William Hopper was an American actor who gained fame as a stage, film, and TV actor. He had a career that began in the year of his birth and lasted until he died in 1970. In between, he was married twice, to Jeanette J. Hopper and Jane Gilbert.Â
William Hopper was born to famous parents
The American actor was born William DeWolf Hopper Jr. to famous Hollywood parents on January 26, 1916. His father, DeWolf Hopper, was an actor, while his mother, Hedda Hopper, was a columnist and actress.
The only child between his father and his mother, who was DeWolf’s fifth wife, William was raised with a half-brother until his mother divorced his father. Hedda took William from New York, where he was born, to Hollywood, where he grew up.
He got his first acting role when he was still a baby
Considering the kind of home where he was born, it was destined for William to become an actor, which was why he got his first role while he was still only a baby in 1916. He made an appearance in his father’s film, Sunshine Dad.
He did not make any further movie appearances until he was a teenager in the early 1930s. His earliest appearances were as a stage actor before he moved to the screen.
The first appearance of William Hopper was in the play, She Loves Me Not, and then he got another role on Broadway in Order Please in 1934. In the same year, he got another role in the production of Romeo and Juliet.
One of the earliest works of the actor was in the 1936 film. The King Steps Out, taking the role of a soldier. He appeared in several more films in that year including Murder with Pictures and The Accusing Finger.
With many more film appearances to his credit, William Hopper had some TV roles in various productions including Mayor of the Town (1954), The Millionaire (1956), and Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1957).
His best-known TV appearance was in the legal drama series, Perry Mason, where he took the role of Paul Drake. This was the role that earned him a nomination as Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Series at the 11th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1959.
He left acting to join the military During World War II, Hopper stepped aside from acting and he joined the United States Navy. He was a volunteer with the Office of Strategic Sevices. In recognition of his service, he was given a Bronze Star medal.
When the war was over, Hooer did not return to acting immediately. He delved into the business of selling cars before he was encouraged by his friend, Bill Wellman, who was also a director, to take acting. He offered him a role in The High and the Mighty in 1954.
See Also: Tytyana Miller: Bio, Cause Of Death Of Master P’s Daughter
William Hopper was married twice
With regard to his love life, William Hopper walked down the aisle twice. His first marriage was to actress, Jane Kies Gilbert whom he met in 1939 and after dating fior a year, the pair tied the knot on January 20, 1940.
The pair were together for 18 years before the got separated and then finally divorced in 1959.
William and Jane’s marriage was blessed with a daughter, Joan Hopper who was born in 1947. Joan has not followed in the footsteos of her famous parents as actors.
The next woman the actor got married to was Jeanette Juanita Ward. Unlike his previous wife and most others in his life, Jeanette was not an actress. The pair got married in 1959 and were together until the death of William.
Just as the marriage was the second for Hopper, so was it for Jaenette wh was previously married to Gordon Shields Williams before the marriage ended.
Although the pair did not have any kids together, Jeanette also  had a child Gordon Patrick Williams, from her previous marraige.
William Hopper cause of deathÂ
William DeWolf Hopper Jr. lost his life on March 6, 1970. He was only 54 years old at the time.
The actor’s cause of death was said to be pneumonia and a smoking related health issue. He was a notorious smorker who was alsmot always seen with a cigarette.
Before his death, the actor was said to have suffered a stroke that kept him in the hospital and was recovering from it before he passed on less than a month later.
