Lay Lines by Carol Lay for August 08, 2022

“But I did inconveniently fatally maim her over breakfast twice a week for the last month. If that helps any.”

Look up the precode Warner B movies starring Warren William as Perry. In those nifty programmers he was a high-living near-shyster, partying with a jolly coroner and tussling with Della after hours on the office carpet. Author Earl Stanley Gardner hated those movies. He had a hand in the TV series, and made sure everything was solidly respectable.

Later, Perry went on working with a wheelchair. (I know different show.)

The show was a game for us. Before the final 15 minutes, we each said who we thought the murderer is.

Last panel, Matt Gaetz or Brett Kavanaugh?

In the books, Perry and Della were hinted to be making out on the side in the early days. Once they’re alone in a witness’ apartment for an undefined amount of time, and when the witness returns, Della has to hit the powder room to make herself presentable.

Clever.

Perry Mason was must-see TV in our house. Mom loved that show, and she was also a big Gunsmoke fan.

Saw him in in a movie where a giant reptile of unknown type destroyed Tokyo…

I grew up watching Perry Mason. Then, in 1961, there was a new legal drama series called “The Defenders” with E.G. Marshall and Robert Reed. I didn’t like it because there was never any mystery to be solved and the lawyers lost most of their cases. Also, their clients were usually not very likeable.

“Who can we get on the case? We need Perry Mason. Someone to put you in place Calling Perry Mason again”

More fotonovel-style recollections of old TV shows and movies would be wonderful!

The guy who played Hamilton Burger — I remember him doing an anti-smoking commercial (I’m pretty sure).

This was shortly after he was diagnosed with fatal lung cancer. He didn’t last long after that commercial.

A life long smoker, but just a coincidence, according to the folks who do P.R. for Big Oil and Big Tobacco.

Watched it a lot when I was a kid. In high school my friends and I dissected the formula. Never noticed Burr’s eyelashes. Della seemed to think most men were childish.

My favorite part (/s) of Perry Mason was that they were still finding evidence while the trial was going on.

I def remember that “irrelevant, incompetent, and immaterial”. Only much later did I learn the different specific meanings of those.

One note: The wording and picture of the one panel makes it appear that Raymond Burr was fired after attending “a reefer party” and was fired. It was, in fact, William Talman who was fired from the show for attending this party because it violated the morals clause in his contract. The other stars of PERRY MASON — Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale, William Hopper, and Ray Collins always stood beside Talman (especially Burr) and continually lobbied the network to reinstate Talman, which the network ultimately did.

His theme music is the best.

Back when I was in high school I read every single one of the books. I had paperback copies of some, the rest I checked out of the library. Some they had to get from the stacks. I remember being so happy when I finally got to read the last one they had trouble finding.

Burr kept his homosexuality concealed from the public for most of his career. These days were not those days – he and his companion had a vineyard in the Russian River area which is still, as far as I know, making wine. Mason always drove a convertible, and the auto manufacturers kept him well supplied. Drake drove Thunderbirds mostly, although I seem to remember a Corvette, but don’t quote me. I think we saw Della’s car at least once. I loved how they would slide over on the bench seats in those halcyon days.

Until Law and Order (with Jerry Orbach) came on the scene, nothing beat Dragnet. Bum be-dum-dum. Before there was ‘you have the right to remain silent’, there was ‘just the facts, ma’am’.

any theories about Dragnet in the 60’s?