1. Erle Stanley Gardner: The Creator of Perry Mason

2. The History of the Show

• The Case of the Lousy Movies
• Perry Mason on the Radio
• On to TV, and Lawyers in Love
• Perry vs. Perry and the Cartwrights
• Very Few Words from the Sponsors
• Plenty of Judges but No Jury
• The Problems of Success
• Emmys and Actors
• Remember That Music?
• Perry Mason Loses Case!
• The Case of the Happy Cast
• The Good Old Days
• Disorder in the Court
• The Case of the Fading Lawyer
• Is There Life After Cancellation?
• An Embarrassing Revival

3. Raymond Burr as Perry Mason

• The "Hungry" Years
• The Case of the Heartbroken Actor
• A Stranger after Ninety Films
• Playing Heavy
• A "Complicated" and Generous Man
• Home Alone
• Perry Mason: The Case of the Faceless Man
• A Visible Hero at Last
• The Trouble with Blondes
• "I Object"
• A Brief Retirement

4. Barbara Hale as Della Street

• See You in the Funny Papers
• How to Marry a Cowboy
• Nice Girls Finish First
• Eeek!
• "Think Like a Woman"
• Perry and Della: Do They or Don't They?
• From Lawyers to Microwaves

5. William Hopper as Paul Drake

• "The Case of the Reluctant Actor"
• A Hero Selling Cars
• "The One-Man Cavalry"
• "A Growing Boy"
• Who Needs Lawyers?
• Which Way Did They Go?

6. William Talman: TV's Hamilton Burger

• The Case of the Built-in Loser
• Trouble at School
• Mouthing Off
• Innocent as Charged
• Losing Ugly
• Finally, a Winner

7. The Cops: Lt. Tragg and Company

• "The Friendly Enemies"
• Collins on the Set
• Tragg, Meet Mason
• Tragg on Perry's Side
• The Other Side of Tragg
• Wesley LauLt. Andy Anderson
• Richard AndersonLt. Steve Drumm

8. Perry Mason Returns: The New TV-Movies

• Perry Mason Returns
• The "Whydoit"
• Teamwork
• Another Victory
• The Case of the Notorious Nun
• Undercovers
• The Case of the Shooting Start
• With Friends Like These . . .
• The Case of the Lost Love
• The Case of the Sinister Spirit

9. Episode Guide [ Alphabetical ]

• The First Season1957-1958 (episodes 1 - 39)
• The Second Season1958-1959 (episodes 40 - 69)
• The Third Season1959-1960 (episodes 70 - 95)
• The Fourth Season1960-1961 (episodes 96 - 123)
• The Fifth Season1961-1962 (episodes 124 - 153)
• The Sixth Season1962-1963 (episodes 154 - 181)
• The Seventh Season1963-1964 (episodes 182 - 211)
• The Eighth Season1964-1965 (episodes 212 - 241)
• The Ninth Season1965-1966 (episodes 242 - 271)

Bibliography

For Gilean and Alexis Diana C. Merrill

In memory of my father Brian Kelleher

This book has not been authorized or endorsed by any of the owners or licensees of the "Perry Mason" television series or of the works of Erle Stanley Gardner on which the series was based.

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the following people and organizations for helping us research and write this book: Richard Tharp, editor Re-runs magazine; the very invaluable Bob Reed; Jim Felitte and everyone at WXXA-TV Ch.23 Albany; Stuart Moore; Dominick Abel; Kathy Frye at Capital Newspapers, Albany; the Editors of TV Guide, and especially Beth Laskoski for her help with the photos; Bob Miller; John McCarty; Krzysztof Szymborski at the Skidmore College Library; Donna Flagg and Rose Morelock of the Last Word typing service; Tony Vanaria for his help once again; everyone at Masto, Dagastine & Associates Public Relations, especially Lisa Jaimes and Charlie Young; and special thanks to Joe Kelleher for all the Mason tapes.