Personable actor Charles Drake was born Charles Louis Ruppert on October 2, 1917, in the vibrant city of New York. He graduated from Nichols College in 1937 and initially pursued a career in sales before transitioning to the world of acting in 1939. Drake began his acting journey by appearing in little theater productions, eventually changing his stage name to the more suitable Charles Drake.
In the late 1930s, Drake managed to secure a contract with Warner Brothers, allowing him to apprentice in small, often unbilled roles in what would become enduring WWII-era classics. These films included The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Maltese Falcon, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Now, Voyager, Sergeant York, and Yankee Doodle Dandy. Although he did not rise to prominence during this time, Drake continued to work in the industry, albeit in somewhat standardized roles.
Military service interrupted Drake's career in 1943, but he returned to Hollywood within a couple of years without his Warner Bros contract. Following a brief lull in his freelancing career, Drake was picked up by Universal and found better work in more prominent roles. He played Dr. Sanderson in Harvey, the villain in You Never Can Tell, and Shelley Winters' cowardly boyfriend in Winchester '73, among others.
Drake also became a top supporting player in the westerns and war pics of Audie Murphy, who became a good friend offstage. In 1955, Drake turned to television as one of the stock-company players on Robert Montgomery Presents, and a couple of years later, he became the host of the weekly British TV espionage series Rendezvous.
Throughout his career, Drake appeared in over 80 films, mostly dramatic fare, between the years 1939 and 1975. Although he did not become a star, he continued to work as a character actor in the 1960s, appearing in films such as Tammy Tell Me True and Valley of the Dolls. He also showed up occasionally as assorted high-rankers in films like The Arrangement and The Seven Minutes.
Drake finished off his career on TV before retiring. He passed away in 1994 at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy as a talented and dedicated actor who brought depth and nuance to a wide range of roles.
