Fans of Perry Mason may be surprised to learn that Lenore Shanewise (Nora Mae Qincey), born in 1887 in Denver, Iowa, was instrumental in advancing the stage and acting career of Raymond Burr. She was a director of and actor in hundreds of productions with the Pasadena Playhouse, where Burr considered her as a mentor. She co-starred with Burr in two episodes of Perry Mason (her second appearance is in "The Case of the Reckless Rockhound," one of the series best offerings) and in two episodes of "Ironside." She also appeared in the Twilight Zone episode entitled "Kick the Can" (1962). She retired in 1967 and died in 1980. She's easily the most interesting thing about "The Case of the Fiery Fingers," her penny-pinching scenes with Perry and Della being standouts. Otherwise, it's a pedestrian episode, with an overly abrupt conclusion. But the Mason/Hale/Hopper dynamic never fails to entertain. And it doesn't hurt to add a star of Ms. Shanewise's caliber to the mix!
Review of The Case of the Fiery Fingers
