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 with a Vancouver stock company. Growing up during the Great Depression, Burr hoped to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, a renowned community theater and school in Pasadena, California, but he was unable to afford the tuition. In 1934, he joined a repertory theatre group in Toronto that toured throughout Canada, then joined another company that toured India, Australia and England. He briefly attended Long Beach Junior College and taught for a semester at San Jose Junior College, working nights as a radio actor and singer. He began his association with the Pasadena Playhouse in 1937. Burr moved to New