Perry Mason is an American fictional character, a criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner.
The character of Perry Mason was adapted for motion pictures and a long-running radio series.
Warner Bros. released a series of six Perry Mason films in the 1930s.
These were followed by the well-known adaptation, the CBS television series Perry Mason (1957–1966) starring Raymond Burr.
A second television series, The New Perry Mason starring
Monte Markham, ran from 1973 to 1974.
Thirty Perry Mason television films ran from 1985 to 1995, with Burr reprising the role of Mason in 26 of them prior to his death in 1993.
Four additional contracted movies were completed, featuring
Barbara Hale as Della Street. The defense attorneys were played by Paul Sorvino (once) and Hal Holbrook (in the final three).
A third television miniseries, HBO’s Perry Mason starring Matthew Rhys started airing in 2020.