Perry Mason is a fictional character, a
defenseIn civil proceedings and criminal prosecutions under the common law, a defendant may raise a defense in an attempt to avoid criminal or civil liability...
attorneyA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who was the main character in works of
detective fictionDetective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
authored by
Erle Stanley GardnerErle Stanley Gardner was an American lawyer and author of detective stories, best known for the Perry Mason series, he also published under the pseudonyms A.A. Fair, Kyle Corning, Charles M. Green, Carleton Kendrake, Charles J...
. Perry Mason was featured in more than 80
novelA novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s and short stories, most of which had a plot involving his client's
murderMurder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
trial. Typically, Mason was able to establish his client's innocence by implicating another character, who then confessed. Gardner, who was one of the best-selling authors of all time, had "135 million copies of his books in print in America alone in the year of his death" in 1969. The character of Perry Mason was portrayed each weekday on a long-running
radio seriesThe radio criminal serial Perry Mason, based on the novels of Erle Stanley Gardner, was broadcast on CBS Radio from 1943-1955. The series was adapted into Edge of Night which ran on television for an additional 30 years.-Adapting Perry Mason to other media:...
, followed by well-known depictions on film and television, including "television's most successful and longest-running lawyer series" from 1957 to 1966 starring
Raymond BurrRaymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
; another series in 1973–1974, starring
Monte MarkhamMonte Markham is an American actor. During his career, Markham has appeared in film, in television, and on Broadway.Markham was born in Manatee County, Florida, the son of Millie Content and Jesse Edward Markham, Sr., who was a merchant.Of his television roles, Markham is perhaps most famous for...
and
Brett SomersBrett Somers was a American actress, singer, and comedienne who was born in Canada and raised in Maine...
; and 30 made-for-TV movies filmed from 1985 to 1993.
Character
The name "Perry Mason" dates to creator Gardner's childhood. As a child, Gardner was a reader of the magazine
Youth's CompanionThe Youth's Companion , known in later years as simply The Companion—For All the Family, was an American children's magazine that existed for over one hundred years until it finally merged with The American Boy in 1929...
. The magazine (best known for producing the original
Pledge of AllegianceThe Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of loyalty to the federal flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942...
in 1891) was published in Boston, Massachusetts, by the Perry Mason Company (renamed "Perry Mason & Co." after the founder died). When Gardner created his fictional attorney, he borrowed the name of the company which published his favorite childhood magazine. Gardner provided more information about Mason's character in the earlier novels; knowledge of his character is largely taken for granted in the later works, the television series and movies. In the first novel, Mason describes himself:
Gardner depicts Mason as a lawyer who fights hard on behalf of his clients and who enjoys unusual, difficult or nearly-hopeless cases. He frequently accepts clients on a whim based on his curiosity about their problem, for a minimal retainer, and finances the investigation of their cases himself if necessary. In The Case of the Caretaker's Cat (1935), his principal antagonist, District Attorney Hamilton Burger, says: "You're a better detective than you are a lawyer. When you turn your mind to the solution of a crime, you ferret out the truth." And in The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink (1952), a judge who has just witnessed one of the lawyer's unusual tactics says: "Mr. Mason...from time to time you seem to find yourself in predicaments from which you extricate yourself by unusual methods which invariably turn out to be legally sound. The Court feels you are fully capable of looking after your own as well as your clients' interests."
Another frequent antagonist, Lieutenant Tragg of the homicide squad, has a discussion with Mason about his approach to the law. Mason is recovering from having been poisoned, and Tragg is investigating. He says:
Other than what we learn of his character from the novels themselves, we know very little about Perry Mason. We are told nothing about his family, his background, his personal life or his education. In the first season of the television series, Perry helps out an old friend from
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He mentions that he was in a company that was at Normandy on
D-DayD-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. Mason has a professional relationship with Paul Drake, although after The Case of the Velvet Claws fees are seldom discussed.
