William Hopper (actor)

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William Hopper (1934, photographer: Carl van Vechten )

William DeWolf Hopper Jr. (born January 26, 1915 in New York City , USA , † March 6, 1970 in Palm Springs , California , USA ) was an American actor , who was best known for his role in the television series Perry Mason .

Life

Youth and first acting career

William Hopper was born as the son of the theater star DeWolf Hopper (1858-1935) and the actress and later known as the "gossip columnist " Hedda Hopper (1885-1966). He was already in front of the camera as a baby: in 1916 he made his debut alongside his father in the silent film Sunshine Dad . After his parents' divorce in 1924, his mother moved with him to Hollywood . Hopper began his professional acting career in adolescence: during the summer vacation in 1934, he starred on Broadway in New York in productions of Order Please and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet . 1936 followed his first speaking role in a feature film in the role of a photographer alongside Franchot Tone in The King Steps Out . 1937 followed two leading roles in the B-films Public Wedding alongside Jane Wyman and Over the Goal with June Travis . Still, his roles in bigger films were mostly small and weren't even mentioned in the credits.

Hopper starred alongside Ann Sheridan in The Footloose Heiress , alongside John Wayne in the Western Ringo , alongside Ronald Reagan in Knute Rockne , alongside Humphrey Bogart in the crime film The Falcon's Trail based on Raymond Chandler and alongside James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy . At many appearances Hopper used the name of his father DeWolf Hopper as a pseudonym, but the big breakthrough was denied him. During the Second World War Hopper did his military service as a combat swimmer in the United States Coast Guard and was awarded the Bronze Star for special bravery . After the end of the war, Hopper initially did not resume his acting career, but worked as a car salesman for eight years.

The second acting career

It wasn't until 1954 that Hopper, who had meanwhile turned gray, appeared again in front of the camera for the drama It's always daytime with John Wayne and Claire Trevor . This was followed by appearances as the father of Natalie Wood in ... because they don't know what they are doing , as the brother of Robert Mitchum in Western Spur in the Mountains and as "Colonel Penman" in the drama Bad Saat . He had his last film appearance in 1970 as a judge in the much maligned Myra Breckinridge - man or woman? based on a novel by Gore Vidal .

1957 Hopper got his most famous role. For the television series Perry Mason based on the crime novels of the same name by Erle Stanley Gardner , he played the private detective Paul Drake , the friend and helper of the title character, played by Raymond Burr . Originally Hopper was supposed to play Mason and Burr Drake himself, but a cast was made shortly before filming began. Until the discontinuation of the series in 1966, Hopper played the sporty, loyal and always successful detective, for whom he received an Emmy nomination for best supporting actor in 1959 . The other leading characters in the series were Ray Collins as police lieutenant Arthur Tragg and William Talman as prosecutor Hamilton Burger. When a new edition of the series was made in 1986 with the old leading actors Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale (as Perry's assistant "Della Street"), the role of "Paul Drake" was not re-cast because of the death of Hopper. Instead, William Katt , the son of Barbara Hale, played the role of the son (Paul Drake Jr.) of Paul Drake, who also died in the series.

Hopper also gave numerous guest appearances in series such as Smoking Colts , Studio 57 and On Trial in the 1950s and 1960s .

Private

William Hopper was first married to actress Jane Gilbert , sister of Hollywood actress Margaret Lindsay . He suffered a stroke at his home in Yucca Valley, California on February 14, 1970 and was hospitalized in Palm Springs . There he died of pneumonia on March 6, 1970. He is buried in the Rose Hills Memorial Park .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Hopper, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Hopper, William DeWolf Jr.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH January 26, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH New York City , New York , USA
DATE OF DEATH March 6, 1970
Place of death Palm Springs , California , USA