Who Played Paul Drake on Perry Mason

On the classic television version of Perry Mason, the private investigator Paul Drake was played primarily by Donald Woolman in the 1957 pilot episode, "The Case of the Sulky Girl." When the series began in 1958, the role was taken over by actor William Hopper, who portrayed Paul Drake for the remainder of the series run through 1966. This enduring character, a sharp, laconic investigator trusted by Mason, became closely associated with Hopper's dry delivery and professional discretion. Below is a detailed breakdown of the actors, timeline, and context of Paul Drake's depiction.