The "Perry Mason" character, as developed by Erle Stanley Gardner in the early 1930s, was a "fighter", in the author's words; like Gardner himself, a successful and ingenious lawyer, the fictional lawyer-detective enjoyed seeking out the truth in the field--whether he was finding a body, bending a law in order to fight for his client or testing an hypothesis--as much as he enjoyed arguing a case within the arena of a courtroom. Immensely popular from the beginning, the character was never changed by Gardner. And although the series on television was subtly altered in many ways, and enjoyed format alterations, I assert that nothing essential was ever altered about Mason nor his main "foils". At the beginning, the cast consisted of Raymond Burr as Mason, William Hopper as his detective pal Paul Drake, pretty Barbara Hale as his right-hand girl and secretary Della Street, William Talman as Hamilton Burger his chief courtroom enemy, and Ray Collins as Lt. Arthur Tragg of Homicide. Cases began in many different ways; chiefly with a future accused murderer being victimized by someone else, or with a client coming to ask Mason's help. Had the show's writers found a way to state a categorical purpose for Mason to explain why he was taking each case, the fine power of these dramatic stories could have been increased. But the chief quality of the interesting narratives I suggest was rather, usually, watching Mason trying many ways to find out the truth about what had been done in some situation in order to prove the innocence of his client of a murder; that, plus the many characters who people over 250 separate episodes. Many fine writers and directors created stories for "Perry Mason"; some episodes were adaptations of Mason novels. And with Gardner working closely with executive producer Gail Patrick Jackson, the original entries were held strictly and successfully to the author's conception of the character. Talents as famous as Jack Arnold, Earl Bellamy, László Benedek, script consultant Arthur Marks, Arthur Hiller, Ted Post, Vincent Mceveety, Robert Sparr, Gerd Oswald, Andrew Mclaglen and Christian Nyby were in charge of the "Mason" cameras; writers for the series included True Boardman, Robert C. Dennis, John Elliotte, Jackson Gillis, Laurence Louis Goldman, Seeleg Lester, Orville H, Hampton, Laurence Marks, Bob and Esther Mitchell Jonathan Latimer, Samuel Newman, Helen Nielsen, Mann Rubin, Sy Salkowitz, Stirling Silliphant, Barry Trivers, Al C. Ward, Maurice Zimm and Gene Wang, among others. Mason employed a young lawyer, played by Karl Held, for one season; Richard Anderson, Wesley Lau, Dan Tobin and Lee Miller were regulars for varying lengths of time. But the glory of the series, i assert, was its guest stars. Apart from younger actors chosen for their looks, almost every other part was well-cast and the enactors successful in creating a character. The producers also used only about ten judges, notably S. John Launder, Willis Bouchey, John Gallaudet, Kenneth Macdonald and one female jurist. But the courtrooms in which Mason appeared ranged all over the state of California, from a military tribunal to small town courts to the great Los Angeles arena. Almost as numerous were the sites where Mason and Drake discovered clues, bodies and trouble; because Mason was a fighting man at heart, his favorite ploy was to plant false evidence to force overworked police to investigate some aspect of the case, to meet with someone in order to goad them into revealing something and to dispatch Drake or other operatives to expand his power of search and investigation. For me as a writer and viewer, the fun lay not so much in solving the crime along with Mason--although guessing the murderer's identity was enjoyable--but in watching the fine actors hired to don hats (as devices of characterization) and to take part in an interesting ethical exercise. Mason's ingenuity and lack of pretension endeared him to me, and to millions of viewers. Fine composers such as Jerry Goldsmith and Fred Steiner, who created the show's them, worked for the producers; and the cinematography and lighting was always above average for B/W television. But guest stars such as Keith Andes, Walter Pigeon, Whitney Blake, Pippa Scott, Cecil Kellaway, Gail Kobe, Paul Cavanagh, Benson Fong, Stacy Graham, Douglas Kennedy and Vaughn Taylor at last were who kept me, and other viewers, coming back every week. This is a most watchable narrative program; one-of-a-kind and still very enjoyable.
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bkoganbing28 August 2008For nine seasons and over 250 episodes Perry Mason ruled the television roost, it was the ratings flagship for CBS. Saturday nights at 7:30 this show was a viewing requirement in my household.
The show had a built in audience from the start with the millions of mystery fans who loved Erle Stanley Gardner's criminal defense attorney who always defended the innocent and never lost a case. Those parameters for the television series had to be respected. But also the right actor had to be found to play Mason.
One of the highest pieces of praise I ever read was Erle Stanley Gardner himself saying that Raymond Burr completely fitted his concept of the character he created. When you've got that kind of endorsement as well as the ratings to back it up, I'm sure the show could have run forever.
