The 'Perry Mason' Television Series Quiz

Answer: Hamilton Burger

Erle Stanley Gardner, the creator of "Perry Mason", saw Burr perform and declared that he was the man to play Mason. He just couldn't see Burr as the constantly losing District Attorney Hamilton Burger.

Answer: Paul Drake

William Hopper was the son of the legendary gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. In another strange twist in the more modern "Perry Mason" series the actor who played "Paul Drake Junior", William Katt, was the son of actress Barbara Hale who played Della Street.

Answer: William Talman

William Talman once incurred the wrath of Erle Stanley Gardner by complaining about the way he never won a case. Later Talman became famous when, finding that he was dying of lung cancer, he was one of the first actors to speak out publically against the tobacco industry.

Answer: Arthur

The actor who played this part was Ray Collins who was a veteran of many cinema films. In both the books and the television stories Lieutenant Tragg usually proved an affable and efficient opponent unlike the more brutal and stupid inferiors such as Sergeant Holcombe.

Answer: Gertie

Gertie was loyal and helpful but not particularly intelligent. Lt. Tragg often found ways of brushing past her and getting into Mason's inner office when he was in a hurry to confront the lawyer and perhaps catch him at a disadvantage.

Answer: The real murderer would confess in the courtroom.

Most of the cases never got to a jury. This was for two reasons. As stated it was more dramatic to have the real murderer confess. Secondly it was cheaper for CBS to have the case decided at a "preliminary" or "evidential" hearing. This only needed a judge and so they didn't have to pay 12 actors to be jurors.

Answer: It begins with Perry Mason losing a murder case.

One of the chief executives on the show Gail Jackson released statements to the press about Mason's failure at the beginning of the 1963-64 season so that new interest would be stimulated in the show. Mason did lose other cases such as "The Case of the Terrified Typist" but his client is always found innocent in the end.

Answer: Bonanza

Originally "Perry Mason" was up against Perry Como and the famous singer's show was rescheduled.Much later when "Bonanza" began to be shown in colour against the black and white "Perry Mason" it was the lawyer that started to lose out.

Answer: Robert Redford

The other three actors all appeared in other episodes of the famous show as did Barbara Eden, Jerry Van Dyke, Jim Davis, Angie Dickinson and many others.

Answer: Erle Stanley Gardner

Because the story was about a television show there were many glimpses "backstage" during the episode and thus there are some shots of the original crew. An attempt to revive the show with Monte Markham in 1973 failed and Raymond Burr returned in 1985. His main requirement was that Barbara Hale be hired again to play Della.