Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
Character Commentary
Perry Mason
Paul Drake (William Hopper)
It's getting pretty chilly here in Central Indiana. My wife is a firm believer that cold air is healthy for a body, so she keeps the house no warmer than 66 degrees. For my old bones and semi-compromised circulatory system, this makes changing channels on the remote very difficult while wearing mittens. But she's a lovely woman, and despite all my bad habits, has kept me alive for the past 37 years. I really can't complain.
Pardon my short digression. So, in my uneducated and chilled opinion, I submit that Paul Drake is the most interesting character in the Perry Mason series (second only to Della Street). Paul's the silver-haired, natty dressing, chain-smoking dude who adds a certain dimension to the stereotypical private investigator. He also has an eye for the ladies, continuously greeting Della Street with "Hi, Beautiful!" Della, no slouch in catering to strong men's egos, simpers in girlish appreciation.
Paul also displays guts. He's the guy willing to admonish Perry--the epitome of Law and Order--not to illegally break into a hotel room to search for murder clues. Of course, Paul sheepishly follows Perry into the room anyway since he's getting paid big bucks by the country's most famous lawyer. Speaking truth to power goes only so far when one's wallet is concerned. It's not that Paul himself isn't successful. He runs a reputable investigative agency that apparently has more clients than just Perry Mason. But all it takes is Perry instructing Della to "get Paul on the phone", and in two minutes the detective is knocking at Perry's personal entry into his office, even if it requires him dropping a murder case against a U.S. senator.
Paul rarely gets a full feature in the series, except maybe for "The Case of Paul Drake's Dilemma", when Perry has to defend him against blackmail and murder charges. Paul's better served, though, being Perry's wing man--doing all the drudgery stuff to assist Perry's defense case. This includes outsmarting or outrunning the dual ogre partnership of Hamilton Burger and Lt. Tragg. In the end, Paul and Perry generally indulge in a martini and have a satisfying chuckle at the stupid people they've outsmarted. Della, of course, mixes the martinis.
It's probably known to all in here that William Hopper was the son of Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, which surely afforded him some decent press when mommy revved up her formidable PR machine. After being discharged from the Navy with a Bronze Star, William knocked around Hollywood selling cars until mom convinced William Wellman to give her son a try in one of his films. At that time, no one turned down a request from Hedda if they expected their career to continue. William got his part and was on his way to a fairly lucrative career as an actor, dying at the young age of 55--four years after the conclusion of the original Perry Mason series.
Paul with a couple of his best friends; mom Hedda Hopper
Perry Mason
Paul Drake (William Hopper)
It's getting pretty chilly here in Central Indiana. My wife is a firm believer that cold air is healthy for a body, so she keeps the house no warmer than 66 degrees. For my old bones and semi-compromised circulatory system, this makes changing channels on the remote very difficult while wearing mittens. But she's a lovely woman, and despite all my bad habits, has kept me alive for the past 37 years. I really can't complain.
Pardon my short digression. So, in my uneducated and chilled opinion, I submit that Paul Drake is the most interesting character in the Perry Mason series (second only to Della Street). Paul's the silver-haired, natty dressing, chain-smoking dude who adds a certain dimension to the stereotypical private investigator. He also has an eye for the ladies, continuously greeting Della Street with "Hi, Beautiful!" Della, no slouch in catering to strong men's egos, simpers in girlish appreciation.
Paul also displays guts. He's the guy willing to admonish Perry--the epitome of Law and Order--not to illegally break into a hotel room to search for murder clues. Of course, Paul sheepishly follows Perry into the room anyway since he's getting paid big bucks by the country's most famous lawyer. Speaking truth to power goes only so far when one's wallet is concerned. It's not that Paul himself isn't successful. He runs a reputable investigative agency that apparently has more clients than just Perry Mason. But all it takes is Perry instructing Della to "get Paul on the phone", and in two minutes the detective is knocking at Perry's personal entry into his office, even if it requires him dropping a murder case against a U.S. senator.
Paul rarely gets a full feature in the series, except maybe for "The Case of Paul Drake's Dilemma", when Perry has to defend him against blackmail and murder charges. Paul's better served, though, being Perry's wing man--doing all the drudgery stuff to assist Perry's defense case. This includes outsmarting or outrunning the dual ogre partnership of Hamilton Burger and Lt. Tragg. In the end, Paul and Perry generally indulge in a martini and have a satisfying chuckle at the stupid people they've outsmarted. Della, of course, mixes the martinis.
It's probably known to all in here that William Hopper was the son of Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, which surely afforded him some decent press when mommy revved up her formidable PR machine. After being discharged from the Navy with a Bronze Star, William knocked around Hollywood selling cars until mom convinced William Wellman to give her son a try in one of his films. At that time, no one turned down a request from Hedda if they expected their career to continue. William got his part and was on his way to a fairly lucrative career as an actor, dying at the young age of 55--four years after the conclusion of the original Perry Mason series.
Paul with a couple of his best friends; mom Hedda Hopper
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