A really solid group of character players made up the cast here. Take a look at the credits on the pages here for Burr, Barbara Hale as Della Street, William Talman as District Attorney Hamilton Burger, William Hopper as Perry's private detective Paul Drake and Ray Collins as Police Lieutenant Tragg seem like they appeared in some of the best movies ever before going to series television.
Collins began experiencing health problems and first Wesley Lau and later Richard Anderson took the load from him. When Collins died in 1965 Anderson was the official cop for the series last year.
So indelible an impression this cast made on viewers minds that when CBS sought to revive Perry Mason in the middle seventies with a younger cast, the public viewed other stations in droves. Even with Collins, Hopper, and Talman all gone at that point, no one would accept their replacements.
The writers given the constraints of an hour television show managed to respect Erle Stanley Gardner's parameters and did a beautiful job with each and every episode.
This is what a good television series is all about. -
Antagonisten20 February 2008Perry Mason feels to me like something that used to be on TV when i was little. And it wasn't even this series, rather the one from the mid to late 1980's where Raymond Burr was older and a bit more round.
The suddenly i was supposed to translate a few episodes of this show for TV and i got the chance to acquaint myself with the older brand of Perry Mason. And i must say that i'm pretty impressed with what i've seen. Actually so much that i watch the show even when i'm not translating it, something that happens very rarely.
I guess what appeals most to me here is the writing. It highlights how poorly written most of today's TV-shows are. Here we have a proper "whodunnit"-drama with everything from a list of usual suspects to a courtroom battle in the end. It's classic television and it works! Also the acting is a brand you don't see today, back from when actors were taught to speak properly. Sure it feels dated today, but it's dated like an old bottle of wine. And i don't mean vinegar.
I guess many people would be put off by the things i like about this show. The editing with long takes and very few cuts, the rather slow pace, the actors and of course the black and white photo. But for those who like those things this is good entertainment. -
dougdoepke25 December 2006Perhaps the most successful formula show in the history of TV. An interesting question is why, since the lead characters never varied, the outcome was predictable, and the plots could at times defy expert analysis. To me, that sounds pretty boring. So why did I faithfully watch the first runs and still catch the reruns when I can, and why did the series catch the fancy of so many others as it still does. Here are some conjectures.
Mason, Street, and Drake are more than a team-- they are a family. The chemistry among them is so good it's almost spooky. Burr's Mason is nothing if not masterful both inside the courtroom and out. He's a strong father-figure, while Hale's Della Street is the perfect secretary, sweet, attractive and highly efficient. Not quite a mother-figure (after all, this is a chaste family), she's the perfect older sister. And Hopper's Paul Drake is clever, charming, and slightly rakish. All in all, he's the perfect younger brother. Though each is a professional, together they operate as a loyal family unit. And when their final scene rolls around (The Final Fadeout, 1966), we're happy to know they will remain together even though we (the viewers) won't be with them.
The key here is Burr's grasp of character. After all, Mason wins week after week-- he never misses. What's more, he shows up the guardians of law and order week after week. If not done right, Mason would be an easy character to dislike. But Burr's Mason is never smug, never immodest, and always low-key, so we don't resent his near god-like status. This is a real tribute to Burr and the show's producers, who managed to walk a very fine line. There's one other character point worth noting. Mason's personality is the only one of the five (Burger and Tragg included) to alter. In the early episodes, he smokes, wears loud jackets, and occasionally flirts. But with the show's success, he's transformed into a paragon of virtue, probably because his character has come to stand for the quality of criminal justice in America. Shrewdly, the producers would take no chances with their golden egg.
The engaging quality of the stories varies little, an unusual feature for any formula show. That's likely because the script-writers worked with variations on six or seven basic plots. After all, they had to come up with thirty-plus mysteries every year for nine years. And each episode had to have a plausible list of suspects with a story line to unravel, which is a pretty heavy load. Then too, each entry had to have a larger than average cast of capable actors as suspects. Watching the re-runs, we see just about every familiar face from that era (one of the joys of catching the re-runs). Executive producer Gail Patrick Jackson deserves a lot of behind-the-scenes credit, since I'm sure this was not an easy series to put together week after week.
I had never thought of the show as film noir. But other reviewers have correctly pointed this out. Indeed, there are elements of noir in many of the first half hours, where the mystery sets up. Many of these were done in shadow, with strong emotions and a heavy atmosphere of doom, which distinguishes the series. For, overall, there was very little noir from any series during that sunny era. Frankly, it's that part I always enjoyed more than the courtroom scenes with their high-key lighting and extended dialogue. The general excellence of these first half- hours is another reason, I think, for the show's unusual success.
