Tag / Raymond Burr

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Book 14 (of 52) – The Case of the Terrified Typist

The Case Of The Terrified Typist – Erle Stanley Gardner

When a temp typist goes missing, Perry Mason finds himself drawn into a mystery involving a multi-national diamond company, a jewel heist, a dead smuggler, and, ultimately, a client who refuses to cooperate.  When Perry’s client is found guilty of murder, he comes up with a unique way to get out from underneath the verdict, keeping his record clean.

The Case of the Terrified Typist is the 49th entry in Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason series and the fifth of six novels rereleased last year in conjunction with the new HBO adaptation.  This story was adapted for an episode of the Raymond Burr version of the show during its first season, so I’d like to catch that sometime soon and compare the filmed version with the original.

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Book 2 (of 52) – The Case Of The Lazy Lover

The Case Of The Lazy Lover – Erle Stanley Gardner

When 2 separate checks arrive at Perry Mason’s office from a woman he has never met and with no explanation as to what they are for, the lawyer gets dragged into an investigation, searching for the woman and trying to find out why she has hired him.  When her husband winds up dead and she is charged with the crime, Perry has to find out what really happened in order to set his client free.

The Case of the Lazy Lover is the 30th entry in Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason series and is much closer to what would eventually show up on screen in the 1950s series than in the first entry, which was the only other one I had read.  Because of this, I managed to hear Raymond Burr’s voice in my head as I read the book, which I’m sure helped to enrich my experience.  Turns out that this story was adapted for an episode of the show during its first season, so I’d like to catch that sometime soon and compare the filmed version with the original.

Thanks to the new HBO series, a number of the old Perry Mason novels have been republished.  This is the only one I have picked up to date, but I’ll have my eyes open for more.

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You Ought To Be In Pictures Wrap Up

Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, and thanks to a corona virus inspired uptick to my movie watching this year, it is time to look at the 100 actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of July 1.

Two weeks ago, we wrapped up our latest look at the films I’ve seen over my lifetime.  There were 15 new actors who hit the 10 film plateau since the last time we did this 3 years ago, with Elizabeth Banks and James McAvoy making the biggest leaps, both from 5 films to 10.  An even 40 actors did not see any change in their totals, with Raymond Burr heading up the top of those actors.

Tom Cruise led all actors by picking up 6 additional firms over the past 3 years, thanks in part to his Jack Reacher and Mission: Impossible franchises.  4 actors, Tom Hanks, Samuel L. Jackson, and the previously mentioned Elizabeth Banks and James McAvoy, increased their totals by 5 films.

Largest Increase

  • Tom Cruise – 6
  • Tom Hanks – 5
  • Samuel L. Jackson – 5
  • Elizabeth Banks – 5
  • James McAvoy – 5

Largest Percentage Increase

  • Elizabeth Banks – 200%
  • James McAvoy – 200%
  • Elliot Page – 167%
  • Anna Kendrick – 157%
  • Jennifer Lawrence – 150%
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You Ought To Be In (26) Pictures

Movie_Reel_22

Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, and thanks to a corona virus inspired uptick to my movie watching this year, it is time to look at the 100 actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of July 1.

Today, we continue with the 1 actor that has starred in 26 movies that I have seen, the same as 3 years ago.

Raymond Burr

Raymond Burr is a bit of an anomaly as every single one of his appearances have been TV movies where he has played the same character.  In 1985, NBC brought back Perry Mason, Raymond Burr’s starring vehicle from the 50s and 60s, for a TV movie.   The ratings were high enough to justify a recurring series of films, 26 in fact, over the next several years, ending in 1994 following Burr’s death the previous year.

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Book 15 (of 52) – The Case Of The Velvet Claws

The Case Of The Velvet Claws – Erle Stanley Gardner

Following last week’s end of the first season of HBO’s Perry Mason reimagining, I decided to turn to the original source material for the first time.  The Case of the Velvet Claws is the first of 82 Perry Mason novels by Erle Stanley Gardner, first published in 1933.  In it, a woman hires Mason, wanting to keep a scandal rag owned by her husband from discovering she was out with another man.  When the husband turns up dead, she tries to keep the police away from here by pointing the finger at Perry, manages to avoid being double-crossed and still fights to free her from the charges.

The beginning of the series introduces us to mainstays Perry Mason, Della Street, and Paul Drake, but doesn’t do much in the way of giving them any sort of discernable character or background.  All you learn of them is the job that they hold, lawyer, secretary, and investigator, respectively.  If I wasn’t coming in to this with an existing knowledge of, and a certain fondness for, the property, I don’t know if that would have been more of a problem.  As it is, the Mason of the novel is a little rougher around the edges than the Raymond Burr version and a little more in line with the Matthew Rhys version.

If I manage to come across more of the Mason novels at a decent price, I’d be willing to go back for more.  To be honest, I’m somewhat surprised they aren’t being republished to capitalize on the publicity of the new series.

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You Ought To Be In (26) Pictures

Movie_Reel_22Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at all of the actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of July 1st.

