''The New Perry Mason'' is a

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

TV series that ran from 1973 to 1974. It was a revival of the 1957 ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and four short stories, all of which involve a ...

'' television series about

Erle Stanley Gardner Erle Stanley Gardner (July 17, 1889 – March 11, 1970) was an American author and lawyer, best known for the Perry Mason series of legal detective stories. Gardner also wrote numerous other novels and shorter pieces as well as a series of no ...

's brilliant defense attorney.

Plot

All of the major characters of the original series appeared in the revival, along with Gertie, a receptionist seldom seen in the original (and played by

Connie Cezon Consuelo Lord Cezon (March 28, 1925 – February 26, 2004), known professionally as Connie Cezon, was an American film actress. She made over 30 film and television appearances between 1951 and 1964. Early years Born in Oakland, California, Ce ...

, in the original, on the few occasions when she was), and the plots and their devices were along the lines of the original. The familiar theme song of the original, "Park Avenue Beat", was replaced by a generic dramatic fanfare.

Cast

Monte Markham Monte Markham (born June 21, 1935) is an American actor. He has appeared in films, television series, and on Broadway. Early life Markham was born in Manatee County, Florida, one of four sons of Millie Content (née Willbur) and Jesse Edwar ...

Sharon Acker Sharon Eileen Acker (April 2, 1935 – March 16, 2023) was a Canadian film, stage, and television actress and model. She appeared mostly on television in Canada and the United States from 1956 to 1992. She played Della Street, Perry Mason's loyal ...

Della Street Della Street is the fictional secretary of Perry Mason in the long-running series of novels, short stories, films, and radio and television programs featuring the fictional defense attorney created by Erle Stanley Gardner. In 1950, Gardner publ ...

* Albert Stratton as Paul Drake *

Dane Clark Dane Clark (born Bernhardt Zanvilevitz; February 26, 1912September 11, 1998) was an American character actor who was known for playing, as he labeled himself, "Joe Average." Early life Clark was born Bernhardt Zanvilevitz (later Bernard Zanvill ...

as Lt. Arthur Tragg *

Harry Guardino Harold Vincent Guardino (December 23, 1925 – July 17, 1995) was an American actor whose career ran from the early 1950s to the early 1990s. Biography Guardino was born on December 23, 1925 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and raised ...

Hamilton Burger Hamilton Burger is the fictional Los Angeles County District Attorney (D.A.) in the series of novels, films, and radio and television programs featuring Perry Mason, the fictional defense attorney created by Erle Stanley Gardner. Character Hamil ...

Brett Somers Brett Somers (born Audrey Dawn Johnston; July 11, 1924 – September 15, 2007) was a Canadian-American game-show personality, actress, and singer. Somers was best known as a panelist on the 1970s game show ''Match Game'' and for her recurring r ...

as Gertie Lade

Production

Development

While several production personnel had worked on the original ''Perry Mason'' series (including executive producer Cornwell Jackson, producers Ernie Frankel and Art Seid, and director

Arthur Marks Arthur Ronald Marks (August 2, 1927 – November 13, 2019) was an American film and television director, writer, producer and distributor best known for his work in the blaxploitation genre, directing films such as ''Bonnie's Kids'', ''Detroit 90 ...

), the series was made without the participation of any members of the original cast, with

taking over the role that

Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor who had a lengthy Hollywood film career and portrayed the title roles in the television dramas '' Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career inclu ...

played in the original series. Produced by

20th Century Fox Television 20th Television, Inc. (formerly known as TCF Television Productions, Inc., 20th Century-Fox Television and 20th Century Fox Television) is the television studio arm of 20th Century Studios, owned by Disney Television Studios, a division of the Di ...

, it aired Sundays at 7:30 pm (EST) on

, the same network which had aired the original series, during the 1973–74 season. A total of 15 episodes were produced and aired.

Cancellation

This revival was cancelled at midseason, after failing to overtake its two hit rivals,

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

's ''

The Wonderful World of Disney The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 onward. The program mo ...

'' and

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

's '' The F.B.I.'' in the ratings in its Sunday night time slot. It ranked 71st out of 80 shows airing that season, with a 13.1 household rating. It was soon replaced by ''

Apple's Way ''Apple's Way'' is an American drama television series that aired on CBS from February 10, 1974, to January 12, 1975. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr. (1923-2016). Premise The Apples of Los Angeles—architect George, his wife Barbara, their ...

'', which also failed in the same time slot.

Episodes

References

* Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, ''

The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present'' is a trade paperback reference work by the American television historians Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, first published by Ballantine Books in 1979. History ...

External links

* 1973 American television series debuts 1974 American television series endings 1970s American legal drama television series American English-language television shows Television shows based on American novels American television series reboots Television series by 20th Century Fox Television Perry Mason Television series about lawyers Television shows set in Los Angeles CBS television dramas {{US-drama-tv-prog-stub