Raymond Burr would star in the television series "Perry Mason". Although the network wanted Burr to continue work on "Fort Laramie" as well, the TV series required an extraordinary commitment and the radio show ended. Known for his loyalty and consciousness of history, Burr went out of his way to employ his radio colleagues in his television programs. Some 180 radio celebrities appeared on "Perry Mason" during the first season alone. Burr emerged as a prolific television character actor in the 1950s. He made his television debut in 1951, appearing in episodes of "Stars Over Hollywood", "The Bigelow Theatre", "Family Theater" and
Raymond Burr "Pat Novak for Hire" (1949), and in "Dragnet" (1949–50) he played Joe Friday's boss, Ed Backstrand, chief of detectives. Burr worked on other Los Angeles-based series including "Suspense", "Screen Directors Playhouse", "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar", "Family Theater", "Hallmark Playhouse" and "Hallmark Hall of Fame". He performed in five episodes of the experimental dramatic radio anthology series "CBS Radio Workshop", and had what is arguably his best radio role in "The Silent Witness" (1957), in which his is the only voice. In 1956 Burr was the star of CBS Radio's "Fort Laramie", an adult Western drama produced, written and directed by