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Larry Richard Drake (February 21, 1949 – March 17, 2016)[1] was an American actor. He was best known as Benny Stulwicz in L.A. Law, for which he won two Primetime Emmy Awards. He also appeared as Robert G. Durant in both Darkman and Darkman II: The Return of Durant, a homicidal mental patient who escapes an insane asylum in the slasher black comedy Dr. Giggles, and was the voice of Pops in Johnny Bravo.
Larry Drake | |
|---|---|
 Larry Drake on the red carpet at the 40th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, August 28, 1988. | |
| Born | Larry Richard Drake February 21, 1949 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | March 17, 2016 (aged 67) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Hollywood Forever Cemetery |
| Alma mater | University of Oklahoma |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1971–2016 |
| Spouse |
Ruth de Sosa
(m. 1989; div. 1991) |
Early life
editLarry Richard Drake was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on February 21, 1949, the son of Raymond John Drake, a drafting engineer for an oil company, and Lorraine Ruth (née Burns), a homemaker. He graduated from Tulsa Edison High School and the University of Oklahoma.[2]
Career
editDrake is mostly remembered for his portrayal of developmentally disabled Benny Stulwicz in L.A. Law, from 1987 until the show's end in 1994, for which he twice won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. in 1988 and 1989.[3][4][5][6] He returned to the role of Benny in L.A. Law: The Movie, a reunion film that aired on NBC in 2002.[7]
He appeared in numerous film and television roles, including Time Quest, Dark Asylum, Paranoid, Bean, Overnight Delivery, The Beast, The Journey of August King, Murder in New Hampshire, Dr. Giggles,[8] Darkman,[9] Darkman II: The Return of Durant,[10] The Taming of the Shrew, American Pie 2,[11] and Dark Night of the Scarecrow. He was a regular on Prey.[12] Drake provided the voice of Pops in Johnny Bravo. In 2007, he co-starred in Gryphon, a Sci-Fi Pictures original film.[citation needed]
Personal life
editDrake was married from 1989 to 1991 to Ruth de Sosa,[13] an actress and producer known for her roles in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Death
editOn March 17, 2016, Drake was found dead in his Los Angeles home at the age of 67. Drake's manager, Steven Siebert, reported that he had some health problems in the months before his death. It was later reported that Drake suffered from a rare form of blood cancer that caused his blood to thicken.[14]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | This Stuff'll Kill Ya! | Bubba | |
| 1975 | Trucker's Woman | Joe 'Diesel Joe' | |
| 1976 | The Electric Chair | Courtroom Observer | Uncredited |
| 1976 | Date with a Kidnapper | Age Home Attendant | |
| 1978 | The Seniors | Bus Sign Installer | Uncredited |
| 1980 | The Big Brawl | Judge #1 | |
| 1981 | The White Lions | Fiske | |
| 1981 | Dark Night of the Scarecrow | Bubba Ritter | Television film |
| 1983 | The Taming of the Shrew | Baptista | Short |
| 1984 | The Karate Kid | Yahoo #1 At Beach | |
| 1986 | The Ladies Club | Cop #2 | |
| 1988 | For Keeps | Night Clerk | |
| 1988 | Too Good to Be True | Glen Robie | Television film |
| 1989 | Oh, Henry! | Henry | Television film |
| 1990 | Darkman | Robert G. Durant | Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1991 | Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Wojas Smart Story | Mark Sisti | Television film |
| 1992 | Dr. Giggles | Dr. Evan Rendell Jr. / Dr. Giggles | |
| 1992 | Blind Geronimo and His Brother | Unknown | |
| 1994 | One More Mountain | Patrick Breen | Television film |
| 1995 | Darkman II: The Return of Durant | Robert G. Durant | Direct-to-video |
| 1995 | The Journey of August King | Olaf Singletary | |
| 1996 | The Beast | Lucas Coven | Television film |
| 1997 | Bean | Elmer | |
| 1998 | Overnight Delivery | Hal Ipswich | |
| 1998 | Paranoia | Calvin Hawks | |
| 1998 | The Treat | Ray | |
| 1999 | Inferno | Ramsey Hogan | |
| 1999 | Durango Kids | Dudley | |
| 2000 | Runaway Virus | Dr. Griggs | Television film |
| 2000 | Time of Her Time | Dr. Joyce | |
| 2000 | Timequest | J. Edgar Hoover | |
| 2001 | American Pie 2 | Natalie's Dad | |
| 2001 | Dark Asylum | 'The Trasher' | |
| 2002 | L.A. Law: The Movie | Benny Stulwicz | Television film |
| 2002 | Spun | Dr. K. | |
| 2005 | Jenny Says | Dr. Weinhouse | Short |
| 2005 | I Will Avenge You, Iago! | The Warden | |
| 2005 | Officer Down | Captain Raymond Taggart | Television film |
| 2005 | Mrs. Harris | Harris, Defense Team Psychiatrist | Television film |
| 2006 | Living the Dream | Richard | |
| 2006 | Love Hollywood Style | Walter | |
