Harold Hankins Hopper (July 29, 1907 – December 17, 1988), known professionally as Jerry Hopper, was an American film and television director, active from the mid-1940s through the early 1970s.

Early life

Jerry Hopper was born in

Guthrie, Oklahoma Guthrie is a city and county seat in Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. Its population was 10,191 at the 2010 census, a 2.7% increase from 9,925 in the 2000 census. First known as a railroad st ...

Career

Hopper started as an office assistant at

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

before becoming a radio scriptwriter and an editor before moving to the directors' chair for several installments of their Musical Parade series (1946–48). Hopper went on to direct feature films, such as, ''

The Atomic City ''The Atomic City'' is a 1952 American film noir thriller film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Gene Barry and Lydia Clarke. The story takes place at Los Alamos, New Mexico, where a nuclear physicist (Barry) lives and works. Terrorists ki ...

'' (1952), ''

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company. During its 18 months of opera ...

'' (1953), '' Secret of the Incas'' (1954), and ''

The Private War of Major Benson ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1955), the latter three with actor

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...

. In 1958 he directed

Brandon deWilde Andre Brandon deWilde (April 9, 1942 – July 6, 1972) was an American theatre, film, and television actor. Born into a theatrical family in Brooklyn, he debuted on Broadway theater, Broadway at the age of seven and became a national phenomenon b ...

and

Lee Marvin Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actor. Known for his bass voice and prematurely white hair, he is best remembered for playing hardboiled "tough guy" characters. Although initially typecast as th ...

in '' The Missouri Traveler''. He then moved primarily into episodic television, having appeared in '' Colt .45'', '' Bachelor Father'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...

'', ''

The Addams Family The Addams Family is a fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. They originally appeared in a series of 150 standalone single-panel comics, about half of which were originally published in ''The New Yorker'' between 193 ...

'', '' Burke's Law'', ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and four short stories, all of which involve a ...

'', '' The Fugitive'', ''

Gilligan's Island ''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson, and Dawn Wells. It aired for th ...

'', and ''

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden ...

'', among many others.

Personal life

Hopper married actress Marsha Hunt on November 23, 1938. They divorced in 1943. He married Winifred Joyce Robinson in 1949. He later was married to actress Dorothy Ellis. Hopper had four sons and two daughters. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he became a combat photographer for the Army and was injured during the

Battle of Leyte The Battle of Leyte (; ; ) in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the amphibious invasion of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American forces and Filipino guerrillas under the overall command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fou ...

and received a

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

. He died of heart disease on December 17, 1988, in

San Clemente, California San Clemente (; Spanish for " St. Clement" ) is a coastal city in southern Orange County, California, United States. It was named in 1925 after the Spanish colonial island (which was named after a Pope from the first century). Located in the ...

, at age 81.

Filmography

* ''

Madron Madron ( (village) or (parish)) is a civil parishes in England, civil parish and village in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Madron is named after Saint Madern's Church. Its annual Trafalgar Service commemorating the death of Horatio ...

'' (1970) * '' The Virginian'' (2 episodes, 1963–1970). TV episodes: The West vs. Colonel MacKenzie (1970) & Duel at Shiloh (1963). Both were combined and released as ''The Bull of the West'' in 1971. * ''

Maharlika The ''maharlika'' (Baybayin pre-virama: ᜋᜑᜎᜒᜃ meaning freeman or freedman) were the feudal warrior class in ancient Tagalog society in Luzon, the Philippines. They belonged to the lower nobility class similar to the ''timawa'' of the ...

'' (1970) (as Jerr Hopper) * '' It Takes a Thief'' (1 episode, 1969). TV episode: Catspaw (1969) * ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...

