Are Any Original ‘Perry Mason’ Cast Members Still Alive?
Perry Mason is back on the case. Season 2 of HBO’s reimagined take on the classic legal drama premieres Monday, March 6, with Matthew Rhys again stepping into the title role. The Americans star has said he didn’t watch Raymond Burr’s iconic take on the character before season 1, which aired in 2020. But for many TV viewers, Burr is Perry Mason. The actor played the crusading defense attorney from 1957 to 1966, and again in a series of TV movies from the mid-80s through the early ‘90s.
Burr’s run as Perry Mason ended with this death in 1993. But are any other original Perry Mason cast members still alive?
‘Perry Mason’ star Raymond Burr died in 1993
The Canadian-born Burr had a long career in Hollywood, including roles in classic films such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and Fritz Lang’s M. But he was best known for playing Perry Mason, a character he portrayed in more than 200 episodes of the original CBS series. After that show ended in 1966, he went on to play the title role in Ironside, which aired from 1967 to 1975. In 1985, he returned as Mason in a series of TV movies. He died of kidney cancer in 1993. At the time, there was no question of another actor taking over as Perry Mason.
“At the moment, there are no specific plans in terms of continuing the franchise,” Dean Hargrove, who produced the film series told the Los Angeles Times (via MeTV). “Certainly, the first thing is that no one’s going to try to replace Raymond Burr.”
Barbara Hale played Della Street
Perry Mason was a legal genius, but where would he have been without his loyal secretary Della Street? Barbara Hale had appeared in more than 50 movies but was considering retiring from acting before she landed the part of Della, according to her obituary in The Hollywood Reporter. She went on to play Della throughout the show’s nine-season run and reprised the role in the Perry Mason TV movies.
Hale died in 2017 at age 94.
Paul Drake actor William Hopper died in 1970
William Hopper played Detective Paul Drake on Perry Mason, who often teamed up with the lawyer to help him on his cases. Hopper was the son of vaudeville star DeWolf Hopper and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. In addition to Perry Mason, he appeared in movies such as Rebel Without a Cause and The Bad Seed. He died of lung cancer in 1970 at age 54.
William Talman died not long after ‘Perry Mason’ ended
On Perry Mason, William Talman played district attorney Hamilton Burger, who regularly faced off against Mason in court. Even though he was an integral part of the series, CBS briefly fired him for violating the morals clause of his contract after his 1960 arrest for using marijuana at a party. He was eventually reinstated (via Hour Detroit).
Talman’s other roles included a memorable turn as a menacing killer in The Hitch-Hiker. But like many Perry Mason cast members, he was best known for his work on the show. Talman, who was a heavy smoker, died of lung cancer in 1968.
Ray Collins’ health forced him to leave the show in 1963
Ray Collins played detective Arthur Tragg in the early seasons of Perry Mason. He came to the show toward the end of a long career in show business, which included work in theater, radio, film, and TV. His movie roles included appearances in multiple Orson Welles movies, including Citizen Kane, The Magnificient Ambersons, and Touch of Evil.
Health problems, including emphysema, forced Collins to step away from Perry Mason in season 7. His last episode for the show was filmed in 1963, and he died in 1965 at age 75.
Wesley Lau took on a more prominent ‘Perry Mason’ role after Collins’ exit
After Collins stepped away from Perry Mason, Wesley Lau took on a more prominent role in the show. He joined the show in 1961 as Lieutenant Andy Anderson. The Wisconsin-born actor’s other TV roles also included appearances in Bonanza, Wagon Train, The Virginian, and The Mod Squad. He retired from acting in 1980, according to the Sheboygan Press, and died of a heart attack in 1984.
Richard Anderson played Steve Drumm in the last season of ‘Perry Mason’
Richard Anderson joined Perry Mason in the show’s last season as Lieutenant Steve Drumm. But he may be better known for playing Oscar Goldman in The Six Million Dollar Man and its spin-off series The Bionic Woman. He also appeared in shows such as Dynasty, Murder, She Wrote, and The A-Team. Anderson died in 2017 at age 91.
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