- Emmys And Actors
- Enthralling Theme Music
- Perry Emerging Into Popularity
- PERRY MASON CAST
- PERRY MASON CHARACTERS
- PERRY MASON COMPLETE SERIES ON DVD
- PERRY MASON SHOW
- PERRY MASON TRIVIA
- PERRY MASON DVD
- PERRY MASON EPISODE
- PERRY MASON EPISODES
- Perry Mason Loses Case
- Perry Mason On The Radio
- Perry Mason On To TV
- PERRY MASON TV COLLECTION
- PERRY MASON TV SERIES
- Perry Mason TV Series
- Sponsors Pour In To Grab Their Share
- The Problems Of Success
Once everything was ready to put on Perry Mason on the small screen, the final question now was where to squeeze it in. for about a few years, NBC and CBS had been bantering for the profitable Saturday night prime time audience. Earlier, NBC's Perry Como had trampled CBS's Jackie Gleason in the eight to nine Saturday night time slot during the year 1956, after overtaking "The Honeymooners" half-hour show in the year 1955. When Gleason declares that he was not going to return for the 1957-58 season, CBS gave a consideration to Perry Mason, initially thinking of putting it in the eight to nine "counter-Como" slot. This was not quite unusual since mystery series were generally reserved for the late-night nine to ten or even ten to eleven slot, when the kiddies were found in bed.
However, the Purex Corporation came forward to sponsor "Perry Mason" on alternate weeks provided the show was scheduled to start a half hour earlier hoping that this would enable them capture the audience thirty minutes before Como launched into his famous theme song, "Dream along with me. . . take me to a star." CBS readily accepted the proposal and premiered the first episode, "The Case of the Restless Redhead," at 7:30 on September 21, 1957.
Variety, the globally reputed bible of show business reported it liked the first story stating "It was deftly handled, never farfetched, and unravelled with simple clarity." However, at the same time the publication said it was not so enthusiastic about the cast. Raymond Burr's Mason appeared something like "a wholesome resident of suburbia on his way up the executive ladder." Barbara Hale's Della did nothing more than "fetch coffee and sandwiches for her boss." The paper also predicted that Mr. Mason "would not place a stiff competition for Mr. Como."
However by the end of the second season, "Perry Mason" assumed its position among the top twenty Nielsen shows, while Perry Como was forced to look for another time slot. Eventually by the year 1959-60 season, "Perry Mason" found its way to the Number 10 Nielsen spot, despite NBC countering with a new show related to a wealthy cowboy family that owned most of Nevada. But in 1961-62, NBC moved the Cartwright boys to Sunday nights. This had made Perry Mason the undisputed ruler of Saturday night TV.