If you close your eyes and think of the quintessential television detective from the golden age of Hollywood, you probably see a tall, rugged man in a sharp suit leaning against a desk. He's got a smirk that says he knows something you don't. He’s the guy who does the legwork while the brilliant lawyer stays in the office. For millions of viewers, that man is Paul Drake. But depending on when you grew up, the face of that character changes.
Who played Paul Drake on Perry Mason? Well, the short answer starts and ends with William Hopper, but the legacy of the character stretches far beyond just one man. It’s a role that has been inhabited by several actors across radio, the original TV run, the 1980s TV movies, and the gritty HBO revival. Each one brought something different to the table, from Hopper’s effortless "cool" to the more tortured, complex versions we see today.
Honestly, it’s rare for a supporting character to become as beloved as the lead. But Paul Drake wasn't just a sidekick. He was the muscle, the eyes, and often the heartbeat of the Perry Mason universe.
The Definitive Paul Drake: William Hopper
Let’s be real. When people ask who played Paul Drake, they are almost always talking about William Hopper. He played the role for all nine seasons of the original CBS Perry Mason series, spanning from 1957 to 1966.
Hopper wasn't just some random actor. He was Hollywood royalty, the son of the legendary gossip columnist Hedda Hopper and actor DeWolf Hopper. Despite that pedigree, he didn't actually want to act for a long time. He spent years selling cars and served as a frogman in the Navy during World War II. You can see that real-world toughness in his performance. There’s a grounded nature to his version of Paul Drake that you can’t fake.
In the Erle Stanley Gardner novels, Paul Drake was described as having a "poker face" and being somewhat nondescript. Hopper threw that out the window. He gave Drake a signature style: the light-colored suits, the casual way he’d sit backward on a chair, and that "cool cat" energy. He was the perfect foil to Raymond Burr’s stoic, almost immovable Perry Mason. While Perry was the intellect, Paul was the movement.
If you watch those old episodes today, you’ll notice Hopper’s chemistry with Barbara Hale (who played Della Street). There was always this subtle, unspoken flirtation or camaraderie that made the trio feel like a real family. It’s the reason the show worked. Without William Hopper, the show might have been just another dry courtroom drama. Instead, it became a cultural phenomenon.
The Tragedy Behind the Scenes
It’s worth noting that Hopper’s life wasn't all glitz. He was a heavy smoker, a habit that eventually caught up with him. He passed away in 1970 at the age of 55, just a few years after the original series ended. Because he died relatively young, he never got to participate in the massive wave of "reunion" movies that happened in the 80s. That’s why, if you’re a fan of those movies, you might have noticed a different name in the credits.
💡 You might also like: Greatest Rock and Roll Singers of All Time: Why the Legends Still Own the Mic
Passing the Torch: William Katt and the "Son of Drake"
When NBC decided to revive Perry Mason in 1985 with the TV movie Perry Mason Returns, they had a problem. Raymond Burr was back. Barbara Hale was back. But William Hopper was gone.
Instead of simply recasting the role of Paul Drake, the writers made a smart, somewhat sentimental move. They introduced Paul Drake Jr. And who played Paul Drake Jr.? William Katt.
In a neat bit of meta-casting, William Katt is actually Barbara Hale’s real-life son. So, you had the original Della Street acting alongside her actual child, who was playing the son of her former co-star's character. Katt brought a totally different vibe. He was younger, had that wild 80s hair, and played the character with a bit more "action hero" flair. He stayed with the TV movies for several years before moving on, eventually being replaced by William R. Moses (who played Ken Malansky), though Malansky wasn't technically a "Paul Drake" character.
The Modern Reimagining: Chris Chalk
Fast forward to 2020. HBO decides to reboot Perry Mason as a gritty, noir-soaked origin story set in 1930s Los Angeles. They needed a new Paul Drake.
Enter Chris Chalk.
This was a massive departure from the Paul Drake we knew. In this version, Drake is a Black beat cop navigating the intense racism and corruption of the LAPD in the 30s. He isn't a suave private investigator—not at first. He’s a man with a family, trying to do the right thing in a system designed to crush him.
