The Case of the Howling Dog (1959) User Reviews (12)

An excellent who-done-it mystery that will have you guessing

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 13 May 2013]

This episode contain one of the most cold-blooded killers in the history of the series as the person has to kill to make their life happy then has to kill to keep their life from spiraling out of control. It is really a sad tale as a person believes in something that is never going to happen.

It begins at the Bayliss Sanitarium where Evelyn Forbes escapes and goes to see her former husband Clinton Forbes. Clinton is now married to a younger woman named Polly but it seems that their marriage was just a way for Clinton is bleed more money from the women he knows. Clinton is also having an affair with another younger secretary named Thelma Brent - so you can see that Clinton is an all around bad dude and is in prime location to be knocked off.

When Clinton is murdered there is much evidence to point to many people but in the end Hamilton Burger's office arrest Evelyn Forbes for killing her ex-husband for the money that she felt was cheated from her by Clinton. Perry will do his best to defend this case and even uses some shenanigans to try to confuse a witness. But when all is said and done it will be an howling dog that will lead Perry to find out what transpired at the Forbes house of horrors.

This is one of those great who-done-it shows that will have you guessing the entire time. How Perry knew about the circumstances of the murder is what is called TV magic- but it did not take away from the entertaining and interesting story. Good watch.

Excellent Perry Mason mystery

[shakspryn · 9/10 · 11 January 2018]

This is a classic Perry Mason episode. As with so many episodes, it shows Perry, Paul and Della working together as a friendly team. They are all people one would like to have for friends! Ann Rutherford is the big guest star of this outing. Seventeen years earlier, in 1942, she did the last of her twelve Andy Hardy films as Polly Benedict, Andy's pert girlfriend. By April 1959, when this episode of Perry Mason aired, she was a perfectly nice, but not at all striking, middle-aged lady, at 41. It took me aback to see her here, after recently watching a 1937 film with her. I would not have recognized her, except for her characteristic big eyes. She does a fine job as a member of the guest ensemble. There is the usual good use of exterior scenes in the episode. They are not used a lot, but enough to offer some visual variety. The mansion house shown is particularly impressive.

Scary and Unsettling PM Episode

[mxfrickey-61583 · 9/10 · 12 August 2018]

This is one of the scarier Perry Mason episodes I have seen. At first it's merely spooky, the scene at the asylum well done and atmospheric. But as the mystery deepens, the story becomes increasingly unsettling. Then, when Perry uncovers more deaths near the end, the murderer's confession reveals how much of a monster this seemingly nice person really is. Mason's outrage at the killer is eclipsed by the sadness one feels about the senseless deaths that have occurred. The attempt at humor in the ending scene, at Perry's office, can't overcome what is one of PMs darker cases.

SeeLeg Lester Gets Most Often Done Gardener Plot

[DKosty123 · 9/10 · 31 December 2008]

The plot behind this film is one of Gardener's most often done. This story was done at least once as a feature film and I believe it was done another time.

The plot is around the annoying howls of a dog and how they relate to a murder committed. The logic of why the dog was either howling or not howling has a lot to do with solving who committed the murder.

Mason has to put the clues together and needs Drake in this screen adaption to put on the dog so to speak. It is not an easy one to crack although this TV version does condense this plot more than the version in the movie version in the 1930's.

Overall, it is a very strong episode of this excellent series.

Affecting music

[mark-samson · 10/10 · 22 November 2018]

A great episode, as others have already described. I'll just add that there is some unusually affecting music playing while the killer confesses in court. It doesn't last long. It's probably some stock music from the studio sound library, but it made me think of Bernard Hermann, who scored some of Hitchcock's films.

Delightful dark

[Jelevision · 9/10 · 11 July 2022]

I like this episode because it's so delightfully dark - on both sides. The prosecution (namely Burger and Tragg) uses unethical methods to railroad an innocent suspect, and Mason calls them out on it in open court. Meanwhile, Mason pulls some of his trademark questionable shenanigans to try to regain the upper hand.

Very much in the spirit of the original Erle Stanley Gardner books.

Again, very interesting comparing this episode to the WB 1934 movie

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 11 December 2022]

This episode opens with a woman in an asylum hitting a nurse over the head with a vase and escaping. It turns out she is Evelyn Cartwright, the sister of Arthur Cartwright, and she had a nervous breakdown after her husband, Clinton Foley, stole all of her money and then took off with another woman, who just happened to be Arthur Cartwright's wife, Polly. Evelyn comes to live with Arthur as she appears to be much better now, although it is odd there is never a legal reckoning over hitting that nurse over the head. But I digress.

So apparently Clinton Foley, Evelyn's ex husband, is now cheating on his current wife, Polly, with yet another woman. This time the other woman has no money, so it must be love. Since Clinton Foley is this week's guest villain, of course he winds up dead. Perry, who was initially entangled in all of this due to a simple will request by Arther Cartwright, is now defending Evelyn Cartwright for the murder of her ex husband.

