William Hopper Biography

William DeWolf Hopper, Jr. (January 26, 1915 - March 6, 1970) was an American stage, film, and television actor. The only child of actress and Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, he appeared in predominantly minor roles in more than 80 feature films in the 1930s and '40s. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, he left acting, but in the mid-1950s, he was persuaded by director William Wellman to resume his film career. He became best known for his work in television, as private detective Paul Drake in the long-running CBS series, Perry Mason.

Early life

William DeWolf Hopper, Jr., was born January 26, 1915, in New York City. He was the only child of noted actor, singer, comedian, and theatrical producer DeWolf Hopper and his fifth wife, actress Hedda Hopper. He had one older half-brother, John A. Hopper, from his father's second marriage in the 1880s. Hopper made his film debut as a baby in his father's 1916 silent movie Sunshine Dad. His mother divorced his father in 1922 and moved to Hollywood with their son. Hedda Hopper became one of America's best-known gossip columnists, with nearly 30 million readers in newspapers nationwide.

Career

1930s-1940s

Hopper began his acting career as a teenager. He made his first stage appearance at the Pasadena Community Playhouse, in She Loves Me Not. He worked in summer stock in Ogunquit, Maine. He appeared on Broadway in the short-lived comedy Order Please (1934) and as a member of the ensemble in Katharine Cornell's production of Romeo and Juliet (1934-35).

In March 1936, Hopper "? then working under the name Wolfe Hopper "? won a contract at Paramount Pictures. Early in his film career, Hopper appeared in numerous movies, uncredited and also under the name DeWolf Hopper. In 1936, he played a small role as a soldier in the Columbia Pictures film The King Steps Out starring Grace Moore. In 1937, he portrayed the leading man in two films, Public Wedding with Jane Wyman and Over the Goal with June Travis. He also enjoyed significant roles alongside Ann Sheridan in The Footloose Heiress (1937) and Mystery House (1938).

After that, he had roles that included playing a sergeant in the John Ford Western, Stagecoach (1939); an intern in The Return of Dr. X (1939); a college football player in Over the Goal (1939); and reporters in Knute Rockne, All American (1940), The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).

Hopper became an actor because his mother expected it of him. "When I worked at Warner Bros.," Hopper said, "I was so scared I stuttered all the time."

Military service and postwar career

Hopper served with the United States Navy during World War II, as a volunteer with the Office of Strategic Services and as a member of the newly created Underwater Demolition Team. He received a Bronze Star and several other medals during operations in the Pacific.

For eight years after the war, Hopper became involved in business and sold cars in Hollywood. He combined car sales and acting when opportunities came up during the advent of television.

"I didn't even think about acting much until a friend, director Bill Wellman, asked me to do a part in The High and the Mighty," Hopper recalled.

1950s-1970s

In 1953, director William Wellman persuaded Hopper to resume his movie career with his 1954 film, The High and the Mighty, opposite Jan Sterling. Before filming began, Hopper challenged Wellman because he suspected his mother had arranged the offer. "When it appeared Wellman was serious, I asked him if he knew whose son I was. He ignored me," Hopper recalled. "I was so lousy, so nervous, I didn't even know where the camera was. But somehow Billy got me through. Afterward, I thanked him. He said, 'Thank me, my foot. After this, you're going to be in every picture I make.' I didn't believe him." Hopper subsequently appeared in two of Wellman's films, Track of the Cat (1954) and Good-bye, My Lady (1956).

Hopper was cast to star opposite Claire Trevor in the live television drama, "No Sad Songs for Me", broadcast April 14, 1955, on NBC's Lux Video Theatre. He had such stage fright, he initially cancelled: "I swore I'd never act again as long as I lived," Hopper recalled. "Then I thought, what the heck, they can't shoot me, and walked on the set. Something happened then. It was as if someone had surgically removed the nerves."

At last comfortable on screen, Hopper played the stern and emotionally distant father of Natalie Wood in the James Dean classic, Rebel Without a Cause (1955), and the often absent father in The Bad Seed (1956). With Joan Taylor and a very young Bart Braverman, he starred in the classic Ray Harryhausen science-fiction film 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957).

Also in 1957, he played a supporting role in the pilot episode of the television series The Restless Gun, which was broadcast as an episode of Schlitz Playhouse of Stars. His television guest appearances included the The Joseph Cotten Show, Gunsmoke, Fury, Studio 57, and The Millionaire.