Della StreetDella Street was the fictional secretary of Perry Mason in the long-running series of novels, films, and radio and television programs featuring the fictional defense attorney created by Erle Stanley Gardner.-Description:...
is Mason's only (unacknowledged) romantic interest. We only know that he lives in an apartment, because he is occasionally awakened from sleep to go to his office; he does not entertain anyone at home. We know his tastes in food because many scenes take place in restaurants, and that he is an excellent driver because he participates in the occasional car chase. Other than those sketchy facts, there is so little physical description of him that the reader is not even sure what he looks like. In one episode of the TV series Perry meets an old friend from his childhood, and we learn that at least part of it (the part when he knew her) was spent in Oregon. The 1930s films were not closely based on the character of Perry Mason as revealed in the books, and contain plot and character developments which are not accepted as canonical in the remainder of the books and adaptations. For instance, in one film Perry marries his longtime secretary Della Street, while Paul Drake turns into comic sidekick Spudsy Drake.
Novels
Erle Stanley Gardner "had spent more than twenty years practicing law in California, and the knowledge he gained was put to good use in the Perry Mason stories, which hinge on points of law, forensic medicine or science as clever as a watch mechanism ... and also the total lack of characterization". While the Mason novels were largely a form of
pulp fictionPulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
of the sort that began Gardner's writing career, they are unusual in that the whodunnit mysteries usually involved two solutions: one in which the authorities believed (whereby Mason's client was guilty) and an alternative explanation (whereby Mason's client was innocent). The second half of each novel is devoted to a courtroom scene, during which Mason arrives at the alternative explanation and proves it to the satisfaction of the court. "It is perfectly true that our author works to formula; in one sense, the plot never varies. Having said this, one must add that the variety of persons and circumstances and the ingenuity in contriving the details that Gardner dreamed up in his dozens of cases are astonishing and entrancing."
A hallmark of the stories is that Perry Mason (with the assistance of his devoted secretary Della Street and his faithful private investigator Paul Drake), once embarked on a case, will juggle the evidence using unusual (even bizarre) tactics to mislead the police—but (except for the very earliest novels) always in an ethical fashion:
The influence of the television series has given the general public the impression that Mason is highly ethical. In the earliest novels, however, Mason was not above skulduggery to win a case. In The Case of the Counterfeit Eye (1935) he breaks the law several times, including manufacturing false evidence (glass eyes). Mason manipulates evidence and witnesses, resulting in the acquittal of the murderer in The Case of the Howling Dog (1934). The Case of the Curious Bride (1934) is
In the later novels the only crime which he can be seen to commit might be illegal entry (when he and Paul Drake are searching for evidence), and even then he would expect to put up a strong and effective defense leading to an acquittal. Hamilton Burger is constantly under the impression that Mason has done something illegal, but has never been able to prove it. Gardner prefaced many of his later novels with tributes to coroners and forensic pathologists whose work was instrumental to solving cases. Gardner inserts his ideas about the importance of proper autopsies into many of his Mason novels. In The Case of the Fugitive Nurse, for instance, close scrutiny of dental records in the identification of burned bodies is a key point. In that same story, the possible use of additives to track illegal resale of medical narcotics is examined.
However, a study of Gardner’s novels by critic Russel B. Nye did expose a pattern. Nye called Gardner’s novels as formal as
Japanese Noh drama, or - derived from the Sino-Japanese word for "skill" or "talent" - is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles. Traditionally, a Noh "performance day" lasts all day and...
. He described fairly rigid plot points:
- Attorney Perry Mason’s case is introduced.
- Mason and his crew investigate.
- Mason’s client is accused of a crime.
- Further investigations ensue.
- The trial begins.
- In a courtroom coup, Mason introduces new evidence and often elicits a confession from the lawbreaker.
Movies
- The Case of the Howling Dog
The Case of the Howling Dog is a 1934 American mystery film directed by Alan Crosland. The film stars Warren William and Mary Astor. This was the first in a series of films in which William played Perry Mason.-Plot:...
(1934), with Warren WilliamWarren William was a Broadway and Hollywood actor, popular during the early 1930s, who was later nicknamed the "king of Pre-Code". He was born Warren William Krech in Aitkin, Minnesota to parents Freeman E. and Frances Krech. He had a certain physical resemblance to John Barrymore. He attended the...
as Perry Mason and Helen Trenholme as Della Street
- The Case of the Curious Bride
The Case of the Curious Bride is a 1935 mystery film, the second in a series starring Warren William as Perry Mason. The story is based on the novel of the same name by Erle Stanley Gardner.-Plot:...
