The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (Warner Bros.) (1937)

THERES MURDER IN THE HEIR Sse : \ QUIK DCRBDBBQK <a \\ K\ AA <« Yo: \S Ss ail oe "THE ’ CASE 0) ae STUTTERING By Erle Stanley Gardner, with ANNE NAGEL: LINDA PERRY CRAIG REYNOLDS GORDON OLIVER JOSEPH CREHAN Directed by William Clemens A First National Picture DONALD WOODS ANN DVORAK WARNE R BROS.’ CAMPAIGN PLAN ‘(Lead-Off Story) Latest Gardner Mystery Coming Soon to Strand “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop” is First National’s latest murder mystery drama from the pen of Erle Stanley Gardner, whose success with the “who-dunit” type of novel has been mounting since 1923, until now he ranks high among best. sellers. The picture is scheduled. to open Onsen. pene at the Theatre. Donald Woods plays the part of Perry Mason, debonaire lawyer-detective, and Ann Dvorak his quick-witted secretary, Della Street. They find themselves drawn into the baffling murder of Ronald C. Brownley, a millionaire oil man, by a Bishop who is anxious to see that justice is done in the matter of inheriting the oil man’s wealth. Six people are suspected of the plot and resultant murder to obtain the fortune of the oil man for a girl who poses as his granddaughter, played by Anne Nagel. ‘The Bishop is one of the suspected imposters by virtue of the fact that he stutters, and the unfolding of the story, the discovery of the imposters and_ the real murderers, suspense woven into each ineident until the moment of its startling denouement, makes “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop” one of the most thrilling mystery dramas of the year. Edward MeWade is the stuttering Bishop and others in the cast include Charles Wilson, Helen MacKellar, Joseph Crehan, Linda Perry, Tom Kennedy, Craig Reynolds, Mira McKinney, Veda Ann Borg and Gordon Oliver. (Review) A *‘Stuttering Bishop’ Is Hero of New Mystery Film Donald Woods And Ann Dvorak Have Leads In Latest Gardner Thriller That interesting fictional character, Perry Mason, who appears in the novels of Erle Stanley Gardner as a lawyerdetective who solves any mystery presented to him and kids the police while doing it, came to life again on the screen yesterday at the enjoyed by his many fans. This time Mason solved “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop,” which First National picturized from the latest Gardner book. An intriguing title—and an intriguing movie, for that matter. Perry Mason has been _ portrayed by several leading men. Warren William has filled his shoes. So has Ricardo Cortez. And now it is the tall, handsome Donald Woods who capably unravels the tangled skeins that eventually bring the murderers to justice. As all Perry Mason enthusiasts well know, Perry is always aided in, his solutions by his smart and good-looking secretary, Della Street. That part has previously been played by numerous leading women. This time it is the charming Ann Dvorak who makes a splendid and delightful sleuthmate. The story has to do with a Bishop — stuttering, of course — who comes here from Australia in quest of the legitimate heiress to a great fortune, who has long been missing. The villains of the piece foist off on him an imposter, who is played by pretty little Anne Nagel. But you may be sure that the real one—this being young Linda Perry—is éventually found by Theatre, to be thoroughly New Perry Mason Meet the new Perry Mason, Erle Stanley Gardner’s super sleuth whose exploits form the basis for fast selling novels. He is Donald Woods who portrays the role in “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop,” the First National mystery film which comes to the Theatre, on Mat No. 103—10c cece eevee £LIMOWUTO, UE «zee seervevs Perry and Della. Not, however, until after a murder has been committed to further complicate matters. -At last, though, the Bishop is able to go home with Birthday Party Of Actor Woods Caught by Lens Unwittingly, Director William Clemens filmed actor Donald Woods’ birthday party at the First National studio recently. It happened this way. Clemens was directing “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop” in which Woods plays Perry Mason, the lawyer-detedtive, and Ann Dvorak plays his secretary, Della Street. The film. comes to the Theatre on Woods became 29 years old. Miss Dvorak found out about it and had the commissary bake a cake. She smuggled it on the set. The scene called for Woods to ring for Miss Dvorak, who was in another room, and for her to bring in a bundle of papers and put them on his desk. With the camera rolling, Miss Dvorak came in but instead of the papers she brought the cake and put it on the desk in front of Woods. There was, of course, a re-take. “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop” is the latest mystery by Erle Stanley Gardner, a number of whose novels have been successfully filmed by Warner Bros., with various leading players in the two starring roles. the right heiress. The Bishop, incidentally, is well done by Edward McWade — stutter and all. It is a smart, fast-going detective film, played in the ultramodern way. That is, with a lot of comedy throughout. Director William Clemens—the youngest at the First National studios— did a very good job on it. All in all, “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop” is a movie that ought to please everyone. (Opening Day Story) Perry Mason is Back in Today’s Strand Feature A thrilling mystery, whose pivotal motive for murder is the wealth of a multi-millionaire 01] and the girls who claim to be the right man identity of two ful heirs to her fortune, is the story of First National’s “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop,” picturized from the novel of Erle Stanley Gardner. It opens today at the Theatre. Perry Mason, in the person of Donald Woods, is the brilliant lawyer-detective who once again gets a chance to combine his legal ability with his penchant for unraveling a mass of circumstantial evidence, pointing to no less than six highly possible suspects, of whom the stuttering bishop, played by Edward MeWade, is one. The locale of the story shifts interestingly from a _ third-class hotel room to a mansion on Park Avenue, a pier on the river front in the dead of night, and finally to the deck of an ocean liner. Ann Dvorak plays Della Street, who as Mason’s secretary is of inealeulable help to her lawyerdetective employer. Others in the cast include Helen MacKellar, Joseph Crehan, Linda Perry, Tom Kennedy, Craig Reynolds, Gordon Oliver, Gordon Hart, Anne Nagel, Veda Ann Borg and Mira McKinney. William Clemens directed from the screen play of Don Ryan and Kenneth Gamet. Harry Seymour was dialogue director.