Perry Mason (TV Series) - Made-for-TV Movies

Made-for-TV Movies

Television producer Dean Hargrove resurrected the Mason character in a series of television movies for NBC beginning in 1985. Hargrove was able to bring back the two then-surviving major stars, Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale (reprising their roles as Mason and Della Street, respectively) for the first telefilm, Perry Mason Returns, in which Mason resigns his position as an appellate court judge to defend Street on a murder charge. William Katt, Hale's real-life son, was cast as private investigator Paul Drake, Jr., the son of private investigator Paul Drake played by William Hopper in the original television series. Katt appeared in the first nine movies, after which he left and was replaced by William R. Moses as Ken Malansky, a law student who works with Mason investigating his cases. In Moses' first appearance as Malansky, Perry defended him on a murder charge. Fred Steiner's theme music was re-recorded by famed mystery music composer Dick DeBenedictis; Steiner himself arranged the theme at DeBenedictis's request.

A total of 30 movies were made between 1985 and 1995, with Burr starring in 26. After Burr died in 1993, Paul Sorvino and Hal Holbrook starred in the final four episodes from 1993 to 1995. These post-Burr films were entitled A Perry Mason Mystery. with Sorvino starring in the first film and Holbrook starring in the remaining three. Their characters, Anthony Caruso, and Bill "Wild Bill" McKenzie, respectively, are both lawyers and introduced as close friends of Mason. Both Barbara Hale, and William R. Moses reprised their roles for all four films (although in the final film in 1995, Hale only contributed a small cameo, with Holland Taylor substituting for her.) Instead of killing off Mason for these films, his absence in these films was explained by having him out of town (for example, in the first film, The Case of the Wicked Wives, Perry's absence is explained by having him away doing business in Washington D.C while Sorvino's character uses his office for a few weeks.)

1. Perry Mason Returns (1985) (TV)
2. Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun (1986) (TV)
3. Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star (1986) (TV)
4. Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam (1987) (TV)
5. Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love (1987) (TV)
6. Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel (1987) (TV)
7. Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit (1987) (TV)
8. Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace (1988) (TV)
9. Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake (1988) (TV)
10. Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson (1989) (TV)
11. Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder (1989) (TV)
12. Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin (1989) (TV)
13. Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer (1990) (TV)
14. Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter (1990) (TV)
15. Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception (1990) (TV)
16. Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen (1990) (TV)
17. Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion (1991) (TV)
18. Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin (1991) (TV)
19. Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster (1991) (TV)
20. Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter (1991) (TV)
21. Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing (1992) (TV)
22. Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride (1992) (TV)
23. Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo (1992) (TV)
24. Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal (1993) (TV)
25. Perry Mason: The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host (1993) (TV)
26. Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss (1993) (TV)

Perry Mason Mysteries (1993)

1. A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives (1993) (TV) (starring Paul Sorvino)
2. A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle (1994) (TV) (starring Hal Holbrook)
3. A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Grimacing Governor (1994) (TV) (starring Hal Holbrook)
4. A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Jealous Jokester (1995) (TV) (starring Hal Holbrook)