(1935), with Warren William and Claire DoddClaire Dodd was an American film actress.Born as Dorothy Anne Dodd in Baxter, Iowa, Dodd was born to Walter W. Dodd, a farmer and veterinarian, and Ethel V. Cool Dodd, the daughter of Baxter Postmaster Peter J. Cool. As Dorothy Dodd, she attended school in Baxter...
as Della Street. Notable for the first-released American screen appearance of Errol FlynnErrol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
as the corpse, who is seen alive but not speaking in a brief flashback
- The Case of the Lucky Legs
The Case of the Lucky Legs is a 1935 mystery film, the third in a series of Perry Mason films starring Warren William as the famed lawyer.-Plot:A woman wins a contest, but has trouble collecting her prize when the promoter turns up dead.-Cast:...
(1935), with Warren William and Genevieve TobinGenevieve Tobin was an American actress.The daughter of a vaudeville performer, Tobin made her film debut in 1910 in Uncle Tom's Cabin as Eva. She appeared in a few films as child, and formed a double act with her sister Vivian. Their brother, George, also had a brief acting career...
as Della Street
- The Case of the Velvet Claws
The Cases of the Velvet Claws is a 1936 mystery film, the fourth and final appearance of Warren William as defense attorney Perry Mason. Mason finally marries his longtime secretary Della Street, but has to cut their honeymoon short in order to defend a woman accused of murder.-Cast:*Warren William...
(1936), with Warren William and Claire Dodd as Della Street Mason
- The Case of the Black Cat
The Case of the Black Cat is a 1936 mystery film, based on the novel The Case of the Caretaker's Cat by Erle Stanley Gardner. The film stars Ricardo Cortez as Perry Mason, and co-stars June Travis and Jane Bryan...
(1936) (from The Case Of The Caretaker's Cat), with Ricardo CortezJacob Krantz , known by his stage name Ricardo Cortez, was an American film actor who began his career during the silent era.-Life and career:...
as Perry Mason and June TravisJune Travis was a motion picture actress from Chicago, Illinois.-Background:Born as June Dorothea Grabiner, she was the daughter of Harry Grabiner, vice-president of the Chicago White Sox in the 1930s....
as Della Street
- The Case of the Stuttering Bishop
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop is a 1937 drama film directed by William Clemens. It stars Donald Woods as Perry Mason, and Ann Dvorak as his secretary. Edward McWade plays the role of stuttering Bishop William Mallory...
(1937), with Donald WoodsDonald Woods was a Canadian-born American film and television actor whose career spanned six decades....
as Perry Mason and Ann DvorakAnn Dvorak was an American film actress.Asked how to pronounce her adopted surname, she told The Literary Digest: "My name is properly pronounced vor'shack. The D remains silent...
as Della Street
- Granny Get Your Gun
Never Wave at a WAC is a 1940 film directed by George Amy. It stars May Robson and Harry Davenport. It is an adaptation of the Perry Mason novels.-Cast:*May Robson as Minerva Hildegarde Hatton*Harry Davenport as Nathaniel 'Nate' Paulson...
(1940), extremely loosely based on The Case Of The Dangerous Dowager and not containing Perry Mason or any similar character. With May RobsonMay Robson was an actress and playwright. A major stage actress of the late 19th and early 20th century, Robson is best known today for the dozens of 1930s motion pictures she appeared in when she was well into her seventies, usually playing cross old ladies with hearts of gold.- Biography :Born...
as Minerva Hatton
Radio
Perry Mason was adapted for radio as a 15-minute daily crime serial. It had little in common with the usual portrayal of Mason, so much so that Gardner withdrew his support for a TV version of the daytime serial in favor of the Prime Time Emmy-Award winning courtroom drama. The general theme of the radio serial was continued, with a different title and characters, as Edge of Night. In 2008 Colonial Radio Theatre began a series of adaptations of Gardner's novels, scripted by M. J. Elliott.
Other adaptations
The Perry Mason character has appeared in
comic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s and a short-lived (October 16, 1950–June 21, 1952)
comic stripA comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
. He was also the inspiration for The Whole Truth (1986) by
James CumminsJames Cummins is an American poet.- Biography :Cummins teaches at the University of Cincinnati and is the curator of the Elliston Poetry Collection. He is married to the poet and art critic, Maureen Bloomfield...
