Perry Mason (US TV series)

***Perry Mason*** is an American legal drama series originally broadcast on CBS television from September 21, 1957, to May 22, 1966. The title character, portrayed by Raymond Burr, is a fictional Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner. Many episodes are based on stories written by Gardner.

Hollywood's first weekly one-hour series filmed for television, Perry Mason is one of TV's longest-running and most successful legal series. During its first season, it received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination as Best Dramatic Series, and it became one of the five most popular shows on television. Raymond Burr received two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor, and Barbara Hale received an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Mason's secretary Della Street. Perry Mason and Burr were honored as Favorite Series and Favorite Male Performer in the first two TV Guide Award readers' polls. In 1960, the series received the first Silver Gavel Award presented for television drama by the American Bar Association.

Perry Mason has aired in syndication in the United States and internationally ever since its cancellation.

The New Perry Mason, a 1973 revival of the series with a different cast, was poorly received and ran for 15 episodes. In 1985, the first in a successful series of 30 Perry Mason television films aired on NBC, with Burr reprising the role of Mason in 26 of them prior to his death in 1993.

Perry Mason is a distinguished criminal defence lawyer practicing in Los Angeles, California. He represents clients, most of whom have been charged with murder. Each episode typically follows a formula. The first half of the show introduces a prospective murder victim and a situation that presents a legal danger to someone Mason accepts as a client. The body is found, often through circumstance by Mason and private investigator Paul Drake, or with his secretary Della Street. Clues point to Mason's client, who is charged with murder. In the second-half courtroom setting, Mason spars most often with his legal adversary Hamilton Burger, Los Angeles district attorney, and police homicide detective Lt. Arthur Tragg. Mason establishes his client's innocence by dramatically demonstrating the guilt of another character.[a] The murderer often breaks down and confesses to the crime in the courtroom. In the closing scene, the characters gather together to discuss how the case was solved.

In many episodes, the identity of the guilty party is uncovered without an actual trial being held. Instead, this occurs at the preliminary hearing stage, in which the district attorney is required to produce just enough evidence to convince the judge that the defendant should be bound over for trial. During this stage, other malefactors — such as blackmailers, frauds, and forgers — are frequently forced into confessions by Mason's relentless and clever questioning, and the killer is exposed.

### The New Perry Mason

An unsuccessful attempt to recreate the series was made in 1973, first airing on September 16, 1973. Starring Monte Markham and Sharon Acker, The New Perry Mason only lasted half a season. "My name was on it," said Gail Patrick, "but I wanted nothing to do with it. Corney was on his own." In 1979, Patrick said that CBS was "angling to make some TV movies from the original novels. With Ray and Barbara. We'll see."

### Perry Mason TV movies

Producer Dean Hargrove resurrected the Mason character in a series of television films for NBC beginning in 1985. Hargrove was able to bring back the two then-surviving principals, Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale, for the first film, Perry Mason Returns, in which Perry Mason resigns his position as an appellate court judge to defend Della Street on a murder charge. William Katt, Hale's real-life son, was cast as private investigator Paul Drake, Jr., the son of private investigator Paul Drake. Katt appeared in the first nine movies. In later TV movies, Mason used the services of Ken Malansky, played by William R. Moses, an attorney who worked with Mason as a private investigator.

A total of 30 movies were made between 1985 and 1995, with Burr starring in 26. The first, entitled "Perry Mason Returns" first aired on December 1, 1985. After Burr's death in 1993, four television films (1993–95) were produced under the umbrella title A Perry Mason Mystery, with Paul Sorvino starring in the first film and Hal Holbrook starring in the remaining three. Both Hale and Moses continued in their roles for all four films, and Mason's absence was explained by having him out of town.