Clarence Oliver Drake (May 28, 1903 – August 19, 1991) was an American film/television director, screenwriter, producer and actor who was most active in the

Western genre The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

. Though Drake began his career as an actor, he is best known as a prolific screenwriter and director of low-budget Western films (sometimes referred to as B-Westerns). Drake was most active in the 1930s and 1940s, although he continued writing and directing films until 1974. His films include ''

Today I Hang Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 ...

'' (1942).

Selected filmography

* '' Red Blood and Blue'' (1925) * '' Cyclone of the Range'' (1927) * ''

The Cherokee Kid ''The Cherokee Kid'' is a 1996 American Television film, made for television Western (genre), western film directed by Paris Barclay for HBO. The film's stars were Sinbad (entertainer), Sinbad, James Coburn, Burt Reynolds, Gregory Hines, A Mart ...

'' (1927) *''

The Flying U Ranch ''The Flying U Ranch'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Tom Tyler, Nora Lane and Bert Hadley. Cast * Tom Tyler as Señor Miguel García * Nora Lane as Sally Denson * Bert Hadley as Chip Benn ...

'' (1927) * '' The Boy Rider'' (1927) * ''

The Desert Pirate ''The Desert Pirate'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by James Dugan and starring Tom Tyler, Frankie Darro and Duane Thompson.Katchmerp.967 Cast * Tom Tyler as Tom Corrigan * Frankie Darro as Jimmy Rand * Duane Thompson as A ...

'' (1927) * ''

Red Riders of Canada ''Red Riders of Canada'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Patsy Ruth Miller, Rex Lease and Harry Woods.Munden, p. 641 Cast * Patsy Ruth Miller as Joan Duval * Charles Byer as RCMP Sergeant Brian ...

'' (1928) * ''

When the Law Rides ''When the Law Rides'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Tom Tyler, Jane Reid and Frankie Darro.Langman, p. 504 Cast * Tom Tyler as Tom O'Malley * Jane Reid as Becky Ross * Frankie Darro as Fra ...

'' (1928) * ''

Phantom of the Range ''Phantom of the Range'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by James Dugan and starring Tom Tyler, Frankie Darro and Duane Thompson.Munden, p. 602 In 1931 it was remade as a sound film '' The Cheyenne Cyclone''. Tyler also starred ...

'' (1928) * ''

The Little Buckaroo ''The Little Buckaroo'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Louis King and starring Buzz Barton, Milburn Morante and Peggy Shaw. Cast * Buzz Barton as David 'Red' Hepner * Milburn Morante as Toby Jones * Peggy Shaw as Ann Cr ...

'' (1928) * ''

Driftin' Sands ''Driftin' Sands'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Wallace Fox and starring Bob Steele, Nina Quartero, and William H. Turner. Cast * Bob Steele as 'Driftin' Sands * Nina Quartero as Nita Aliso * William H. Turner as Do ...

'' (1928) *'' Orphan of the Sage'' (1928) * '' The Pinto Kid'' (1928) * '' The Drifter'' (1929) * ''

The Vagabond Cub ''The Vagabond Cub'' is a 1929 American silent Western film directed by Louis King and starring Buzz Barton, Frank Rice and Sam Nelson.Munden, p. 852 Cast * Buzz Barton as David 'Red' Hepner * Frank Rice as Hank Robbins * Sam Nelson as Bob ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Cheyenne Cyclone ''The Cheyenne Cyclone'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Marie Quillan and Frankie Darro.Pitts p.205 It is a remake of the 1928 silent film ''Phantom of the Range''. Main cast * Lane Chan ...

'' (1931) * ''

The Law of the Tong ''The Law of the Tong'' is a 1931 American pre-Code crime film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Phyllis Barrington, John Harron and Jason Robards Sr.Pitts p.394 Synopsis A dance hall hostess becomes mixed up in a gang smuggling ill ...

'' (1931) * '' The Hurricane Horseman'' (1931) * '' West of Cheyenne'' (1931) * ''

Law and Lawless ''Law and Lawless'' is a 1932 American pre-Code western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Jack Hoxie, Julian Rivero, and Yakima Canutt. It was released on November 30, 1932, by Majestic Pictures. Synopsis Gunfighter Montana and his ...

'' (1932) * ''

Battling Buckaroo ''Battling Buckaroo'' is a 1932 American western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Doris Hill and Yakima Canutt.Pitts p.22 Synopsis A young outlaw Jack Winslow steps in to rescue a Mexican woman and her father who ar ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Reckless Rider ''The Reckless Rider'' is a 1932 American western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Phyllis Barrington and Neal Hart.Pits p.135 It was a loose remake of the 1928 FBO Pictures film ''When the Law Rides'' also written by O ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Scarlet Brand ''The Scarlet Brand'' is a 1932 American Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Bob Custer, Betty Mack and Robert D. Walker.Pitts p.69 Cast * Bob Custer as Bud Bryson * Betty Mack as Ellen Walker * Robert D. Walker as Bill Morse ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Wyoming Whirlwind ''The Wyoming Whirlwind'' is a 1932 American western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Adele Lacy and Harry Todd.Pitts p.406 It was produced by the independent Willis Kent as a second feature Synopsis Outlaw Keene Wall ...