, a book-length collection of
sestinas.
The daytime
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Edge of NightThe Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...
was originally meant to be a daytime version of Perry Mason, until Gardner had a falling-out with
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
network officials. He was later mollified enough to allow TV production of the most famous incarnation of the character. The character is also an inspiration for the TV show
AdaalatAdaalat is an Indian television courtroom drama series which revolves around 'Advocate K.D Pathak', a defense lawyer with an impeccable track record of winning cases and setting an hapless innocent victim free, but not at the cost of upholding the truth. Adaalat used to come on Saturday 8:00 PM on...
on
Sony TV IndiaThis article is about the SET channel in India. For the Indian version broadcasted worldwide, see Sony Entertainment Television Asia.Sony Entertainment Television, or SET, is a Hindi-language based general entertainment television channel in India. It was launched in October 1996 and is owned by...
.
Narayan SanyalNarayan Sanyal was a well-known & versatile writer of modern Bengali literature as well as a civil engineer.-Biography:Narayan Sanyal was born to Chittasukh Sanyal and Basantalata Devi...
, a famous
BengaliThe Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
author, has created P. K. Basu, a detective character, being inspired from Mason.
Television series
The best-known incarnation of Perry Mason came in the form of a
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
TV series which ran from 1957 to 1966, with
Raymond BurrRaymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
in the title role. Also starring were
Barbara HaleBarbara Hale is an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on more than 250 episodes of the long-running Perry Mason television series and later reprising the role in dozens of made-for-TV movies....
,
William HopperWilliam Hopper, born DeWolf Hopper, Jr. was an American actor. He is best-remembered for playing Paul Drake on television's Perry Mason.-Early life:...
, William Talman, and
Ray CollinsRay Bidwell Collins was an American actor in film, stage, radio, and television. One of Collins' best remembered roles was that of Lt. Arthur Tragg in the long-running series Perry Mason.- Biography :...
. The familiar theme song was Park Avenue Beat by
Fred SteinerFred Steiner was an American composer, conductor, orchestrator, film historian and arranger for television, radio and film. Steiner wrote the theme music for The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, Perry Mason and The Bullwinkle Show...
. Several years after the first series' cancellation a new series, The New Adventures of Perry Mason, aired in 1973 which featured
Monte MarkhamMonte Markham is an American actor. During his career, Markham has appeared in film, in television, and on Broadway.Markham was born in Manatee County, Florida, the son of Millie Content and Jesse Edward Markham, Sr., who was a merchant.Of his television roles, Markham is perhaps most famous for...
in the title role. It was unsuccessful, and its
rerunA rerun or repeat is a re-airing of an episode of a radio or television broadcast. The invention of the rerun is generally credited to Desi Arnaz. There are two types of reruns—those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated. Reruns can also be, as the...
s are not seen in syndication.
TV movies
American television producers
Dean HargroveDean Hargrove is an American television producer, writer, and director. He specializes in creating mystery series...
and
Fred SilvermanFred Silverman is an American television executive and producer. He worked as an executive at the CBS, ABC and NBC networks, and was responsible for bringing to television such programs as the series Scooby-Doo , All in the Family , The Waltons , and Charlie's Angels , as well as the...
resurrected the Perry Mason character in a series of TV movies for
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
beginning in 1985 (they would create the Matlock series a year later). Hargrove and Silverman brought back the two surviving stars of the TV series –
Raymond BurrRaymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
and
Barbara HaleBarbara Hale is an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on more than 250 episodes of the long-running Perry Mason television series and later reprising the role in dozens of made-for-TV movies....
(reprising their roles as Mason and Della Street respectively) – for the first telefilm, Perry Mason Returns; Mason, now an
appellate courtAn appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
judge, resigns his position to successfully defend his secretary Della on murder charges.
William KattWilliam Theodore Katt is an American film and television actor, best known as the star of The Greatest American Hero. He is also known for playing Tommy Ross, the ill-fated prom date of Carrie White in the film version of Carrie and Paul Drake Jr. in the Perry Mason TV movies...
(Hale's son) was cast as Paul Drake, Jr. (
William HopperWilliam Hopper, born DeWolf Hopper, Jr. was an American actor. He is best-remembered for playing Paul Drake on television's Perry Mason.-Early life:...
