Paul Drake

[tom shaw]

Great show, loved Perrys strong arm, Paul Drake..I would really like to see more posting in this forum....Any stories about any of the actors on the show????

[Zoneboy]

I like this show also, William Hopper was the son of Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper & he originally auditioned for the role of Perry Mason. In fact, Raymond Burr almost didn't get the role. Several actors had audtioned for the role including Fred MacMurray & Robert Sterling who were both seriously considered. Burr, wanted to audition but Executive Producer Gail Patrick Johnson had no interest in him. Finally, she relented and let him audition but only if he agreed to also test for Hamilton Burger. Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner was watching the auditions and the moment he saw Burr, he jumped up waved his arms and shouted THATS PERRY MASON! Barbara Hale who played Della Street is the mother of William Katt star of The Greatest American Hero.

[mister bluster]

Yes, I remember my mom telling about Gardner saying that when he saw Raymond Burr. William Katt also played Paul Drake Jr. in some of the Perry Mason movies. I also heard that Barbara Hale's husband played Kit Carson.

My whole family loved this show. I remember when they tried to do a remake of the series with different actors. It wasn't the same. The movies they made later with Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale were the next best thing to the original.