The classic cars of Perry Mason

[Lexi]

Wow! Perhaps the best film clip compilation that focuses on classic cars from TV shows that I have seen. This edition highlights the cars used in season 1 of the Perry Mason TV show, from 1957. Tons of eye candy here including a lot of vintage Cadillacs, many of which are highlighted. Others are seen parked in the background. Perhaps best about this feature is the narration as it just focuses on the cars! The actors in the scene are largely ignored as this compilation treats the cars as the stars! I am still amazed at how he got all of the model information correct, (I presume). Growing up, I think shows like this helped to cultivate and define my now life long interest in vintage American automobiles. Probably like a lot of you, as well. A trip down memory lane. Hope they highlight other seasons of this show which ran well into the 1960s. I know that in 1960, season #3, one episode contains some good footage of a 1956 Series 75 Cadillac, which is my year/Series of Caddy. How often do you see one of those in a TV show? Hope you can find your car in this set, regardless there is something here for all of us. This is fantastic old car viewing from vintage high quality resolution film as it was originally professionally shot. Blown away by this concept and presentation. Enjoy. Clay/Lexi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYfGsnURBQ

Edit: I think Barry Wheeler and Phil Whyte are especially going to love this one.

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Wow! Perhaps the best film clip compilation that focuses on classic cars from TV shows that I have seen. This edition highlights the cars used in season 1 of the Perry Mason TV show, from 1957. Tons of eye candy here including a lot of vintage Cadillacs, many of which are highlighted. Others are seen parked in the background. Perhaps best about this feature is the narration as it just focuses on the cars! The actors in the scene are largely ignored as this compilation treats the cars as the stars! I am still amazed at how he got all of the model information correct, (I presume). Growing up, I think shows like this helped to cultivate and define my now life long interest in vintage American automobiles. Probably like a lot of you, as well. A trip down memory lane. Hope they highlight other seasons of this show which ran well into the 1960s. I know that in 1960, season #3, one episode contains some good footage of a 1956 Series 75 Cadillac, which is my year/Series of Caddy. How often do you see one of those in a TV show? Hope you can find your car in this set, regardless there is something here for all of us. This is fantastic old car viewing from vintage high quality resolution film as it was originally professionally shot. Blown away by this concept and presentation. Enjoy. Clay/Lexi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYfGsnURBQ

Edit: I think Barry Wheeler and Phil Whyte are especially going to love this one.

Yes!

[56Fleetwood]

This is great Lexi! I actually watch Perry Mason reruns free streaming on Pluto, just to see the cars (and to see "Della Street" as I've had a crush on her since I was a little kid 😊)

[Lexi]

This is great Lexi! I actually watch Perry Mason reruns free streaming on Pluto, just to see the cars (and to see "Della Street" as I've had a crush on her since I was a little kid 😊)

Same here. As a kid I really liked Della Street, and the cars. Had a minor crush on her as well. This same guy did a post on the cars from the TV show Leave it to Beaver, but even as a kid watching these when basically new, I thought there were too many Chryslers, LOL. And that is what his compilation from that sit-com largely shows. They must have had a deal with Chrysler Corporation who supplied the automobiles. There is the odd Cadillac in the show, most interesting was a Series 75 in a salvage yard, but pickins' were slim. In contrast, the Perry Mason compilation was stellar and far more Cadillac oriented. Leave it to Beaver, even as a kid, I always found not as Cadillac friendly and too "goody-2-shoes". Eddie Haskel was entertaining though,... "That's a lovely dress you're wearing Mrs. Cleaver". Clay/Lexi

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Well, I see that I'm not the only guy who enjoys Perry Mason.
The cars are great -- especially in the early years when lots
of Cadillacs were shown.  By the late 50's / early 60's they
slowly changed to Lincolns and even Fords.  I was rather
surprised at the Fords, but I guess the sponsors waved $$.
And yes, Della was a favorite of mine as well.

My wife and I used to vacation on Sanibel Island in Florida.
Raymond Burr has a big mansion on there and reportedly he was
a fond collector of sea shells.  Sanibel is noted for those.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

I loved the cars, (And thanks for finding them,) but when I first started going to the movies on Saturday afternoons, Raymond Burr was always, ALWAYS, the fat, bad guy in the black hat. So, I never got "into" Perry Mason when the series was on TV. (His scowl would strike terror in a ten year old's heart, and we cheered when the hero finally picked him off, or KO'd him in a fight.)
I was a little older when I finally figured out why I liked Annette "best" on the Mickey Mouse Club. (There were a couple of reasons as I recall.)

