Burr's early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television, and film, usually as the villain. His portrayal of the suspected murderer in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller "Rear Window" (1954) is his best-known film role, although he is also remembered for his role in the 1956 film "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!", which he reprised in the 1985 film "Godzilla 1985". He won Emmy Awards for acting in 1959 and 1961 for the role of Perry Mason, which he played for nine seasons (1957–1966) and reprised in a series of 26 Perry Mason TV movies (1985–1993). His second TV series "Ironside" earned him six Emmy and two Golden Globe nominations.