If I may brag a bit, Ray is one of my friends - well, really my husband’s. He probably just tolerates me! A lovely man, hilarious storyteller. I have some art of his hanging on our wall now.
I AM impressed, Miss M .........(you with Barbara Streisand’s stage name in the Broadway play that made her a star-—”I Can Get It for You Wholesale”).
Alfred Drake was born Alfred Capurro in New York City, the son of immigrant parents. Drake began his Broadway career while a student at Brooklyn College. He is best known for his leading roles in the original Broadway productions of Oklahoma!; Kiss Me, Kate; Kismet; and for playing Marshall Blackstone in the original production of Babes in Arms, (in which he sang the title song) and Hajj in Kismet, for which he received the Tony Award. He was also a prolific Shakespearean, notably starring as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing opposite Katharine Hepburn.
Drake created the roles of Curley in “Oklahoma”, Fred in “Kiss Me Kate” and the Beggar Poet in “Kismet” in the original Broadway productions. Brother of Metropolitan Opera baritone Arthur Kent. He was first choice for the role of the King in the original 1951 Broadway production of “The King and I”, but turned down the role because of a full schedule. This was before Yul Brynner auditioned and was immediately selected for the role.
Drake won Broadway’s 1954 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for “Kismet,” as well as a Special Tony Award in 1990 “for excellence in the Theatre.” Was also nominated two other times for Best Actor (Musical) Tony Awards: in 1962 for “Kean” and in 1974 for “Gigi.” His salary of $5000 per week for the 1954 Broadway production of “Kismet” made him the highest-paid leading man in Broadway history, until Jackie Gleason demanded (and was given) $5,050 per week in the 1959 production of “Take Me Along”.
Interestingly-—Drake’s rare film role was as president of the Stock Exchange in the 1983 comedy “Trading Places” with Don Ameche, Ralph Bellamy and Eddie Murphy.