One cannot forget Larry Drake’s face. His wide cheeks, sinister scowl, soft blue eyes, and arch eyebrows made for instant recognition. His body was large and imposing, and he tended to take up a screen, making him ideally suited for both heaves and tender lummoxes. Drake passed away this morning at the age of 66.
His most notable role was that of Benny on the long-running L.A. Law, for which he won two Emmy Awards. Those who were watching TV movies in the early 1980s will most certainly remember Drake in the spooky cult movie Dark Night of the Scarecrow in 1981. In the feature film world, Drake was noticed by a generation of fans playing the wicked Robert Durant in Sam Raimi’s beloved cult superhero film Darkman, as well as its 1995 straight-to-video sequel.
Slasher film fans will remember Drake forever as the snickering, murderous medical professional in 1992’s Dr. Giggles. The scene wherein Drake performs surgery on himself has been the source of innumerable Gen-Y nightmares.
Drake worked continuously, often appearing in straight-to-video genre films as well as on classy TV shows throughout the ’90s and 2000s, including Six Feet Under, Star Trek: Voyager, Firefly, 7th Heaven, and Boston Legal. He also did a good amount of voice work for various cartoons including Batman Beyond, Johnny Bravo, and Justice League.
The man’s career was deep and wide. He will be missed. Here are some of the more notable roles:
Slideshow: Larry Drake (1950 – 2016)
Top Image: Universal
Witney Seibold is a contributor to the CraveOnline Film Channel, and the co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. He also contributes to Legion of Leia and to Blumhouse. You can follow him on “The Twitter” at@WitneySeibold, where he is slowly losing his mind.
Larry Drake
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Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)
In this TV movie, Drake played a mentally challenged oaf who may or may not be responsible for the murder of a young woman, and who may or may not be dressing as a scarecrow.
Image: CBS
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Darkman (1990) and Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1995)
Darkman was only mildly lauded in 1990, but has grown a passionate cult following for its arch, comic book energy. Drake played the film's villain, Robert Druant, a wild maniac crime boss.
Image: Universal
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Dr. Giggles (1992)
In Drake's most notable role, he played the wicked Dr. Giggles, a serial killing medical professional with a scary titter.
Image: Universal
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Bean (1997)
Note: Image is not of Drake. In the oddball American film version of the British cult TV comedy, Drake played the broad bad guy, proving his range as a performer.
Image: Gramercy
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Batman Beyond: The Movie (1999)
Drake also did a good deal of voice work, most notably as the muscleman villain Jackson Chappell in the future iteration of Batman.
Image: Warner Bros.
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American Pie 2 (2001)
Remember that scene in American Pie 2 where Jim is invited to sleep, casually, with his college buddy? And both of their parents walk in on them? Yeah, one of those outraged parents was Larry Drake. Class act, that guy.
Image: Universal
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Pathology (2008)
Although not his most dignified role, Drake's role in Pathology was still fun. He played the victim of mad pathologists who would compete in murder competitions. His death is pretty grisly.
Image: MGM
