Perry Mason The Case of the Arrogant Arsonist (1957–1966) Online

There's a lot of interesting location shooting (as well as use of stock footage) in this case about a retired fire chief named Carey York (Tom Tully) who is accused of arson and murder in torching his own warehouse by an obnoxious TV reporter named Tommy Towne (Frank Aletter).

York goes to Perry to sue Towne for slander. When Towne turns up dead in York's car, well, who's the most logical suspect?

Tom Tully is great as the retired but feisty fire chief and is well supported by Bryon Morrow as a arson expert. Wynn Pierce is less successful as the disappointing son who doesn't follow his dad into the life of firefighting, but the producers must have liked him because they had him on five different episodes. Della is missing in action again, giving Connie Cezan to make another appearance as the seldom seen receptionist Gertie. She's kind of the comic relief in the Mason office, but fortunately does not overstay her welcome.

The ending of this one is particularly action packed, and out of the courtroom for a change as Paul and young York set a trap for the real murderer. There's some great location shoots at the Vincent-St. Thomas bridge down in San Pedro and fire station 99, which apparently is on Mullholland and has a great overview of the city below. There's also a good deal of stock warehouse fire footage, but is well integrated and doesn't poke you in the eye with its obviousness.

Pushy and mouthy talk show host Frank Aletter who has it in for former Fire Chief Tom Tully whom he held responsible for not saving his house. Now there's been an arson fire and it's at a warehouse that Tully owns and he's said on the air that Tully torched his own place. That wins him a slander suit for which Tully has retained Perry Mason. Oh, incidentally the night watchman was killed in the arson.

But then Tully gets arrested when Aletter is found at the bottom of a canyon in Tully's car and dead before it hit the bottom. That's when Tom Tully really needs Raymond Burr.

One of the shortest courtroom sequences in the history is in this area, where Raymond Burr puts on no defense at the hearing and the judge orders Tully bound over for trial. To William Talman's befuddlement, but Burr has it in mind to get the real culprit to implicate himself outside the courtroom.

That involves the real killer briefly holding Perry Mason hostage and then fleeing another waterfront warehouse. The Perry Mason Show gets a bit of unexpected action not in the courtroom.

I watched this episode with three other people. All claiming to enjoy watching episodes of "Perry Mason". At the end of the show I was the only one still watching when the credits rolled.

Maybe it was because the show seemed slow about getting to the grit of the story. Or maybe the sub-plots were more interesting that the actually crime. Anyway the beginning and ending were good but not enough meat in the middle of the episode. By the time the show ends, I was more interesting if Paul would score with the accountant than who started the fire.

SPOILER AHEAD--The story involves a retired fire captain that is accused by an investigative reporter of arson. The reporter (a Hardcopy guy) goes on air and says that Carey York (Tom Tully), the retired fireman, set fire to a warehouse. So Mr York hires Perry to sue the reporter and station.

However the reporter and fireman team up together, without telling anyone, and the reporter ends up dead in the fireman's car. Thus leading to more mystery than just arson.

There are two other things going on in this episode. First is the relationship between the fireman and his son Dorian York (Wynn Pearce) this becomes interesting during the show, Also we are all pulling for Paul when he teams up with this woman accountant. We are hoping it leads to more but with any 60's series- ends right where it began.

If you last till the ending you will not be disappointed. It ended differently than most episodes since it happened away from the courtroom. Plus there is no Della in this episode. Perry says that she is staying with her aunt.

This episode, while not the best, is still watchable. Just make sure you stay till the end.

***SPOILERS*** I used to work for Vickers, Corp. For 1 day, I sat and would coils for solenoids. This was a national company, and of course, all I really had to do was watch the machine wind up the copper wire onto the spool. Suicideally boring, but NOT complicated. Now, maybe the machines that did the machining process to build the "Coilatron"?... Enough, already. Overbearing, "Gotta do it MY WAY", pain in the patoot, EX fire chief Carey York manages to blunder his way into all kinds of trouble that Perry, Paul, and Captain Hillmann cooperate to catch the the traitorous scum who's extorted a poor immigrant family, murdering the father (and dirt-bag commies probably murdered the mother) and framing York. The writers, and directors gave Sylvia (Elaine Devry) some extra screen time with Paul. Unnecessary, but she is sure good looking. York's long-suffering kid should have been given an opportunity to get his hands on the colossal creep that did his dad dirt, but the glory went to the L.A.F.D. and a beautiful Fireboat (the coolest). Captain Hillman has some of the greatest facial wrinkles ever shown on this show, by the way. I also say that the director could have easily included York's son in the capture; you know, have him side block or just high tackle him to the pavement _ give the fantastic stunt crew something to show off with. York explains WHY Towne (never give up expose' / investigative reporter) was P.O.ed at the department, and him personally, and between himself, and Hillman, give a brief, concentrated tutorial on Santa Ana winds, and Hillside brush fires - possibly one of the best explanations ever offered on any T.V. show ("Emergency" excepted). All's well that ends well, butt, York is still a horse's patoot. Good acting from recognizable character performers, and an okay plot. One question: when they had the arson ingredients in York's car, why didn't they arrest him right there? L.A.F.D is one of the very best departments in the world, and they well well served in this episode. Thanks. One other point. There was almost no smoking in this episode. I wonder if L.A.F.D. requested it?? I gave this one a 9.