Perry Mason (TV Series) The Case of the Corresponding Corpse (1958) User Reviews

A man dies twice in this suspect-filled mystery

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 11 April 2013]

The episode begins when a insurance investigator named Harry Folsom is blackmailing a man named George Beaumont concerning the faking of his death. It seemed that he was suppose to be on an airplane that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean but never got on the plane. When he found out that everyone thought he was dead, he decided that his wife would be better off with the insurance money so he faked his death and started a new life. Now an investigator has found out his scheme.

George has been in a relationship with Ruth Whittaker and advises her that he is returning to his wife. Ruth pays $7000 to the insurance investigator wanting George to stay with her. But he has made up his mind to return to his wife. He has already called Perry Mason, which came as a shock to Perry, in order to make his return. But Ruth is not a happy camper. Having paid the blackmailer, she threatens George with a letter opener. Later George is found dead with a letter opener stuck in his back. Of course Ruth is charged with the murder and Perry will defend her in court.

But it not as cut and dry as the situation suggest. There are many suspects. From Ruth's hard nose father, George's wife Laura and the man that is in love with Laura. So there is many people that could be suspect in this mystery. With some nice acting and great interchange between Perry and Lt Tragg, this show was interesting from beginning to end.

Husband returns from the grave

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 26 July 2013]

Joan Camden is the Perry Mason client in this episode. Ms. Camden is involved with a man who faked his own death, but a sharp and blackmailing investigator played by Vaughn Taylor has found him out and wants a payoff. Though Camden pays him her boyfriend Ross Elliott decides to make a clean breast of it and later is found dead for real. It's Camden that Ray Collins arrests for the crime.

Though Taylor who steals the episode with his portrayal of a slimebag is the most likely alternative, there are a few others. Highlight of the episode is a scene where Taylor goes toe to toe with William Hopper saying that Raymond Burr could find himself in a jackpot if Paul Drake pushes too hard.

See this one for Vaughn Taylor.

Back to Life

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 14 December 2021]

A man who failed to make his flight finds that his plane crashed and uses it to defraud he insurance company so his wife will benefit. This is one of those cases where a loyal, loving soul pays a price for her commitment to this guy when he decides to face the music. The complications bring in some pretenders, including a blackmailer from the insurance company. I rather enjoyed this first offering of the Second Season.

Check It Out

[darbski · 10/10 · 1 June 2017]

George Beaumont was an idiot. He was a screwup in business, and a screwup in life. In a Darwinian twist of fate, he gets dead just as he's about to admit to falsifying his own death.

Ruth Whittaker is not much smarter; paying off a slimy insurance investigator when George said he wouldn't. Not to mention throwing everything else of importance out of her life. Incidentally, we were never let in to WHY she was so angry at her father that she would cut him off completely (besides the fact that he didn't like George- he was right, too).

Enter Perry Mason. He's goes to work and uncovers the real killer, exonerating his client (Ruth, of course). Two Questions, 1) How did Ruth find George so fast? 2) Was it really blackmail? Folsom didn't actually extort Ruth, did he? He was aiming at George. She just bought the report from him. I mean; it was professional malfeasance, but not blackmail.

**SPOILER** The salesman's trick wasn't as simple as it looks. When returning the paperwork, the thief HAS to be able to unroll the letter or check with expert manipulation so that it doesn't jam up in the envelope.

Poetic justice that lovely Della has to write out a check for Paul on the machine he bought out of a weakness for a good sales pitch.

Very good episode, with excellent acting, as usual, from SAG performers, kudos ...

Well Written Tale of A Man Back From The Dead

[DKosty123 · 8/10 · 20 October 2018]

Don Brinkley wrote a lot of television shows, yet this one is his only Perry Mason. It is one of the better early 1958 episodes where Gardener only gets credit for the characters and not the script. It is well written.

The acting here is good too. A lot of solid performances including the late Jeanne Cooper who for many years after would be forever Young and Restless on CBS. The main plot is about the murder of a man who was already supposed to be dead in an airplane crash. Back when this was written, it was much easier to disappear than it is now. Now he has been found out by a shady Insurance Investigator who wants money or else he is turning the guy in. He is going to give himself up to Mason but his girlgriend from Art Class pays the Insurance guy not to turn him in.

Then she is unhappy to learn that the guy is not only going to turn himself in, but he is going to try and rehook up with his wife (Cooper). When he winds up dead, the girlfriend is the accused because of the circumstances. Mason has to try and prove one of the other suspects had more motive and prove she did not.

Excellent Season Opener

[jkgoldie · 10/10 · 1 June 2022]

What makes this episode great is a tight story line, nothing crazy or outlandish. There is an extortion element, a love desire, and fked death ll neatly wrapped together.

