Born in Freedom: The Story of Colonel Drake - Production & Contact Info

Born in Freedom: The Story of Colonel Drake (1954)
Short | 30 min | Drama, Short

Primary photo for Born in Freedom: The Story of Colonel Drake

Born in Freedom: The Story of Colonel Drake (1954)

Short | 30 min | Drama, Short

In 1857 Edwin L. Drake is sent to investigate an oil seep in a creek near Titusville, Pennsylvania. After conferring with Dr. Brewer (the land owner) and Joel D. Angier (who devised a method of collecting oil using baffles), Drake reports ...See moreIn 1857 Edwin L. Drake is sent to investigate an oil seep in a creek near Titusville, Pennsylvania. After conferring with Dr. Brewer (the land owner) and Joel D. Angier (who devised a method of collecting oil using baffles), Drake reports back to James M. Townsend (Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company, New Haven, Conn.) that it should be feasible to increase the yield beyond the 3 to 6 gallons a day Angier has obtained. Put in charge, and addressed by the courtesy title of "Colonel" by the company, Drake first tries to dig down to the source of the oil and is heckled for his efforts. Water entry causes failure, as it does to Drake's first attempts to drill to the oil with Billy Smith ("Uncle Billy"), an experienced salt driller. Overcoming many other obstacles, Drake's innovation to shield the well from water entry by using a drive pipe finally allows drilling to proceed until striking oil in August, 1859. His perseverance yields many barrels of oil a day, and immediately brings about the start of the oil industry. Written by Brian Greenhalgh See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
12 cast members

Name	Known for
Vincent Price Colonel Edwin L. Drake Colonel Edwin L. Drake See fewer	The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Andy Clyde Uncle Billy Smith Uncle Billy Smith See fewer	Three Men from Texas (1940)
Alan Hale Jr. Crew Foreman Crew Foreman See fewer	Gilligan's Island (1964)
Thurston Hall James M. Townsend James M. Townsend See fewer	Carson City (1952)
Lloyd Corrigan Doctor Brewer Doctor Brewer See fewer	It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
Will Wright Joel D. Angier Joel D. Angier See fewer	The Blue Dahlia (1946)
Keith Richards George Henry Bissell George Henry Bissell See fewer	The Ten Commandments (1956)
Al Bridge Hotel Desk Clerk Hotel Desk Clerk See fewer	Sullivan's Travels (1941)
William 'Bill' Phillips Sam Brown Sam Brown See fewer	Living in a Big Way (1947)
William Haade Salt Driller Salt Driller See fewer	Key Largo (1948)
Jack Ingram Man on Horseback Man on Horseback See fewer	Who's Guilty? (1945)
Frank Hagney Farmer Farmer See fewer	It's a Wonderful Life (1946)