[billyoung]

Thank you for this. I enjoyed it, as a kid a and a young man I never would have realized I was living through the best of America. The cars of today are boring disposable utilitarian machines in my opinion. When a Cadillac and by comparison any other car of the 50's and 60's appeared you took notice. Even the most pedestrian car from then was dramatic compared to the appliances with tires of today. Who would not rather drive a Chevy 210 an Olds 88 or a Dodge Lancer than a Kia no soul. One Mans Opinion.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I'll take this one.

[Michael Petti]

Perry Mason was regular fare on Saturday night and I ogled the Cadillacs even at age 11. My dad, a Chevy man, never understood.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

If my dad had "understood," my first car would have been a much nicer 1947 Cadillac convertible. I lusted after four or five of them on the North and South East portions of Indianapolis back in 1957-58. I think the main reason I got the 41-6127 coupe is because his boss had just gotten a '53 sedan and wanted to get rid of his older car.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Growing up in the car business was a major advantage. Parental acceptance was a non-issue and always had a dealer tag at my disposal. No sales tax to pay, none of that running out to DMVs for titling/registration and their costs, nor need to take out my own insurance policy plus the ability to buy wholesale. Only pesky detail was coming up with the scratch to pay for whatever the car was at the time. I may have been a car dealer's son but there would be no free cars for me. However I got keep the profit whenever I sold something and my first Cadillac finally came on my third car- a 1973 Coupe deVille - Harvest Gold (Yellow), White roof w/ yellow-gold leather. Still have the Polaroid pictures I took of it in November 1981 just before I sold it to my HS math teacher.

[59-in-pieces]

My parents offered me my Mom's Cad sedan for my first car.

As a kid I thought - a Cad, no way - as a sedan, no way - as a car painted 2 colors of blue, no way - as a car with clear plastic seat covers, no way.

As a teen aged kid, I lived up to the stereotype, dumb.

However, some years later I got my head strewed on straight, and to this day have stuck with modern as well as classic Cadillacs.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[billyoung]

My first car I bought at age 16 in 1970 it was a $49.00 1961 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible in junk condition in Code 48 Fontana Rose with white top and black and white interior. My Mother took one look at it and said get that out of my driveway. I ended up renting a single garage space from and old lady in the neighborhood for $5.00 a month. It was a basic group A only car. I sold it months later for $200.00 and bought a 1955 Series 6219 sedan for $200.00 in Ruskin blue with dark blue roof and blue Gabardine interior, Power windows, fog lights, Autronic Eye and radio.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

My first car I bought at age 16 in 1970 it was a $49.00 1961 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible in junk condition in Code 48 Fontana Rose with white top and black and white interior. My Mother took one look at it and said get that out of my driveway. I ended up renting a single garage space from and old lady in the neighborhood for $5.00 a month. It was a basic group A only car. I sold it months later for $200.00 and bought a 1955 Series 6219 sedan for $200.00 in Ruskin blue with dark blue roof and blue Gabardine interior, Power windows, fog lights, Autronic Eye and radio.

Did she banish that one too? 

[Greg Powers]

I have always been a fan of Perry Mason. He always had beautiful cars. The funniest thing about the show was that everyone drove convertibles day and night, never raising the top. They acted as if there was no crime when they always just exited the cars and left the tops down with no thought of locking the cars. I also watch old reruns of Adam 12 as they drive the streets passing the same parked Cadillacs in numerous shows. Not as realistic as our modern shows but lots more beautiful automobile eye-candy.

[bcroe]

Its easier to film people in a convertable, top
down.  No screen time allowed to put it up, the
top is safer down anyway. 

I note every BATMAN where the Batmobile (THAT
is a CLASSIC!) drives up in front of the police
dept, there is always a woman in a red dress on
the steps. Saves filming to just keep using it
over.  Bruce Roe

[Rich S]

Thanks for posting! When "Cars were cars" and more . . . a classic television series with timeless good taste.