Raymond Burr Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian American actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas "Perry Mason" and "Ironside". He was prominently involved in multiple charitable endeavors, such as working on behalf of the United Service Organizations. Burr's early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain. His portrayal of the suspected murderer in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller "Rear Window" (1954) is regarded as his best-known film role; although he is also remembered for his role in the Americanized version of the
Raymond Burr May 21, 1917, in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. His father, William Johnston Burr (1889–1985), was a hardware salesman; his mother, Minerva Annette (née Smith, 1892–1974), was a pianist and music teacher. When Burr was six, his parents divorced. Burr's mother moved to Vallejo, California, with him and his younger siblings, Geraldine and James. His father remained in New Westminster. Burr briefly attended San Rafael Military Academy in San Rafael, California and graduated from Berkeley High School. In later years, Burr freely invented stories of a happy childhood. In 1986 he told journalist Jane Ardmore that when he was 12