Chalk: I think once we started to get to know [the new "Perry Mason" showrunners Jack Amiel and Michael Begler] and get their ideas of the season coming in, that's what prepared me to deal with what was coming to Paul. Adding that to Jack and Michael's vision definitely took steps because we're all just getting to know each other and getting to hear each other's voices. Whitfield eventually left the department, and was replaced by Policewoman Fran Belding, while Sanger graduated from law school, passed the bar, and married Diana. In 1962, CBS moved Perry Mason to Thursday nights, where it easily won the ratings for its time slot. Perry Mason's incredibly capable assistant all those years, Della Street, was played by the Emmy award-winning actress Barbara Hale, who joins us now from her home in Sherman Oaks, California . So it's a great sort of point from which we launch off into what happens next. And they would always be much more devastating than I would think. Hell still put his investigative skills to good use in Season 2, but now is our first opportunity to see how he does as a practitioner of law from the start. As a black police officer, Drake is subject to the blatant racism and stereotypes of the day. Also keep in mind that the classic Perry Mason series still ranks as one of the best mystery shows, so feel free to give that a watch when youre not busy with HBOs adaptation. More than anything else. Rylance: Della's one of those people that has built her life on being the one who's together and holding everything together and caretaking a lot, and dealing with difficult people and being the sensible one. What happened to Lt Tragg on Perry Mason? To be fair, being in the room with a family when it was like me, and Moe and Pearl and Jarrah and the babies and their kids, it was chaos, but it was so much fun because it really did feel like I was like, I grew up in a largely black neighborhood where we would just go into a house and play cards all day. I take it you want to leave?" Mason got up off the bed. Raymond Burr, the burly, impassive actor who played the defense lawyer Perry Mason and the police detective Robert T. Ironside on television, died on Sunday at his ranch in Dry Creek Valley, near Healdsburg, Calif. Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 January 26, 2017) was an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street in the television series Perry Mason (19571966), earning her a 1959 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. When [my son] Billy was in the first grade, we went to school for the first parent meeting, and on his desk were little projects hed made pictures of Daddy and Mommy and his sister and his animals. The following days found Barbara in the same mood. Mason, who solved murder mysteries with his savvy as a cross-examiner, is the creation of novelist Erle Stanley Gardner. In HBO's Reboot. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. If you continue to use the site, we will assume that this suits you. Why was Perry Mason in the hospital in season 6? In 1962, CBS moved Perry Mason to Thursday nights, where it easily won the ratings for its time slot. Screen Rant: I just finished the season earlier today and had such a blast. Della Street doubled up her body, braced her heels and shot forward. George E. Stone had the most credited guest appearances in the series with forty-five. Talman was fired by CBS March 18, 1960, hours after he entered a not-guilty plea to misdemeanor charges related to his presence at a party that was raided by police. Theres the matter of Mother Birdy McKeegan, for one thing. Most people have come to L.A. from somewhere else in that period of time. Its a first!. We got that moment at the end of season 1 where it's like the dream team comes together. She rose to leading parts opposite Mitchum in West of the Pecos (1945) and the comedy-romance Lady Luck (1946) with Robert Young. They were genuinely fond of each other but sparks never flew. Actually, they did, in at least one of the gazillion Perry Mason productions. After all, she was his secretary, and he was her boss. Tragg for six years, until midway through the 1963-64 season, when he left due to a lung condition. The Warner Brothers version of The Case of the Velvet Claws, which came out in 1936, saw Della and Perry married. "We begin the season as three very isolated people trying to figure out how to work together and be in the same room," Rylance explained, and also shared that Della in particular "is trying to find a new way.". Her photo can be see at the Dr Pepper Museum in Dublin, Texas (not to be confused with the Waco Dr Pepper Museum). 2023 Caniry - All Rights Reserved Andrey is a coach, sports writer and editor. The Warner Brothers version of The Case of the Velvet Claws, which came out in 1936, saw Della and Perry married. How would you describe an honorable person? Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, So it's like, "Well, where did she come from and what kind of strata of society?" In his final Perry Mason movie, The Case of the Killer Kiss, he was shown either sitting or standing while leaning on a table, but only once standing unsupported for a few seconds. No one confesses on the stand! Burger yells from the illusory gallery, repeating himself as Perrys mind flashes back to the real world. And then coming back another day and there's a giant community of very, very impoverished people. I mean, Perry Mason? Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. She left peacefully at her home in Sherman Oaks Ca. George E. Stone had the most credited guest appearances in the series with forty-five. Indeed, when the episode aired on 16 January 1964, Ms. On July 11, 1965, Collins died of emphysema at St. Johns Hospital in Santa Monica, California, at age 75. But what Perry did is awaken in him more of himself. Jonathan survived last week's suicide attempt is in for a sad truth. Because we're still navigating a lot of the very same issues here 90 years later. They were genuinely fond of each other but sparks never flew. In this climactic episode of the shows first season, the showrunners, Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald, have definitively abandoned the definitive convention of the old Perry Mason series; its as if a Columbo remake did away with the whole One more thing bit. Although Ms. Hale had a flourishing career in movies often in wholesome roles opposite stars such as James Stewart, James Cagney and Robert Mitchum she found her big-screen career overshadowed by her work on CBSs Perry Mason.. And it just so happens that justice [is] what Paul is good at, and he's good at some forms of detective work. And they've made this decision per Perry's lead of not following criminal cases anymore, and just practicing civil law. I think Paul is thinking so much as he's surviving. After Emily walked free, she saw the baby that Birdy from the Radiant Assembly of God claimed was a resurrected Charlie. He also edits and writes articles for the IronSet blog where he shares his experiences. The prosecution chose not to do so. Just before this episode was shot, William Talman injured his right leg and was fitted for a cast. He died in 1992. I think that Paul is trying his best to survive, and was perfectly happy with the shitty justice pre-Perry Mason. Chris Chalk: I actually think it's neither one of those things. The legal minds of Mason and Della Street (Juliet Rylance) know this is far less than a guarantee, unless she's going for an . We improved ratings for CBS but Bonanza was the leader and Paley simply cancelled us completely in 1966. Chris, obviously Paul is in a different head space from when we first met him in season 1. This is a list of episodes for Perry Mason, an American legal drama series that aired on CBS television for nine seasons (September 21, 1957 May 22, 1966). In his final Perry Mason movie, The Case of the Killer Kiss, he was shown either sitting or standing while leaning on a table, but only once standing unsupported for a few seconds. In A Lion Is in the Streets (1953), she was the sweet-natured wife to Cagneys rabid political demagogue. Because loving yourself, makes you better able to love someone else.. 2023 Caniry - All Rights Reserved In the novels, they were supposed to be. Ms. Hale also starred with Williams, her husband, in The Clay Pigeon (1949), a taut drama about a veteran who is framed on a murder charge. Via http://boyculture.comBarbara Hale, age 90, played "Della Street" on PERRY MASON & appeared in numerous movies. But I think if Paul had his druthers, he'd be an accountant in the back room somewhere, and you'd never see this guy. And for me, the big moment in the courtroom was moments leading up to that where I've been having these from season 1 of Della looking at Paul and clocking what's happening in the room and where we sit, where he sits and where the other women sit in that room. Its been a long wait for Perry Mason Season 2, as the HBO reimagining of the literary character created by Erle Stanley Gardner debuted its first season back in June 2020, with Robert Downey Jr. attached as one of the executive producers. Watch Perry Mason Season 1 | Prime Video. Barbara Hale, who played secretary Della Street in the Perry Mason television series and movies, died Thursday. He played the court clerk. Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 - January 26, 2017) was an American actress who portrayed legal secretary Della Street in the dramatic television series Perry Mason (1957-1966), earning her a 1959 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.She reprised the role in 30 Perry Mason made-for-television movies (1985-1995). Della is pulling him in. 1 This 1958 Miss Mississippi and 1959 Miss America appeared as Della Street's cousin Dianne Adler in the 1964 "Perry Mason" episode, "The Case of the Blonde Bonanza." She also appeared in Elvis films "Harum Scarum" and "Girl Happy". However, Rylance and Chalk get the chance to shine in the second season as Perry Mason looks closer at their personal and professional lives. It's kind of a fabric of some parts of society. Perry Mason, premiering Sundays on HBO at 9 E.T., is a prequel set in the Great Depression era. Hamilton Burger: Your honor, these questions are certainly germane to the issues in this case! I was struck by how Birdys minions made their initial overture to recruit Emily to their cause: a note that was nothing more or less than the footprint of the baby they claimed was Charlie. Raymond Burr, the burly, impassive actor who played the defense lawyer Perry Mason and the police detective Robert T. Ironside on television, died on Sunday at his ranch in Dry Creek Valley, near Healdsburg, Calif. At the end of the movie Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) and Della Street (Barbara Hale) share the first on screen kiss between the two characters. From the marriage with Bill Williams, she had three children. Its the worst year of the Depression, and Perry and Della (Juliet Rylance) have set the firm on a safer path pursuing civil cases instead of the tumultuous work criminal cases entail. In The Window (1949), a first-rate thriller, she and Arthur Kennedy played the preoccupied parents of a tenement youth (Bobby Driscoll) who witnesses a murder and becomes the target of the killers. She declines and it leads to discussions of why she has turned him down again. Toward the end of his life, his illness forced him to use a wheelchair in real life. Really, my prep work was season 1 because I know Paul very well, and so I was just excited to not repeat, "Black guy hates racism." Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. So it's this strange, vulnerable Della this season of trying to change and be heard and get clear about what she wants to say. According to a Facebook post by her son William Katt, Hale passed away at her home on Sherman Oaks, Calif. Is anyone still alive from Perry Mason? Actually, they did, in at least one of the gazillion Perry Mason productions. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Will the gamble pay off? Raymond Burr, the burly, impassive actor who played the defense lawyer Perry Mason and the police detective Robert T. Ironside on television, died on Sunday at his ranch in Dry Creek Valley, near Healdsburg, Calif. Talman was fired from Perry Mason for a short period in 1960. The series also featured Barbara Hale as Della Street, William Hopper as Paul Drake, William Talman as Hamilton Burger and Ray Collins as Lt. Tragg. The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito (1943) "You should wake me up at four o'clock in the morning to propound legal puzzles! Anyone holding out hope E.B. The 1957-1966 CBS television courtroom series has been resurrected on METV and a new generation has become hooked. Note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity. Image via HBO. The writers had no choice but to work this into the scriptHamilton Burger wears a cast and ambles about on crutches throughout the episode. But Ennis? Keep track of other shows set to premiere soon, or the ones currently on the air, with our 2023 TV schedule. For a time, she became known as the Long Woolies Girl for her form-fitting allure in warming undergarments. But of course, common sense, not to mention fear, had always held her back. Like, where are they at when I'm standing in the front? The deputies reported finding Talman and seven other defendants either nude or seminude. Della Street partakes in one of her own, much to Perry Mason's dismay. She is a secretary.. Simple, but brutally effective. This time around though, hell be working as a defense lawyer from the start, as opposed to being looped in as a private investigator. She only hoped that he felt the same. At the end of the movie Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) and Della Street (Barbara Hale) share the first on screen kiss between the two characters. Juliet ___ The Knick actress who plays Della Street in HBO's Perry Mason crossword clue Please find below the Juliet ___ The Knick actress who plays Della Street in HBO's Perry Mason crossword clue answer and solution which is part of Daily Themed Crossword February 22 2023 Answers. Which Is More Stable Thiophene Or Pyridine. The title character, portrayed by Raymond Burr, is a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner. And then in the writing, I love the fact that it's not planned and that it sort of just comes out of the need of the moment, which is suddenly Della realizes, I have more information than Perry does on the floor. Although Paul initially refused to work with Perry Mason and share his findings in the Charlie Dodson case, because hed been threatened by the corrupt Joe Ennis, he eventually changes mind and helps out with Perrys investigation. recap: Pete pursues Ennis while Perry investigates a career change. Read on for our full discussion, which also touches on how they prepared to play characters living in 1930s Los Angeles. 