Favorite TV Lawyers
The Best, the Worst and the Most Memorable
Perry Mason CBS 1957-1966; 1985-1995
Raymond Burr's stoic portrayal of a no-nonsense defense attorney ran for 271 episodes and a number of TV movie specials. Perry Mason only lost three cases.
Hamilton Burger/Perry Mason CBS 1957-1966
Every time Perry Mason won, Hamilton Burger (played by William Talman) lost. One of the major unsolved story lines was how District Attorney Burger, with his poor case record, managed to stay on as District Attorney.
Ben Matlock CBS 1986-1995
Andy Griffith played Matlock for 182 episodes. Matlock was a high-priced, southern born, Ivy League educated defense lawyer who could use colorful language but always had a heart of gold.
Algonquin J. Calhoun/Amos & Andy CBS 1951-1953
Johnny Lee's portrayal of Algonquin J. Calhoun, an inept, shyster attorney marked the first appearance of an African-American lawyer on television.
Bentley Gregg/Bachelor FatherCBS, NBC, ABC 1957-1962
John Forsythe starred as Bentley Gregg, a wealthy, single, Beverly Hills Attorney who suddenly has to care for his 13 year old niece when her parents are killed. The show ran for 157 episodes on 3 networks.
Dan Fielding/Night Court NBC 1984-1982
John Larroquette's brilliant portrayal of Dan Fielding won him 4 consecutive Best Actor in a Comedy Emmy Awards 1985-1988. The show ran for 193 episodes.
Victor Sifuentes/L.A. Law NBC 1986-1992
Jimmy Smits' portrayed the first Hispanic attorney on TV ran for 107 episodes during the show's first five seasons. In 1990, Smits won an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing Sifuentes.
Ally McBeal Fox 1997-2002
Calista Flockhart played McBeal for 112 episodes. McBeal went to law school so that she could be close to her first love.
Denny Crane/Boston Legal ABC 2004-2008
TV veteran William Shatner played Crane, a bombastic attorney who claimed to have never lost a case. In 2004, Shatner won a Best Actor in a Drama Emmy for his portrayal of Crane.
Patty Hewes/ Damages FX 2007-Present
Glenn Close's portrayal as a the tough, smart litigator won Best Actress Emmy Awards in 2008 & 2009.
Sources:
Wikipedia
Imdb.com
tarlton.law.utexas.edu
Published by Craig Whyel
Craig Whyel is a former radio news reporter and talk show producer based in Southwestern Pennsylvania. View profile
-
What Happened to the Classic TV Shows?
Wouldn't it be nice to bring back some old TV shows? Here are a few good ones.
-
The Case of the Summer Reading Blues Solved!
Check out these five Perry Mason mysteries from your library today.
- Movie Defense Attorneys I Would Want Representing Me If I ever am accused of a crime I didn't commit, I have a short list of attorneys I would love to have representing me.
- Attorneys and Lawyers Located in Bloomington, Minnesota This article lists some of the attorneys/lawyers located in Bloomington, Minnesota. It organizes the law offices by specialty and includes contact information.
- The Best Women Characters in Comedy TV Shows Description of the best women roles in TV comedy shows
- Sonia Sotomayor, Sen. Al Franken Forget What Trial Perry Mason Lost
- Erle Stanley Gardner: Prolific Pulp Fiction Writer Who Created Perry Mason
- Best Sitcoms of All Time - Top 50 Funniest TV Shows Counted Down
- Studying the Law Through TV
- Top Secrets of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- How to Write a Quality TV Episode or Series
- Some of My Favorite Quotes on TV
|
|