The mystery angle remains an attraction for many. It's fun, for those who want, to try to figure out the culprit. We know he or she will be exposed and the loose ends tied-up by hour's end. But the entries can be enjoyed for their drama alone. The witness-stand confessions served as a chance for neglected feature players to show their acting chops. Some of these were truly memorable. My favorite is from that great unsung actress of the era, Constance Ford. Watch her split personality emerge under Mason's perceptive grilling (The Case of the Deadly Double, 1958). It's a dramatic tour-de-force, as good as anything from the movies of the time. Many of the confessions were also poignant. The culprit could be seen as a sympathetic character, driven to murder by larger forces. And though, the epilogue (usually in Mason's office) often ended on a humorously upbeat note, the confessions remain the dramatic high point.
These are some of my best guesses. I expect there's another, not so flattering reason. Many of us, of course, have a nostalgic attachment to those younger years, which, I suppose, is only natural. Nonetheless, there is something timeless about the brave knight rescuing unfortunates in distress (in this case, usually a shapely blonde or brunette). In fact, the Mason show was predicated on that venerable premise. And even though Mason-as-ideal-defense-attorney would probably not work in today's post-Vietnam era, the key plot elements endure ( understandably, the series ended, just as the war in south-east Asia heated up). Greed, jealousy, ambition-- this is the stuff of high drama, while the Mason show used them effectively inside a format that fit its time. But the elements themselves remain timeless. And in that sense, so does the series. -
twanurit17 March 2001One can tell the timeless longevity of a television series by the condition if it's still playing on TV. "Perry Mason" (1957-1966) is! It followed a tried-and-true formula: the first half-hour the situation is developed, then there's a murder. The second half-hour is filled with courtroom dramatics, to find the killer. But this is considerably heightened by a moody musical score, shadowy, gripping B&W photography, incisive scripts, magnificent guest stars (many who appeared multiple times), and lastly the brilliant ensemble cast headed by Raymond Burr, with Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman and others. The series was re-done (poorly) in 1973, the more recent 2 hour TV movies were padded and don't hold up to repeated viewings. Voted the top dramatic series by TV Guide, it just does not get any better. Case closed.
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TheLittleSongbird16 March 2011I wasn't expecting to love Perry Mason, but the thing I do love it. While an example of a formula show, it is a formula show that works wonders. The stories may have some odd predictabilities here and there, but they are always done and written in a most intelligent and intelligent way.The photography and production values are also striking and hold up very well, the direction is consistently on the money and the music is atmospheric, tense and seductive somewhat. But where Perry Mason really scores is in its writing and lead performance. There is very rare an episode where the writing is bad, it is at best outstanding good at worst, with some intelligent, thought-provoking, humorous, poignant and intense(in the atmosphere) moments throughout. Raymond Burr is simply brilliant as the titular character, who is clever and likable at the same time, and the guests are equally impressive. All in all, a fine show that makes for compulsive viewing whenever it is on. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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As a child, I read Erle Stanley Gardner's novels & short stories about Perry Mason because I had seen this TV series. When I read the novels, I was amazed at the details about the characters & the details about law Gardner has carefully crafted into his formula for every one. As I read them, I realized that the folks responsible for this series must have read them too. Raymond Burr when he was this age fits Erle's physical description of Mason perfectly. Sometimes the novels had Mason doing more physical work than the TV show but that might be more due to the time constraints of television. I am so happy to see the DVD's of the first season finally coming out. It is long overdue to get this series out (& even more so another series from the 1960's in this genre E. G. Marshall's THE DEFENDERS - oh I wish this one would come out too!).
All the characters in the novel are so well cast & portrayed by the cast in this old series- it is incredible. Lt. Tragg, Hamilton Burger, Paul Drake, Della Street - all fit Erle Gardner's novel depictions so well. These first seasons as they come out are mostly Erle Gardner's material (somwhere about 75 to 90% of them) & that especially adds to the enjoyment. It's wasn't until the 3rd or 4th season that they had to get away from the master author's material. Mason as drawn by Gardner & portrayed by Burr is the ultimate American Hero. He can do it all whether it calls for physical work & especially the brain work. Burr's demeanor in these court trials is always fantastic. Get out & get the DVD's which I understand have the episodes restored to the original length as many were cut short during airings over the years to fit in more commercials. This is a bonus as sometimes vital clues & facts in episodes were cut in order to promote the channels budget running them. Then get ready for our all American legal hero- Perry Mason - to get another confession from the guilty person at the trial. Watch too for some of the suspects as you will see some folks on the stand getting grilled by Mason who later went on to become famous in other roles. Seeing them quake & quiver on the stand is great entertainment. Television couldn't get any better than this in the court room. -
VetteRanger22 June 2009It is fitting that the top all time literary series about a lawyer became the top all time television series about a lawyer.
