even though Harry is indited in Dickie's murder all the evidence against seems to have been planted by those, in the oil business, who wanted Dickie out of the way. With Perry Mason defending Harry he slowly gets to the heart of the matter in Dickie's murder that not only had to do with his secret ownership of an oil well in West Texas but who was trying to grab it off him before Dickie can figure out who he is! And as Perry exposes him in court he was someone that Dickie had his number, in what a sleaze ball he was, right from the very moment he laid eyes on him!