'' (2 episodes, 1968). TV episodes A Tale of Two Tails (1968) & Diamonds Are a Spy's Best Friend (1968) * ''

'' (15 episodes, 1965–1968). TV episodes: Attack! (1968) & Man-Beast (1968) & Terrible Leprechaun (1968) & Deadly Amphibians (1967) & Terror (1967) plus 10 more. * '' Mr. Terrific'' (1 episode, 1967). TV episode: Stanley and the Mountaineers (1967) * ''

'' (7 episodes, 1966–1967): TV episodes: Splashdown (1967) & All About Eva (1966) & And Then There Were None (1966) & The Kidnapper (1966) & Gilligan vs. Gilligan (1966) plus 2 more. * '' It's About Time'' (4 episodes, 1966). TV episodes: The Mother-in-Law (1966) & Androcles and Clon (1966) & Cave Movies (1966) & The Champ (1966) * ''

The Time Tunnel ''The Time Tunnel'' is an American color science-fiction television series written around a theme of time travel adventure; it starred James Darren and Robert Colbert. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science-fiction televisi ...

'' (1 episode, 1966). TV episode: Devil's Island (1966) * '' Laredo'' (1 episode, 1966). TV episode: The Dance of the Laughing Death (1966) * '' The Fugitive'' (14 episodes, 1963–1966). TV episodes: Coralee (1966) & Conspiracy of Silence (1965) & Escape into Black (1964) & Dark Corner (1964) & Nemesis (1964) plus 9 more. * ''

'' (8 episodes, 1961–1966). TV episodes: The Case of the Crafty Kidnapper (1966) & The Case of the Avenging Angel (1966) & The Case of the Misguided Model (1966) & The Case of the Counterfeit Crank (1962) & The Case of the Melancholy Marksman (1962) &The Case of the Tarnished Trademark (1962) & The Case of the Roving River (1961) & The Case of The Left-Handed Liar (1961) * ''

A Man Called Shenandoah ''A Man Called Shenandoah'' is an American Western television series that aired Monday evenings on ABC-TV from September 13, 1965 to May 16, 1966. It was produced by MGM Television. Some of the location work for the 34 half-hour black and white ...

'' (1 episode, 1966). TV episode: The Last Diablo (1966) * ''

Honey West Honey West is a fictional character created by the husband and wife writing team Gloria and Forest Fickling under the pseudonym "G.G. Fickling", and appearing in eleven mystery novels by the duo. The character is notable as being one of the firs ...

'' (1 episode, 1965). TV episode: A Nice Little Till to Tap (1965) * '' Burke's Law'' (11 episodes, 1964–1965). TV episodes: A Little Gift for Cairo (1965) & The Man's Men (1965) & Who Killed the Card? (1965) & Who Killed the Rabbit's Husband? (1965) & Who Killed Nobody Somehow? (1965) plus 6 more * '' 12 O'Clock High'' (2 episodes, 1965). TV episodes: We're Not Coming Back (1965) & Big Brother (1965) TV episode * ''

Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a Christian martyrs, martyr named Saint Valentine, Valentine, and ...

'' (3 episodes, 1964). TV episodes: The Seasick Sailor (1964) & Yen Ku Horowitz (1964) & The Baritone Canary (1964) * ''

'' (4 episodes, 1964). TV episodes: Morticia, the Matchmaker (1964) & Green-Eyed Gomez (1964) & The Addams Family Tree (1964) & Gomez, the Politician (1964) * ''

'' (4 episodes, 1963–1964). TV episodes: Owney Tupper Had a Daughter (1964) & The Glory and the Mud (1964) & Pa Hack's Brood (1963) & Carter Caper (1963) * '' Vacation Playhouse'' (1 episode, 1963). TV episode: Hooray for Love (1963) * ''

'' (13 episodes, 1958–1963). TV episodes: Alias Bill Hawks (1963) & The Roger Bigelow Story (1960) & The Horace Best Story (1960) & The Dick Jarvis Story (1960) & The Alexander Portlass Story (1960) plus 8 more * ''

Have Gun - Will Travel Have or having may refer to: * the concept of ownership * any concept of ''possession'' * the English verb "to " is used: ** to express possession linguistically, in a broad sense ** as an auxiliary verb ** in constructions such as ''have somet ...

