Ken Drake was born in Enid, Oklahoma in the year 1921. His early life and career were deeply influenced by his military service, as he served as a Medic in both World War 2 and the Korean War. Following his military service, Drake pursued his passion for acting at the renowned Pasadena Playhouse, where he met his future wife, Sylvie. Throughout his extensive career, Drake appeared in an impressive sixty television shows, earning a reputation as a gifted character actor capable of seamlessly transitioning between multiple roles within the same television series.
Drake's acting career spanned a wide range of genres, including Westerns, where he often portrayed characters of Native American descent, drawing from his own Choctaw Nation heritage. In addition to his television work, Drake also performed on stage, taking on iconic roles such as Iago in Shakespeare's "Othello" and Jason in "Medea". He was also a regular performer at the Stage Society Theater in Los Angeles during the 1950s, where he appeared in numerous productions of George Bernard Shaw's plays.
Drake's personal life was also marked by significant achievements. His ex-wife, Sylvie Drake, was a theater critic for the Los Angeles Times for over two decades, while their son, Robert Drake, serves as the Producing Director of the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. Their daughter, Jessica Drake, is a speech and dialect coach who has worked on numerous feature films and television shows.
Sadly, Ken Drake passed away in 1987 at the age of 65, leaving behind a legacy as a talented and versatile actor who made a lasting impact on the world of entertainment.
