William DeWolf Hopper Jr. was an American stage, film, and television actor. The only child of actor DeWolf Hopper and actress and Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, he appeared in more than 80 feature films in the 1930s and 1940s. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, he left acting, but was persuaded by director William Wellman in the 1950s to resume his film career. He’s perhaps best known for his portrayal of private detective Paul Drake in the CBS television series Perry Mason.
The Drop Kick is a 1927 silent film directed by Millard Webb, adapted from the novel Glitter (1925) by Katherine Brush, about a college football player. It was one of the early films of John Wayne who was only aged 20 in the film. He too played a college footballer.
Sinners in Silk is a 1924 silent romantic drama film directed by Hobart Henley. The film stars Eleanor Boardman, Adolphe Menjou, Hedda Hopper, Conrad Nagel, and Jean Hersholt. It was written by Benjamin Glazer and Carey Wilson.
Zander the Great is a 1925 American silent comedy drama film directed by George W. Hill, in his first directing role for MGM. The film stars Marion Davies. The screenplay by Frances Marion is based upon the Edward Salisbury Field 1923 play of the same name.
Obey the Law is a 1926 silent film adventure-drama made by the Cohn brothers, Jack and Harry Cohn, and Al Raboch. The picture stars Bert Lytell and was released through the Cohns' fledgling company Columbia Pictures. The Library of Congress holds a print of this film.
What's Wrong with the Women? is 1922 American silent Jazz Age drama film, directed by Roy William Neill, produced by Daniel Carson Goodman, and starring Wilton Lackaye, Barbara Castleton, and Constance Bennett. It is not known whether the film currently survives, which suggests that it is a lost film.
The Port of Missing Girls is a 1928 silent film directed by Irving Cummings. It stars Barbara Bedford and Hedda Hopper, making it one of the rare occasions Hopper actually starred in a film. This film is preserved in the Library of Congress.
The Cruel Truth is a 1927 silent film drama distributed by the Sterling Pictures company, on a State's Rights concept. It was directed by Phil Rosen and stars Hedda Hopper and Constance Howard. The film is a low budget survivor of the silent era as a print is held by the Library of Congress and the BFI National Film and Television Archive, London.
The Caveman, also styled as The Cave Man, is a 1926 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Lewis Milestone directed the Darryl Zanuck scripted story taken from the play The Cave Man by Gelett Burgess. Matt Moore, Marie Prevost, and Hedda Hopper star. A small role is played by a young Myrna Loy, who was just starting out in her long career.
Sadie Love is a 1919 American silent comedy film distributed by Paramount Pictures and directed by John S. Robertson. It is based on a 1915 stage play of the same name by Avery Hopwood and stars Billie Burke in the title role. In the play, Marjorie Rambeau played the Burke part.
The Battle of Hearts is a 1916 American silent drama film written and directed by Oscar Apfel, and produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation. It starred William Farnum and Elda Furry. The story was written by Frances Marion, then still an actress herself. This was Hopper's first motion picture.
Miami is a 1924 American silent society melodrama film directed by Alan Crosland and distributed by W. W. Hodkinson. The film stars Betty Compson and Hedda Hopper.
Green Grass Widows is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Alfred Raboch, and produced and released by Tiffany-Stahl Productions. The film was directed by the Alfred Raboch and starred golf player Walter Hagen. The film co-stars Hedda Hopper and Gertrude Olmstead.
French Dressing is a 1927 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Allan Dwan and starring H. B. Warner. It was produced and distributed by First National Pictures.
The Whip Woman is a lost 1928 silent film produced and distributed by First National Pictures and directed by Joseph C. Boyle. The film starred Estelle Taylor, Antonio Moreno, Hedda Hopper and Lowell Sherman. Supporting actors including fifteen-year-old Loretta Young.
Adam and Evil is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and written by F. Hugh Herbert, Florence Ryerson and Ralph Spence. The film stars Lew Cody, Aileen Pringle, Gwen Lee, Gertrude Short, Hedda Hopper, and Roy D'Arcy. The film was released on August 27, 1927, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
One Woman to Another is a lost 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and written by J.L. Campbell and George Marion Jr. based upon a play by Frances Nordstrom. The film stars Florence Vidor, Theodore von Eltz, Marie Shotwell, Hedda Hopper, Roy Stewart and Joyce Coad. The film was released on September 17, 1927, by Paramount Pictures.
The Food Gamblers is a lost 1917 American silent drama film directed by Al Parker and starring Wilfred Lucas, Russell Simpson, and Elda Millar. The production was supervised by Allan Dwan. The plot involves the manipulation of the prices of food and other goods, similar to the inflation experienced at the time of the American entry into World War I.
Undressed is a lost 1928 silent film drama directed by Phil Rosen and starring David Torrence, Hedda Hopper and Virginia Brown Faire. It was produced and released by independent Sterling Pictures.
The Winning Girl is a lost 1919 silent film comedy drama directed by Robert G. Vignola and starring Shirley Mason.
