Was perry mason gay
Created by Earle Stanley Gardner, in 1933, Perry Mason appeared in over 80 novels and concise stories, becoming one of the best-known fictional characters of all time. Feature adaptions began almost immediately, in 1934. A radio series began in 1943.
The iconic tv series began in 1957, and ran for nine seasons. Years later, tv movies began to air, three or four per year, thirty in all (1985-93).
In the original series, there were five main characters:
1. Perry, played by busy personality actor Raymond Burr. Burr was gay, but invented a heterosexual back story for himself, and refused to be seen in public with lover Robert Benevides. He never came out to the unwind of the cast; they knew, sort of, but they didn't know.
2. His secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale), wit
Excerpt: Hiding in Plain Sight
May 26, 2008 — -- Raymond Burr, who played Perry Mason in the wildly popular television exhibit "Perry Mason" and later in "Ironside," lived a secret gay life in Hollywood when such a revelation would destroy a career.
Burr invented a biography for himself that included a wife and son who'd died, and used his busy schedule as a way to clarify why he wasn't married. But Burr and his partner, Robert Benevides, had a relationship for 35 years that was classified to most of the world except for a handful of close friends.
Michael Starr, a writer for the New York Display , chronicles Burr's life in a new Burr biography, "Hiding in Plain Sight: The Secret Life of Raymond Burr." Read an excerpt from the publication below.
Chapter Six: Howdy, Partner: A Little R&R
The number of magazine features and newspaper interviews focusing on Raymond's personal being grew as Perry Mason became more and more popular. The public was interested in this veteran actor who, save for what was portrayed in the media as his brief dalliance with Natalie Wood, had one of those faces everyone knew but couldn't quite matc
Screening: Hiding in Plain Sight: The Case of Queer Life
Screening
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Case of Homosexual Life
Wednesday, May 8 at 6:30 pm
Michelson Theater, 721 Broadway, 6th Floor
Perry Mason (1957–1966, CBS-TV) is known for its formulaic plots—attorney Mason (Raymond Burr) defends an innocent client and forces the concrete murderer to confess in a courtroom finale. With its stylish noir filming, outdoor locations, and thick background characterizations, the series arguably also featured a prescient queer subtext. Burr was a gay dude who led a covert life, but on the show, Mason is consistently paired with his investigator, Paul Drake (William Hopper), in harmonious, sometimes household contexts—especially notable in the episode we’ll screen: The Case of the Borrowed Baby (1962). 50 min. With commentary by Drake Stutesman, Adjunct Professor of Cinema Studies (TSOA) and Costume Studies (Steinhardt), NYU.
Co-sponsored by NYU’s Department of Cinema Studies and Grey Art Gallery.
Free of bill, no reservations, capacity limited, and subject to alter. Photo ID required for entrance to NYU buildings.
Offered in conjunction with Art After Stonewall, 1969-1989, on
Classic episodes of Perry Masonhave been irresistible to me for about 25 years now, since high school. Its predictability was part of its appeal, strangely enough. Episode after episode, the famed Los Angeles attorney, his secretary, Della Street, and private eye Paul Drake would reach to the aid of someone falsely accused of murder. Forty-five minutes' worth of cool cars, Mad Menwardrobes and fresh-off-the-bus-from-Kansas starlets later, Mason would extract the truth from the real culprit.
Indeed, Perry Mason was all about justice, no matter how damning the evidence seemed, or how little money the defendant had. In spin, actor Raymond Burr became synonymous with justice with his iconic portrayal of Earl Stanley Gardner's epic character.
Offscreen, Burr's altruism and humanitarianism was memorable, and well-known. His beneficiaries included countless law students and numerous needy children. He had the strongest of work ethics, and was reportedly widely admired by Perry Mason'scast and crew. Barbara Hale (Ms. Street), for one, remained loyal to Burr until his death.
I write about Perry Masontoday beca
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