Remembering Barbara

It's been a tough week for classic TV and movie fans, with the losses of beloved performers Mary Tyler Moore, Mike Connors, and now Barbara Hale, who passed away at the age of 94.

Barbara's iconic role as the loyal, smart, and beautiful secretary Della Street on CBS' Perry Mason (1957-66) sometimes threatened to overshadow her many other career accomplishments. Before that show came along, she graced the casts of some top-notch films, including The Window (1949) and A Lion Is In The Streets (1953). But if Della proved to be her chief claim to fame, she apparently didn't mind. She enjoyed a warm friendship with series star Raymond Burr, and successfully juggled a career with a rich and satisfying personal life as wife and mother.

Rest in peace, Miss Hale, and congratulations on a life well-lived.