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Lawyer Series - THE AMAZING
MR. MALONE/NBC/1951-52 was the first dramatic prime time series to feature a
lawyer as the lead character. Lee Tracy (who later starred as Martin Kane on
MARTIN KANE, PRIVATE EYE/NBC/1949-54) played the brilliant criminal lawyer
John J. Malone in this "live" mystery series.
The series was based on the
novels of Craig Rice and the radio program begun in 1947. MR. DISTRICT
ATTORNEY/ABC/1951-52 starring Jay Jostyn as D.A. Paul Garrett began a few
weeks later on the ABC network.
Other early lawyers included MISS
SUSAN/NBC/1951, the first daytime program to feature a female (handicapped)
lawyer in a lead role; FAMOUS JURY TRIALS/DUM/1949-52 and YOUR
WITNESS/ABC/1949-50 two series which featured case reenactments.
The first
law series (prime time) to feature a female lawyer in the leading role was
KATE MCSHANE/CBS/1975. Anne Meara starred as a single, gutsy and yet
kindhearted Irish-American lawyer who was assisted by her father, a retired
police officer and her brother, a Jesuit priest and law professor.
TRIVIA NOTE: Not the first but perhaps TV most famous lawyer was Perry Mason
(Raymond Burr), PERRY MASON/CBS/1957-74 a long time hero of the court room
drama, who never lost a single court battle, except for one case during the
1963 season. District Attorney Burger (William Talman), who fought valiantly
against the odds for so long finally was in the spotlight. Headlines on a
seven star edition of the Los Angeles Chronicle read "Burger Defeats Mason."
Unfortunately for Burger, it was discovered he won the case on a
technicality. Perry's client was covering up for someone else and allowed
herself to be found guilty. Perry discovered the true villain anyway and got
the stubborn victim out of jail.
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