Incompetent, Irrelevant & Inmaterail: "Perry Mason" gets a 10th Season: Fall 1966

[49ersFootball]

COMING SOON.

CBS Productions had a decision to make, whether to bring back the popular TV Series "Perry Mason" for a 10th Season in the Fall of 1966.... people were left wondering after the Season 9 Finale on May 22nd, 1966 what was going to happen....

 

[49ersFootball]

Raymond Burr had been hounded by CBS Network executives about staying for a 10th Season. CBS was also getting hounded by lots of the Show's fans, including closed door meeting with "Perry Mason" executive producer Gail Patrick Jackson, who was considering moving the Show to another network, possibly ABC or NBC. CBS was desperate in trying to entice Jackson, Burr & several others in coming back to the CBS network.....

Jackson announced she would call a press conference in a few days, but confirmed "Perry Mason" would be coming back for a 10th Season though, but as to whether they'll remain with CBS was unknown.......

 

[OldNavy1988]

How come the show ended on a cliffhanger IOTL?

 

[Driftless]

There should have been some mileage left in the show. Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale successfully reprised their characters in the 80's, plus Burr starred in the popular Ironside series as well. The original series seems to be perpetually shown as reruns on one network or another.

 

[49ersFootball]

How come the show ended on a cliffhanger IOTL?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Mason_(TV_series)

 

[Analytical Engine]

Honestly, I had no idea that there was an earlier series of Perry Mason. I've only ever seen the TV film series.

 

[ejpsan]

The biggest change would have been that the show would shot in color, but in order to do that some of the older actors who were on the show would have been replaced by younger cheaper actors.

 

[Flying Sorcerer]

COMING SOON.

CBS Productions had a decision to make, whether to bring back the popular TV Series "Perry Mason" for a 10th Season in the Fall of 1966.... people were left wondering after the Season 9 Finale on May 22nd, 1966 what was going to happen....

Would they film it in colour? They did one of their season 9 episodes in colour experimentally.

Also, how likely was a renewal? I believe that PM's ratings were down quite a bit in the last season or two.

 

[49ersFootball]

Would they film it in colour? They did one of their season 9 episodes in colour experimentally.

Also, how likely was a renewal? I believe that PM's ratings were down quite a bit in the last season or two.

The episode you were referring to was "The Case of the Twice Told Twist" from February 27th, 1966.

 

[49ersFootball]

Jackson
Monday, May 30th, 1966
Los Angeles, CA.

​

During the negotiations with CBS network executives, "Perry Mason" executive producer Gail Patrick Jackson was aggressive "DON'T F***** WITH ME FELLAS! You're trying to jerk us around by doing this run around the Miley garbage crap! If you don't give any concessions to us, I might consider having this TV Series moved to a different network, which the viewers & fans would follow. You wouldn't like that wouldn't you ?"

 

[Kalvan]

Then CBS would have grounds for a lawsuit.

 

[ejpsan]

If the production contract is up then CBS has no real grounds to sue, IOTL Perry Mason was cancelled because of low ratings, William S. Palsy had moved the show opposite of Bonanza on Sunday nights because people would be watching The Ed Sullivan Show then change the channel to NBC to watch Bonanza.
At this time the networks had ownership stakes in the shows that they broadcasted and CBS had about 60% ownership in Perry Mason and by now syndication is taking off so the show could be worth more cancelled then still in first run episodes.

 

[49ersFootball]

If the production contract is up then CBS has no real grounds to sue, IOTL Perry Mason was cancelled because of low ratings, William S. Palsy had moved the show opposite of Bonanza on Sunday nights because people would be watching The Ed Sullivan Show then change the channel to NBC to watch Bonanza.
At this time the networks had ownership stakes in the shows that they broadcasted and CBS had about 60% ownership in Perry Mason and by now syndication is taking off so the show could be worth more cancelled then still in first run episodes.

I could see CBS & Jackson coming to a truce in the heated negotiations, but that "PM" might move to Saturdays.

 

[49ersFootball]

Hale
Wednesday, June 2nd, 1966
Beverly Hills, CA.

​

Barbara Hale was very popular among the viewers of "Perry Mason" as Mason's loyal & trusted secretary Della Street. Hale found out from executive producer Patricia Gail Jackson that the TV Series had been renewed for a 10th Season with optional Seasons afterward. Hale was excited, intrigued & worried at the same time.

 

[ejpsan]

Not trying to beat a point in the ground but it is very likely that in order to resign Raymond Burr and to film in color Barbara Hale may have to take a pay cut to keep her job or CBS may want to recast her part with a younger actress.

 

[49ersFootball]

Not trying to beat a point in the ground but it is very likely that in order to resign Raymond Burr and to film in color Barbara Hale may have to take a pay cut to keep her job or CBS may want to recast her part with a younger actress.

I've heard Burr's weight got out of control in later Seasons. On Hale: I can see her taking a pay cut.

 

[49ersFootball]

Mobley
2:17 PM PST, Thursday, June 3rd, 1966
San Diego, CA.

​

Jackson was looking for a replacement for Connie Cezon, who had left the TV Series in 1964 due to other acting opportunities, so she was looking over the pictures of many actresses, who would be a replacement for Gertie at Perry's law office & kept going back glancing over the resume of Mary Ann Mobley, who had appeared in 2 episodes "The Case of the Blone Bonanza" (December 17th, 1964) in Season 8 & "The Case of the Misguided Model" (April 24th, 1966) from Season 9. Jackson was also impressed by Mobley's resume & life experience.

 

[ejpsan]

Mary Ann Mobley could get screen time at the expense of Barbara Hale and that may lead to Hale to leave the show during the season and that will allow Mobley to become Perry Mason's secretary.
One of the things that CBS is going to be concerned with is demographics and Perry Mason may be skewing to much in favor of an older audience so bringing in younger actors to play the roles of the prosecutor and Mason's investigator may help bring in younger viewers.

 

[49ersFootball]

Mary Ann Mobley could get screen time at the expense of Barbara Hale and that may lead to Hale to leave the show during the season and that will allow Mobley to become Perry Mason's secretary.
One of the things that CBS is going to be concerned with is demographics and Perry Mason may be skewing to much in favor of an older audience so bringing in younger actors to play the roles of the prosecutor and Mason's investigator may help bring in younger viewers.

Let's also factor in the health situation regarding William Talman, who in Seasons 8 & 9 looked very gaunt due to the cancer battle he sadly lost. If you're Jackson & you want to at least keep some of the core of the cast together, I think Hopper stays on (until his death) & Richard Anderson likely stays on as Lieutenant Drumm for the duration.

Spoiler Alert: some of the young kids see Mobley as very HOT.

On your theory of Hale leaving during the 10th Season: I should note to everyone that Della Street was working for Arthur Gordon (who got whacked) in "Perry Mason Returns" TV Movie, so Della moving on to work for Gordon Industries wouldn't surprise me.

 

[ejpsan]

The producers may want to bring a younger actor as an associate to Perry Mason as one of the reasons that Raymond Burr was reluctant to do another season was because he was basically doing a feature length movie worth of dialogue every week and this would allow him to do two or three scenes a show every third or fourth show.