With Barbara Hale’s passing last week, the last of the original cast members of the television series, Perry Mason has left us. Collectively, the cast left behind a fantastic record of quality entertainment. Led by Raymond Burr as Perry Mason, Barbara Hale as Della Street, William Hopper as Paul Drake and Connie Cezon as Gertie Lade, the defendant was always in good 
hands. Mason consistently challenged the prosecution led by William Talsman as District Attorney Hamilton Burger, Ray Collins as Lt. Arthur Tragg, Wesley Lau as Lt. Andy Anderson and Richard Anderson as Lt. Steve Drumm (as I write this only Richard Anderson is still alive).
The show ran for 271 episodes between 1957 and 1966, but it wouldn’t have lasted 3 months without the special relationship that Burr and Hale made Perry Mason and Della Street demonstrate to each other week after week. It was a joy to watch these professionals execute great theater that was sometimes derived from confusing original stories written by Erle Stanley Gardner. In The Case of the Weary Watchdog, which aired in 1962, the special relationship between Della Street and Perry Mason was clearly demonstrated in the following exchange which took place in a Chinese restaurant. They’d order dinner, but Della is visibly anxious:
Perry: “Well, can I help?”
Della: “How far would you go for a friend?”
Perry: “How long is forever?”
Della: “I need $25,000.”
Perry: “You need what?”
Della: “No questions asked. $25,000. Just like that.”
Perry takes out his checkbook and writes out a check. He hands her the check which she gratefully accepts and then he says as he smiles at her, “Without questions and without thanks.”
That scene is all you need to know about Perry Mason and Della Street and it was made possible by two great actors, Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale, who together made the characters more like partners than lawyer and secretary. It was great chemistry and both actors will be missed. If you have an opportunity to pick up the first season of Perry Mason from Amazon, do so. You won’t regret it and you’ll see performances that will make you smile.