On this date in History ... July 17, 1889:
Author Erle Stanley Gardner is born.
Gardner is most famous for writing the “Perry Mason” book series which later involved into a
television series, but he was a prolific writer with multiple characters to his
credit. He is the most translated American author with his works published in
71 languages. Gardner attended the
Valparaiso (Indiana) School of Law for one month when he was suspended for
organizing several illegal boxing matches.
He went to California and found a job as a typist in a law firm. Picking up some law information on the job
and doing self-study, he passed the California Bar three years later, without
any formal training or law school.
He wrote a massive number of short stories and did a
great deal of pulp writing. In 1932, the
last year he wrote exclusively for pulp, he earned $20,000. In 1932, “those are Stephen King-like numbers.”
“In his pulp days, Gardner was notorious for killing off the
final heavies with the last bullet in the hero's gun, which led to some editors
teasing him about how all his good guys seemed to be such bad shots. Gardner's
alleged explanation? "At three cents a word, every time I say 'Bang' in the
story I get three cents. If you think I'm going to finish the gun battle while
my hero still has fifteen cents worth of unexploded ammunition in his gun,
you're nuts." “
He gave up his law practice
in 1933 and became a full time writer. When the Perry Mason book series became
so popular, Gardner, who was also writing books with his many other characters,
had to give up typing the manuscripts himself and hired six secretaries. He would go from one to another, dictating a
different novel to each one. Gardner used a Plot Wheel to sketch out his
writing ideas, a tool that is credited for his incredible output of novels.
Raymond Burr, who is the
face of Perry Mason, showed up for auditions planning on auditioning for the
role of Hamilton Burger. Many leading
actors were there to audition for the role of Perry Mason. Fred MacMurray, who would go on to become the
dad of “My Three Sons” fame, was a leading contender.
According to author Brian
Kelleher, who wrote a book about the TV series, Gardner just happened to be
there that day, saw Burr walk in, and before one word came out of the actor’s
mouth, Gardner jumped up out of his chair and said, “That’s him! That’s Perry
Mason!” Even though the show’s producers disagreed, Burr got the part.
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| Plot Wheel |
In 1946, he formed The Court
of Last Resort. With other professionals, case files were reviewed and persons
who had been wrongly accused and convicted were cleared. On the first case review, Gardner wrote a
letter to California Governor Earl Warren. The Governor’s office was impressed
with Gardner’s findings and a reprieve was issued. The sentence was changed to life in prison,
to give time for additional investigation and eventually the person was proven
innocent and released. The idea from
this actual group became a TV series on NBC 1957-1958.
Gardner died in March
1970 at the age of 80.
Gilbert is best known for her role
as Darlene on the show “Roseanne”, a middle child in a blue collar family, the sarcastic tomboy turned vegetarian, from 1988-1997. She also made guest appearances on shows such as as The Simpsons, 24, Will & Grace, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and Private Practice.
While working the
Roseanne show, she attended Yale University, where she majored in art and photography, and graduated with
honors. She created and is the executive
producer for the show, “The Talk”. 
The first episode of
“All in the Family” airs on CBS. The
show is considered ground breaking as
it brought to the airwaves topics that were normally considered “unsuitable”
for television, such as menopause, the Vietnam War, rape, homosexuality and
others. It also lays claim to the first audible toilet flush
ever heard on prime time TV! 
