Set in 1932 Los Angeles, the series focuses on the origin story of famed defense lawyer Perry Mason, based on characters from Erle Stanley Gardner's novels. Living check-to-check as a low-rent private investigator, Mason is haunted by his wartime experiences in France and suffering the effects of a broken marriage.

Is Perry Mason based on a true story?

The disturbing case of a kidnapped and slain baby that drives the plot of the HBO series “Perry Mason” is based on a real-life case that's even more gruesome than the one depicted in the show. ... He pointed to the 1927 kidnapping and killing of Marion Parker, the 12-year-old daughter of Los Angeles banker Perry Parker.

Did Perry Mason ever defend a black person?

Mason never defends a black client; on the one occasion when a black actor guest-starred—the Jamaican-born mixed-race actor Frank Silvera—he played a white character. By and large, black men and women appear only in bit parts and uncredited roles.

What was Perry Mason's illness?

Raymond Burr, 76, who became a TV icon as a crime-solving lawyer in the long-running "Perry Mason" series, died of liver cancer Sept. 12 at his California home in Sonoma County.

Did Perry Mason ever sleep with Della?

So, did we ever find out what was really going on between these two? The answer is: no. Some clues didn't pan out, much to the dismay of the romantics. The "smiling face-coffee" statement was uttered not face-to-face in the early morning light but from Perry's office, via the intercom, to Della's desk outside.

How Each Perry Mason Cast Member Died

How did Perry Mason end up in a wheelchair?

Why did Perry Mason end up in a wheelchair? By 1993, when Burr signed with NBC for another season of Mason films, he was using a wheelchair full-time because of his failing health. As he had with the Perry Mason TV movies, Burr decided to do an Ironside reunion movie.

Did Perry Mason and Della Street ever marry?

Why Did Perry and Della Never Marry? Actually, they did, in at least one of the gazillion Perry Mason productions. But mostly they were just exceedingly great work-partners. The Warner Brothers' version of The Case of the Velvet Claws, which came out in 1936, saw Della and Perry married.

Why was Barbara Hale missing from Perry Mason?

She wanted to retire. Bill left the decision up to her. Then came an opportunity the actress couldn't afford to turn down. She couldn't refuse to play Della Street in the "Perry Mason" TV series.

How many cases did Perry Mason lose?

Mason is known to have lost, in some form or manner, three cases—"The Case of the Terrified Typist", "The Case of the Witless Witness", and "The Case of the Deadly Verdict". Mason also loses a civil case at the beginning of "The Case of the Dead Ringer", partly due to being framed for witness tampering.

Why did Ray Collins leave Perry Mason?

In 1957, Collins joined the cast of the CBS-TV series Perry Mason and gained fame as Los Angeles police homicide detective Lieutenant Arthur Tragg. By 1960, Collins found his physical health declining and his memory waning, problems that in the next few years brought an end to his career.

Was Burt Reynolds ever on Perry Mason?

Burt Reynolds was one of Hollywood's most popular and resilient stars. The handsome actor appeared in one Perry Mason episode: The Case of the Counterfeit Crank (1962).

Was William Katt on Perry Mason?

Between 1985 and 1988, Katt starred in nine Perry Mason television films, playing the role of private detective Paul Drake Jr., son of Paul Drake, a fictional private detective in the Perry Mason television series and the Perry Mason series of detective stories written by Erle Stanley Gardner; Katt co-starred with his ...

Why was there only one color episode of Perry Mason?

The one in color

CBS wished to see what Perry Mason looked like in color late in its run. The execs had plans to craft a tenth season in color, so one test episode was shot in the format, "The Case of the Twice-Told Twist." It aired on February 27, 1966.

Was Perry Mason an alcoholic?

9 Grim and Gritty

In the new series, Perry Mason is an alcoholic, divorced, and just trying to get by as a private detective in Los Angeles.

What is the religion in Perry Mason?

The Art of Living Center in West Adams, formerly the Second Church of Christ, Scientist, serves as “Perry Mason's” Radiant Assembly of God.

Who guest starred the most on Perry Mason?

George E. Stone had the most credited guest appearances in the series with forty-five. He played the court clerk.

Did burger ever win a case?

Poor Hamilton Burger! ... However, it was not all negative for Hamilton Burger in the TV series. He did defeat Mason twice: in "The Case of the Terrified Typist" (episode 1-38), and in "The Case of the Deadly Verdict" (episode 7-4), a much-publicized episode that begins with Mason's client being sentenced to death.

Was Barbara Hale pregnant while on Perry Mason?

With Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman. But making the series was hard work for the whole team. ... In fact, one day in 1952 when she was pregnant with her third child, With Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale, William Hopper, William Talman. There were 30 Perry Mason movies featuring the late Barbara Hale.

What was the cause of Perry Mason's death?

Raymond Burr, the burly, impassive actor who played the defense lawyer Perry Mason and the police detective Robert T. Ironside on television, died on Sunday at his ranch in Dry Creek Valley, near Healdsburg, Calif. He was 76. The cause was kidney cancer, said his doctor, Paul J.

Does Perry Mason ever kiss Della Street?

Trivia (5)

At the end of the movie Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) and Della Street (Barbara Hale) share the first on screen kiss between the two characters. ... Based on characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner, who is not credited by the Writers Guild of America for this teleplay.

Did Della Street wear a wig?

DELLA STREET

Set in 1931-32, the series wigmaster clearly decided that ALL WOMEN wore fingerwave bobs and therefore all female characters have basically the same wig, with varying levels of success. Della's is not the worst but that is mainly because she is constantly wearing hats.

Is Della Street still alive?

Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 – January 26, 2017) was an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street in the television series Perry Mason (1957–1966), earning her a 1959 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.