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poster for the 1960 Hammer picture Sands of the
Desert starring Charlie Drake |
British
comedian and actor Charlie Drake passed away just before
Christmas 2006. Drake's sole Hammer appearance was in
the 1961 comedy Sands of the Desert. The
diminutive comedian was born in the Elephant and Castle
area of London on 19 June 1925 and went on to a lengthy
career on stage, tv and film. His highly physical antics
landed him in hospital many times - in 1961 a wardrobe
which had been built so as to collapse was repaired by
an overly diligent member of the crew, and when dragged
through the wardrobe Drake suffered a serious head
injury that would leave him out of work for three years.
In the 1980s Drake returned to the screen as a serious
actor to some success.
He spent
the last years of his life in Brinsworth House - a
retirement home for actors. He died following a series
of strokes on 23 December 2006. |
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