| 2006 | National Lampoon's Dorm Daze 2 | Dean Dryer | |
| 2007 | Gryphon | Armand The Sorcerer | |
| 2008 | Pathology | 'Fat Bastard' | |
| 2009 | Green Lantern: First Flight | Ganthet | Voice, direct-to-video[15] |
| 2009 | Dead Air | Vernon | |
| 2016 | The Secrets of Emily Blair | John Doe | Final film role |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | American Playhouse | Conveener / Homer | Episode: "The Skin of Our Teeth" |
| 1983 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Jesse Roberts | Episode: "Just Another Round of That Old Song" |
| 1986 | Code of Vengeance | Jack Fergusen | Episode: "Rustler's Moon" |
| 1987 | Hunter | Kirkland | Episode: "Hot Pursuit, Part 2" |
| 1987–1994 | L.A. Law | Benny Stulwicz | 144 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1988–1989) Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series (1988–1989) Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1989–1990, 1992) Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1990) |
| 1989–1990 | Tales from the Crypt | Killer Santa, Tobias | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits | Robert Vitale | Episode: "The Message" |
| 1995 | The Naked Truth | Dr. Bryce Fromm | Episode: "Elvis Is Coming!" |
| 1996 | Superman: The Animated Series | Mr. Eelan | Voice, episode: "My Girl"[15] |
| 1996 | Road Rovers | Captain Zachary Storm | Voice, 2 episodes[15] |
| 1997 | Spy Game | Leo Ludwig | Episode: "Well, Nothing to Fear but Death Itself" |
| 1997 | Dead Man's Gun | Samuel 'Buryin' Sam' Roller | Episode: "Buryin' Sam" |
| 1998 | Prey | Dr. Walter Attwood | 14 episodes |
| 1998 | Fantasy Island | Bill Terken | Episode: "Estrogen" |
| 1999 | Batman Beyond | Jackson Chappell | Voice, episode: "The Winning Edge"[15] |
| 1999–2004 | Johnny Bravo | Pops, various voices | Voice, 34 episodes[15] |
| 2000 | The Fearing Mind | Police Officer Hooper | Episode: "On the Road" |
| 2000 | Star Trek: Voyager | Chellick | Episode: "Critical Care" |
| 2001 | Stargate SG-1 | Burrock | Episode: "Beast of Burden" |
| 2001 | Thieves | Robert Ventana | Episode: "The Long Con" |
| 2002 | As Told by Ginger | Dr. Weinstein | Voice, episode: "Never Can Say Goodbye"[15] |
| 2002 | Six Feet Under | Inspector Gerson | Episode: "The Last Time" |
| 2002 | A Nero Wolfe Mystery | Hackett | Episode: "Help Wanted, Male" |
| 2002 | Firefly | Sir Warwick Harrow | Episode: "Shindig" |
| 2003 | Crossing Jordan | Tom | Episode: "Wild Card" |
| 2003 | Justice League | Colonel Vox | Voice, episode: "Maid of Honor"[15] |
| 2004 | What's New, Scooby-Doo? | Moss T. Meister | Voice, episode: "Recipe for Disaster" |
| 2006 | 7th Heaven | Mr. Riley | Episode: "And More Secrets" |
| 2008 | Boston Legal | Bishop Luke Bernard | Episode: "The Gods Must Be Crazy" |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Star Wars: The Force Unleashed | Kazdan Paratus | [15] |
References
edit- ^ "Larry Drake, L.A. Law & Darkman Actor, Passes Away at 67". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Davis, Chuck (May 8, 1988). "L.A. Law Actor Turns One Scene Into Regular Character on Show". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City.
- ^ Haithman, Diane (November 3, 1988). "Larry Drake of L.A. Law Goes Mainstream". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (October 17, 1991). "Review/Television; On 'L.A. Law', New Faces but the Same Nasty Edge". The New York Times.
- ^ "Review/Television; Life on 'L.A. Law' Grows Ever Odder". The New York Times. May 18, 1989.
- ^ Selby, Holly (September 24, 1990). "Larry Drake's portrayal of Benny shatters stereotypes of the retarded". The Baltimore Sun.
- ^ King, Susan (May 12, 2002). "Together Again". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (October 24, 1992). "Movie Review: Dr Giggles". The New York Times.
- ^ James, Caryn (August 24, 1990). "Movie Review –With Brains and Skin, Another Cloaked Avenger Fights Evil". The New York Times.
- ^ MacLaggan, Sean D. (2008). "Darkman-II-The-Return-of-Durant". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 23, 2008. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
- ^ "American Pie 2 (2001)". Retrieved March 18, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ James, Caryn (January 15, 1998). "Humanoids Make Scientists Paranoids". The New York Times. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ Dagan, Carmel (March 17, 2016). "'L.A. Law' Star Larry Drake Dies at 66". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "'L.A. Law' Star Larry Drake Rare Blood Cancer Led to Death". TMZ. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Larry Drake (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 28, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.