Zeus

The Case Of The Black Cat (1936)

• Directors
  • William C. McGann
  • Alan Crosland(uncredited)
• Writers
  • Erle Stanley Gardner(story)
  • F. Hugh Herbert(screen play)
• Stars
  • Ricardo Cortez
  • June Travis
  • Jane Bryan

  Warner Bros.' "Perry Mason" series quietly slipped from the "A" to the "B" category with this adaptation of Erle Stanley Gardner's The Case of the Caretaker's Cat. Ricardo Cortez and June Travis take over from Warren William and Claire Dodd as criminal attorney Perry Mason and his faithful secretary Della Street. Though the characters had been married in Case of the Velvet Claws, they're unattached again here, though Della is still hoping. This time there are three murders, all connected with a hectic treasure hunt and a screeching feline (grey, not black!) Throwing an added spanner into the works is the fact that one of the murders is a phony, designed to permit a millionaire from escaping his responsibilities. Case of the Black Cat was later redone as an hour-long episode of the Perry Mason TV series.