'' ( 4episodes, 1962–1963). TV episodes : trial at tabelrock Unforgiving Minute (1963) & Bob Wire (1963) & Marshal of Sweetwater (1962) * ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 a ...

'' (1 episode, 1962). TV episode: Day of Reckoning (1962) * '' The New Breed'' (1 episode, 1962). TV episode: Walk This Street Lightly (1962) * ''

Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series starring Dale Robertson in 201 episodes that aired from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until i ...

'' (2 episodes, 1957–1961). TV episodes: Casket 7.3 (1961) & A Time to Kill (1957) * ''

Westinghouse Playhouse ''Westinghouse Playhouse'' is an American Situation comedy, sitcom that aired from January to July 1961 on NBC. Starring Nanette Fabray, the series was also known as ''The Nanette Fabray Show'' and ''Westinghouse Playhouse Starring Nanette Fabr ...

'' (2 episodes, 1961). TV episodes: The Mrs. Harper Story (1961) & Buddy's Formal Dinner (1961) * ''

Blueprint for Robbery ''Blueprint for Robbery'' is a 1961 American crime film directed by Jerry Hopper and written by Irwin Winehouse and A. Sanford Wolf. The film stars J. Pat O'Malley, Robert J. Wilke, Robert Gist, Romo Vincent, Jay Barney and Henry Corden. The fil ...

'' (1961) * ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...

'' (1 episode, 1960). TV episode: The Last of the Night Raiders (1960) * ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne comprise two Native American tribes, the Só'taeo'o or Só'taétaneo'o (more commonly spelled as Suhtai or Sutaio) and the (also spelled Tsitsistas, The term for th ...

'' (1 episode, 1960). TV episode: Counterfeit Gun (1960) * '' Mr. Lucky'' (2 episodes, 1959–1960). TV episodes: Election Bet (1960) & My Little Gray Home (1959) * ''

M Squad ''M Squad'' is an American crime drama television series that ran from 1957 to 1960 on NBC. It was produced by Lee Marvin's Latimer Productions and Revue Studios. Its main sponsor was the Pall Mall cigarette brand; Lee Marvin, the program's ...

'' (3 episodes, 1959–1960). TV episodes: Diary of a Bomber (1960) & Race to Death (1960) & Shred of Doubt (1959) * ''

Overland Trail The Overland Trail (also known as the Overland Stage Line) was a stagecoach and wagon trail in the American West during the 19th century. While portions of the route had been used by explorers and trappers since the 1820s, the Overland Trail w ...

'' (1 episode, 1960). TV episode: The O'Mara's Ladies (1960) * ''

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse ''Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on the Columbia Broadcasting System between 1958 and 1960. Three of its 48 episodes served as pilots for the 1950s televis ...

'' (1 episode, 1959). TV episode: Ballad for a Bad Man (1959) * ''

The Untouchables Untouchable or Untouchables may refer to: People * Untouchability, the practice of socially ostracizing a minority group of very low social status * Untouchables, word for the Dalits or Scheduled Castes of India * Untouchables (law enforcement), ...

'' (1 episode, 1959). TV episode: The Dutch Schultz Story (1959) * '' Wichita Town'' (2 episodes, 1959). TV episodes: Drifting (1959) & The Night the Cowboys Roared (1959) * ''

Law of the Plainsman ''Law of the Plainsman'' is a Western television series starring Michael Ansara that aired on NBC from October 1, 1959, until September 22, 1960. The character of Native American U.S. Marshal Sam Buckhart was introduced in two episodes ("The ...

'' (1 episode, 1959). TV episode: Full Circle (1959) * ''

Markham Markham may refer to: Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * Markham's grass mouse (''Abrothrix olivaceus markhami''), a rodent subspecies found on Wellington Island and the ne ...

'' (1 episode, 1959). TV episode: The Glass Diamond (1959) * ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television series starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show ...

'' (4 episodes, 1958–1959). TV episodes: The Angry Man (1959) & The Deadeye Kid (1959) & The Gaucho (1958) & End of a Young Gun (1958) * ''

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater Dick, Dicks, or Dick's may refer to: Media * ''Dicks'' (album), a 2004 album by Fila Brazillia * Dicks (band), a musical group * ''Dick'' (film), a 1999 American comedy film * "Dick" (song), a 2019 song by Starboi3 featuring Doja Cat * '' ...

