***SPOILERS*** Somewhat confusing Perry Mason, Raymond Burr, episode in all the sub-plots in it as well as the mysterious death and later resurrection of the Dog, Sammie, in question has Perry for once dumbfounded in who the killer is. It's Perry's client the former Mrs. Evelyn Forbes, Ann Rutherford, who's indited in her ex husband Clinton Forbes', Bill Holland, murder. But as Perry uncovers Clinton's shady past he realizes that his killer was someone the he lately did in by at first romancing her and later dropping her like a hot potato.
Someone like his latest wife Evelyn's sister-in-law Polly Forbes who he was about to check out on after he cleaned out all her bank accounts. The fact that Polly checked out to Mexico with her former husband Evelyn's brother Arthur Cartwright, Robert Ellenstein, made the case far more difficult for Perry to comprehend. In that Arthur was the person whom he to be call to testify in getting his sister off on Clinton's murder charge! It was Arthur who had earlier told Perry that he'll kill Clinton and doesn't care if he ends up getting the electric chair or gas chamber for doing it! All Arthur wanted to know from Perry is if by doing that it won't effect his will in leaving all his earthly possessions to his sister Evelyn.
****SPOILER ALERT****As Perry discovered it was Sammie, the Forbes pet dog, who clued him in to who not only murdered Clinton Forbes but as we soon found out Polly and Arthur as well! And the person who did it was in fact ladies man Clinton's latest lover whom he was about to check out on, like he did on Polly & Evelyn, as soon as the time was right for him! It was by his killer by having Clinton buried in the back yard of his home that had Sammie stand watch and mourned, or howled, at the secret graveside of his master for days. It was that which had attracted Perry's suspicions in who murderer him as well as Polly & Arthur.
P.S Check out actor Gregory Wallcott as the what seemed like brain damaged ex-football player Bill Johnson who was manipulated into giving Clinton's killer an alibi in the triple killings. Wallcott was to make a name for himself two years later in 1959 in the all time bad movie classic director Ed Woods' "Plan Nine from Outer Space" as hero air force pilot Jeff Trent. It was Jeff who punched out the evil alien Eros after he insulted him as well as the entire human race by calling Jeff stupid in wanting the US to get it's hand on the super nuclear Solarnite Bomb. A bomb which if tested or detonated could destroy the entire universe!
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