Raymond Burr the debut episode of "Dragnet". He went on to appear in such programs as "Gruen Playhouse", "Four Star Playhouse", "Ford Theatre", "Lux Video Theatre", "Mr. and Mrs. North", "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" and "Playhouse 90". In 1956, Burr auditioned for the role of District Attorney Hamilton Burger in "Perry Mason", a new CBS-TV courtroom drama based on the highly successful novels by Erle Stanley Gardner. Impressed with his courtroom performance in the 1951 film "A Place in the Sun", executive producer Gail Patrick Jackson told Burr he was perfect for Perry Mason, but at least overweight. Over the next month,
Benjamin Burr Benjamin Burr Benjamin Burr (April 8, 1818 – February 16, 1894) was an American businessman and politician. Born in Rodman, Jefferson County, New York, Burr lived on a farm in New York. Burr moved to Rochester, New York where he had a business: Spencer & Burr which dealt with wholesale oyster and fruit. In 1857, Burr and his wife moved to Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Burr was in the mercantile and grocery business in Stevens Point and was president of the International Bank of Amherst. Burr served on the Portage County, Wisconsin Board of Supervisors serving as chairman of the county