Alfred Drake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alfred Drake
Drake photographed by Carl Van Vechten in 1951
Born	Alfred Capurro (1914-10-07)October 7, 1914 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	July 25, 1992(1992-07-25) (aged 77) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, singer

Alfred Drake (born October 7, 1914 – died July 25, 1992) was a famous American actor and singer. He was best known for his amazing performances in many Broadway musicals. He starred in popular shows like Oklahoma! and Kiss Me, Kate.

Alfred Drake's Early Life and Career

Alfred Drake was born as Alfred Capurro in New York City. His parents had moved there from Recco, a town in Italy. He started his acting career on Broadway while he was still a student. He studied at Brooklyn College.

Becoming a Broadway Star

Drake became very famous for his main roles in original Broadway shows. He played Curly in Oklahoma!, which was a huge hit. He also starred as Fred Graham/Petruchio in Kiss Me, Kate. Another important role was Marshall Blackstone in Babes in Arms. He even sang the title song in that show.

He also played Hajj in the musical Kismet. For his work in Kismet, he won a special award. This was the Tony Award. Alfred Drake was also a talented actor in plays by William Shakespeare. He famously played Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing alongside Katharine Hepburn.

Drake's Work in Film and TV

Alfred Drake mostly acted on stage and television. He only appeared in one movie called Tars and Spars in 1946. However, he had many roles on TV. He even provided the voice for the Great Ak. This was in a Rankin-Bass stop-motion cartoon. It was based on the book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.

He also had a small role in the comedy movie Trading Places (1983). In this film, he played the president of a trading company. His first musical TV show was in 1955. He played Captain Dick Warrington in a live show of the operetta Naughty Marietta. Later, he played Marco Polo in a TV musical called The Adventures of Marco Polo.

Later Stage Performances

In 1961, Drake was the main star in a Broadway musical called Kean. Later, in 1964, he played Claudius in Hamlet. This play starred Richard Burton. The performance was filmed live on stage. It was shown in movie theaters for a short time.

His last time in a Broadway musical was in 1973-74. He played Honoré Lachaille in Gigi. Two years later, he starred in a new version of the play The Skin of Our Teeth. In 1981, he was honored for his amazing career. He was added to the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

Other Talents

Alfred Drake was also a writer. He wrote a few plays himself. One was Dr. Willy Nilly. This was his own version of a play by Molière. He also adapted a play by Goldoni called The Liar. He even wrote a book about card games, specifically Gin rummy.

From 1970 to 1978, Drake was the president of The Players. This is a social club in New York City. It was started in 1889 by the actor Edwin Booth. The club is for people who work in the theater.

Death

Alfred Drake passed away on July 25, 1992, in New York City. He was 77 years old. He died from heart failure after a long illness. He was survived by his wife, Esther, and his two daughters, Candace and Samantha. He also had two grandchildren.

Theatre credits

Filmography

Radio

• Musical Comedy Theatre (1952) ("The Barkleys of Broadway")

See also

In Spanish: Alfred Drake para niños