3 Where can i stream old Perry Mason episodes? Set in 1931-32, the series wigmaster clearly decided that ALL WOMEN wore fingerwave bobs and therefore all female characters have basically the same wig, with varying levels of success. There was a problem. On Dellas advice, Perry calls an unexpected witness to the stand. This story is written for those that love Matt and Kitty just as much as Perry and Della. Check out our other Perry Mason season 2 interviews here: Next: Perry Mason: Why Matthew Rhys Replaced Robert Downey Jr. During the Emily Dodson trial, Juliet Rylances Della Street forged records that Perry had been serving a legal apprenticeship with E.B., and with help from Justin Kirks assistant district attorney character Hamilton Burger (whos been upgraded to main cast member in Season 2), Perry was able to pass the bar exam and become a lawyer. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. You can watch the Perry Mason premiere on HBO (or HBO Max) at 9 PM ET. "Perry Mason" is a character-driven show that's the core of it but it's also a show that takes place in a certain period of time in a certain place. I had the chance to talk with Rylance and Chalk in advance of the season 2 premiere, where they discussed where their characters are now compared to when we last saw them. I wonder how hell feel if he ever finds out about Burger? Holcomb pushed Ennis to kill Radiant Assembly of God deacon Eric Seidel, one of the men who was involved in the churchs financial crimes and the conspiracy that led to Charlies death. Actually, they did, in at least one of the gazillion Perry Mason productions. Played by Juliet Rylance, Street is sassy, independent and has zero . Long before Perry Mason became the legendary lawyer that he was, he was a PTSD-ridden war vet struggling to find his place in the world. He has been tied to the Chinese-American sex worker whose heroin-laced milk suffocated baby Charlie Dodson. One of the saddest moments in Perry Mason Season 1 was when John Lithgows E.B. It takes us in a . Played originally by Raymond Burr (above left), the character Perry Mason is a lawyer who first appeared in Erle Stanley Gardners 1933 novel, The Case of the Velvet Claws. So this just felt more like we began to really inhabit the world in a much more visceral and real way. "Perry Mason" is coming back after three long years. Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore. Dellas is not the worst but that is mainly because she is constantly wearing hats. Juliet Rylance & Chris Chalk On The Dream Team Of Perry Mason Season 2, Perry Mason: Why Matthew Rhys Replaced Robert Downey Jr. In fact, judging by the Season 2 trailer, it looks like there will come a point in Season 2 where Della will get to show off her own legal prowess in the courtroom. Amazing. But a mistrial isnt the same as being found not guilty, let alone exonerated in full as the real killer is brought to justice. At times, pinky rings have been worn with the intent to convey a message or indicate affiliation. After leaving the Columbia shorts department, Cezon had a recurring role as receptionist Gertie on Perry Mason between 1957 and 1964. In 1963, when Burr had to miss those four episodes because of dental surgery, it wouldnt have done to give his spot to a lesser light. He's aware he looks like Harry Potter and Clark Kent. He played the court clerk. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Why Did Perry and Della Never Marry? Why was Perry Mason dishonorably discharged? I liked that she was not married. Yes there will! Get out of here and let me dress. A quick recap of what we just watched, first. Chris Chalk: There were some, although mostly not fun just because it's all so very heavy. He died on July 12, 1965, at age seventy-five, of emphysema. Ms. Hales son, William, played the private-eye role. At the end of the movie Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) and Della Street (Barbara Hale) share the first on screen kiss between the two characters. I was there when there was nothing. We improved ratings for CBS but Bonanza was the leader and Paley simply cancelled us completely in 1966. However, we do learn that Perrys associate Pete Strickland quietly paid off one of the jurors to say Emily was not guilty. Despite instantly noticing this baby was different, Emily decided to accept him as her reborn son and joined Birdys traveling church. She only wanted to be a good mother to her child. Perry Mason made its closing arguments for season 1. Just showing a black judge presiding over a courtroom was, for that time, very unusual. Although they played rivals on Perry Mason, Talman and Burr were friends off the set. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Did they ever show Gertie on Perry Mason? Is there a new Perry Mason series coming out? Juliet, one of the things I love about your portrayal of Della is that she's so poised and together, but we get to see her emotions bubbling underneath the surface in various scenes. I didn't know for a long time that we were going to do it. He doesn't care except for resent, perhaps, that she felt she could, and should, keep this from him. Get a taste of whats coming up by viewing the Season 2 trailer below. Barbara Hale was born April 18, 1922, in De Kalb, Ill., and grew up in Rockford, Ill., where her father was a landscape gardener. When Season 2 begins, Paul hasnt worked as much for the firm since Perry has been focusing on more civil cases, but once this new murder trial begins, count on him once again uncovering key evidence. In July 2020, HBO renewed its reimagined version of the popular 1950s legal drama that originally starred Raymond Burr. It was so. Perhaps the attraction is nostalgic, or we've developed mad crushes on Mason (Raymond Burr), Paul Drake (William Hopper) and Della Street (Barbara Hale). I love this season that Della is trying to find a new way. After nine seasons and 271 episodes we were dust.". Dellas is not the worst but that is mainly because she is constantly wearing hats. Soon the routine of playing Della Street, Perry Mason's Girl Friday, seemed to snap her back to normal. Dellas is not the worst but that is mainly because she is constantly wearing hats. In Perry Mason season 2, Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk return as Della Street and Paul Drake to help Matthew Rhys' titular defense attorney solve another murder that has rocked 1930s Los Angeles. You get the big moment in the courtroom this season, which was a showstopper. Hoppers character, Paul Drake, is one of the most interesting in the series. You can have all the truths on your side, but if you cant prove, if you cant hold it in your hand, it doesnt exist.. The deputies reported finding Talman and seven other defendants either nude or seminude. (Burr), the famous Los Angeles attorney who never loses a case, there's Perry's loyal, tireless personal secretary, Della Street (Barbara Hale), and their worldly, slightly cynical pal/colleague, P.I. How many deaths are caused by flu each year. Gardner's novel described her this way: "Della Street Secretary, twenty-seven, quiet, fast as hell on . Strickland ends up going to work for Burger, helping him take down the surviving hierarchy of the Radiant Assembly of God rather than joining the newly minted Perry Mason & Associates with Della and their new investigator, Paul Drake, who quits the police force in what is arguably the seasons top feel-good moment. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. What Do You Do If Your Tortilla Dough Is Too Sticky? In 1993, Ms. Hale told the Chicago Tribune that playing Della Street for so long was appealing for many reasons among them, the character did not threaten to throw off her family life when she was a young mother. So Della begins the season being very determined to move forward and keep things moving but [she] is really confused and frustrated about how stuck the firm is. Enduring Format Besides the unique format of the investigation followed by the trial, Perry Mason created the DNA of numerous other television shows in the years since. The Case of the Silent Black Judge. It was one of the first hour-long TV shows to ever air and most successful law shows of all time. And back then, even whispering it is horrifying. How did you prepare to get into the mindset of Paul again, given everything that happened in season 1 and in the lead up to what he goes through in season 2? Perry Mason became televisions most successful lawyer series, appearing weekly on CBS for nine seasons from 1957 to 1966. To attempt a bait-and-switch like this takes guts. Hopper joined the cast as Mason's personal detective Paul Drake. This pinky ring movement was started by Fred + Far, a jewelry maker run by two women. He has history in Colorados mining wars with both the two dead strikebreakers and their boss, Elder Eric Seidel, currently missing and presumed dead. After the Dodson case resulted in a mistrial, Perry Mason finds himself at odds with his newfound position as an attorney. Barbara Hale, who played secretary Della Street in the "Perry Mason" television series and movies, died Thursday. (RKO Radio Pictures ). In his final Perry Mason movie, The Case of the Killer Kiss, he was shown either sitting or standing while leaning on a table, but only once