Perry Mason keeps it simple. No soap opera involving the lead characters, and every show stands on its own, with no particular sequence needed in viewing them. It is also one of the rare adaptations from books to film or TV that is absolutely faithful to the spirit, if not every detail, of the books and the characters thereof depicted.
Raymond Burr's Perry Mason is at the same time brilliant, hard bitten, tenacious, and mischievous. The out of court tricks famous in the books are present, although they don't nearly push the limit that the shenanigans in the books do.
Finally, the mysteries are all satisfying. The majority of the time, the clues are there for you to identify the real guilty party. In an occasional show they surprise the viewer with a new fact in the final cross examination, but that is the exception.
You'll also get early looks at a number of future major stars, including the likes of Burt Reynolds and Robert Redford. -
tomntempe26 December 2005Just watched an episode. As with many of them, part of the fun today is spotting the young almost unknown actors. Today it was Bert Convy in only his fourth role as listed here on IMDb.COM.
One of the things that strikes me now when I watch Perry Mason and compare it to modern shows of similar type is how respectful all the regular characters are toward each other. It didn't seem so when I was a kid watching it when it was first run, but Perry and Lt. Tragg, and Hamilton Burger generally are pretty civil to each other and understand that the others are doing their job. Sure, Perry occasionally hides someone but it's before it would be a crime to do so, once he knows the person has a warrant he sticks to the law. On todays shows both the good and bad guys often break the law if it suits their purpose and in fact often seem to revel in it.
As far as I can recall, all the vehicles for the show were supplied by Ford Motor Company and usually you saw Perry driving a Ford, Mercury, or Lincoln and Paul Drake was also in a Ford and often a T-Bird to keep to his rakish image. One thing I noticed in tonight's episode was that as usual they all drove Ford products EXCEPT for the guy who had be set up as a suicide in his garage. For the suicide car they used what appeared to be a 59 or 60 Buick or Oldsmobiled. Guess Ford didn't want people dying in their cars!! -
reagznicole-431-76834123 July 2012Perry Mason?! PURE GENIUS! What's not classy about this show!? I LOVE it! The characters are genius! (Like the whole show) Perry Mason-The incredibly smart defense attorney. He can out wit any criminal, he may even blow your mind with how genius he is, he can stay serious when needed, he can be sarcastic at times, put people in their place when needed, and the "Perry Stare" can make anyone crack! Not to mention he is quite attractive and is a real gentlemen! Della Street- The ever so loyal secretary to Perry Mason! She sometimes brings up points (unintended) that Perry misses and of course helps the case! Quietly efficient yet she usually knows what to say! She is beautiful, sophisticated, and kind! Paul Drake-Paul is Perry's private detective who owns the Paul Drake Detective in the Brent Building (the same building where Perry's office is)! Paul sometimes comes in the courtroom with information that helps Perry's case (of course he always helps Perry with the case), and every time Perry needs information Paul is who he calls! He is witty and like Perry, quite attractive! Hamilton Burger- Hamilton is the District Attorney. Perry's friend and yet his "enemy". I'm sure he would like Perry to fail or to get Perry or people involved with him in trouble! He is the one who you don't mind a to holler "SHUT UP" at few times! He is a good DA but he could never beat Perry (even if their roles were switched)! Arthur Tragg- Lt. Tragg- Homicide! Arthur Tragg is the old, sly, and sometimes grouchy Lt.! You could say he is Burger's sidekick! He likes getting into Perry's business and usually enters Perry's office unannounced when they are discussing something quite important! The show really wouldn't be the show without Tragg and Burger! The show really is wonderful! Its clean, they usually have cute and witty endings, the plots are good, and you can watch them over and over and it would never get old! There is hardly ever an episode where you say, "That was bad!" Perry Mason is one of the absolute best!
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StrictlyConfidential9 November 2018TV courtroom-drama never looked more sophisticated and exciting than it did when L.A.'s slick and terribly expensive defense lawyer, Perry Mason, was on the case.
Never, ever seeming to lose a case, Perry Mason, with his gift of good-timing, always dazzled one and all in the courtroom.
Never failing to uncover that one piece of overlooked evidence, Perry Mason was sure to clear his clients and put the bad guys (and girls) behind bars before the show was over.
This 1950s, TV crime show, with its climatic witness-stand confessions, offers you good value (and lots of nail-biting drama) for your entertainment-dollar. -
redryan6418 March 2008Perry Mason is possibly at once the most memorable central character in the 20th Century American Detective Story and at the same time being the number one source of misinformation concerning the Nature of both Lawyers and the Legal Racket, er-uh I meant the "Law Profession." Yet like a Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan or Dick Tracy even; Mr. Mason and company have taken on an aura of their being real, live persons.
