I don’t recall where I read it, however originally William Hopper was slated to play Perry Mason and Raymond Burr was to portray Paul Drake. Hopper’s movie career was starting to take off and he wouldn’t be able to do much television, so he talked it over with Raymond Burr, they were agreeable to the idea and they both went and spoke with the studio heads, who eventually agreed.

My aunt hated watching the show, she was a murder mystery buff and had read all of the books numerous times, in them Perry Mason doesn’t look anything like Raymond Burr.

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Originally posted by clubleaf206:
My aunt hated watching the show, she was a murder mystery buff and had read all of the books numerous times, in them Perry Mason doesn’t look anything like Raymond Burr.

The same is true of the character of Samuel Spade as portrayed by Bogart in The Maltese Falcon. In his novel, Hammett described Spade as being tall, with blonde hair and a hooked nose, sort of a devilish-looking fellow (or to that effect), and this is, of course, nothing like Bogart, but just as Bogart is Sam Spade, Burr is Perry Mason.

In his novel L.A. Confidential, James Ellroy describes Detective Bud White as "the biggest man on the force" (or to that effect), but Russell Crowe is 5'11", and AFAIC, he did a great job in the role. I do know that Ellroy was a bit disgusted about this. Ellroy envisioned someone like Sterling Hayden in the role, who was a really big guy (although Hayden was long gone by the time of this film).

I am watching now and Dabbs Greer was the guilty party. He was on this show quite a bit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabbs_Greer

Perry Mason and Lawrence Welk; two of my grandmother's favorites when I was a kid. We'd watch them whenever she was over for dinner, or when we were over at her house for dinner. Saw quite a few Perry Masons; ducked out of Lawrence Welk whenever I could. A-one and a-two and...

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Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by clubleaf206:
My aunt hated watching the show, she was a murder mystery buff and had read all of the books numerous times, in them Perry Mason doesn’t look anything like Raymond Burr.

The same is true of the character of Samuel Spade as portrayed by Bogart in The Maltese Falcon. In his novel, Hammett described Spade as being tall, with blonde hair and a hooked nose, sort of a devilish-looking fellow (or to that effect), and this is, of course, nothing like Bogart, but just as Bogart is Sam Spade, Burr is Perry Mason.

In his novel L.A. Confidential, James Ellroy describes Detective Bud White as "the biggest man on the force" (or to that effect), but Russell Crowe is 5'11", and AFAIC, he did a great job in the role. I do know that Ellroy was a bit disgusted about this. Ellroy envisioned someone like Sterling Hayden in the role, who was a really big guy (although Hayden was long gone by the time of this film).

You make a valid argument and I have to say that I agree with it. I thought Burr did very well with the part and I can’t see anyone else but Bogart in the role of Sam Spade.

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Originally posted by amals:
Perry Mason and Lawrence Welk; two of my grandmother's favorites when I was a kid.

Same here, and my goodness, what a more innocent time. Just as with Mister Rogers throwing a tall man, Gail and Dale sang a song about being stoned and no one thought anything about it. I don't think they had a clue about the meaning of the lyrics and, and I miss such days.

Gail and Dale, sparkin' it up for the 50+ crowd


Notice that Welk introduces the song as a "modern spiritual", and I suppose- in a way- that's correct.

A friend of mine growing up always used to say it is Saturday night, you can have TWO beers and watch Lawrence Welk. (A favorite saying of his Grandmother who had the TV volume up so loud you could hear down the street.)

Great show. Started on air in 1957. Our family always watched it. Starting around 1963 though it was losing audience. Wasn't quite as good.

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Originally posted by maxwayne:
I am watching now and Dabbs Greer was the guilty party. He was on this show quite a bit.

He was the murderer just about every time he appeared on the show. I think one time his wife killed him.

I loved it as a youngster, but watching it now I realize much of it went right over my head. For instance, frequent allusions to marital infidelity never registered with me. And watching the shows now, I am amazed at how form-fitting women's fashions were in those days. I was a little kid remember.

