Perry Mason Series 1

By: Palmer, Scott V.

This is a reference book on the first series of the TV show Perry Mason, which ran from 1957-58 and comprised 39 episodes. All episodes are included in original air date order, along with complete cast lists, numerous photographs, directorial credits, and a story synopsis for each episode. Perry Mason was an American courtroom drama series aired on CBS from September 21, 1957, to May 22, 1966. The title character, played by Raymond Burr, is a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer who originally appeared in novels written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Many episodes were based on stories written by Gardner.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FVTGT4X4
• ISBN13: 9798349573071
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Cypress Hills Press
• Length: 252 Pages
• Weight: 1.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Blurry Screencaps and lackluster summaries, zero trivia

There are many excellent books about TV programs. "The Columbo Phile" is a classic, full of interviews with the principal players in creating the series and insights into the episodes. "The Mission: Impossible Dossier" is a solid entry in the genre (albeit a little unfair to the revived series in the 80s) that is similarly well-stocked with background, anecdotes, details, and the occasional well-chosen, high quality photo. This book is not great. It's not even good. The only information this book provides for each episode is a title, a cast list, screencaps that are as mediocre as they are HUGE, and a paragraph-length summary (in 13-plus-pt type) spread out like awkward captions above and below the photos. This is spread out like a kid trying to make a 3-4 page count in a report out of half a page of material. The only charitable interpretation is that it is geared toward helping those with poor eyesight. That's it. That's all you get for $30. If the author had stuck to one or two modestly sized photos (that might help disguise their poor quality), the first 3 or 4 seasons could have easily fit in the book. All 9 seasons could have probably been made to fit by reducing the font size and leaving out photos of EVERY cast member--repeated for EVERY episode. Yes, there are 39 separate, tiny, photos of Raymond Burr... 39 tiny photos of Barbara Hale... etc., etc... on the title page for every episode. It's extra pointless since the larger photos accompanying the summary are captioned with the names of the actors depicted, so at least all of the named characters in the episode are identified. (Those tiny photos and the microscopic captions under them pretty much tank the idea that this book is trying to accommodate the visually impaired.) There are better plot summaries on the Internet Movie Database (aka 'IMDB)--that don't include spoilers. IMDB also has the cast lists, as well as better photos of most of the episodes. It also has trivia and background information--of dubious quality, it must be acknowledged, since no one verifies it--but it is there for you to enjoy and decide its informational value on your own. Better still, check the WayBack machine for the Perry Mason fandom wiki. The summaries are minimal, but dedicated fans contributed hours of work to creating informative articles on the filming locations, cars of the era, and even ferreting out the identities of the uncredited extras in the backgrounds of the courtroom scenes! If that information was all in a book, it would be well worth the money! The only way I could see spending $1 on this volume at a yard sale is if you want the ability to look up the name of an actor when your internet is out or if you are taking a break from the digital world. Hardcover though it is, it's not even hefty enough to make a good doorstop... which is another place where the (paperback!) "Mission: Impossible Dossier" has it beat. Please note that this author has quite a few other books out on vintage TV shows... if you were considering buying any of them, you might want to see if you can get a sneak peak first. I definitely won't take a chance on any more of them.