THE WELL INSURED LIVING CORPSE!

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 4 January 2024]

You have to love the title for this season opener, an outstanding little mystery. Don Brinkley wrote this, though suprisingly, it was the only episode he did. Missed opportunity. Brinkley was associated with both cop and adventure shows in a long career, later creating TRAPPER JOHN.

Popular character actor Ross Elliot plays George Beaumont who basically fakes his own death in a plane crash --that he was supposed to be a passenger on but was not. Very clever. Accordingly, the insuarance money goes to his wife, but there is a third party. Enter no-account investigator Vaughn Taylor (as Harry), perfectly cast as a blackmailer who wants a slice of the pie --until George turns up dead for a SECOND time!

Don't you love this skullduggery?

This is all beautifully done and well acted by some familiar faces. Joan Camden, who appeared in three series episodes, plays Perry's client, Ruth. Future soap opera star Jeanne Cooper plays Laura.

Taylor definitely has fun with his role as you will see. He guested on many classic tv shows, generally as brooding or bitter old gents with a bone to pick with someone.

Yes, this is the first story, and actually a groundbreaking episode, employing a female judge for a change of pace. Not really clear if Don Brinkley wrote it that way, or the producers cast an actress as the judge, however the parties involved are to be congratulated.

Brinkley may have also "borrowed" the general idea from a classic ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS episode called "Don't Come back Alive," this time making the wife the phony victim instead of the husband.

SEASON 2 EPISODE 1 remastered CBS/Universal box set.

The Case of the Corresponding Corpse

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 29 August 2021]

George Beaumont is a businessman who faked his own death after the plane he was meant to be on crashed into the Atlantic Ocean several years earlier.

His wife got the life insurance money and is doing well with the business. She also has a new man in her life.

George has been living in crummy digs and become a painter. He has also started a relationship with Ruth Whittaker.

Everything is now at risk. An insurance investigator called Harry Folsom has found out the truth about George and threatens blackmail.

George is in no mood to pay and plans to tell the truth. He even attempts to contact Perry Mason.

Later George is found dead and Ruth is arrested for his murder. She paid Folsom $7000 in blackmail and later found out that George was planning to get back with his wife.

I liked how Folsom said he could make the problem go away for a few thousand dollars and Ruth just ups and tells him she could raise 6 or 7 thousand dollars. No attempt at negotiation.

Then she must have been livid when George planned to get back with his wife. Just how solid was her relationship with George?

The courtroom scenes were the saving grace of this story. Especially how Mason embarasses Folsom on the stand. Later the trick with the knitting needles.

Now how did you miss that golden opportunity?

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 29 July 2013]

****SPOILERS**** It's when insurance company investigator Harry Folsom, Vaughn Taylor, came across the fact that this artist George Hollister, Ross Elliott, is really the dead but very alive George Beaumont who was killed in a plane crash over the Atlatic he opened up a can of worms that he wouldn't be able to shut. It's in his effort in blackmailing Beaumont into him not reporting his being alive where his wife Laura, Jeanne Cooper, ended up getting a fat insurance pay-off from his death Falsom demanded big bucks some $7,000 worth of them, to keep his big mouth shut.

It's was George Beaumont's girlfriend Ruth Whittaker, Joan Camden, who without George's knowledge came up with the blackmail money to pay Falsom off! But as Beaumont was now ready to turn himself in and face the music he also planned to return to his wife Laura leaving poor Ruth out in the cold and out of his life! After a violent spat with George at the motel he was staying in Ruth walked out in tears on him. It's later that Beaumont was fond stabbed to death just hours after Ruth had it out with her now ex-boyfriend and arrested for his murder!

***SPOILERS*** Taking on Ruth's defense Perry Mason, Raymond Burr, slowly and meticulously works on blackmailer Harry Falsom on the witness stand getting him to admit his shake down of the late, this time for real, George Beaumont in order to be paid off not to reveal that he's in fact alive as artist George Hollister. Not that Falsom murdered Beaumont but by bringing out the fact that he was in fact alive brought him to get back to his wife Laura and thus drop Ruth as his lover.****MAJOR SPOILER*** And what's more it lead to his murder by Laura's now boyfriend who was about to marry her by thinking that her husband George Beaumont was already dead and thus now making sure this time around that he is!

Strange. Details

[bayer-7 · 7/10 · 7 December 2021]

Some things seem different 1 Paul's knock. But Della has to go to the door to let him in 2 significant music played to emphasize moments of stress or enlightenment 3 since when does Paul present a bill?

Feels like a new writer or director.