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To millions of people, he is the very image of American jurisprudence. But the man who played Perry Mason had a personal life as enigmatic as the mysteries his character solved. Raymond Burr came to California as a child, after his parents' divorce. After serving in World War II, he returned to the Golden State to pursue an acting career, landing bit parts in B-movies like Godzilla. It was not until the mid-fifties that his career took off, with roles in A Place in the Sun and Rear Window. Soon after, he debuted as Mason, and a legend was born. Yet for all his fame, little is known of his private life. He claimed to have three wives and one son, but there is scant evidence to support this, and he passed his final years at his Sonoma vineyard with his longtime friend and business partner, Robert Benevides. But while some aspects of his life are enigmatic, there is no doubt about his generosity--he was a foster parent to over 20 children and a noted philanthropist.

Posted: 1/24/2008 Length: 47:00 Price: $1.99 Video Type: Full Length

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