Further to R37 's post, Erle Stanley Gardner loathed the radio Perry Mason series because contrary to the pitch made by CBS, it was made into a soap opera (sponsored by Proctor & Gamble), 15 minutes in length, Monday to Friday. It was done live in New York on CBS. As with a number of radio shows, CBS decided to move Perry Mason to television, but in a half hour format, performed live in New York, as a soap opera (or as they referred to them then as "serials"), five days a week. Everything was in place except for one thing--Gardner's signature on the contract. He refused, and because he resented CBS for making his character into a daytime serial hero, he waited until the last minute to give CBS his refusal to teach them a lesson.

The TV soap opera version of Perry Mason was revamped slightly, names were changed, and it was given a new title. The Edge of Night.