MovieChat Forums > Perry Mason (1957) Discussion > Can afford to eat

Can afford to eat

posted 4 years ago by twinA (4921)
6 replies | jump to latest

September 23, 2020 Wednesday 4:20 p.m. ET

Notice how, early in the series, the main cast is very skinny. By the end of the show's run, however, they all look like they have each put on considerable weight. Judging by their ages then, when the show was made, they came from a time where food was rationed due to war and preceding economic (butt-ugly) depression.

American financial and industrial stability had arguably reached its peak during the 1960s, a trend that had begun in the early 1940s. Also at this point in time saw the American middle class grow tremendously. Large chunks of the world, if not most of the world, were not only at a point of recovering from World War II or getting there, but were big buyer customer base for American commerce, the latter of which had been geographically isolated from the devastation of World War II.

It's just interesting to see these trends take form over the course of the Perry Mason TV series.

~~/o/

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I think you're right about that, except for Raymond Burr himself, who had weight problems his entire life, and had to start losing some weight before the show started. If you watch one of the early episodes he wears what is clearly an oversized suit because of his many fluctuations in weight over the years.

[–] twinA (4921) 4 years ago

September 23, 2020 Wednesday 4:50 p.m. ET

Thanks for the info. Admittedly, it's been a while since I've watched 'Mason', so that tidbit completely eluded me. He must have already been a successful actor, making good money, before donning what would be his most famous role.

~~/o/

[–] SpikeMike (470) 4 years ago

He'd already been in the American version of Godzilla and worked with Hitchcock at this point. He was a known actor but hardly a star with name recognition. His sexuality likely limited his roles far more than anything to do with food rationing or the depression, which were both long over with when Perry Mason began.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

this show started in 1957 - there was no rationing of food in america in 1957.

[–] twinA (4921) 4 years ago

September 23, 2020 Wednesday 4:55 p.m. ET

Very true.

I was mostly inferring to individuals who grew up with those times and would have habits that would last the course of their lives because of it; still eating like a bird, concerns where the next meal would come from. To be fair, who can blame them thinking like that considering their lives went up in smoke because of the Great Depression or experience great adversity in the early 20th century.

~~/o/

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

people were leaner in the 1950s. i would attribute to no fast food - people tended to eat at home. another factor is that most of the population smoked cigarettes which is a huge appetite depressant. i remember my father gaining like 30 pounds when he quit smoking in the 1970s.