'' (2 episodes, 1958–1959). TV episodes: Deadfall (1959) & Legacy of a Legend (1958) * '' Naked City'' (1 episode, 1958). TV episode: Meridian (1958) * '' Bachelor Father'' (15 episodes, 1957–1958). TV episodes: Uncle Bentley and the Matchmaker (1958) & Waiting Up for Kelly (1958) & Bentley and the Social Worker (1958) & Uncle Bentley Loans Out Peter (1958) & Bentley and His Junior Image (1958) plus 10 more * ''

Jefferson Drum ''Jefferson Drum'', also known as ''The Pen and the Quill'', is an American Western television series starring Jeff Richards that aired on the NBC network from April 25 to April 23, 1959. Overview Jefferson Drum, portrayed by Jeff Richards, i ...

'' (1 episode, 1958). TV episode: Law and Order (1958) * ''

How to Marry a Millionaire ''How to Marry a Millionaire'' is a 1953 American romantic comedy film directed by Jean Negulesco and written and produced by Nunnally Johnson. The screenplay was based on the plays ''The Greeks Had a Word for It'' (1930) by Zoe Akins and '' ...

'' (1 episode, 1958). TV episode: A Call to Arms (1958) * '' The Missouri Traveler'' (1958) * ''

Leave It to Beaver ''Leave It to Beaver'' is an American television sitcom that follows the misadventures of a suburban boy, his family and his friends. It starred Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers. CBS first broadcast the show ...

'' (1 episode, 1957). TV episode: It's a Small World (1957) * ''

The Jane Wyman Show ''Fireside Theatre'' (later known as ''Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre, Jane Wyman Theatre, The Jane Wyman Show'' and ''Jane Wyman Presents'') is an American Anthology series, anthology dramatic programming, drama series that ran on N ...

'' (1 episode, 1957). TV episode: The Wildcatter (1957) * '' Everything But the Truth'' (1956) * '' The Sharkfighters'' (1956) * ''

The Toy Tiger ''The Toy Tiger'' is a 1956 American comedy film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Laraine Day and Jeff Chandler. It is a remake of ''Mad About Music'' (1938). Plot New York City advertising executive Gwen Harkinson is a widow with a son, Ti ...

'' (1956) * '' Never Say Goodbye'' (1956) * ''

The Square Jungle ''The Square Jungle'' is a 1955 American film noir drama sport film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Tony Curtis, Pat Crowley and Ernest Borgnine.

'' (1955) * ''

One Desire ''One Desire'' is a 1955 Technicolor drama romance film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Anne Baxter, Julia Adams and Rock Hudson. Described as a "rugged story of oil-boom Oklahoma in the early 1900s", it was adapted from Conrad Richter's b ...

'' (1955) * ''

Smoke Signal The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication. It is a form of visual communication used over a long distance. In general smoke signals are used to transmit news, signal danger, or to gather people to a common area. ...

'' (1955) * ''

Naked Alibi ''Naked Alibi'' is a 1954 American film noir crime film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Sterling Hayden, Gloria Grahame and Gene Barry. It was released on October 1, 1954 by Universal Pictures, Universal-International. Portions of the film ...

'' (1954) * '' Secret of the Incas'' (1954) * '' Alaska Seas'' (1954) * ''

'' (1953) * '' Hurricane Smith'' (1952) * ''

'' (1952) * '' The Cinematographer'' (1951) (uncredited) * '' History Brought to Life'' (1950) (uncredited) * '' Jingle, Jangle, Jingle'' (1948) * '' Smooth Sailing'' (1947) * '' Sweet and Low'' (1947) * '' Golden Slippers'' (1946)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hopper, Jerry 1907 births 1988 deaths People from Guthrie, Oklahoma Film directors from Oklahoma United States Army personnel of World War II