In the first year or two of the series, Mason's character is closer to the Mason in Gardiner's books, in which he barks out orders to Paul Drake, obviously regarding him as a lowly hired man, not at all the friendly relationship they had on the tv show. The book-Mason's predilection for tampering with evidence (or adding "evidence" to confuse the police / DA) is portrayed much more in the early years of the series. As the show went on, Mason became more law abiding.

About who got what role:
I thought William Tallman was originally cast as Mason and Burr as Burger. But Earle Stanley intervened and insisted that Burr play Mason.

Here is a Hopper screen test to play Perry Mason and a Raymond Burr test also.

https://www.bing.com/videos/se...522E7B8&&FORM=VRDGAR

https://www.bing.com/videos/se...9033AE3&&FORM=VRDGAR

Back in my Coast Guard service days (early 80's) we watched it on the rec deck during the noon hour lunch time on the ship. I chuckle at the question in the thread because we watched a lot of them until the last 10 minutes then we had to go to officers call and go back to work. We watched a lot of them we just never saw the ending.

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Originally posted by agent 229:
Back in my Coast Guard service days (early 80's) we watched it on the rec deck during the noon hour lunch time on the ship. I chuckle at the question in the thread because we watched a lot of them until the last 10 minutes then we had to go to officers call and go back to work. We watched a lot of them we just never saw the ending.

Brother, that’s terrible. I truly feel bad that you never had the chance to see the endings. It’s was what the other 50 minutes had built up to.

I remember watching it but I can't remember his private eye's name. I think Stella was his secretary. I really enjoyed that show.

My dad loved watching Perry Mason and he had a lot of pocket books on Perry Mason.

I wasn't into it when I was young. But I think reading the books got me hooked on watching the black and white tv series. then later on the reboot.

I thought he lost only one case but I won't bet against Para.

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Originally posted by AZSigs:
I remember watching it but I can't remember his private eye's name. I think Stella was his secretary. I really enjoyed that show.

I believe the PI's actual son became the private detective in the reboot.

I locked in to an AM radio when I was young, WEST. It was the only radio station on the west coast that started with a W instead of a K. The format was old time radio and one of the shows was Gunsmoke with Raymond Burr's voice as the marshall.

Yeah, I remember that show. Didn't get to watch many of them as we were late getting a TV, and then I was in the army in Germany for 11 years, and we had no TV. Did enjoy his shows, too.

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Originally posted by Rey HRH:

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Originally posted by AZSigs:
I remember watching it but I can't remember his private eye's name. I think Stella was his secretary. I really enjoyed that show.

I believe the PI's actual son became the private detective in the reboot.

It wasn't the PI's son in the Perry Mason movies. He was the son of Barbara Hale who played Perry's secretary Della Street.

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Originally posted by Rey HRH:

quote:

Originally posted by AZSigs:
I remember watching it but I can't remember his private eye's name. I think Stella was his secretary. I really enjoyed that show.

I believe the PI's actual son became the private detective in the reboot.

I locked in to an AM radio when I was young, WEST. It was the only radio station on the west coast that started with a W instead of a K. The format was old time radio and one of the shows was Gunsmoke with Raymond Burr's voice as the marshall.

I think Dillon's voice on the radio show was done by William Conrad ("Cannon").

Thanks for those great links, maxwayne!

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Originally posted by John Steed:

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:


I believe the PI's actual son became the private detective in the reboot.

I locked in to an AM radio when I was young, WEST. It was the only radio station on the west coast that started with a W instead of a K. The format was old time radio and one of the shows was Gunsmoke with Raymond Burr's voice as the marshall.

I think Dillon's voice on the radio show was done by William Conrad ("Cannon").

Thanks for those great links, maxwayne!

Well, crap. I screwed all of that up didn't I? LOL Never mind.

Erle Stanley Gardner, who wrote the books the series is based on, was an attorney. He played a judge in several episodes.