On March 11, 1970 author Erle Stanley Gardner died at the age of 80. A self-taught California attorney who wrote crime stories on the side, he created lawyer Perry Mason, who became a TV staple.
I was 6yrs old in 1957 when Perry Mason aired, loved it then and love it today. Even with all but one episode being filmed in black and white the pictures are still sharp. And it was also neat to see how L. A. Looked during that time. Wonder if there is a web site that has each episodes filming location. Viva La Perry Mason. Thanks
Nice story Thomas. My mother from Maine loved Perry Mason or maybe it was Raymond Burr? I don't know which maybe both. lol She was a fanatic about this show. I loved it too. As a screenwriter as well I really think these are episodes that should be taught in screenwriting courses. Very well done. It's all here. Raymond Burr just lit up the screen and that voice. RIP mom. She had my brother and me sitting in the living room each week with TV dinners in hand and told to be quiet. She was French/Canadian raised on a Farm in Maine and no nonsense. We sure did listen when she spoke. Tough lady. Take care Thomas. I too love these shows still today....James & Family , Malibu, California 2023
I love that Justice Sonya Sotamayor was influenced by Perry Mason, in particular by Hamilton Burger. I think William Talman was terrific in his portrayal of Burger. His performance as Burger made people enjoy the show more. I especially love Burger's many objections, like "INCOMPETENT, IRRELEVANT, and IMMATERIAL!" Burger's objections are hilarious, and add a real artful dimension to the show. I can see how this show makes legal work fascinating.
Before Burr Warren Williams played Mason in 1940's movies....Based on Garners books Burr acted in the same story lines as Williams.. The Howling Dog is one I recall...
I found a whole bunch of paperbacks at my local library. The very first one I read was The Case of the Crimson Kiss when I was 16 in a double volume anthology of mystery stories. Was about 20 years later when I finally saw the episode itself, and more recently learned that the killer was a well-known radio performer on such shows as Suspense.
The character was also featured in theaterically released feature films and on the radio..before he debuted as a weekly tv series on CBS and on NBC TV in a mini series of made for tv movies.
The lousy "comedian" who was only in the Senate because of stolen votes and the "wise Latina" who is one of the worst excuses for a Supreme Court Justice in decades. So of COURSE they were discussing a TV show during her confirmation show.
ok I go in search and find this. the cover says "213 full episodes. but of the several I clicked they were only clips. I SAY "STOP LIEING. IT'S FALSE ADVERTISING." VERY DISAPPOINTED
WHAT "full episodes"?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
First, let me say that I was ALWAYS a HUGE Perry Mason fan and watched the shows on re-run faithfully. That said, I also find it a SAD, DISGRACEFUL, and utterly EMBARRASING commentary on our times and our Nation that a United States Senator (clown Al Franken though it was) would so trivialize a Senate Confirmation Hearing for a Supreme Court vacancy that he would inject into the confirmation hearing RIDICULOUS questioning of the nominee about the TV show (in particular, the name of a fictional case episode that the fictional protagonist lawyer supposedly lost) !!!
It always amazes me, how greats, like Earl Gardner, were self taught, as was Abe Lincoln. Teachers better do better, with these students, because RU-vid, and Google will be the new teachers, because they do have good learning videos. Perry Mason was one of my most loved series. And Raymond Burr absolutely became Perry Mason, probably put it on his tombstone, under his name. I can gather that Earl Gardner had the same fight as a lawyer, in him, since he is the one that wrote the script. But he didnt get the recognition of Perry Mason as Raymond Burr did. YOU GO, EARL GARDNER, you did good, and very well. Good cast. There's not one episode I haven't liked. This show is so famous, even in present day, that when someone is telling you, about a good lawyer they know they'll say, he's good like Perry Mason, and you know then he's a good lawyer. Of course there are real life lawyers we make this comparison to, like Thurgood Marshall, Johnnie Cochran, and many, many others. But even when we learned Perry Mason was just scripted, we still make that compsrison. I have a friend where we would be on opposites, about an opinion, he always prosecuted, and I always was on defense side. He could see himself losing, but still presist, because he's a gambler, and hates defeat. So finally I call him Hamilton Burger, and laugh. He hates that but kind of smile some, and accept defeat. I really try not to go there, but he usually stsrt the debate off, he opened the door, and I just closed it for him. I promise, any skill I got for winning over him, I got it watching Perry Mason shows. And my friend would be going at it, just like Hamilton Burger wouldn't let up from defeat, against Perry Mason, and lost all the time, except 3cases, out of about 500 cases. That's no record. I'll bet the guy who played Hamilton Burger, did not like that name. Lol. Rest in PARADISE Earl Stanley Gardner and Raymond Burr✌🏽❤🙏🏻🌷🌲🎵💃🏾🕺🏾
