Drake was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Iona Preparatory School and graduated from Mercersburg Academy.

He was excused from serving in World War II due to heart problems.
Despite this limitation, he did act in British training films.

Billed as Alfred Alderdice, Drake appeared on Broadway in Run Sheep Run (1938) and Clean Beds (1939).
After appearing in the film The Howards of Virginia (billed as Richard Alden), he got his break after starring in the 1942 Broadway smash Janie, after which he was signed to a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
He began his film career using the name Richard Alden.

After a number of films, Drake co-starred with Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) as John Truett, the boy next door.
He appeared in more than forty films in all, including Mrs. Parkington (1944),  The Green Years (1946), Cass Timberlane (1947), as composer Richard Rodgers in the loosely-based biography Words and Music (1948) and, in a role at the opposite end of the character spectrum from John Truett, as the leader of a gang of criminals in Warlock (1959).
 He also had a minor role in the film The Singing Nun (1966), playing Ed Sullivan's producer Mr. Fitzpatrick.

After television jobs for actors transitioned from live telecasts from New York to shows that were filmed in California, Drake had roles in the CBS series Lassie, NBC's Cimarron City, ABC's 77 Sunset Strip, ABC's The Rebel, CBS’ Perry Mason, ABC’s Combat!,
ABC’s Land of the Giants, ABC’s The Streets of San Francisco and NBC’s Banacek.
 He completed his last acting job in 1975, according to his obituary in the Chicago Tribune
Drake was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Iona Preparatory School and graduated from Mercersburg Academy.
He was excused from serving in World War II due to heart problems. Despite this limitation, he did act in British training films.
Billed as Alfred Alderdice, Drake appeared on Broadway in Run Sheep Run (1938) and Clean Beds (1939). After appearing in the film The Howards of Virginia (billed as Richard Alden), he got his break after starring in the 1942 Broadway smash Janie, after which he was signed to a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He began his film career using the name Richard Alden.
After a number of films, Drake co-starred with Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) as John Truett, the boy next door. He appeared in more than forty films in all, including Mrs. Parkington (1944),  The Green Years (1946), Cass Timberlane (1947), as composer Richard Rodgers in the loosely-based biography Words and Music (1948) and, in a role at the opposite end of the character spectrum from John Truett, as the leader of a gang of criminals in Warlock (1959).  He also had a minor role in the film The Singing Nun (1966), playing Ed Sullivan's producer Mr. Fitzpatrick.
After television jobs for actors transitioned from live telecasts from New York to shows that were filmed in California, Drake had roles in the CBS series Lassie, NBC's Cimarron City, ABC's 77 Sunset Strip, ABC's The Rebel, CBS’ Perry Mason, ABC’s Combat!, ABC’s Land of the Giants, ABC’s The Streets of San Francisco and NBC’s Banacek.  He completed his last acting job in 1975, according to his obituary in the Chicago Tribune
Tom Drake