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William Hopper was glad that he lost out on the role of Perry Mason
William Hopper was almost the main man in Perry Mason.
There is usually only one name that comes to mind when we think of Perry Mason: Raymond Burr. However, in the alternate reality of TV timelines, it was Perry Mason's close personal friend who almost became the main man of the series.
It turns out that William Hopper, who played the role of private investigator Paul Drake, almost had the role of Perry Mason before Burr.
His character was known for his professionalism, loyalty and charismatic demeanor. Those qualities helped the character to quickly become beloved by Perry Mason fans over the course of its nine seasons on-air.
But while Paul Drake's loyalty stood strong, the actor almost beat Burr out for the role in a test for who could play the role. However, according to a 1962 interview with News Herald, Hopper couldn't have been happier to pass the role off to Burr.
"I couldn't be more pleased," Hopper said. "I tested for the Perry Mason role. I lost it, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me."
Most actors would hate coming in second place to the lead star, but not Hopper. He knew coming in second to Mason would be just as important to the series. Afterall, the man needed rest. But why did Hopper really not want the job of Perry Mason?
"Because I've seen what it has done to poor Ray Burr," Hopper said. "The poor guy has to dedicate his life to Perry Mason. I remember the first two years, he used to stay up until midnight every night to work out changes that would improve the script."
"Even now he must live at the studio while we're working," Hopper continued. "He has no outside life whatsoever. Luckily, he is the kind of guy who is dedicated to activity. If he has nothing to do for three weeks, he ends up in the hospital."
Burr was known for his work ethic while on the series. His work schedule kept him working until midnight, sleeping at the office and writing on weekends. Comparatively, Hopper was happy to take the role of second banana. He made the character his and embraced his position.
"Paul Drake in the Erle Stanley Gardner books was entirely different than my character," Hopper said. "I play him my way. Now, I'm amused to read Gardner's new books. Paul Drake now comes out like me!"
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6 Comments
You would think that it would have made for a difficult working atmosphere. However, the entire cast seemed to have a great chemistry, and worked very well together.