'' (1932) * '' Lawless Valley'' (1932) * '' Guns for Hire'' (1932) * '' The Texas Tornado'' (1932) * ''

Via Pony Express ''Via Pony Express'' is a 1933 pre-Code American Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Jack Hoxie, Lane Chandler and Marceline Day. Cast * Jack Hoxie as Buck Carson *Lane Chandler as Lieutenant Bob Grey *Marceline Day as Be ...

'' (1933) * ''

Gun Law Gun laws and policies, collectively referred to as firearms regulation or gun control, regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, and use of small arms by civilians. Laws of some countries may afford civilians a right t ...

'' (1933) * ''

Trouble Busters ''Trouble Busters'' is a 1933 American pre-Code Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Jack Hoxie, Lane Chandler and Kaye Edwards. Cast *Jack Hoxie as Tex Blaine *Lane Chandler as Jim Perkins *Kaye Edwards as Mary Ann Perkin ...

'' (1933) * '' Fighting Through'' (1934) * ''

Arizona Bad Man ''Arizona Bad Man'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and starring Reb Russell, Lois January and Edmund Cobb.Rainey p.349 Cast * Reb Russell as Steve Donovan * Lois January as Lucy Dunston * Slim Whitaker as Black Bart D ...

'' (1935) *''

Lightning Triggers ''Lightning Triggers'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and starring Reb Russell, Yvonne Pelletier and Fred Kohler.Pitts p. 212-13 Plot Cast * Reb Russell as Reb Russell * Yvonne Pelletier as Marion * Fred Kohl ...

'' (1935) * ''

The Cheyenne Tornado ''The Cheyenne Tornado'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by William A. O'Connor and starring Reb Russell, Victoria Vinton and Roger Williams.Pitts p.212 Cast * Reb Russell as Red - Cheyenne Kid * Victoria Vinton as Jane Darnell * Rog ...

'' (1935) *''

West of Texas ''West of Texas'' is a 1943 American Western film written and directed by Oliver Drake. The film stars Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Frances Gladwin, Henry Hall and Marilyn Hare. The film was released on May 10, 1943, by Produce ...

'' (1937) * ''

Nation Aflame ''Nation Aflame'' is a 1937 American drama film. Directed by Victor Halperin, the film stars Noel Madison, Norma Trelvar, and Lila Lee. It was released on October 16, 1937. Cast list * Noel Madison as Frank Sandino, aka Sands * Norma Trelvar as ...

'' (1937) * ''

Arizona Legion ''Arizona Legion'' is a 1939 American Western film directed by David Howard from a screenplay by Oliver Drake, based on Bernard McConville's story. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on January 20, 1939, and stars ...

'' (1939) * ''

Shut My Big Mouth ''Shut My Big Mouth'' is a 1942 American comedy Western film directed by Charles Barton and starring Joe E. Brown. Plot A shy horticulturist becomes involved with a local criminal in the old west. Cast * Joe E. Brown as Wellington ...

'' (1942) * ''

The Lone Star Trail ''The Lone Star Trail'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Ray Taylor and starring Johnny Mack Brown and Tex Ritter. The supporting cast features Fuzzy Knight and Jennifer Holt and, in a small role as a villain, Robert Mitchum (bille ...

'' (1943) * '' Riders of the Dawn'' (1945) * '' The Lonesome Trail'' (1945) *''

Ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...

'' (1946) * '' Moon Over Montana'' (1946) * ''

Deadline Deadline(s) or The Deadline(s) may refer to: * Time limit, a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Deadline (DC Comics), a fictional villain * ''Deadline'' (magazine), a British ...

'' (1948) * '' Across the Rio Grande'' (1949) * ''

Trail of the Yukon ''Trail of the Yukon'' is a 1949 American Northern film directed by William Beaudine and starring Kirby Grant, Suzanne Dalbert and Bill Edwards. It was based on a novel by James Oliver Curwood about a North-West Mounted Police officer and his ...

'' (1949) * '' Battling Marshal'' (1950) * '' Outlaw Treasure'' (1955) * '' The Parson and the Outlaw'' (1957)

References

External links

*
Western Film Maker Oliver Drake, South Fork Companion blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drake, Oliver 1903 births 1991 deaths American male screenwriters American film producers 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters Film directors from Idaho Screenwriters from Idaho Male actors from Idaho