Perry Mason was created by Erle Stanley Gardner in 1933. He was the hero of several novels. And an attempt was made at a movie series in the Thirties, but it failed miserably. From 1943 to 1955 Perry Mason was the star of his own radio show, which evolved into The Edge of Night when Erle Stanley Gardner withdrew his support. For many of us, however, Perry Mason would not truly come alive until the TV show debuted in 1957. It starred Raymond Burr as the most famous defence attorney of them all. The show would run until 1966. An attempt was made in 1973 at a new show called The New Adventures of Perry Mason, but it failed miserably. Raymond Burr returned to the role in a TV movie, Perry Mason Returns, in 1985. He would star in 26 more telefilms.

Below is an early opening to one of the episodes of the show, accompanied by its theme song “Park Avenue Beat” by Fred Steiner.

And here is the Ozzy Osbourne song “Perry Mason.” I always thought it was sung from the point of view of Perry’s detective, Paul Drake.