In the middle of the twentieth century, Hollywood was not exactly a gay-friendly environment. On and off-screen, TV and movie studios worked hard to present a rosy, familial picture of the industry’s stars, frequently in conjunction with gossip columnists.

The case is the same with Robert Benevides, a Canadian-American actor who rose to prominence as Raymond Burr‘s partner.

Being a gay pair is still looked upon in many societies today, just as it was in the 1960s. Benevides, like his boyfriend, worked as an actor in the entertainment sector, but he never reached the heights of Burr, who gave television shows like ‘Perry Mason and ‘Ironside.’

Robert Benevides and His Partner Raymond Burr Were Together For 30 Years

Raymond Burr, Robert Benevides’ gay partner, may have passed away on September 12, 1993, in his sleep due to Cancer which he had been fighting for a long period, but his work on television will live on in the streets.

In 1960, on the set of ‘Perry Mason,’ the gay couple met for the first time. Robert Benevides was in the Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster. Surprisingly, the two struck up a particular bond right away and have been dating ever since.

Robert Benevides in black suit poses with late actor Raymond Burr.
Robert Benevides with His Late Partner Raymond Burr.
Source: Pinterest

Benevides and his partner Burr never married, but they were proud of their partnership and their role in traditional society as representatives of the LGBTQ community.

Surprisingly, Robert’s late-lover was married for four and a half years to fellow actress Isabella Ward before divorcing in 1952. Besides Isabella, he was married to Annette Sutherland and Laura Andrina. They didn’t have any children together, either.

Because of their sexual preferences, Robert Benevides and the late Raymond Burr often felt ostracized from society. In an interview, he talked about dealing with issues that heterosexual couples never have to deal with. Unfortunately, there were times when Benevides was referred to in the media as Burr’s business partner rather than the truth.

Robert Benevides’s Wiki/Bio

Robert Benevides was born in Visalia, California on February 9, 1930. He is in his mid nineties and remembers his youth days. Moreover, he is pretty secretive regarding his early life and background. There is no information about his educational experience and siblings.

Robert Benevides in a grey shirt poses for a pictu
Robert Benevides handles the Raymond Burr vineyard.
Source: Celebsfamily

Although Robert is no longer involved in the entertainment industry, he enjoys spending his retirement in Raymond Burr Vineyards, which he owns now. While Benevides keeps a quiet profile regarding his family, he does explain how his father found him an eight-acre property.

Raymond Burr, on the other hand, is a Canadian who was born in Westminster, British Columbia. The late actor moved to California at six and began his acting career at a young age. He has a brother named James Edmond.

Who Was Raymond Burr?

Raymond, born on May 21, 1917, in New Westminster, Canada, was a famous actor known for his work in movies and TV. His career lasted for more than fifty years, showing off his many talents and making him one of the most respected actors of his time.

Moreover, the TV star started acting in the 1940s, and his first movie was “San Quentin” in 1946. After that, he acted in over 90 films, like “Desperate” (1947), “Raw Deal” (1948), and “Pitfall” (1948). People liked his performances, and he became known as a reliable and skilled actor.

But it was on TV that he became a big star. In 1957, he got the role of Perry Mason in a TV show that ran for nine seasons. This made him really famous, and he even won two Emmy Awards for it. Similarly, he had a hefty net worth of $15 million.

After the success of “Perry Mason,” he played another important role in the TV show “Ironside” from 1967 to 1975. He portrayed a wheelchair-bound detective named Robert T. Ironside, and the show was a hit. Burr got six Emmy nominations for his performance.

Even though the household name was a TV star, he didn’t forget about movies. He acted in films like “Rear Window” (1954) and “Godzilla, King of the Monsters!” (1956). His acting in these movies showed that he could handle different kinds of roles and genres.

What’s more, Burr didn’t just stick to TV and movies; he also appeared in made-for-TV movies and miniseries. One example is his role as King Ferdinand in the miniseries “Christopher Columbus” (1985). Critics loved his performance, proving he was a versatile actor.

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