I’ve got not relationship to Perry Mason at all. I’ve heard the name before e.g. “woah, look at Perry Mason over here.” I know there was a 70’s TV show with a big fat guy in it but I never watched it. That’s about it.
I really liked The Americans and Matthew Rhys in it, so the recent promos interested me somewhat. I’m not a huge fan of period pieces, especially 30’s noir stuff, so I wasn’t exactly circling it on my calendar. In a fit of late night boredom I decided to watch the first 2 episodes this week. I have to say I’m interested. It’s a little slow paced, which I tend to like when done well, and the grittiness works for me. It has a little bit of a True Detective feel to it. I’m hoping the momentum stays strong and the rest of the series builds into something memorable.
Not long ago I read that Raymond Burr made up a bunch of lies about his background. One of the biggest lies was he had a son who died of cancer young. Another one was that he served in the Navy in WW 2. He never had a son and most of the stories were made up to hide that he was gay. Also never knew until recently that he was Canadian, born in BC. He went from Perry Mason right to Ironside and that lasted 8 years. Not many actors starred in 2 shows that long back to back.
There was a lot of mystery surrounding him. Even his sexuality is not clearly established although there are plenty of people talk about gay relationships he had and apparently he was more open about it before achieving stardom, but there just aren’t many details that he was willing to share with others. I think a lot was covered up by the show’s producers, he had a few absences from the show where the details are hazy, and at some point they provided a place for Burr to live on the studio lot supposedly to make his life easier because the role was exhausting, probably just another cover story.
He dated women including Natalie Wood and had a marriage that lasted just a few months in the 40s. Back in those days it was common for gay men in Hollywood (and other careers) to date women to appear as straight.
@TriPolar, I think his sexuality was well established, given that he lived as domestic partners with his beloved in Sonoma County, making wine and raising orchids until his death in 1993. However, he kept the fact hidden during his years as an actor. It simply wasn’t possible in those days to be a popular actor who is gay.
I am glad he was able to come out in his later years and live on his own terms until his death.
What I meant was that he didn’t talk about it much nor did others who knew more. We just don’t know the details. He seemed to be less open about it among his peers than other Hollywood figures, which is the only reason I mention it.
I can imagine the conversations with the editors of those gossip magazines. “Yes, you can run a story hinting that he’s gay, but only if you keep secret that he’s actually Canadian.”
I’ve recently been watching the TV series with Raymond Burr that started in 1957. Season 1 is a hoot. Mason definitely skirts the edge of the law, breaking into crime scenes, tampering with evidence, secreting clients in hotels under assumed names, and totally messing with Hamilton Burger’s head, etc. Once he and Della Street climbed out the window of the premises where the murder victim had been found and hid on the fire escape while Tragg and his team searched the room. I eventually worked my way to season 7, but he had turned into too much of a staid, hefty, law-abiding citizen by then, so I’m back to watching season 1 all over again.
The first couple of seasons also have more outdoor and location shots-- L.A. in the mid-50s for real. And oh, the cars! Paul Drake in his 1956 Corvette or later the original Thunderbird. But I digress…
I don’t have HBO-- maybe this series will become available someplace else.
I just saw the third episode - not bad. Della Sweet was badass in confronting the cops trying to sweat a confession from the grieving mom (although she referred to the desk officer as “sergeant,” and he wasn’t wearing any chevrons). Nice touch to have Hoover’s photo framed on the wall. E.B. is definitely losing it - Alzheimer’s? And I didn’t recognize Matt Frewer (Max Headroom) as the judge.
When Sister Alice said that she was going to resurrect Charlie, I wondered if that was somehow actually a different kid from Charlie who was dead. Seems like a longshot, but I can’t think of what else it means other than she’s crazy.
I initially thought the series had a chance but dang, there’s way too much time wasted on characters standing around in rooms exchanging boring dialogue.
Not really nowhere exactly. In one episode, we saw him coughing up blood and also we’re seeing memory issues. We also heard that he’s mortgaged his house, has little savings and was turned down for a loan.