biographyIronically, when Drake started freelancing at various studios, his career met with more success and better film roles in such films as the Marx Brothers' favorite A Night in Casablanca (1946) and the jungle adventure Tarzan's Magic Fountain (1949; with Lex Barker, Brenda Joyce, Albert Dekker, and Evelyn Ankers). Upon signing with Universal International in the late 1940s, Drake's career took off, mostly in B movies. Nonetheless, Drake proved to be a versatile actor, starring in film noir (I Was A Shoplifter, 1950); comedies (Bonzo Goes to College, 1952); science fiction and horror (It Came From Outer Space, 1953); and dramas (Female on the Beach, 1955). In the mid 1950s, Drake began appearing on then-popular television dramatic anthology series, including Climax!, Robert Montgomery Presents, and Playhouse 90. |
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the films of charles drakeWinchester '73 (1950)With Shelley Winters in the Universal-International western Winchester '73You Never Can Tell (1951)Bonzo Goes to College (1952)Red Ball Express (1952)It Came from Outer Space (1953)Images from Universal-International's cult science fiction favorite It Came from Outer Space. LEFT and CENTER A: With Richard Carlson. CENTER B: With Barbara Rush and Richard Carlson. CENTER C: With Barbara Rush, Richard Carlson, and Kathleen Hughes. RIGHT: Drake as Sheriff Matt WarrenFour Guns to the Border (1954)Drake gets socked by Rory Calhoun in the Universal-International western Four Gusn to the BorderTobor the Great (1954)To Hell and Back (1955)From the Universal-International's film of Audie Murphy's autobiography To Hell and BackThe Price of Fear (1956)Walk the Proud Land (1956)From the Universal-International western Walk the Proud Land. LEFT: With Anne Bancroft and Audie Murphy. RIGHT: With Audie Murphy and Pat CrowleyStep Down to Terror (1958)With Colleen Miller in the Universal-International thriller Step Down to Terrorlater yearsInto the 1960s, his film career slacked off, but his television career went well, with many guest-star roles on such series as Wagon Train, F Troop, Mannix, and Star Trek. He still found work in Valley of the Dolls (1967; with Susan Hayward and Patty Duke) and The Swimmer (1968; with Bust Lancaster). His final theatrically released film was Russ Meyer's lone foray into A pictures, The Seven Minutes (1971; with Philip Carey and Yvonne DeCarlo). In the early 1970s, Drake acted in a string of made-for-television movies with exemplary cast lists, such as Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973; with Ted Bessel and Bette Davis), The Lives of Jenny Dolan (1975; with Shirley Jones and Stephen Boyd), and Cop on the Beat (1975; with Lloyd Bridges and Dane Clark). Drake retired from acting in 1976 and passed away on September 10, 1994, at age 76. He was survived by two daughters and a grandson. |
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