William Hopper: His swan song was Perry Mason

Wiliam Hopper wanted to be Perry Mason

William Hopper is best known for his role as private investigator Paul Drake on the television series Perry Mason which ran on CBS from 1957 to 1966. Something fans of the show may not realize is that Hopper initially auditioned for the role of Perry but Raymond Burr got the part.

In one memorable 1959 episode, The Case of Paul Drake's Dilemma, Hopper's character was on trial for murder.In 1959 the actor was nominated for an Emmy for his role as Best Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series.

William DeWolf Hopper Jr. was born to actors DeWolf and Hedda Hopper in 1915. His mother later became a famous Hollywood gossip columnist and his father became a theatre producer. During the 1930s and 1940s, Hopper had a number of uncredited roles but was listed as DeWolf Hopper in films where he was credited. In later life he started in s number of movies including Stagecoach, The Bad Seed, The Maltese Falcon, and The Return of Dr. X.

Hedda Hopper gives insight on her son

According to Hedda Hopper in her 1962 book The Whole Truth and Nothing But, her son had already attained stature as an actor (having been in over 100 films ) prior to joining the Navy during World War II. He had bit parts, although most of the time they were in A-list movies.

William Hopper had the pleasure of working with famous movie stars like Edward G Robinson. John Garfield, and James Cagney, and he also appeared in six Errol Flynn films. They were Dive Bomber, Gentleman Jim, They Died With Their Boots On, Virginia City. Footsteps in the Dark, and Desperate Journey.

Hedda says her son returned to the U.S. after the war with a medal for valor but it made no difference in the world of entertainment. No one in the motion picture industry offered him a job and Hedda said she was not going to ( use her influence) and beg.

William Hopper went to work as an automobile salesman for "Madman" Muntz and day realized he should be working as an actor and got a part with Bill Wellman in The High and the Mighty. Hopper asked Wellman not to tell anyone that Hedda was his mother.

. Perry Mason: Before and after

Hopper and Burr had an interesting connection to Natalie Wood prior to Perry Mason. Each man was in a film role where they acted opposite Wood. In 1955, Hopper portrayed the father of Wood's character in Rebel Without a Cause, and in 1956 Burr starred in A Cry in the Night as a psychopath who held Wood's character captive.

Hopper had other pre-Perry Mason movie roles including Conquest of Space (1955) and The Bad Seed as little Rhoda's (Patty McCormick) father in 1956. He also appeared in the science fiction films 20 Million Miles to Earth and The Deadly Mantis (both 1957).

William Hopper's final years

The iconic actor retired from acting after Perry Mason ended its run but in 1070 he had a small uncredited role as a judge in Myra Breckinridge. That same year Hopper had a stroke followed by pneumonia and died at the age of 55.

He was survived by his second wife Jeanette Ward whom he married in 1959. Hopper also left behind a daughter Joan from his first marriage to Jane Gilbert whom he was married to from 1940 to 1959. William Hopper was a chain smoker who often smoked on screen. It is believed this contributed to his stroke and also his untimely demise.