When the series hit the airwaves on CBS in Fall of 1957, this writer was 11 tears old, was more interested in Baseball, Batman Comics and pleasing my 6th Grade Teacher, Sister Mary Euphemia, C.S.C. in our daily confrontations at St. Theodore Grade School in Chicago. Perry Mason was indeed an unknown commodity to this and most other grade schoolers. But that would soon change, for the series hit the ground running and barely slowed down during its 9 season run on the "Tiffany Network".
PERRY MASON (Paisano Prod/CBS TV,1957-66) was a quality piece of work in every respect. From its low key opening showing Perry and the regulars caught up in a very important moment in some trial; the very distinctive theme starts slowly with just 3 measly, little notes; before building up to a crescendo by the time opening credits end and the title of today's story is shown. For example, it might be something like "The Case of the Fifth Sixth Grader."
Before too long, PERRY MASON was truly a hot item. Being shown on CBS in the earlier portion of the evening; it was deemed fit for family viewing. Indeed it did seem to attract and hold onto a great cross section of viewers from grade schoolers up to their parents and even their parents! Why even the Good Sisters over at St. Theodore's Convent confessed (not in the little box) to having a Jones for Perry's weekly episodes.
Starting with Miss Barbara Hale (Perry's Confidential Secretary, Della Street) had some big parts in some RKO Features; but in spite of her good, really good looks and high level of acting ability; she never quite broke into the ranks of the "Movie Stars." Next, we had Perry's Private Detective Associate, Paul Drake as interpreted by William Hopper, who definitely came by his acting talents naturally. Lt. Arthur Tragg was the usual Homicide Defective in Perry Mason Novels and his part was given over to Ray Collins. Mr. Collins, who was already 70 years of age the year that PERRY MASON premiered, was a fine stage actor of much and wide-spread experience. Ray came to Hollywood as a member of Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre players. He portrayed the crooked Political Boss of the Tammany Hall-like political machine and Governor of New York, Jim W. Geddes in that RKO potboiler called CITIZEN KANE (1941). Ever hear of it, Schultz?
AND now for (Boos & Hisses!!) the "Villain" of the show in the District Attorney, Hamilton Burger; we proudly present William Talman. He came to the TV Screen following some excellent work in Film Noir such as THE ARMORED CAR ROBBERY (RKO Radio Pictures, 1950), THE HITCH-HIKER (The Filmmakers/RKO Radio, 1953) and CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS (Republic Pictures Corp., 1953). He appeared in many weekly anthologies and then landed this weekly D.A. gig. But it was not easy in becoming Hamilton Burger (get it, Schultz, "HAMBURGER"!); for the producers wanted another actor in that role. And that actor's name was (drum roll!!) ..None other than ..Raymond Burr! Raymond Burr?
Yes, it's true. The producers wanted to cast Mr. Burr as the crotchety yet capable District Attorney; yet it was Ray's desire to be Perry. In order to gain consideration, the rather heavy-set actor trained and dieted his way down to a slimmer look and was successful. But he to get too thin as the character was not too slender of a guy himself.
The creator, Erle Stanley Gardner, who himself was an Attorney-at-Law (We won't hold that against you, Erle!), had described Perry Mason as "a Big Man; but not the Bigness of a fat man; but rather a Bigness of Strength." Incidentally. Mr. Garner no doubt put a lot of himself into the Character as that "Bigness of Strength" phrase certainly fit Erle quite well.
This wasn't the first try to bring Perry to life. Warner Brothers made 6 Perry Mason "B" Movies in the 1930's. Being about an hour long and designed to be exhibited on the lower half of a Double Feature; four starred Warren William as Perry, while Ricardo Cortez and Donald Woods each assayed the role once.
Several years after the series ended we saw the rise of THE NEW PERRY MASON (20th Century-Fox/CBS TV, 1973-74) with Monte Markham as a very fit, but not so big of a Barrister. It fell by the wayside after only one season. But the Masonic Forces weren't through yet.
In 1985-93 we saw the likes of 30 2 Hour Long Made-for-TV PERRY MASON Movies again starring the surviving members of the original TV Cast, Miss Hale & Mr. Burr along with Barbara's real life Son, William Katt (Father=Bill Williams) as Private Investigator Paul Drake, Jr.
IN addition to the original novels, Movies & TV; Perry Mason Adventures also appeared on his own Radio Show, in Comic Books and in a short running Newspaper Comic Strip.