Today, we look at the 1 actor that has starred in 26 movies that I have seen, down 1 from 3 years ago.

Raymond Burr

Raymond Burr is a bit of an anomaly as every single one of his appearances have been TV movies where he has played the same character.  In 1985, NBC brought back Perry Mason, Raymond Burr’s starring vehicle from the 50s and 60s, for a TV movie.   The ratings were high enough to justify a recurring series of films, 26 in fact, over the next several years, ending in 1994 following Burr’s death the previous year.

 

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Most Watched Actors – The Early 1990s

Movie_Reel_22Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime. The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since. So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at the most prolific actors that have starred in the movies that I have seen in the first half of the decade of the 1990s, corresponding with the end of high school and the transition into college.

1991

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Raymond Burr 4

Gosh darn that Perry Mason and its ongoing dominance in this particular category.

1992

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Raymond Burr 3

Guh

1993

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Raymond Burr 3

GUH!

1994

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Bridget Fonda 4

A very busy year for Bridget Fonda as she breaks Raymond Burr’s stranglehold, mostly due to his death in 1993.  Fonda starred in Bodies, Rest & Motion, Point Of No Return, Leather Jackets, and It Could Happen To You.

1995

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Billy Crystal 3
Michael Douglas 3
Michael Keaton 3
Sharon Stone 3

Our first tie of the 90s, each coming in with 3 movies apiece.  Crystal made it with the critically maligned Mr. Saturday Night, Forget Paris, and City Slickers II.  Douglas scored with Disclosure, Basic Instinct, and Coma.  Keaton earned his place with Speechless, One Good Cop, and The Paper.  Sharon Stone nabbed the only 3 starring roles that I’ve seen, with Basic Instinct, The Specialist, and Sliver.

 

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Most Watched Actors – The Late 1980s

Movie_Reel_22Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime. The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since. So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at the most prolific actors that have starred in the movies that I have seen in the second half of the decade of the 1980s.

1986

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Raymond Burr 2
Lea Thompson 2

For the first time, our leaders have appeared in more than one movie that I saw throughout the year.  Raymond Burr makes his first of many appearances due to the Perry Mason television films.  Lea Thompson appears thanks to half of her starring roles, with the favorite SpaceCamp and the not-so-favorite Howard The Duck.

1987

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Raymond Burr 4

Another appearance for Raymond Burr thanks to the quarterly Perry Mason films.

1988

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Tom Hanks 3

Tom Hanks makes his first appearance with 3 films to top 1988, with starring roles in Big, Punchline, and Dragnet.

1989

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Raymond Burr 3

Yet another appearance for Raymond Burr.

1990

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Raymond Burr 4

We finish off the decade with yet another appearance by Raymond Burr.

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Most Watched Actors – The Early 1980s

Movie_Reel_22Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at the most prolific actors that have starred in the movies that I have seen in the first half of the decade of the 1980s.  Given I was born late in 1974, this should be a short-ish list.

1981

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Charles Grodin 1
William Katt 1
Robert Kulp 1

We kick things off with the stars of the 2 movies that I know that I saw in 1981, the pilot to The Greatest American Hero and the second feature film starring the Muppets.

1982

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Albert Finney 1
Dustin Hoffman 1
Jessica Lange 1
Aileen Quinn 1
Henry Thomas 1
Dee Wallace Stone 1

We are up to 3 movies for 1982, but still no repeat actors from E.T., Tootise, and Annie.

1983

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Peter Billingsley 1
Harrison Ford 1
Mark Hamill 1
Darren McGavin 1

We fall back down to 2 films in 1983, with the last film of the original Star Wars trilogy and a soon-to-be Christmas classic.

1984

Films Per Actor Per Year
Name Films
Dan Aykroyd 1
George Burns 1
Kate Capshaw 1
Phoebe Cates 1
Robert Duvall 1
Harrison Ford 1
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You Ought To Be In (26) Pictures

Movie_Reel_22Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at all of the actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of May 30th.

Today, we have our penultimate look at the 2 actors that have starred in 26 movies that I have seen.

Raymond Burr

Raymond Burr is a bit of an anomaly as every single one of his appearances have been TV movies where he has played the same character.  In 1985, NBC brought back Perry Mason, Raymond Burr’s starring vehicle from the 50s and 60s, for a TV movie.   The ratings were high enough to justify a recurring series of films, 26 in fact, over the next several years, ending in 1994 following Burr’s death the previous year.

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage can also point to special circumstances behind his high film total: real estate issues and IRS trouble.  After being accused of owing the government over $6.5 million in unpaid taxes and losing millions in bad real estate deals, Cage filed a $20 million lawsuit against his business manager and started taking any and every role offered to him.  6 of his films that I have seen have come since, including 4 in 2010 alone.  My first exposure to a starring Cage role was likely 1987’s Raising Arizona.  There have been 8 years since where I have seen multiple Cage films.  I haven’t seen any Cage vehicles since 2012, when I saw the sparkling duo of Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance and Drive Angry.