The Case of the Black Cat

1h 6min

Crime

Mystery

Lawyer Perry Mason is summoned to the Laxter mansion in the dead of night to write granddaughter Wilma out of invalid Peter Laxter's will, to keep her from marrying suspected fortune hunter Doug. Peter dies in a mysterious fire and Laxter's two grandsons, Sam Laxter and Frank Oafley, inherit his estate on the condition old caretaker Schuster and his cat Clinker are kept on. When cat-hating Sam threatens Clinker, Perry steps in and learns Laxter's death was suspicious and the family fortune and diamonds are missing. Schuster's found dead in his basement apartment, Laxter's nurse Louise is murdered with Schuster's crutch, and circumstantial evidence brings Doug to trial for Louise's death. Mason's investigation produces a surprise witness who turns the trial around. Written by Sister Grimm

Production Companies

First National Pictures

Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast

Ricardo Cortez

Ricardo Cortez

Perry Mason
June Travis

June Travis

Della Street
Jane Bryan

Jane Bryan

Wilma Laxter
Craig Reynolds

Craig Reynolds

Frank Oafley
Carlyle Moore Jr.

Carlyle Moore Jr.

Douglas Keene
Bill Elliott

Bill Elliott

Sam Laxter
Nedda Harrigan

Nedda Harrigan

Nurse Louise DeVoe
Garry Owen

Garry Owen

Paul Drake
Harry Davenport

Harry Davenport

Peter Laxter
George Rosener

George Rosener

Charles Ashton
Gordon Hart

Gordon Hart

Dr. Jacobs
Clarence Wilson

Clarence Wilson

Mr. Shuster
Guy Usher

Guy Usher

District Attorney Hamilton Burger
Lottie Williams

Lottie Williams

Mrs. Pixley
Harry Hayden

Harry Hayden

Reverend Stillwell
Earl Askam

Earl Askam

Desk Officer (uncredited)
Don Downen

Don Downen

Newsboy (uncredited)
Kenneth Gibson

Kenneth Gibson

Clerk (uncredited)
Sol Gorss

Sol Gorss

Poker Player (uncredited)
Harrison Greene

Harrison Greene

Worried Client (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton

Chuck Hamilton

Bailiff (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee

Milton Kibbee

Brandon - Oafley's Butler (uncredited)
Paul Kruger

Paul Kruger

Reporter (uncredited)
John Marston

John Marston

Judge Robert Fellows (uncredited)
Edward McWade

Edward McWade

Keene's Apartment Manager (uncredited)
Lyle Moraine

Lyle Moraine

Reporter (uncredited)
Paul Panzer

Paul Panzer

Poker Player (uncredited)
Ferdinand Schumann-Heink

Ferdinand Schumann-Heink

Mason's Driver (uncredited)
John Sheehan

John Sheehan

Sergeant Holcomb (uncredited)
Billy Wayne

Billy Wayne

Poker Player (uncredited)
Claire White

Claire White

Woman (uncredited)
Tom Wilson

Tom Wilson

Waffle Shop Construction Foreman (uncredited)
Frank Bruno

Frank Bruno

Construction Foreman (uncredited)

Release date

31st Oct 1936

Status

Released

Spoken languages

English