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William Hopper, born DeWolf Hopper, Jr. (January 26, 1915 – March 6, 1970) was an American actor. Hopper was born in New York City, the only child of singer comic actor, DeWolf Hopper (1858–1935), a stage star, and actress, gossip columnist, Hedda Hopper (1885–1966). His debut motion picture appearance was as a baby in his father's 1916 silent movie, Sunshine Dad. His mother divorced his father in 1922, and moved to Hollywood with Hopper. He is best-remembered for playing Paul Drake in television's Perry Mason. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942, served as a frogman, and won a Bronze... MORE

William Hopper, born DeWolf Hopper, Jr. (January 26, 1915 – March 6, 1970) was an American actor. Hopper was born in New York City, the only child of singer comic actor, DeWolf Hopper (1858–1935), a stage star, and actress, gossip columnist, Hedda Hopper (1885–1966). His debut motion picture appearance was as a baby in his father's 1916 silent movie, Sunshine Dad. His mother divorced his father in 1922, and moved to Hollywood with Hopper. He is best-remembered for playing Paul Drake in television's Perry Mason. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942, served as a frogman, and won a Bronze Star for bravery and heroic action during operations in the Pacific. He was discharged when the war ended in 1945, and worked as a car salesman in Hollywood for eight years. Hopper began his acting career as a teenager, working in summer stock in Ogunquit, Maine. He went from there to Broadway, where he appeared in two plays in 1934, Order Please and Romeo and Juliet. Early in his film career, Hopper appeared uncredited in numerous movies or under the name DeWolf Hopper. In 1936, he played the small role as a photographer in the Columbia Pictures film The King Steps Out starring Grace Moore and Franchot LESS