standing unsupported for a few seconds. Perry Mason Returns was an enormous hit and led to a run of made-for-television movies. In 1946, Barbara Hale married Bill Williams who was also an actor. You can watch the Perry Mason premiere on HBO (or HBO Max) at 9 PM ET. Included from the first novel on, Della was a little feistier upon introduction, but every bit as skillful and loyal as in the following eighty-one whodunits. Oct 23, 2020 - William Katt as Paul Drake Jr., Barbara Hale as Della Street -- Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images The second season picks up with Perry in the throes of the Los Angeles legal system during the height of the Great Depression. I don't know that I answered the question though. He recalls playing Pope John in a TV movie and says he didnt need a great deal of padding because we were both on the plump side. Burr says his tendency to be overweight was exacerbated by a series of operations he went through. Its not true, of course. This is all while Perry Mason ( Matthew Rhys) and Pete ( Shea Whigham) attempt to figure out what actually happened after Charlie's death, given the conflicting evidence surrounding . TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 - January 26, 2017) was an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street in the television series Perry Mason (1957-1966), earning her a 1959 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. "Perry Mason" is coming back after three long years. Apparently the answer is yes, and I couldnt be happier about it. In the first Perry Mason novel, Street is revealed to . For me, playing Della was thinking about women's etiquette and where am I from? The marriage of Hale and Williams has lasted 46 years until Bill died in 1992 from brain cancer. Yet, throughout the day, Barbara periodically lapsed into stony silence. It beggars belief that an accountant like George Gannon could have executed his two accomplices (both of them professional hoods), driven across town with a bullet wound, then blown his own head off with a shotgun. In HBO's Reboot. Burr met his life companion, onetime actor Robert Benevides, in 1957 on the Perry Mason set. This Perry Mason review contains spoilers. The thing I keep coming back to in all my conversations with friends and readers about this show is how little reason there was to expect it to be anywhere near as good as it was. In HBO's Reboot. When we started, it was the beginning of women not working at home, she said. He no longer reads Star Magazine, but he does read just about everything else. When we catch up with them, Perry and Della are helping a ruthless, ambitious grocery store owner (Sean Astin) sue his competition into bankruptcy. But maybe its right. However, the season's most notable twist is the absence of trusty secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale) from a string of episodes. She appeared in over 270 episodes of the show, and all of these efforts have helped put her net worth to where it is today. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Perry Mason and Pete Strickland had already been working together for a long time when the events of Perry Mason Season 1 unfolded, but by the end of the season, their partnership came to an end. It's 1933, and Perry Mason and. Hoppers character, Paul Drake, is one of the most interesting in the series. Mason, a defence lawyer who never loses a case, loses a case. Matthew Rhys Pleads His Case for 'Perry Mason' Season 2. After nine seasons and 271 episodes we were dust. The network gave no particular reason for the cancellation. Barbara Hale, a wavy-haired model and Hollywood leading lady of the 1940s and 1950s who warbled with Frank Sinatra in his first big film role and had a long television career as the devoted secretary Della Street to Raymond Burrs tireless defense lawyer Perry Mason, died Jan. 26 at her home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. She was 94. Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. What happened to Hamilton Burger in Season 4? 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved There had been many Mason iterations: a low-budget movie series in the 1930s with titles such as The Case of the Lucky Legs and The Case of the Curious Bride and then as a radio show on CBS from 1943 to 1955, with a rotating cast of Masons and Streets. Perry Mason will be back on the case eventually. After the war ended, he began drinking, and stopped acting for almost a decade. By the end of the season, Paul resigned from the police force and agreed to work with Perry as a detective for the law practice. And unfortunately, that happens to work with the justice system. Meanwhile, Della loves being in the spotlight. CBS-TV/REX/Shutterstock Barbara Hale, who played secretary Della Street in the "Perry Mason" television series and movies, died Thursday.