Biography
Tom Drake (born Alfred Sinclair Alderdice; 5 August 1918 – 11 August 1982) was an American actor. He appeared in films from 1940 until the mid-1970s and made numerous television appearances.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Drake attended Iona Preparatory School and Mercersburg Academy. He began his career on Broadway under his real name, appearing in Run Sheep Run (1938) and Clean Beds (1939), before achieving success in the 1942 production of Janie. Signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he gained prominence as John Truett in the musical Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), opposite Judy Garland.
Drake's other notable film roles include those in The Green Years (1946) and Warlock (1959). He later worked extensively in television, with guest appearances in series such as Perry Mason, Gunsmoke and Hogan's Heroes. He died of lung cancer in Torrance, California.
