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Raymond Burr kept this unconventional animal as a house pet
A little cutie named Louie!
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters are ™ of & © WBEI
While it's not a crime to enjoy the finer things in life, everyone should feel entitled to a certain level of comfort in their daily lives. The day-to-day grind of life can, at best, feel tedious, and at worst, feel insufferable. It's up to us as human beings to indulge in as much comfort as we like to not only make life bearable but to make it enjoyable.
Whether your comfort is a sweet treat after a long day at work or a warm blanket to snuggle into after a rough period of time, we all deserve a bit of time dedicated to our own happiness.
As an actor, Raymond Burr was seemingly solely devoted to his work on Perry Mason. As the show's star, Burr took it upon himself to create a lifelike depiction of the criminal defense lawyer, one that viewers could revere and idolize. Erle Stanley Gardner, author of the Perry Mason books upon which the series was based, commended Burr for his efforts to truly become the character.
"When Burr became interested in the part, he spent months studying the Mason books, learning every phase of the Mason character, as it was portrayed in print," Gardner said to the Palm Beach Post. "He went to court and watched some of the best lawyers try cases; he studied the technique of cross-examination until he had a clear concept of the character and background to present a true picture of a fighting lawyer whose loyalty to his clients and passionate love of justice wholly dominate the man's life."
So with such dedication, it's only natural that Burr sought an assorted array of comforts during his off-time when not shooting Perry Mason.
"During the week, I live right on the studio lot," Burr said. "That way I don't waste time and energy driving to the studio. Weekends I go home and relax." Burr also had a fondness for animals and kept a number of pets to provide additional comfort. Oddly enough, these pets also included a duck, who Burr named Louie, who followed Burr around his Malibu home and was trained to come at the sound of the actor's whistle. The animal also seemed to have taken after another one of Burr's pets and became convinced that he was not a duck, but a dog. "What a crazy, mixed-up duck," Burr said.
With all of these comforts, Burr was decidedly convinced that all of his hard work on Perry Mason was well worth it and sure to pay off. "It's a personal achievement for me as an actor to be the successful star in a successful series," said Burr. "And the show has meant success for everyone else in it, and that's worth it."
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