Perry Mason

Hopper is best known for his principal role as the private investigator Paul Drake on CBS's courtroom television series Perry Mason (1957-66). He initially tested for the title role, while Raymond Burr read for the role of Mason's courtroom adversary, district attorney Hamilton Burger. Burr was encouraged to lose weight and return to audition for the role of Perry Mason "? which he later did, successfully. Hopper, too, was called back. Executive producer Gail Patrick Jackson recalled, "When Bill Hopper came in to read for Paul Drake he blurted out, 'You hate my mother.' And that was Hedda Hopper. Well, I disliked what she stood for, but 'hate' is something else "? and anyway he was perfect as Drake, and we got him."

"As Paul Drake, William Hopper was called on to be the most versatile of the principals in the Perry Mason cast," wrote Brian Kelleher and Diana Merrill in their chronicle of the TV series:

He was not only the careful investigator, the duke-it-out tough guy, the ladies' man, and the hipster, but also the fall guy, the strikeout artist, the "eating machine" and "the big kid." Hopper's Drake alone provided the comic relief for the show. And, despite being a rather late bloomer to the acting field, he played all the parts surprisingly well and believably. His appearances made fair shows good, and good shows better.

In the 1959 episode, "The Case of Paul Drake's Dilemma", Hopper played the defendant, the only time in the series' nine-year run that Paul Drake was tried for murder.

Hopper worked in summer stock and made movie appearances during his years on Perry Mason. After the series was cancelled in 1966, he declined other TV offers. He made one final film appearance in Myra Breckinridge (1970), unreleased at the time of his death.

Accolades

In 1959, Hopper was nominated as Best Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series at the 11th Primetime Emmy Awards for his performance as Paul Drake.

Personal life

In 1940, Hopper married actress Jane Kies, sister of Margaret Lindsay, whose professional name was Jane Gilbert. They had worked together on the 1939 film, Invisible Stripes. They had one daughter, Joan, born in 1947.

On February 1, 1966, Hopper announced the death of his mother, actress and celebrated Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, from pleural pneumonia.

Death

Hopper entered Desert Hospital in Palm Springs, California, on February 14, 1970, after suffering a stroke. He died of pneumonia three weeks later, on March 6, at age 55. Survived by his second wife, Jan, he was buried in Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

Select theatre credits

• 1934: Order Please, Playhouse Theatre, New York City (as Victor Neilson)
• 1934-35: Romeo and Juliet, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City

