Case of the Castoff Cast and Other Who(almost)dunits

Fred MacMurray as Perry Mason? Gail Patrick as Della Street and Raymond Burr as Hamilton Burger?

It could have happened. They were all up for those parts on “Perry Mason,” which TBS begins airing this week, starting with the premiere whodunit, “The Case of the Restless Redhead” (Sunday at 1:10 a.m.).

William Hopper (son of columnist Hedda Hopper), who ended up playing Paul Drake, had been among those who tested for Mason. William Holden had been considered too. And Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Actress Patrick (she was the wicked sister and fiancee in the movies “My Man Godfrey” and “My Favorite Wife,” respectively) didn’t want to play Della, even though “Perry Mason” creator Erle Stanley Gardner wanted her to.

She had a bigger role: executive producer. Actually, her name was Gail Patrick Jackson by the time of the series. Her husband was agent Cornwell Jackson, a partner in Paisano Productions, one of the show’s producers.

Somebody must have made the right casting decision, because the series ran for nine years--271 episodes--and Hopper and Barbara Hale (who, of course, got the Della role), were there until the end.

They’re also there at the beginning--”The Case of the Restless Redhead,” which originally aired Sept. 21, 1957, and is about blackmail, mistaken identity and switched handguns. Though it was the one that first got viewers hooked, the second “The Case of the Sleepwalker’s Niece” (Monday at 1:05 a.m.), has sleazier characters and is more fun and easier to follow.

Don’t be embarrassed if you can’t guess the murderer. That’s what Perry’s there for. Most of the crucial action you never see--you just hear about it when Perry forces a witness-stand confession. Motive? That’s what epilogues usually reveal.

DETAILS, DETAILS: Name the character--and the actor who played him--who succeeded Lt. Tragg on “Perry Mason.” Answer next week. Answer to last week’s quiz (Joey Bishop had a late-night talk show--also called “The Joey Bishop Show”-- that ran from 1967 to 1969. Who was his sidekick?): Regis Philbin.

Set Your VCR

Think Loretta Sanchez will ask for equal time when former Congressman Robert K. Dornan shows up on an early “I Dream of Jeannie”? (It airs Friday at 6:30 a.m. and Saturday at 2:30 a.m. on TV Land.) The episode, “The Yacht Murder Case,” is from 1965, and it wasn’t Dornan’s only TV guest role; we’ll keep you posted on others coming up.

Oscar saves Felix’s life on “The Odd Couple” (today at 2 p.m. on Comedy Central) and, of course, ends up regretting it when Felix goes overboard with gratitude. The song Felix writes in tribute--it’s patterned after “Mother”--is a crackup.

Katey Sagal has a bit part as a secretary in a “Columbo” (today at 5 and 11 a.m. on A&E;) from 1973 (14 years before she became Peg Bundy on “Married . . . With Children”). Maybe it’s a coincidence that her dad, Boris, directed the episode?

TV Land puts the 1984 Lee Van Cleef adventure series “The Master” on its August lineup starting with the pilot episode. It’s on weekends at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 10 p.m.

Cartoon Network will air its Top 10 episodes of “The Flintstones” in five installments at 8 p.m., starting Monday with “The Swimming Pool.” It’s followed by “The Flintstone Flyer.” On Tuesday: “The Snorkasaurus Hunter” and “The Blessed Event.” Wednesday: “The Split Personality” and “The Monster From the Tar Pits.” Thursday: “The Twitch” and “The Masquerade Party.” Aug. 7: “The Hot Piano” and “Ladies Night at the Lodge.”