Cused, and Mason Takes the Case. As Evidence Mounts Against His
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PERRY MASON 1241 happens, an innocent person (most often a woman) is ac- cused, and Mason takes the case. As evidence mounts against ,v his client, Mason pulls out a legal maneuver involving some courtroom "pyrotechnics." This not only proves his client innocent, but identifies the real culprit. These scenes are easily the best and most memorab e. It is not because they ja are realistic. On the contrary, they are hardly that. What is so engaging about them is the combination of Mason's efforts to free his client, perhaps a surprise witness brought in by Drake in the closing courtroom scene, and a dramatic courtroom confession. The murderer being in the court- room during the trial and not hiding out in the Bahamas provides the single most important image of each episode. The murderer forgoes the fifth amendment and admits his/her guilt in an often tearful outburst of"I did it! And I'm glad I did!" This happens under the shocked, amazed eyes of district attorney Burger and the stoic, sure face of defense . - attorney Mason. A Although it is often identified with other lawyer dramas .,. such as L. A. Law and The Defenders, Perry Mason is more ro' " of a detective series. Each episode is a carefully structured detective puzzle that both established and perpetuated a number of conventions associated with most television de- tective series. Perry Mason uses the legal profession and the trial situation as a forum for detective work. Although strictly formulaic, each episode is guided by the elements of the variations that distinguish one episode from another. For Perry Mason example, since nearly every episode began with the guest characters rather than with the series regulars, these guest characters set the tone for the rest of the episode. If it is going to he youth oriented, these characters are young. If it is going bit older, grayer and bearded, with Barbara Hale as his to be a contested will, the heirs are introduced. executive secretary. Since William Hopper died in 1970, The credit for the series' success is split equal y between William Katt (who is the real life son of Barbara Hale) is Burr, the Perry Mason production style and the series' creator featured in the first nine episodes as Paul Drake, Jr. In The Gardner. Burr provided the characterization of a cool, cal- Case of the Lethal Lesson (1989), Katt is replaced by a culating attorney, while the production style builds tension graduating law student Ken Malansky, played by William in plots at once solidly formulaic and cleverly surprising, and R. Moses. Each plot is developed over two hours instead of Gardner, as an uncredited executive story editor, made sure one and the extra time is made up of extended chases and each episode carefully blended legal drama with clever de- blind alleys. Yet the basic formula stays the same. tective work. In all, the series won three Emmys, two for This newest version of Perry Mason takes an interesting Burr and one for Hale. twist in the spring of 1994. After Burr's death in the fall of The series made a brief return in 1973 with the same 1993, executive producers Fred Silverman and Dean production team as the original series, but with a new cast. Hargrove followed the wishes of the estate of Erle Stanley Monte Markham replaced Burr. That this version did not Gardner and kept the character alive but off-screen. First to survive 15 episodes reveals that one of the key draws of the replace him as visiting attorney was Paul Sorvino as Anthony original series is the casting. It is interesting to note, how- Caruso in The Case of the Wicked Wives (1993) and then Hal ever, that Markham's Mason was closer to the one featured Holbrook as "Wild Bill" McKenzie in The Case of the Lethal in the original novels. Both were brash, elegant and coolly Lifestyle (1994). In each movie, Mason is conveniently ab- businesslike in their dealings with clients, something Burr sent. Street and Malansky are still available as assistants for never was. But it is Burr's coolness and control that became the "visiting" attorney and the series is still called A Peery so identified with the character that, for the television audi- Mason Mystery, so that, production after production, the ence, there was no other Mason than Burr. character lives on. Burr returned to his role in 1985 for the beginning of -J. Dennis Bounds an almost ten year run of made -for-television movies begin- ning with Perry Mason Returns. This is followed by The Case CAST( 1957-66) of the Notorious Nun (1986). Burr is back as Mason, albeit a Perry Mason Raymond Burr .