"The Case of the 50's Kinda Guy"

There have been mega hits on "the vast wasteland" since its inception back in the 40's. There was "I Love Lucy"; "All in the Family"; "Dallas"; "Miami Vice;" "Friends;" Seinfeld;" and, currently, "American Idol." But the best, in my humble opinion is none of the above.

My all-time favorite is "Perry Mason." Courtroom drama out the kazoo. With Raymond Burr, as the defense lawyer who never lost a case. Technically, he did lose one. In the beginning of the episode the verdict against his client was "guilty," as reported by the jury. By the end, old Perry had figured it out, and Julie Addams was found not-guilty allah O.J., Baretta, and Phil Spector.

I just got off the phone with my liberal sis who has been bedridden the last few days. Sidelined with the Hong Kong flu or one of its derivatives. How did sis while away the time in her sick bed?

She went to the video store and rented 16 episodes of "Perry Mason." And watched 'em one by one. I can think of no other homo sapien in this world who would do the same thing save one. Yours truly. The writer of G.P.

Tho' sis and I differ in our ideologies-she thinks Hillary is too conservative-we do share an affinity for whodunits and Perry Mason.

Perry was just cool. And intelligent. And savvy. And beyond reproach. And a courtroom magician. Della Street was gorgeous and his right-hand "private" secretary. Paul Drake, the playboy private dick, helped Perry solve many cases. Hamilton Burger, the d.a. ( district attorney for L.A. ] was superb as the d.a. [ dumb ass ] who lost every case to our hero. And Lt. Tragg, as the methodical and crusty detective, was a key ingredient, as well.

I could watch this show any time of day. And have seen practically every one of them. The show was on the boob tube for 9 years; back in those olden days, they probably cranked out 40 episodes a year. So there's roughly 350. I'm sure-without exaggeration, I have seen 95% or more of them.

Sure, there was "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman"; "The Cosby Show"; and "The Fugitive," but the best of them all was Stanley Erle Gardner's "Perry Mason."

Amazon.com, here I come, v.c.



P.S. According to one of the viewers of this video: I noticed that this opening was from the episode "The Case of the Deadly Verdict". That episode was notable in that it was the only case that Perry LOST! He did, however, manage to find the real culprit at the end of the episode. ( v.c. interjects: Yea, That's what I wrote )