Della Street

Della Street

Della Street was the fictional secretary of Perry Mason in the long-running series of novels, films, and radio and television programs featuring the fictional defense attorney created by Erle Stanley Gardner.

Description

In the very first Perry Mason novel, The Case of the Velvet Claws, written in the early days of the Great Depression it is revealed that Della Street came from a wealthy, or at least well-to-do, family that was wiped out by the stock market crash of 1929, forcing Della to get a job as a secretary. Of course, by the time of the TV series in the 1950s and 1960s, this would have not fit well with the age of the characters as then portrayed. According to The Case Of The Caretaker's Cat, she is approximately fifteen years younger than Perry Mason.

A character named Della Street first appeared Gardner's unpublished novel Reasonable Doubt, where she was a secretary, but not the secretary of the lawyer, Ed Stark. Gardner described her this way: "Della Street ..... Secretary, twenty-seven, quiet, fast as hell on her feet, had been places. Worked in a carnival or side show, knows all the lines, hard-boiled exterior, quietly efficient, puzzled over the lawyer, chestnut hair, trim figure, some lines on her face, a hint of weariness at the corners of her eyes." See Secrets of the World's Best Selling Writer, p. 178. When Gardner submitted Reasonable Doubt to William Morrow, an editor suggested that "Della Street is a better character than the secretary." Gardner took this suggestion when he rewrote Reasonable Doubt as The Case of the Velvet Claws and made Della Street Perry Mason's secretary. In the published novel, the carnival or side show was jettisoned, and Street came from a more respectable background. This is a good example of the difference between the pulp writing and slick writing of the 1930s. See Erle Stanley Gardner: The Case of the Real Perry Mason, p. 102.

In 1950 Gardner published a short story "The Case of the Suspect Sweethearts" under the pseudonym Della Street. See "Erle Stanley Gardner: The Case of the Real Perry Mason" p. 331.

There are several instances of sexual tension between Mason and Street in the Gardner novels; multiple glances, kisses, etc. There were also several proposals of marriage, all of which Della turned down because she wanted to be a part of Mason's life and she knew that meant being a part of his work.

Adaptations

Erle Stanley Gardner, the creator of Perry Mason in a series of novels, was a very prolific author, who employed three secretaries simultaneously, all sisters, to keep up with his output. One of them he eventually married, after his first wife -- from whom he was separated for 30 years -- died. This was Jean Gardner, born Agnes Helene Walter. People who knew her believed she was the inspiration for Della Street, though neither she nor Erle Stanley Gardner himself admitted it. Mrs. Gardner said she thought he put several women together to create the character.

On television, Della Street was played by Barbara Hale, in the series and the made-for-TV movies. She was played by Sharon Acker in the short-lived revival series, The New Adventures of Perry Mason starring Monte Markham as Mason. However, Gertrude Warner was the first actress to portray Street, albeit on the radio series, followed by Joan Alexander and Palmolive's "Madge", Jan Miner.[1] The character portrayed in the radio series was reworked into Sara Lane on the daytime show Edge of Night which was to be the daytime Perry Mason, until Gardner pulled his support of the project.

References

  1. ^ Cox, Jim. "Perry Mason". The Great Radio Soap Operas: The 31 Classic Daytime Dramas, 1930-60. McFarland. p. 176. ISBN 0786405899. 

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Della — may refer to: Della Alexander, a fictional character in the soap opera EastEnders Della Street, the fictional secretary of Perry Mason Della Duck, a fictional character and twin sister to Donald Duck George W. Della, Jr. (21st century), American… …   Wikipedia

  • Della Alexander — EastEnders character Portrayed by Michelle Joseph Duration 1994–95 First appearance 1 March 1994 Last app …   Wikipedia

  • Della Reese at Basin Street East — Live album by Della Reese Released 1964 …   Wikipedia

  • Della Butcher — Born Della Marguerite Hooper 24 April 1922 London …   Wikipedia

  • Della Reese discography — Della Reese discography Releases ↙Studio albums 21 ↙ …   Wikipedia

  • Della Burford — (born in Saskatoon on January 5, 1946) raised in Ottawa, Eston and Edmonton and is a Canadian artist and writer. Burford has a certificate from NYSID and graduate degrees from the University of Alberta and Queen’s University. Her Sacred Visionary …   Wikipedia

  • Della Reese — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Della Reese Información personal Nombre real Delloreese Patricia Early …   Wikipedia Español

  • Della Reese — en juillet 2009 Nom Delloreese Patricia Early Naissance 6 juil …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Della Reese — Della Reese, 2009 Della Reese (eigentlich: Deloreese Patricia Early, * 6. Juli 1931 in Detroit, Michigan) ist eine US amerikanische Jazz und Blues Sängerin und Filmschauspielerin. Inhaltsverzeichnis …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Della Resorts & Villas — (Lonavala,Индия) Категория отеля: 5 звездочный отель Адрес: Della Resorts kun …   Каталог отелей

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”