Home → Familiar faces → Fred Draper
Fred Draper
John Cassavetes’s roommate in their student years, and an actor from that circle who was given the killer in Columbo: in Last Salute to the Commodore the murderer is his Swanny Swanson. Fred Draper’s other three parts are supporting roles.
Parts in Columbo
| Episode | Season | Year | Character | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovely But Lethal 3×01 | 3 | 1973 | Murcheson | 6.5 |
| A Deadly State of Mind 4×06 | 4 | 1975 | David Morris | 7 |
| Last Salute to the Commodore 5×06 | 5 | 1976 | Swanny Swanso | 6 |
| Fade in to Murder 6×01 | 6 | 1976 | Joseph | 8.5 |
From the Cassavetes circle
In New York Draper studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and shared a room with Cassavetes; his classmates included Grace Kelly and Anne Bancroft. He later appeared in four Cassavetes films — Faces, Husbands, A Woman Under the Influence and Opening Night.
Besides Swanson, in Columbo he plays Murcheson in Lovely But Lethal, David Morris in A Deadly State of Mind and Joseph in Fade in to Murder. Some references say six episodes; by the credits we use, it is four.
Facts
- The killer in Last Salute to the Commodore (1976) — Swanny Swanson.
- Shared a room with John Cassavetes while both were studying acting.
- Appeared in four Cassavetes films.
Questions
Who did Fred Draper play in Last Salute to the Commodore?
Swanny Swanson — the killer.
More familiar faces
John Finnegan
Bruce Kirby
Vito Scotti
Cast data from TMDB. Biographical details from open reference sources.