NOTE: * In 1968, William Talman, realizing that he was dying of Lung Cancer due to his excessive cigarette smoking, filmed a very touching Public Service Anti-Smoking Message in which he laments having to leave his family so prematurely. At its end, the title card states the date of Mr. Talman's death at age 53. -
fentress19 March 2021All the good qualities of Perry Mason have been well expressed by many others. Every episode is in fact a sharp, intelligent murder mystery. The legal plot points are intelligently done. I'll assume anyone reading this is aware of that, or can read others' reviews.
I don't disagree with most of that. But for my part, I would rather articulate some objections I have that keep me from completely joining in on the chorus of praises.
Every episode begins with its own cast of characters and a dramatic situation that are unique to that episode. And keep in mind an episode only lasts an hour. I find it quite an impressive feat that each episode is able to establish that.
So I'm describing a very good characteristic of the show, right? Well, that's just the thing. Every episode starts out great this way. But I'm always wishing they could just go on from there and continue with some drama with those characters. There could be embezzlement, power struggle, family drama, anything.
But instead, at some point someone gets killed. And then the point of the episode becomes simply to find out who did it. Every time, every episode. Granted, it's very well done as whodunits go. But it seems to me like so much potential wasted.
My other main objection is that it's just so linear. Every episode, Perry wins. The killer is found out and will meet justice. Always correctly. End of story.
Contrast that to a more modern courtroom show, Law and Order. Most of the time the DA and his team win. But sometimes he loses. Sometimes he wins but had doubts as to whether his victory is best for all concerned. Sometimes his assistant DA disagrees with him and wants no part of the case.
That's more complex, more nuanced, more like real life.
Plus, Perry never has doubts. He's always the smartest person in the room. He's always the one who sees the truth when no one can.
I understand the counterarguments one might make. It was a simpler world back then, or least fiction framed it that way in those days. You have to judge Perry Mason relative to its era.
And, in today's grim world that's nothing but shades of grey, it's nice to have a character who is totally pure and always right. A real hero.
I get all that. I love lots of quaint old-fashioned entertainment. That's why I watch Andy Griffith Show and read old comic books from the 1970's or before. I hate it how nowadays people are so quick to call works "dated".
But legal thrillers? That's a different animal. For that, I'd rather have something a little more gritty and real and complex. -
braggnull30 September 2023It's truly amazing this show lasted for nine seasons. Practically every episode followed the same format, with Mason's client being arrested (for most years by an elderly Ray Collins) in what appears to be an open and shot case of murder. Then Mason sends private detective Paul Drake out to dig up dirt on the real killer, which we know will never be the defendant. Drake will barge into the courtroom with new evidence. Mason will then angrily confront several witnesses, with prosecutor Burger raising futile objections, until Mason finally reveals what he already knew. Then the murderer would openly admit to capital murder (Don't you see? I had to kill him!") either on the witness stand or springing up among the spectators, very often on purely circumstantial evidence. This of course negates any chance fir a plea bargain deal saving the killer from the gas chamber. How prosecutor Hamilton Burger managed to keep his job given his dismal record against Mason is one of the mysteries of this series. Another mystery is the apparent absence of any family or social life for Mason, Della Street and Paul Drake. They seem to be available around the clock for any contingency. Many office meetings take place at night.
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leex121413 August 2002Everything about this series was perfect, from the acting, to the scripts, to the directing, and even to the fact that black and white was used even after the advent of color. Of course, Raymond Burr WAS Perry Mason, just about the world's greatest defense attorney, who stops at NOTHING in his search for the truth. The supporting cast was also excellent, and the guest stars, unlike in so many other series, were always of a high calibre. Some might say that the scripts were a bit formulaic, but within the basic format, over the 10 year run of the series there was infinite variety in the details of each show, with enough unexpected plot twists to constantly keep any audience guessing. The atmosphere was perfect: black and white lent a mysterious, almost gothic feeling to the episodes, which at the same time was beautifully contrasted with Perry Mason's ice cold reasoning and razor sharp sense of right and wrong. There are so many other things I could say about this series; perhaps it is best left at saying that this is the one, the only court drama, probably the best TV drama in general, and definitely one of the ten greatest series of all time.
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brent_a_graham10 June 2011The actors and writers took it all seriously, when they could have played it as a spoof. That's what made this TV series one of the best ever.
It's a bit of a shock to see pre-Miranda law enforcement, but what seems like egregious behavior today was foiled by Perry's fast-and-loose actions, always in defense of his client first and the truth second! Of course, Raymond Burr is PERFECT as Mason, but Barbara Hale and William Hopper capture Della and Paul exactly as Gardner envisioned, I suspect. Add Ray Collins with his indefatigable politeness as Lt. Tragg and William Talman as the down-but-never-out Hamilton Burger, and the scene is set. All that's left is to translate some of the best "legal drama" novels into a series of 1-hour shows and voilà - TV magic.