, who played private investigator Paul Drake in the original television series, had died years earlier; Hopper's photograph appears on Paul Drake Jr's desk.) In the later TV movies, Mason used the services of attorney Ken Malansky (played by
William R. MosesWilliam Remington Moses is an American actor.-Early life:Moses was born in Los Angeles, California. He is the son of the late actress Marian McCargo and advertising executive Richard Cantrell Moses, Sr. who divorced in 1963. Marian remarried in 1970 to the late former Republican Congressman...
). These films were set in Denver rather than Mason's traditional locale of
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, due to Denver's considerably-lower production costs.
The Perry Mason series of TV movies continued until Burr's death from kidney cancer in 1993. The episode entitled The Case of the Killer Kiss was Burr's final portrayal of Mason. The episode aired after his death, and was dedicated to Burr's memory. Thereafter, the title of the series was changed to A Perry Mason Mystery and starred either
Paul SorvinoPaul Anthony Sorvino is an American actor. He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law, and is possibly best known for his roles as Paulie Cicero, a portrayal of Paul Vario in the film Goodfellas and Sgt. Phil Cerreta on the police procedural and legal drama television series Law...
or
Hal HolbrookHarold Rowe "Hal" Holbrook, Jr. is an American actor. His television roles include Abraham Lincoln in the 1976 TV series Lincoln, Hays Stowe on The Bold Ones: The Senator and Capt. Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He is also known for his role in the 2007 film Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for...
as lawyers and friends of Mason. Hale continued her role as Street, while Mason was ostensibly out of town.
Regular characters
Recurring characters in the Perry Mason stories include:
- Della Street
Della Street was the fictional secretary of Perry Mason in the long-running series of novels, films, and radio and television programs featuring the fictional defense attorney created by Erle Stanley Gardner.-Description:...
: Mason's confidential secretary (originated in 1943, by Joan AlexanderJoan Alexander was an American actress known for her role as Lois Lane on radio's The Adventures of Superman from the early 1940s to 1951.-Early life and career:...
on radio, and played by Barbara HaleBarbara Hale is an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on more than 250 episodes of the long-running Perry Mason television series and later reprising the role in dozens of made-for-TV movies....
on the 1957–1966 TV series and in the television films)
- Paul Drake: private investigator (played by William Hopper
William Hopper, born DeWolf Hopper, Jr. was an American actor. He is best-remembered for playing Paul Drake on television's Perry Mason.-Early life:...
on the TV series)
- Paul Drake, Jr.: Paul Drake's son (also a private investigator), played by William Katt
William Theodore Katt is an American film and television actor, best known as the star of The Greatest American Hero. He is also known for playing Tommy Ross, the ill-fated prom date of Carrie White in the film version of Carrie and Paul Drake Jr. in the Perry Mason TV movies...
in nine telefilms (Katt is the son of actress Barbara HaleBarbara Hale is an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on more than 250 episodes of the long-running Perry Mason television series and later reprising the role in dozens of made-for-TV movies....
.)
- Hamilton Burger
Hamilton Burger is the fictional Los Angeles district attorney who is the nemesis of Perry Mason in the long-running series of novels, films, and radio and television programs featuring the fictional defense attorney created by Erle Stanley Gardner...
: District Attorney (played by William Talman on the TV series)
- Lt. Arthur Tragg: Police homicide investigator (played by Ray Collins
Ray Bidwell Collins was an American actor in film, stage, radio, and television. One of Collins' best remembered roles was that of Lt. Arthur Tragg in the long-running series Perry Mason.- Biography :...
on most episodes of the first TV series)
- Lt. Steve Drumm: Police homicide investigator (played by Richard Anderson
Richard Norman Anderson is an American actor in film and television, known to TV audiences as Steve Austin's and Jaime Sommers' boss, Oscar Goldman, in both The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman TV series and their three subsequent TV movies: The Return of the Six-Million-Dollar Man...
on the final season of the first TV series)
- Lt. Andy Anderson: Police homicide investigator (played by Wesley Lau
Wesley Lau was an American film and television actor.-Early life:Wesley Lau was born and raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin...
on the first TV series; he often replaced the ailing Ray Collins, who continued to appear in the credits)
- Terrance Clay: Restaurateur and friend of Perry (played in eight episodes by Dan Tobin in the final season of the first TV series).