There are quite a few twists and turns in this one, some of those twists done rather awkwardly. I imagine the kinks in the script have to do with this adaptation of Erle Stanley Gardner's novel being problematic because of its severe production code busting aspects including the fact that central to the plot there are a man and woman living together but not married and that Perry Mason uses lots of underhanded tricks to get his client off. These were features not bugs in the 1934 film starring Warren William, mainly because William's on screen persona in his pre codes were that of the cad that you hate to love, but you just can't help yourself.

There is one odd similarity. The voice of Gordon Westcott who plays Arthur Cartwright in the 1930s movie and the voice of the actor who plays him in the TV episode sound very similar. I don't know if that was done intentionally or not.

Great Dog

[darbski · 10/10 · 3 July 2017]

**SPOILERS** This episode starts out with Mrs. Forbes bashing a beautiful nurse so she could steal her uniform; next, she's in California threatening her ex to return her money he stole. How did she get there? Fuggetaboutit. She see her dog, and just leaves him there? By god, if someone stole MY dog and I found him, I'd untie him, put him in the cab with me, and to hell with anyone who tried to stop me. This is part of the ending, when Paul brings "Sammy"; I had a fantastic dog of my own named Sammy many years ago; to Perry's office, says he's a killer, at which point the beautiful Alsatian licks his face and wags his tail. Where is his owner?

I knew I recognized the dumb ox that was tricked very easily by Perry, and I used IMDb's cast references to pin him as "Pope"; the operative that Clint Eastwood "Wormwood" works over in the "Eiger Sanction" he's played a lot of these roles, good and bad in his career. He also has a great role in "Joe Kidd" (one of my favorite westerns), a solid bit player, and punching bag for Clint. Another cameo actor is Vito Scotti. Famous among bit players, able to adapt and play his character to any scene. Four beautiful brunettes grace this episode from the very good to the very bad First is, of course Barbara Hale as Della, and yes, I left out the nurse who was K.O.'ed in the first scene.

One thing I have a problem with is: why didn't Paul have and extension phone line run up to the second floor bedroom where his operator was staking out the residence across the street? They're pros and HAD to know what was important. The bad secretary was driving a really sweet little Sunbeam convertible, Paul's operator had an Edsel. Perry, a Ford Fairlane - should have been a Caddie. A terrific story, neat ending, and zero sympathy for the killer.

Good Plot Structure

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 1 January 2022]

The events of the episode are nicely structured to get to the murder of a nasty, conniving, hurtful man. There are several affected by him, including his first wife, whom he drove to a nervous breakdown. Perry uses some clever methods to set up the solution.

A one person homicide machine

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 8 September 2014]

It isn't just the murder that Perry Mason client Ann Rutherford is charged with that the eventually unmasked perpetrator is charged with. No indeed, this culprit gets on record three murders of humans and another of the selfsame Howling Dog of the title of the story.

Robert Ellenstein pays Raymond Burr a hefty retainer to defend his sister of a murder she might yet commit. Not that he hasn't good reason to, the target that the siblings is John Holland, the former husband of Rutherford. Holland dumped Rutherford for her former sister-in-law Elaine Edwards, also Ellenstein's former wife. And as is broadly hinted ready to get things going with his secretary Fintan Meyler. This man's demise is definitely a public service to the female gender.

But the wrong person shouldn't pay for this murder. In the end the right person is discovered and a few more the cast perishes in one of the more bloody Perry Mason episodes.

The Drake Detective Agency figures prominently in this story as William Hopper's snoopers and their surveillance play a big part in uncovering the culprit.

Interesting if bloody story.

Barking up the wrong tree

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 14 May 2013]

***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!

The Case of the Howling Dog

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 8 March 2024]

This is a complex plot with the old standard trop, the despicable womanising cad at the centre of it.

He is Clinton Forbes whose aim in life is to marry rich women and steal/take their cash. Divorce them and move onto the next victim. In between sleep around with some shapely ladies who think you really love them even if they are not loaded.

Evelyn Cartwright is one such victim. She married Forbes, he took her money and then ditched her. She ended up in an asylum. Probably as his next wife was Polly. She had been married to Evelyn's brother Arthur.

Polly left Arthur for Forbes when he put on the charm. Now she finds out he is spending her money and sleeping with his secretary, or that is what he describes her.

Arthur Cartwright consults Perry Mason about a will and tells him about Forbes. Only he winds up defending his sister Evelyn accused of murdering Forbes.

However it seems both Arthur and Polly have disappeared and there is the curious case of the howling dog at the Forbes household.

Based on an Erle Stanley Gardner that had to be stripped down. It does render the teleplay a tad confusing. Especially as Perry Mason has to utilise some legal chicanery to defend his client.

The reveal is rather dark that involves several deaths. Never get involved with a cad.