#paul drake

[ddesole]

Perry Mason 2.05 “Chapter Thirteen”

[theperrylleluniverse]

Della and Perry's reactions when they think Paul had a heart attack in TCOT Carefree Coronary :(

[frommybookbook]

This bit was so sweet and so cute and William Hopper played it so perfectly. From the first scene, dancing in each other's way with the older woman and calling her princess and promising her a real dance someday; to the payoff scene where he properly asks her to dance and spins her around the floor, it was just great all around.

[jazzandpizazz]

gotta love these scrunkly detective guys :)

[caseopened]

Thinking about William Hopper filming the last several shows of Perry Mason in a cast and crutches.

"The cameras were shooting a courtroom scene with Perry Mason [Raymond Burr] and Hamilton Burger [William Talman] And on the sidelines waiting for his call sat a handsome broad-shouldered man with his leg in a cast and crutches at his side. This was William Hopper, who has played Detective Paul Drake on the show. [...] The last few episodes of Perry Mason were rewritten so TV audiences wouldn't know that Paul Drake was on crutches. Hopper stepped on a piece of glass during the filming of one episode, cutting a tendon. It will be mid-June before he's off the crutches. (They were outfitted by his pals with [an] ashtray, drinking glass, paper-and-pencil-pad, and a rubber honker that gives a husky beep to let people know he's coming.) 'They're a wonderful bunch and it's been a wonderful nine years,' said Bill. 'I don't know another show or another cast of characters where there's as much empathy.' And almost as if to prove it, the man in the judge's robes bounced off the bench and began circulating among the cast with a jovial handshake and a cheery 'Attaboy!' as though having the time of his life. This was none other than Author Erle Stanley Gardner. [...] Bill Hopper's call came. He arose unsteadily, honked the horn on his crutches, and thumped toward the camera. 'Attaboy, Bill. Attaboy,' cheered Erle Stanley Gardner."

I've talked about William Hopper's acting choices in bringing Paul Drake to life on numerous occasions, and how he simultaneously put part of himself into Paul while also delivering a method of acting that was true to the art of the detective (see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here).

He was always present and obtaining (or revealing) information while still remaining in the background/shadow as a detective ought to be. William Hopper created a Paul Drake who maintained a front of hiding in plain sight (the handsome face, the nice clothing which was all Bill's own clothing, the charm). And if you aren't looking, or if you stop at that surface level, you will miss all the work he's doing in the background. William Hopper's style of acting was all in the subtleties, and it fit so well with what he brought to Paul's character.

But perhaps the greatest embodiment of William Hopper giving so much to Paul's character by hiding in plain sight comes in his own final fade-out. He worked through his injury that landed him in a cast for the final few episodes, taking care that the audience would not know. And just like others would miss how much Paul was doing in the background and behind the front, the audience misses the fact that William Hopper was injured in those final episodes.

William Hopper maintained a front one last time, for us. He didn't miss a beat with his acting or characterization of Paul Drake, even with his injury. He didn't let us see what was going on in his own personal life while playing Paul Drake for the final few episodes of season 9.

[raphianna]

Mr. Bates!

[grumpycakes]

"Hey there, Handsome."

"Hello Paul"

-

In my constant failure as a fanartist to make anything for CURRENT SHOWS, have some Perry Mason Fanart.

Kofi | twitch | insta | twitter | tiktok

[pmdpbarbara]

some pages from a 1965 CBS promo book for Perry Mason

That Perry/Della shot is AMAZING.

#favorite pair

[imakemywings]

Chris Chalk as Private Investigator Paul Drake in HBO's Perry Mason S2 (1/3)

[lilalbatross]

PERRY MASON 1x07 | Chapter Seven

[perry-mason-della-street]

[ddesole]

Perry Mason 2.01 “Chapter Nine”

[theperrylleluniverse]

Look at these happy vacation boys!

[frommybookbook]

How was she so beautiful and perfect?

[emily-escott]

I made this a couple months ago for me and the other two people I know who watched this show🫡

[caseopened]

I've been thinking about the ways in which we see the trio become protective of one another, and how it fits with their characters so well.

Della can be fiery, both in her movements and with her sharp tongue. She is quick to display visible anger and expressive movements, and even quicker to call someone out for threatening either Paul or Perry. I have always seen her expressions as the embodiment of releasing years of her own (as well as inherited) rage against societal expectations for her (and all women)--- the kind of expectations that demand her to absorb behavior quietly instead of expressing it outwardly. In other words, in a world that demands her to smile and be polite, Della is quick to remind others that she will not go quietly when someone is committing a wrongful attack or accusation. And when it comes to protecting her boys, Della doesn't hold back. It really blends well with the way Della always makes a path for herself as she defines it, and not how others define it.

Paul almost has this lethal calm to him. While Della is full of movement in her protectiveness, Paul becomes a foreboding rock. He will stand up (if not already standing), square his shoulders, and give you a look that could kill, but he will remain resolute and calm throughout. It goes back to Paul being so unflappable, calm, and collected (see here), even in the face of a threat. And while he absolutely can and will disarm someone, Paul only resorts to such defense when the threat becomes physical (i.e. someone lunges at Perry, and Paul throws that person to the ground). Everyone can see that Paul would be a physical threat-- he's a big, strong person!-- but I think the fact that he will just stare you down in this collected way that suggests 'don't you even try' speaks to the detective in him. He sees you-- he's clocking you-- and he's certainly not going to let you get away with threatening or attacking Della or Perry-- but he's putting the ball in your court. If you want to make a move, then he'll be right there, but his stance alone makes people think twice.

You can really see both traits in Della and Paul in the gif below:

Perry is, and always will be, in a position of defense. He is first to physically put himself between Paul or Della and whomever is threatening them. His protection will always be sacrificial, in a way, because it is in his nature to put himself out into the fray for others. He does it every day in court, throwing himself fully (and sometimes at his own expense health-wise) into situations that others might deem hopeless. Why, then, would he not throw himself in front of the two people he loves more than anything, even if it meant putting himself into a precarious position?

Of course, below is a prime example of Perry's physical blocking, but you can also note Paul's reaction here-- he turns resolute.