Raymond Burr's .44 Magnum

[Texas Star]

The topic about Jack Webb's guns reminded me that S&W presented a .44 to actor Raymond Burr, best known for his portrayal of lawyer Perry Mason.

Does anyone know where that gun is now? Was it engraved or otherwise enhanced?

As far as I know, it was never seen on the show or carried. I doubt that Burr was a gun enthusiast. BTW, I think he was Canadian.

Does Doc 44 know anything about this pre -29, if he sees this?

 

[Doc44]

The Raymond Burr 44 Magnum was displayed at the annual meeting of the S&WCA in Knoxville, TN in 2000. It has a 4-screw frame and has Mr. Burr's name engraved/inscribed on the side plate.

I believe Mr. Burr did not keep the 44 very long and donated it (possibly) to a college or university who apparently sold it. I had a chance to buy it several years after I saw it displayed, but passed.

Bill

 

[S&WIowegan]

The Raymond Burr .44 Magnum was auctioned by Rock Island Auction within the last two years. No idea who ended up with it but it did surface.

 

[Goony]

If S&W should've ever presented a .44 Magnum to anyone, it ought to have been to Clint Eastwood. His Dirty Harry character popularized the Model 29 beyond any advertising or promotion the company could ever have dreamed of. He deserved the highest grade custom one that they could make, and of course, it should've been serial numbered 2211. But I can't find that any such thing ever happened.

 

[larryofcc]

A good man always knows his limitations. Big Larry

 

[larryofcc]

BTW, the actor Bill Williams, married to Della Street, Masons secretary,Barbara Hale the actress, also had a 44 S&W Magnum. Big Larry

 

[Texas Star]

BTW, the actor Bill Williams, married to Della Street, Masons secretary,Barbara Hale the actress, also had a 44 S&W Magnum. Big Larry

Didn't Bill Williams play Wild Bill Hickock on TV? His name rings a bell... He may have really liked guns, unlike most actors.

 

[dscampbell]

Guy Madison played wild bill Hickok and Andy devine was jingles his side kick. Bill Williams played kitt Carson.

 

[edwardhartsock]

Andy Devine's character was "Jingles", I think.

Ed

 

[larryofcc]

And we can go further back when Andy Devine was the host of TV show The Buster Brown Show after Smiling Ed Mc Connel got fired. "Plunk your magic twanger Froggie!!!!" Seriously, I am getting REAL old. Big Larry

 

[old bear]

"Plunk your magic twanger Froggie!!!!" Seriously, I am getting REAL old. Big Larry

I'm old enough to remember that show, in fact I had a stuffed frog aptly named Froggie.

I met Mr. Devine and his charming wife in 1970 they were down to earth folks, and appeared to be pleased that I remembered Mr. Devine

Hows that for old?

 

[fmiq]

Their son played the detective in the later shows and the TV "Greatest American Hero"!

 

[Alk8944]

The topic about Jack Webb's guns reminded me that S&W presented a .44 to actor Raymond Burr, best known for his portrayal of lawyer Perry Mason.

Does anyone know where that gun is now? Was it engraved or otherwise enhanced?

As far as I know, it was never seen on the show or carried. I doubt that Burr was a gun enthusiast. BTW, I think he was Canadian.

Does Doc 44 know anything about this pre -29, if he sees this?

Texas Star,

The Raymond Burr .44 Magnum was engraved with his name on the sideplate. It is pictured on the dust jacket of "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson" 1st edition, published in 1996.

This sure got off track, didn't it!

 

[larryofcc]

Yes, but what to do on a Sunday afternoon? It is snowing here.
BTW, that was Froggie the Gremlin. With Midnight the cat and Squeeky. Not sure if he was a rat or hamster. I may have been 10 at the time. Rama of the Jungle was on the show as well. Old Man, Big Larry

 

[GPerry]

I remember seeing an episode of Perry Mason wherein a murder victim is shot and the recovered bullet is badly mangled. The police ballistics expert testifies that he believes it came from the defendant's .357. When shown the gun on the stand, he identifies it as "a Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357." It was a black and white episode but I don't know if it was pre-57. Anyway, on cross-examination Perry gets him to admit the slug could have come from another character's .358 Norma Magnum rifle. And of course, the real killer ultimately confesses. Anyway, the Magnum, .357 used on the show was a beautiful specimen, brand spanking new.

Greg Perry

 

[lkelly]

And we can go further back when Andy Devine was the host of TV show The Buster Brown Show after Smiling Ed Mc Connel got fired. "Plunk your magic twanger Froggie!!!!" Seriously, I am getting REAL old. Big Larry

"Hi, I'm Buster Brown, I live in a shoe. This is my dog Teig, he lives there too."
So what did Smiling Ed do to get himself fired?

When you go down to the woods today, you better not go alone...

 

[El Biblioitecario]

I'm old enough to remember that show, in fact I had a stuffed frog aptly named Froggie.

I met Mr. Devine and his charming wife in 1970 they were down to earth folks, and appeared to be pleased that I remembered Mr. Devine

Hows that for old?

Since this thread has wandered off down memory lane, I'll offer my favorite Andy Devine anecdote. During the filming of STAGECOACH director John Ford, whom no one ever accused of being a nice guy, took offense at something Devine did, and shouted at him that he had no idea why he hadn't cast Ward Bond as the coach driver.

Devine just grinned. "Because Bond can't drive a six horse hitch."

 

[zoli28]

didn't miss. street carry a nice pair of 38's of her own?

 

[Jack Flash]

The ladies sure did wear tight, form-fitting clothes in those days, didn't they?

Watching those Perry Mason episodes back in the day, funny how I did not notice. I guess I must have been about six, so everybody at the time was just a grown up to me.

 

[DCWilson]

And we can go further back when Andy Devine was the host of TV show The Buster Brown Show after Smiling Ed Mc Connel got fired. "Plunk your magic twanger Froggie!!!!" Seriously, I am getting REAL old. Big Larry

And stepping into the time machine to go further back, we will find Andy Devine as a Shakespearean actor.

Sort of. He had a bit part in the 1936 Romeo and Juliet with Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer. "Wait for me, Juliet!"

Well no, that line wasn't in the movie. Or the play, either. Andy Devine's character was put together from two or three minor characters in Shakespeare's version. Talk about tragedies, it's too bad he never got a chance to do Lear or Hamlet.