Perry Mason

Perry Mason is a fictional defense attorney who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner and who was portrayed by Raymond Burr in a television series which ran on CBS from 1957 to 1966. The general plot involves Perry Mason unmasking the actual murderer in a final dramatic courtroom showdown. As such it is a highly unrealistic portrayal of the criminal justice system, and some of the structure of the television show was dictated by the motion picture and television codes of the 1950s which required an ending in which justice was served and in which the police and judicial institutions were not questioned (see Production Code). The theme music, "Park Avenue Beat" by Fred Steiner, is one of television's most recognizable themes. A recurring subplot was the low-key romance between Mason and his private secretary, Della Street, alluded to only in the most discreet way.

1930s movies

• The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (1937)
• The Case of the Black Cat (1936)
• The Case of the Velvet Claws (1936)
• The Case of the Lucky Legs (1935)
• The Case of the Curious Bride (1935)
• The Case of the Howling Dog (1934)