- Sergeant Holcomb: Homicide detective, often featured in the novels
- Carl Jackson: Junior attorney in Mason's law firm (he appears in a few episodes in the TV series, as well as in the novels)
- Lieutenant Ed Brock: police commander (played by James McEachin
James McEachin is an American actor, award-winning author, and known for his many character roles such as portraying police Lieutenant Brock in several Perry Mason television movies.-Military career:...
in the telefilms)
- Michael Reston: another district attorney (played in several TV movies by David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
)
- Gertrude "Gertie" Lade: Mason's switchboard operator, an "incurable romantic" rarely seen in the TV series but a common presence in the novels. She was played in the first series by Connie Cezon and in the second by Brett Somers
Brett Somers was a American actress, singer, and comedienne who was born in Canada and raised in Maine...
(who later appeared on Match GameMatch Game is an American television game show in which contestants attempted to match celebrities' answers to fill-in-the-blank questions...
).
- David Gideon: first appeared as a suspect in one episode during the fourth season (The Case Of The Grumbling Grandfather, 1961), and later appeared in eight episodes in the fifth season as a young lawyer working with Mason (played by Karl Held
Carl Held is an actor who has worked extensively in both American and British television.-Career:...
)
TV movies
- Perry Mason Returns (1985)
- The Case of the Notorious Nun (1986)
- The Case of the Shooting Star (1986)
- The Case of the Lost Love (1987)
- The Case of the Sinister Spirit (1987)
- The Case of the Murdered Madam (1987)
- The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel (1987)
- The Case of the Avenging Ace (1988)
- The Case of the Lady in the Lake (1988)
- The Case of the Lethal Lesson (1989)
- The Case of the Musical Murder (1989)
- The Case of the All-Star Assassin (1989)
- The Case of the Poisoned Pen (1990)
- The Case of the Desperate Deception (1990)
- The Case of the Silenced Singer (1990)
- The Case of the Defiant Daughter (1990)
- The Case of the Ruthless Reporter (1991)
- The Case of the Maligned Mobster (1991)
- The Case of the Glass Coffin (1991)
- The Case of the Fatal Fashion (1991)
- The Case of the Fatal Framing (1992)
- The Case of the Reckless Romeo (1992)
- The Case of the Heartbroken Bride (1992)
- The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal (1993)
- The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host (1993)
- The Case of the Killer Kiss (1993)
After Raymond Burr's death four movies were produced in a series entitled A Perry Mason Mystery, in which Barbara Hale continued to star as Della Street:
- The Case of the Wicked Wives (1993), starring Paul Sorvino
Paul Anthony Sorvino is an American actor. He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law, and is possibly best known for his roles as Paulie Cicero, a portrayal of Paul Vario in the film Goodfellas and Sgt. Phil Cerreta on the police procedural and legal drama television series Law...
as Anthony Caruso
- The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle (1994), starring Hal Holbrook
Harold Rowe "Hal" Holbrook, Jr. is an American actor. His television roles include Abraham Lincoln in the 1976 TV series Lincoln, Hays Stowe on The Bold Ones: The Senator and Capt. Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He is also known for his role in the 2007 film Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for...
as "Wild Bill" McKenzie
- The Case of the Grimacing Governor (1994), again starring Holbrook in the same role
- The Case of the Jealous Jokester (1995), again starring Holbrook
In popular culture
The
Butthole SurfersButthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
' song "Perry", included on the album
Rembrandt PussyhorseRembrandt Pussyhorse is the second full-length studio album by American experimental punk band Butthole Surfers, released in April 1986. All songs were written and produced by the Butthole Surfers, except "American Woman", which was written by Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Jim Kale, and Garry...
, borrows the title tune from the TV show.
The Blues BrothersThe Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
recorded a cover version of the song, called "Perry Mason Theme", which was included in
Made in AmericaMade in America is the third album by The Blues Brothers. The second live album by the band, it was released in December 1980 as a followup to their hit film released that year, The Blues Brothers. Commercially and critically it did not fare as well as their previous two albums, 1978's Briefcase...
