TV and Movies

[Oznell]

@Coquille, you're right-- as "Perry",  he's so often serious, even ponderous, and intense.  So when he does crack a smile, it's disarming.  Very, very rarely, he'll suddenly grin boyishly, and it's very cute.

The other thing I always like about the Perry Mason character, is his formality and courtesy.  He's got beautiful manners (when he's not ruthlessly hounding some lying witness on the stand, ha.)  They've written him so his grammar is always flawless too--  a pleasure to listen to.

I've never read any of Erle Stanley Gardner's books-- wonder if the TV Perry, Paul and Della are true to the novels....

[Coquille]

@Oznell   He led a secretive life and his beginnings were no very good. I wonder, since he was sooo good at what he did,  (being so serious) was because of all the secrecy in his real life. Maybe he felt more comfortable on screen portraying those types of roles to hide a little of himself. The impression I got from reading what little I did in the past, he was a gentle soul. I don't know but I agree, he was great at what he did, in any role.

[Oznell]

Yeah, @Coquille, the need he had for hiding his personal life no doubt influenced a lot.  I saw an interview he did, and he came across as cordial but guarded, intelligent, quick-witted, somewhat enigmatic.  Complex personality, for sure...

[SharkE]

He was real sensitive about his wgt, also. I'm always surprised that men like him and the guy who played Tony Soprano always was just as sensitive about their weight as the females. Guess they're around the pretty boys like Alec Baldwin, Tom Cruise, etc. and In Burr's case it would had been leading men like Tyrone Power, Clark Gable, Steve Cochran, (my fav LOL)

He started out playing 'heavies', gangster types, till he found his spot.

He made his mistake picking up the wrong people and then being blackmailed by those same people or from the gossip mags.

Now days he would have no trouble ! LOL Women had to have back alley abortions that usually ended up leaving them sterile (Barbara Stanwyck for one).  That old gal who played in Rosemary's Baby another one she had one after the other. You would think they would figure it out.

[Oznell]

Oh, yeah, @SharkE, Steve Cochran was so good looking:

He was a terrific villain in "Storm Warning";   but in the romantic soaper,  "Of Love and Desire" he was quite a sympathetic character.  Poor little rich girl Merle Oberon gets swept up into a romance with him, and it's the best thing that ever happened to her....

[SharkE]

Yep, Joan C had that one , too. Course, she even took care of Palance !