You owe it to yourself to find and watch these gems again. -
screenman28 June 2010Erle Stanley Gardner was already a famous author by the time this series appeared. I have to confess never having read any of his works, though I mean to change that.
And I was still just a kid when this dramatisation of his famous lawyer first hit British TV screens. But it rolled out to such a compelling and bombastic title music that I just had to stop and listen. Much of the argument and legal discovery went over my head, yet Raymond Burr had the part of Perry Mason in the palm of his hand. He was born to the role. He fitted it like Paul Schofield fitted Thomas More, or George C Scott fitted 'Patton'. He was, in short, The Man.
There are many excellent evaluations set down here and I won't attempt to compete with them. Save to say that this series was so hugely popular amongst thinking viewers (I suspect there were more back then than there are now) that it went on for a decade or so. I seemed to grow up with it. Inevitably; it typecast Burr, but I guess a regular paycheque in showbizz is worth more than the paper it's printed on, and it was such a great role to star in; who could walk away? Most of the plots were the same. However, Burr's tremendous persona and the interesting though always platonic chemistry with his assistant Della Street and commissioned gumshoe Paul Drake, steam-rollered any shortcomings in the story department.
Mason was the unflinching juggernaut of the LAW, protecting the innocent and bringing the guilty to book, whilst benignly driving its minions (Lt Tragg) to their best efforts.
If Perry Mason has any successor; it is 'Law & Order'. This series contains some almost equally formidable personas but we've moved on, and the absolute 'rightness' of the law is often more subtly evaluated - and found wanting. The clear certainties are no longer there.
Nevertheless Raymond Burr's 'Perry Mason' could be re-screened tomorrow with all of its unambiguous morality, and a whole new generation would line up for the fan club. -
telepinus152530 March 2011I never saw this series until I was a small kid, with the later seasons, early 60's. Now I'm glad that my local station is re-running it in its' entirety. Not only for the great writing, direction, photography, but also for the constant parade of old pros as guest stars! One of my favorite B-movie "bad girls", Marie Windsor,(The Narrow Margin) appears four times in the series; but will she be a victim, client, or killer? When I was a kid I was about the only person I knew that knew who Dabbs Greer(House of Wax) was, or cared! For some reason I loved knowing who such-and-such was, and where they had previously appeared. A friend of mine has the same trivia affliction as I do, so I started taping "Perry Mason" for our mutual entertainment! If there's nothing exciting on TV, we'll sit down for a Perry Mason episode block, have some pizza and beer, and go: "hey! there's Ted De Corsia!"(The Killing) And, "Isn't that Walter Burke?"(All the king's men), "Elisha Cook Jr.!(Also, "The Killing")" or, "Malcolm Atterbury!"(North by northwest) "Arthur Franz!"(The Sniper),Osa Massen!"(Rocketship XM), and there's George Macready!"(Gilda), Yep, I've got character actor trivia bad. How about you?
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jrsuarez20096 January 2013I am sorry these series were never translated or subtitled
into Spanish for all people in Latin America.
If I am wrong let me know where I can find them
even when the TV series where at the beginning in Black and white and later into color was always great production.
When I was a kid we always use to hear it in our TVS and liked Raymond Burr was always a very good actor, not only on this series but in other series and movies like in Iron Chair.
I am pretty sure there are thousands of persons in Latin America and Spain who will like to have these series I Spanish
Thank Jose R -
lisamproctor8 February 2022I've been watching Perry Mason since I was a kid, and I never get bored with it. It's somehow both very much a product of its time and timeless. Raymond Burr as Perry is brilliant and charismatic - you can't take your eyes off him. Barbara Hale as Della Street deftly pushes beyond the loyal secretary stereotype to portray Della as a true partner to Perry, not just window dressing. And William Hopper as Paul Drake is both dashingly handsome and goofy.
When you watch this show, you'll quickly see how it has served as inspiration for so many of the crime procedurals on TV today. It's a classic in the very best sense of the word. -
If there is such a thing as peaceful crime drama, "Perry Mason" fits the bill. Mark this up to a commitment to an indefinable human quality, and a non-divisive stance. Which equate to an appealing sensibility (that weakens in the final season).
"Perry Mason" is nearly as absorbing and comforting as "Sherlock Holmes." The viewer can't help but sense that she or he is in good hands. Each episode is like a favorite book by a familiar and trusted author.
And holding down the center of this remarkable draw is Mason himself (Raymond Burr) who bears his considerable authority with utmost grace. He insists on the honesty of his clients which he exacts through direct eye contact and his own sense of justice. He wins and wins, of course, but he never gloats. His very subtle, knowing smile is never offensive, never provocative, and not even that challenging--it's a smile of self-assurance, of being in touch with himself, the case, and the greater world. He even sympathizes with certain of the guilty whom he must expose to save his innocent client.