. It was later used in the film
Blues Brothers 2000Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical comedy film that is a sequel to the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. Directed by John Landis, the film featured Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman, with cameos by many musicians.-Plot:...
(1998), where it was played during a scene where Elwood Blues (
Dan AykroydDaniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
) and Mack (
John GoodmanJohn Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...
) leave two members of the Russian mob unconscious in an alley. The 1995
Ozzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
album
Ozzmosis-Personnel:Musicians*Ozzy Osbourne – vocals*Zakk Wylde – guitar*Geezer Butler – bass*Deen Castronovo – drums*Rick Wakeman – keyboardsAdditional personnel*Michael Beinhorn – production, keyboards...
features a song entitled "Perry Mason", whose lyrics allude to the character.
In El Chavo del Ocho, there is an episode when Professor Jirafales suggests that they adjudicate Quico's cat-murder case. Don Ramón suggests that they do as in the TV series Perro Menso (Silly Dog). Jirafales corrects him, saying "Perry Mason!"
In the Portuguese version of El Chavo del Ocho, Don Ramón (Seu Madruga) suggests that they do as the TV series of Pede Mais Um (Ask For Another One). As in the original version of the series Professor Jirafales corrects him, yelling "Perry Mason!".
The Pixies paid tribute to the show by incorporating part of the theme tune into their song "Space (I Believe In)" on the album
Trompe le MondeTrompe le Monde is the fourth and final album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in 1991 on the English independent record label 4AD in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States...
. Singer
Frank BlackBlack Francis is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black...
announces, "Now I'm going to sing the Perry Mason theme" before singing it with vocal distortion. In the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
televisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom
May to DecemberMay to December was a British sitcom which ran for 39 episodes, from 2 April 1989 to 27 May 1994 on BBC1. The series was written by Paul Mendelson and produced by Cinema Verity....
,
solicitorSolicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
Alec Callender (portrayed by
Anton RodgersAnton Rodgers was an English actor and occasional director. He performed on stage, in film and in television dramas and sitcoms.-Life and career:...
) is a huge Perry Mason fan; he often speaks privately to a large poster of Raymond Burr hanging on his office wall.
William HannaWilliam Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
and
Joseph BarberaJoseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....
stretched Gardner's character by creating "Perry Masonry" in the episode of
The FlintstonesThe Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
in which the Rubbles adopt
Bamm-BammBamm-Bamm Rubble is the adopted son of fictitious characters Barney and Betty Rubble. He is most famous in his infant form on the animated series The Flintstones, but has also appeared at various other ages, including as a teenager on the early 1970s spinoff The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show and as an...
. Masonry's opposing counsel was named "Bronto Burger".
Mad Magazine spoofed the 1950s TV series with "Perry Masonmint" (Perry lost because he was tricked into trying a case on a Friday rather than Saturday, when he was always successful). Fast Forward also spoofed the 1950s series.
Jack BennyJack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
once did a sketch about Perry Mason actually losing a case. Benny is accused of not being funny; Mason is there to defend him, but unable to prove his client is indeed funny. In a dream sequence in a TV episode of The Jack Benny Program, Raymond Burr (as Mason) defends Benny on the charge of killing a rooster. In Benny's dream, Mason is incompetent and loses the case easily.
Roger Fox (in the comic strip FoxTrot) gets a speeding ticket, and mentions that he will try to come up with a Perry Mason routine to get out of it. During a case in the TV law drama
Boston LegalBoston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
, a method of proving reasonable doubt was credited to Perry Mason with much success. A
mysteryMystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
novel by
Barbara PaulBarbara Paul is an American writer of detective stories and science fiction. She was born in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1931 and was educated at Bowling Green State University and the University of Pittsburgh, among others....
, But He Was Already Dead When I Got There (1987), is dedicated by the author to her viewing of the original Perry Mason TV series, and was inspired by it. Author Susan Kandel wrote her debut mystery novel I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason (2005) about a woman, Cece Caruso, who is writing a biography of Erle Stanley Gardner.
In Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, the MASON system plays a key part in the final case of the game, being used by
Phoenix WrightPhoenix Wright, known as in original Japanese language versions, is a fictional defense attorney in Capcom's Ace Attorney video game series. As of , the series has sold 3 million copies and is Capcom's 11th best-selling series of all time. Phoenix has been featured as the main protagonist in three...
to retell his investigation on the case in which he unknowingly used forged evidence, leading to his
disbarmentDisbarment is the removal of a lawyer from a bar association or the practice of law, thus revoking his or her law license or admission to practice law...