Chalk’s performance is masterclass. He doesn't have the luxury of leaning back in a chair and cracking jokes like Hopper did. His Drake is carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. This version of the character provides a necessary perspective on the "private eye" trope. It asks the question: what does it actually cost a person to dig up the truth in a city that wants it buried?
📖 Related: Ted Nugent State of Shock: Why This 1979 Album Divides Fans Today
While some purists were surprised by the change, most critics agreed that Chalk’s Paul Drake is one of the most compelling characters on modern television. He isn't a sidekick. He’s a co-protagonist with his own rich, often painful, narrative arc.
The Forgotten Drakes: Radio and Beyond
Before the TV show even existed, Perry Mason was a massive hit on the radio. It ran from 1943 to 1955. Because it was a daily serial, several actors voiced the role of Paul Drake over the years.
- Charles Webster
- Les Damon
- Jack Arthur
These men laid the groundwork. They established the rhythm of the dialogue—the quick-fire exchanges between the lawyer and his investigator. However, because radio is a non-visual medium, these performances often get lost in the shuffle of history.
There was also a short-lived series in the 1970s called The New Perry Mason starring Monte Markham. In that version, Paul Drake was played by Albert Stratton. To be perfectly honest, most people choose to forget this version exists. It lacked the magic of the Burr-Hopper era and only lasted half a season.
Why the Character of Paul Drake Matters
You might wonder why we’re still talking about who played Paul Drake sixty years after the original show aired. It’s because the character represents a specific archetype in American fiction: the "Legman."
Every great thinker needs a doer. Sherlock Holmes had Watson. Nero Wolfe had Archie Goodwin. Perry Mason had Paul Drake.
The brilliance of the Paul Drake character—regardless of who plays him—is that he bridges the gap between the high-minded legal world and the gritty reality of the streets. He’s the one who talks to the waitresses, the gamblers, and the nervous witnesses. He finds the "smoking gun" that Perry then uses to win the case in the final ten minutes of the episode.
👉 See also: Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus Explained (Simply)
A Quick Look at the Main Paul Drakes
If you're trying to keep them straight, here’s the breakdown:
- William Hopper: The OG. The 1950s/60s icon. Light suits, Corvettes, and effortless charm.
- William Katt: The 80s version. Paul Drake Jr. More action, more hair, real-life son of Barbara Hale.
- Chris Chalk: The modern masterpiece. A Black officer in 1930s LA dealing with systemic corruption.
- Albert Stratton: The 1973 outlier. A noble effort, but overshadowed by Hopper’s legacy.
What to Watch if You Want the Full Paul Drake Experience
If you really want to understand the evolution of this character, you have to go to the source material.
Start with the original 1957 pilot, "The Case of the Restless Redhead." You see William Hopper establish the character immediately. He doesn't feel like a character in a play; he feels like a guy who just walked in off the street.
Then, jump to the HBO series. Watch how Chris Chalk handles the "The Case of the Killer Case." The contrast is jarring, but the DNA of the character—the relentless pursuit of a lead—is exactly the same.
Actionable Insights for Perry Mason Fans
Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer who just discovered the HBO show, here is how you can dive deeper into the world of Paul Drake:
- Check out the books: Erle Stanley Gardner wrote over 80 Perry Mason novels. Reading them gives you a much better sense of how Paul Drake was originally envisioned versus how the actors portrayed him.
- Watch for the car: One of the hallmarks of the original Paul Drake was his car. He usually drove a Thunderbird or a Corvette. It was a status symbol that signaled he was a "modern" man compared to Perry’s more traditional sedan.
- Look for the "Look": In the original series, pay attention to the scenes where Paul and Perry are in the office. Much of the "acting" happens in the silences—the nods, the glances, and the way they move around each other. That’s where the real character work is.
Paul Drake is more than just a name in a script. He is the essential partner. Whether it’s William Hopper’s suave investigator or Chris Chalk’s determined truth-seeker, the character remains one of the most enduring figures in detective fiction.
If you want to see the best of William Hopper, look for episodes written by Jonathan Latimer; he seemed to have the best handle on Paul's specific voice. For Chris Chalk, the second season of the HBO reboot really lets him shine as he steps out of the police force and into his own as a private investigator.
The face may change, but the mission stays the same: find the truth, no matter where it's hidden.