In a real sense, "Perry Mason," works so well because of what it refuses to do. It eschews hurtful stereotypes, cruelty, sarcasm, violence, tough cops, macho, sex exploitation, patriotism (as in "Dragnet"), hit men, and shoot outs. There's no pretension in this semi-noir world, nor is there any excess, posturing or harsh humor. In fact, there is something consistently adult in the whole scheme, some light but serious touch which might be akin to "The Honeymooners" on TV's comedy front.
I think the subsequent Burr crime series, "Ironsides," is not, as many say, a continuance of "PM" but rather a discontinuance. Most of what "PM" rejects, "Ironsides" readily accepts, as do almost all other TV crime dramas thenceforth. Which only serves to underscore the special achievement of "PM." Which is based on a subdued sense of drama, characterization over action, and fairly convincing and intricate plots.
Yes, each of its countless episodes requires a corpse; but, as far as the viewer is concerned, it might be some single stuffed dummy appropriately positioned and made-up to match the specific drama. For "Perry Mason" is non-violent in almost every sense of the word. Della Street(Barbara Hale)sees to that. -
nomoons112 January 2012In reality, if the D.A. & Chief Detective in this series would have lost as many cases as they did...they wouldn't have a job. All you have to do is look at how many episodes the DA was in and how many Lt. Tragg were in a if you can add...they pretty much have the worst track record for solving and prosecuting crimes.
I think for me that's the first thing I see when I watch this series. A not real bright D.A. and a Detective who doesn't trust anything Perry Mason says or does and he loses every single time. You'd think they'd give ole Perry a break but nope, they're just as leery and un-trusting as always.
For the time, this show was what TV really needed. It has a crime, an investigation and a conclusion...and normally the ending was with the admitted suspect decrying how wrong he was and admits remorse. This was typical 50's fare. Admit your sins...repent so the viewers won't go out and do wrong (basically set an example).
Don't get me wrong, my quibbles with this show are minor but to me, if you wanna see a great show about a lawyer you should try Matlock. It has comedy and drama when it's needed. This show probably deserves it's rating but to me it was a typical 50's drama. Problem is, all those 50's dramas seemed the same to me. -
AlsExGal6 August 2016...why didn't D.A. Hamilton Burger just eventually go crazy and kill himself or at least just quit and maybe open up that fishing supply store in the country that he'd always dreamed about, because Perry won...EVERY...single...case. Well, there was one episode where Perry lost, but then they figured out that the guy was really innocent, so Perry won there too, it just took more work.
My first exposure to Raymond Burr was watching him as Parry Mason when I was a child, then as disabled police detective Ironside in that long running show where he manages to continue fighting crime after being paralyzed from a gunshot wound. Thus I always saw him as the good guy. Imagine my surprise when I saw him as the heavy (no pun intended) in films like "Rear Window", "Red Light", and "Pitfall". What an actor!
At any rate, Perry here is the polite and never ruffled always suave defense attorney without a hair out of place taking the cases where the defendant looks embarrassingly guilty, usually of murder. With the help of secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale) and private detective Paul Drake (William Hopper), he always manages to get the bad guy (or girl) by putting the pieces of the puzzle together, even if he has to make those puzzle pieces by hand.
This show was quite sophisticated for its time, showing, unlike many early shows or films about attorneys, that they couldn't do it all by themselves, it was a team effort. And the shows are still fun to watch today. The solution to the crime is not obvious, plus you learn some interesting things about culture and law just 50 years ago. For example, I remember one episode from the 1960's where two women exchange California drivers licenses and thus identities, and then one of the women winds up murdered! How could they just exchange licenses like that? There was no picture on a California drivers license well into the 1960's! That's how! At any rate, give the show a chance if it ever comes your way. I think you'll find it interesting. -
Even given the naivete of 50s and early 60s TV, one would think that, given Perry Mason's remarkable record against them, one would think that Hamilton Burger, Lt. Tragg, Lt. Anderson, et al, would not always start out being so smug and supercilious with the genius attorney.
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justsheeri15 July 2023As a fan of police and courtroom procedurals, I thought I would rewatch this series that I had enjoyed so much watching with my grandmother as a little girl. I suppose it was true for the time period, but the fact that this show is so overwhelmingly white, is sad. I was excited to see the first ostensibly AA actor in S6 E26, but was extremely disappointed that, unlike every other judge in the series up to this point, he spoke no lines. Burger who ALWAYS objects to Mason's courtroom antics, made no objections in this episode! I searched the credits for this actor; he's not even listed! What a shame.