. In the
1985 film adaptationClue is a 1985 comedy mystery film based on the board game of the same name . The film is a murder mystery set in a Gothic Revival mansion, and is styled after Murder by Death and other various murder/dinner parties of mystery...
of the board game
ClueCluedo is a popular murder/mystery-themed deduction board game originally published by Waddingtons in Leeds, England in 1949. It was devised by Anthony E. Pratt, a solicitor's clerk from Birmingham, England. It is now published by the United States game and toy company Hasbro, which acquired its U.S...
, the character of Miss Scarlet cites Perry Mason to highlight Wadsworth's (played by
Tim CurryTimothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
) crime-solving capabilities. In Vincent Clark's novel Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, the protagonist (a world-weary criminal lawyer) has a drunken outburst of anger at Perry Mason: "It's all fine for Mister Perry Mason to go off and find the real culprit, in book after book after book. The real culprit! The real culprit! In ninety nine percent of the cases I have taken, my client was guilty as hell, and I knew it, and what's more the jury knew it, too. It was my job to get the client off anyway, on one technicality or another. That's my job, that's what a lawyer is for, for God's sake. Damn Sir Perry Galahad Mason!"
In an episode of
Car 54, Where are You?Car 54, Where Are You? is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from 1961 to 1963. Episodes had various directors, the most recognized being Al De Caprio. Stanley Prager and Nat Hiken also directed several episodes. Most of its filming was on location in The Bronx, and at Biograph...
Mason is mentioned in a parody version of "A Policeman's Lot Is Not a Happy One", performed by Officer Francis Muldoon (
Fred GwynneFrederick Hubbard "Fred" Gwynne was an American actor. Gwynne was best known for his roles in the 1960s sitcoms Car 54, Where Are You? and The Munsters, as well as his later roles: Pet Sematary and My Cousin Vinny...
). In
The JetsonsThe Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
episode "Millionaire Astro", in order to save Astro
George JetsonThe following is a list of major characters in The Jetsons. The Jetsons is an animated television comedy produced by Hanna-Barbera and first broadcast in prime-time on ABC as part of the 1962–63 United States network television schedule. Additional episodes were produced from 1985–1987, with the...
says they will need a "Perry Spaceson" at the trial to win the case. On an episode of
That '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979...
entitled "Who's Been Sleeping Here?",
RedReginald Albert "Red" Forman is a fictional character on the Fox sitcom That '70s Show, portrayed by Kurtwood Smith.-Biography and personality:Red is one of the classic archetypes of the "grumpy man"...
is unable to watch Perry Mason.
KittyKatherine Anne "Kitty" Forman is a fictional character on the Fox Network's That '70s Show, portrayed by comic actress Debra Jo Rupp. Kitty is a nurse but sometimes takes a break from her career to make peace in the family. She also has a very recognizable laugh and a fondness for square dancing...
tells him "Guess what? Perry Mason wins!" and laughs while Red says angrily, "It's not if he wins, it's how; that's the magic, dammit!".
FezFez is a fictional character and one of the four male leads on the Fox Network's That '70s Show, portrayed by Wilmer Valderrama. He was the foreign exchange student in a group of six local teenagers.-Origins:...
later walks into the room and asks, "Oh, did I miss Perry Mason"?
In "Misunderstood" on the album
Tha Carter IIITha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 10, 2008 on Cash Money Records. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists records, helping to increase his exposure in the mainstream...
Lil' Wayne raps, "Perry Mason facin'/ the barrel if he tattle/ my God as my judge, no gown no gavel". In "Bitch Named Nina" he raps, "and we hold court like Mason Perry, oops I meant Perry Mason, the weed got me dyslexic". During her Senate confirmation hearings,
Sonia SotomayorSonia Maria Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 2009. Sotomayor is the Court's 111th justice, its first Hispanic justice, and its third female justice....
revealed that she first became interested in the law while watching Perry Mason on television with her mother.
In an Arizona murder trial, the district attorney used The Case of the Curious Bride as the basis for his line of questioning:
External links