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Fans often wrote to Raymond Burr asking him for legal advice
The actor got more than just fan mail.
An actor can be many things; an entertainer, an idol, a hero. But while many fans often look up to actors, some might take that adoration just a smidge too far.
Raymond Burr might have acted as an incredibly convincing defense attorney, but at the end of the day, he was simply a man playing a character. Still, it is perhaps a testament to Burr's talent that of the fan letters he received, many asked the actor for legal advice.
"Of three thousand letters I receive per week, scores ask legal questions," said Burr during an interview with the Deseret News. Of course, Burr wasn't qualified to give legal advice, but did his best to assist his fans. "Usually, I refer the writers to attorneys," he said. "I keep two secretaries busy answering these letters."
While Burr wasn't necessarily trained to assist those in need with legal matters, he emphasized that there were aspects of Perry Mason that were as authentic as possible. "I believe our district attorney is as accurate a portrayal of a real-life prosecuting attorney. He relies upon the evidence gathered by his investigators, which he presents in a matter-of-fact manner."
However, one of the more unbelievable elements of the series was Perry Mason's track record. The defense attorney won a majority of his cases, and any failures were typically considered a rarity.
"We've had some law groups ask us to let Mason lose once in a while," said Burr "Why? If we did, the next thing they'd ask is that we allow a proper ratio of convictions to acquittals, and then we'd be doing a series called District Attorney Convicts."
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No, actors aren't heroes unless they happen to do something actually heroic entirely separate from their work as actors. They can PLAY heroes, and the can be the representation of one, but that's a very different thing from BEING a hero. Firefighters are heroes. Soldiers on the battlefield can be heroes. Actors, no.
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"One of the more unbelievable elements of the series was Perry Mason's track record. The defense attorney won a majority of his cases, and any failures were typically considered a rarity."
Burr's Mason didn't just "win a majority of his cases," he won ALL of them, but ONE: "The Case of the Deadly Verdict." He came close to losing a couple of others, but one of those involved his being framed for witness-tampering.
So stipulated.
that friction really drove the show - one of the rare times on TV I enjoyed
Perry: Hello, Lt. Tragg, I’m always happy to see you!
Lt. Tragg: well, sit down, Perry and let me make you unhappy!
And 90% of the time those two (plus more characters usually) meet is the same kind of interaction