In 1990, not long before he grew ill with cancer, Burr and longtime partner Robert Benevides started a vineyard at their Dry Creek Valley ranch, and released their first vintage. The wine was bottled in November 1992 and released after Burr's death in 1995.
Interred at Fraser Cemetery, New Westminister, British Columbia, Canada.
Left his $32-million estate solely to long-term partner Robert Benevides.
Longtime companion of Robert Benevides. Benevides was a young actor Burr met on the set of the original "Perry Mason" (1957) TV series. He was thirteen years Raymond's junior. He had a small role in the sci-fi flick The Monster That Challenged the World (1957), billed as Bob Benevedes.
On October 1, 1993 a memorial service was held at the Pasadena Playhouse. It was the very same theatre that he had made his acting debut 50 years before. A director's chair, with his name that was placed center stage played host to friends who paid tribute.
Raymond loved to cook and throw intimate dinner parties.
Suffered eye strain from always having to look upwards while in a wheelchair on the "Ironside" (1967) set.
The Columbia Theatre on Columbia Street in New Westminster, British Columbia, was renamed in his honor in 2000.
Was a lounge singer in his younger days.
Was considered for the role of Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke" (1955). In an August 23, 1975 article in TV Guide called [i]When Chester Forgot to Limp[/i] commemorating trivia from the show as it was about to leave the air, the show's first producer Charles Marquis Warren recalled: "His voice was fine, but he was too big. When he stood up, his chair stood up with him." William Conrad, who played Matt Dillon on radio, was rejected for the TV version for similar reasons. In a memorial article in TV Guide published shortly after Burr's death, the original producers of "Perry Mason" (1957) almost rejected Burr for that role, again because Burr was overweight. He went on an intensive diet to get down to a size acceptable to the producers.
Was the original host of "Unsolved Mysteries" (1987), hosting only its first special in January 1987. He was then briefly replaced by Karl Malden. However, both actors requested salaries that producer John Cosgrove deemed astronomical. So by the time the show became a regular series in 1988, Robert Stack had been hired as the permanent host at what the producer believed to be a more reasonable salary.
While working with Errol Flynn, Flynn told him that if he died with ten dollars in his pocket he hadn't done a good job. This inspired him to always share his wealth with all.