Select film and television credits

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1916	Sunshine Dad	Baby	Credited as William DeWolf Hopper Jr.
1936	'	Soldier	Uncredited
1936	Murder with Pictures	Photographer	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1936	'	Ship's Officer	Uncredited
1936	Easy to Take	Monitor room man	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1936	'	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1936	Beware of Ladies	Reporter	Uncredited
1937	Larceny on the Air	Announcer	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1937	Join the Marines	Marine	Uncredited
1937	Dick Tracy	Dirigible Pilot	Uncredited
1937	Public Wedding	Tony Burke	Male lead, opposite Jane Wyman
1937	Mr. Dodd Takes the Air	Second production manager	Uncredited
1937	'	Jack Pierson
1937	Back in Circulation	Pete Edington	Uncredited
1937	Love Is on the Air	Eddie Gould
1937	Over the Goal	Ken Thomas	Male lead, opposite June Travis
1937	'	Matt
1938	Daredevil Drivers	Neeley bus driver	Uncredited
1938	Love, Honor and Behave	Yale tennis player	Uncredited
1938	Mystery House	Lal Killian
1938	'	Grabshot	Uncredited
1938	Women Are Like That	Larraby	Uncredited
1939	Stagecoach	Cavalry Sergeant	Uncredited
1939	Midnight	Flammarions' Party Guest	Uncredited
1939	Daughters Courageous	Striped-shirted man at beach	Uncredited
1939	'	Handsome Sam	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1939	'	John	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1939	'	Photographer	Uncredited
1939	Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1939	Dust Be My Destiny	Reporter	Uncredited
1939	Espionage Agent	Student	Uncredited
1939	On Your Toes	Ronald - Peggy's Escort	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1939	Pride of the Blue Grass	Joe	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1939	On Dress Parade	Soldier Getting Radio Report from H4	Uncredited
1939	'	Intern	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1939	'	Intern	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1939	Invisible Stripes	Young Man	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	'	Private Turner	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1940	Calling Philo Vance	Hotel clerk	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	Castle on the Hudson	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	Virginia City	Lieutenant	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	'	Man	Uncredited
1940	Tear Gas Squad	George	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1940	Flight Angels	Lefty	Credited as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	Brother Orchid	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	Gambling on the High Seas	Station operator	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	'	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	Ladies Must Live	Joe Barton	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1940	Money and the Woman	J.L. Burns, Bank Depositor	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	No Time for Comedy	First-Nighter	Uncredited
1940	Knute Rockne, All American	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	Always a Bride	Man at campaign meeting carrying Michael	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1940	Lady with Red Hair	Lyceum Theater Attendant	Uncredited
1940	Santa Fe Trail	Officer	Scenes deleted, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	'	Second mate	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	Flight from Destiny	Travin	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1941	Footsteps in the Dark	Police secretary	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	Here Comes Happiness	Best Man	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	Knockout	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	'	Jones	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	Strange Alibi	Desk clerk	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1941	Affectionately Yours	Airline attendant	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	'	Keenan's pilot	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1941	Bullets for O'Hara	Richard Palmer	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1941	Highway West	Frank Carson - Murdered Cashier	Uncredited
1941	Manpower	Power company telephone operator	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	Dive Bomber	Pilot	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1941	International Squadron	Radio operator	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	Passage from Hong Kong	Watson	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	Navy Blues	Ensign Walters	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	'	Reporter	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1941	Blues in the Night	Billiard Player	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1941	They Died with Their Boots On	Lt. Frazier	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	All Through the Night	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1941	'	Terrence Abbott	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1941	You're in the Army Now	Clerk	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1942	Bullet Scars	Reporter	Uncredited
1942	'	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1942	Lady Gangster	John	Credited as DeWolf Hopper
1942	Murder in the Big House	Reporter	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1942	Larceny, Inc.	Customer	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1942	Yankee Doodle Dandy	Reporter	Uncredited
1942	Juke Girl	Atlanta Postal Clerk	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1942	Spy Ship	Reporter	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1942	Escape from Crime	Reporter	Uncredited
1942	Secret Enemies	Ensign	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1942	Busses Roar	Sailor	Uncredited
1942	Across the Pacific	Orderly	Uncredited
1942	Desperate Journey	Aircraftsman	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1942	You Can't Escape Forever	Soldier	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1942	Beyond the Line of Duty	University of Texas classmate	Short film, uncredited
1942	Gentleman Jim	Undetermined Role	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1943	'	Hotel Desk Clerk	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1943	'	Orderly	Credited as DeWolfe Hopper
1943	Air Force	Sergeant	Uncredited
1943	Truck Busters	Trucker	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1943	Action in the North Atlantic	Canadian soldier	Uncredited, as DeWolfe Hopper
1943	Murder on the Waterfront	First sentry	Uncredited, as DeWolf Hopper
1944	'	Swank	Uncredited
1954	'	Roy	Uncredited, as William DeWolf Hopper
1954	Sitting Bull	Charles Wentworth	Uncredited, as Bill Hopper
1954	This Is My Love	District Attorney	Uncredited
1954	Track of the Cat	Arthur Bridges	Uncredited
1955	Conquest of Space	Dr. George Fenton
1955	Robbers' Roost	Robert Bell	Uncredited
1955	One Desire	Mac McBain
1955	Rebel Without a Cause	Judy's father
1956	Good-bye, My Lady	Walden Grover
1956	'	William B. Travis
1956	'	Col. Kenneth Penmark
1957	'	Dr. Nedrick (Ned) Jackson
1957	20 Million Miles to Earth	Col. Bob Calder
1957	Slim Carter	Joe Brewster
1970	Myra Breckinridge	Parole officer	Released posthumously

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1954	Mayor of the Town	Girard	"Minnie's Job"
1955	Lux Video Theatre	Brad Scott	"No Sad Songs for Me"
1955	Ford Theatre	Joe Cramer	"The Mumbys"
1955	Lux Video Theatre	Host	"Perilous Deception"
1955	Warner Brothers Presents "? Casablanca	Wilson Randall	"Labor Camp Escape"
1956	Fury	Sam Wilson	"The Hobo" (credited as Bill Hopper)
1956	'	Phil Harland	"One Life"
1956	Gunsmoke	John Henry Jordan	"Robin Hood"
1956	Lux Video Theatre	Jim Johanson	"The Star"
1956	Celebrity Playhouse		"Stagecoach to Paradise"
1956	'	Capt. Jonathan Carroll	"Captain Jonathan Carroll"
1956	Gunsmoke	Tasker Sloane	"Unmarked Grave"
1956	Lux Video Theatre	George	"The Top Rung"
1956	Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre	Rick Gordon	"Ten Percent"
1956	Matinee Theater		"Madame de Treymes"
1956	Studio 57	Smith	"The Magic Glass"
1957	Studio 57	Kip	"Mr. November"
1957	Schlitz Playhouse of Stars	Dan Mailer	"The Restless Gun" (pilot for TV series)
1957	'	Arnold Bait	"The Case of the Jealous Bomber"
1957-66	Perry Mason	Paul Drake	271 episodes