Park Avenue Beat
Park Avenue Beat, also known as the Perry Mason Theme, was the opening music for the 1957–1966 CBS drama Perry Mason. It’s one of composer Fred Steiner’s best-known works, though he didn’t receive credit for the theme until late in the series.
CBS wanted the music to show Perry Mason’s suaveness, sophistication, toughness, and his dealings with criminals. Steiner aimed for a contemporary beat with rhythm and blues to fit the character’s edge, paired with a symphonic sound to suggest he could be refined enough to go to the opera. He tried several versions before finalizing the theme.
The original version was recorded in Mexico, a common practice at the time. Steiner also created several variations and stock music for incidental uses in the show.
Park Avenue Beat was later reused in NBC’s Perry Mason television films featuring the surviving original cast. In 2001, the piece topped a Knight Ridder list of the top 10 television themes.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:58 (CET).