tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post6294005910740854313..comments2024-03-17T17:53:32.743-07:00Comments on Caftan Woman: THE TV SIDEKICK BLOGATHON: Della Street and Paul Drake of "Perry Mason" (1957-1966)Caftan Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-75025923016776075282019-04-18T05:27:34.574-07:002019-04-18T05:27:34.574-07:00Well, here we are in 2019 and I still haven't ...Well, here we are in 2019 and I still haven't caught up with Myra Breckinridge! Well ... one of these days.<br /><br /><br /><br />Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-38509431441462966832018-02-22T19:16:17.837-08:002018-02-22T19:16:17.837-08:00Follow-up:
Just back from YouTube.
Myra Breckinr...Follow-up:<br /><br />Just back from YouTube.<br /><br /><i>Myra Breckinridge</i> is there, in its entirety.<br />If you really want/need to see Bill Hopper as the Judge, his scene comes up at approximately 51:23 in the picture.<br />If you <i>don't</i> want/need to see the scene, I'll take this moment to admit that I got some of the details wrong, and let it go at that.<br />End of my Senior Moment.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05527404061764217504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-48451723947846121682018-02-22T18:53:43.385-08:002018-02-22T18:53:43.385-08:00*Hey, what's two years between friends?*
I on...*Hey, what's two years between friends?*<br /><br />I only just happened on this post today (2/22/18), and enjyed reading it, but it led me to wonder ...<br />... did you ever happen to see the final film appearance of William Hopper?<br />The year of his passing, 1970 - <i>Myra Breckinridge</i>.<br />I saw it once, on a self-imposed dare.<br />Rented the videocassette (remember that archaic practice?).<br />Much has been written about this cinematic calamity over the many years, and so I'll cut straight to the point, sort of.<br /><br />Bill Hopper turns up toward the end of the movie, in a scene that takes place in a courtroom; he's playing the judge.<br />I can't give you the context; it's been so long I don't/can't recall it, but the characters are all in court, and Judge Hopper is passing sentence, after a fashion.<br />At least, that's what he starts out doing.<br />What the speech turns into is a confusing diatribe again Communism - which sounds a lot like a column Hedda might have written circa the mid-'50s.<br />The whole speech is shot in a tight close-up, which leads me to suspect that Hopper was the only one on the set when the director filmed it (as I said above, this was filmed just before Hopper's passing; I have no details, so there could be any reason - or I could be all wrong anyway).<br />The scene concludes with Judge taking a puff on an independently-made cigarette, If You Know What I Mean ...<br />Ever since I saw <i>Myra</i> The Movie, I've often wondered just why Bill Hopper decided to appear in this role, perhaps knowing that it might be his final movie.<br />My late brother, with whom I watched this, speculated that given the often testy relationship between Hedda and Bill, that this might be his way of sticking it to her, posthumously (she died in '66).<br />Oh well, after all these years it's anybody's guess...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05527404061764217504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-40727596462685722552016-03-30T11:04:33.733-07:002016-03-30T11:04:33.733-07:00Loved watching the screentests, Pat. In fact, love...Loved watching the screentests, Pat. In fact, loved the whole post. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-2419086367978136572016-03-14T19:25:42.293-07:002016-03-14T19:25:42.293-07:00"Will we get a write up on them?" Somet..."Will we get a write up on them?" Sometime before the year is out. Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-45725174097897525312016-03-13T19:23:51.888-07:002016-03-13T19:23:51.888-07:00Great write up! I love Perry Mason's team. Del...Great write up! I love Perry Mason's team. Della the perfect secretary and Paul Drake - the PI with the biggest Shoulders in LA. But what about the other guys? The guys who went O-200 against Perry, but still kept on swinging? Tragg and Burger. I loved them too. Will we get a write up on them? rcoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17102201338319611538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-51638335942056027172016-03-13T15:15:48.740-07:002016-03-13T15:15:48.740-07:00Perry Mason without his team is like a sundae with...Perry Mason without his team is like a sundae with no syrup. (I've had an ice cream craving all day. Gotta do something about that.)Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-47680903735422027542016-03-13T05:23:32.858-07:002016-03-13T05:23:32.858-07:00Love this team. Raymond Burr as Perry was great, ...Love this team. Raymond Burr as Perry was great, but I was always more interested in his sidekicks. Such great memories of a great show.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-4045283102943901272016-03-11T06:35:09.625-08:002016-03-11T06:35:09.625-08:00I don't know if it is science or luck when you...I don't know if it is science or luck when you put a cast together, especially one you hope the audience will want to spend time with week after week, but whatever it is, it sure worked on "Perry Mason".Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-75699863348930923112016-03-11T06:34:04.009-08:002016-03-11T06:34:04.009-08:00Paul was one spiffy looker, and I love his voice.Paul was one spiffy looker, and I love his voice.Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-57124270511583795352016-03-10T19:13:10.972-08:002016-03-10T19:13:10.972-08:00Hoorah to Gail Patrick for realizing what a stella...Hoorah to Gail Patrick for realizing what a stellar "Della" Barbara Hale would make! I watched all of the early Mason films and none of them had a Della Street as appealing ( nor as helpful to Perry ) as Barbara made hers. Thanks for a great read, as usual....The Metzinger Sistershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10728879307994086409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-38117138391180856982016-03-10T18:37:57.921-08:002016-03-10T18:37:57.921-08:00I'm a big Paul Drake fan too. Rick mentioned t...I'm a big Paul Drake fan too. Rick mentioned the color of Drake's hair but I'm always drawn to the tight cut! What an amazing head of hair. Anyway...love this essay!Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06332977249074073942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-55934591821752142922016-03-09T05:36:13.673-08:002016-03-09T05:36:13.673-08:00Thanks a lot! Like you, I love "Perry Mason&...Thanks a lot! Like you, I love "Perry Mason". A couple of years ago I did a post on the program which ended up being one of the longest articles I ever wrote for this blog. I just could not shut up when talking about the show.Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-2658649819735866452016-03-08T13:08:07.318-08:002016-03-08T13:08:07.318-08:00I was so excited to see your blog today! I absolut...I was so excited to see your blog today! I absolutely love "Perry Mason" and Perry, Paul, and Della are impeccably portrayed on this classic TV show. Just recently I rewatched an episode with a writer who needed defending. At the end of this show an excerpt from her first book was read and then she showed them all the cover that was entitled something like "The Amorous Adventures of Paul Lake, Private Investigator." How awesome that was! From what I have read it sounds like Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale were very good friends. I think it is lovely hearing about friendships that form from or around working closely together. Thanks so much for this wonderful post!toto2https://www.blogger.com/profile/09652682900471649463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-21048975491687075152016-03-08T05:29:55.841-08:002016-03-08T05:29:55.841-08:00Yes! When they created Paul Drake Jr. they didn&#...Yes! When they created Paul Drake Jr. they didn't let the apple fall far from the tree.<br /><br />I remember getting the chills when the theme played for "The Return of Perry Mason" the first night it aired. We're lucky to have those TV movies to enjoy alongside the original series.Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-26461877408386157882016-03-07T16:35:26.820-08:002016-03-07T16:35:26.820-08:00Such a great, informative article! I know Perry Ma...Such a great, informative article! I know Perry Mason best, actually, through the reunion movies, which I adore. So, I know a bit about Della, but didn't know that much about Paul. It would seem that Paul's son, played by Barbara's real life son William Katt in the TVMs, had the same taste for pretty ladies and gathering evidence! Amanda By Nighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910620012465381103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-3169351178514402782016-03-07T13:51:31.474-08:002016-03-07T13:51:31.474-08:00The TV series also had a lot of fun with Paul'...The TV series also had a lot of fun with Paul's roving eye for the ladies!Rick29https://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-4326529486583424422016-03-07T12:34:54.144-08:002016-03-07T12:34:54.144-08:00I agree about that episode. Most of them have a n...I agree about that episode. Most of them have a noirish feel to them, but "The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink" and "The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise" really bring the noir to TV.Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-70793982244736407202016-03-07T12:33:21.858-08:002016-03-07T12:33:21.858-08:00Yes, indeed. Classic TV immortality. You never k...Yes, indeed. Classic TV immortality. You never know when that special role will come along.Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-18625048529044247272016-03-07T12:32:45.497-08:002016-03-07T12:32:45.497-08:00William Hopper had an innate charm about him. I l...William Hopper had an innate charm about him. I love his voice! He appears in two episodes of "Gunsmoke" from their first season that show his range. Worth checking out.<br /><br />I love Raymond Burr. Nice of the museum to give him that tribute. I saw him in a play years ago here in Toronto. It was a mystery called "Underground" and it co-starred his 70s sidekicks Don Galloway and Don Mitchell. Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-90159360843394119232016-03-07T12:27:58.876-08:002016-03-07T12:27:58.876-08:00Thanks.
One of the coolest things about watching ...Thanks.<br /><br />One of the coolest things about watching "Perry" is the number of classic character actors from movies and radio that appear on the program. When I was a kid I didn't know a lot of these people, and now it is a wonderful game and a treat to see them.Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-78008434598403981792016-03-07T11:57:30.507-08:002016-03-07T11:57:30.507-08:00Perry Mason really sets the bar for supporting cas...Perry Mason really sets the bar for supporting cast in a mystery. Paul and Della somehow stop the formula from feeling formulaic. <br /><br />Season nine's "The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise" where Paul goes undercover as a truck driver is one of my favourite later episodes. He's really terrific in that one.Jainahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05879349858546218212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-26756776044940124282016-03-07T10:05:40.042-08:002016-03-07T10:05:40.042-08:00How lucky can a guy be to have two sidekicks. Cert...How lucky can a guy be to have two sidekicks. Certainly Hopper's claim to fame. Kurt Burgesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17248344333475047502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-61216807521235641302016-03-07T10:03:52.140-08:002016-03-07T10:03:52.140-08:00How lucky can a guy be to have two sidekicks. Cert...How lucky can a guy be to have two sidekicks. Certainly Hopper's claim to fame. Kurt Burgesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17248344333475047502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331373971294623620.post-42255207471562912752016-03-07T09:36:17.763-08:002016-03-07T09:36:17.763-08:00I've never been much of a TV mystery fan but r...I've never been much of a TV mystery fan but reading this post makes me need to delve into Perry Mason and his band of cohorts. So William is the son that Hedda was referring to in Trumbo -- I'm sure a lot of people now have a definite impression of her after seeing the movie, not something that they might have had before. Even if he wasn't propelled into acting by personal drive, his natural charm really works. I had forgotten until I looked him up how much I enjoyed him in "The Bad Seed" and also in "The Deadly Mantis" -- I love those stalwart 1950s guys! Also those stalwart 1950s gals!<br /><br />Such a enjoyable post and a great tribute! Speaking of Perry Mason, I visited the Shell Museum in Sanibel Island, FL a little while ago and Raymond Burr was a big supporter. They have some Burr artifacts there on display, right next to his beloved mollusks! Really sweet!Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00345830456539347899noreply@blogger.com