War of the Worlds/Norton Drake

Norton Drake
War of the Worlds
Actor	Philip Akin
First Appearance	The Resurrection
Last Appearance	The Second Wave
Series Billing	Season One: Main The Second Wave: Guest Star
Episode Count	25
Notable Episodes	Among the Philistines

Norton Drake is a main character in the television series War of the Worlds.

Basic Information

Is the Blackwood Project's computer and communication expert. Is known to be very relaxed with a sense of humour and uses a voice-activated wheelchair named Gertrude. He loves hacking, despite or perhaps because of the inherit danger. Despite his handicap, he was taught to use a staff.

Character History

Nothing much of his background is known other than that he had five siblings and was paraplegic from birth.

According to the Writer's Bible, he is a native-born Jamaican. He built his first crystal radio set when he was seven and designed his own long-range radio antenna before graduating high school. He later graduated from Cal Tech on a full scholarship and completed his Masters Program by the age of 20 and began working at the Pacific Institute of Technology a week later. This is where he presumably met Harrison Blackwood.

Memorable Moments

• Used his staff to take out an alien who had infiltrated the Cottage.

Trivia

• The producers originally wanted an actual paraplegic to portray the character. They ultimately chose Philip Akin when no one would give them the desired performance they were looking for.

• According to the Writer's Bible, he was named for Sir Francis Drake.

• The character was clearly intended to be Jamaican. While the background may have been intended to be retained, only in "The Resurrection" is he heard speaking in a Jamaican accent before it's inexplicably dropped for the regular series. Coincidentally, actor Philip Akin was also born in Jamaica.

Quotes

• Nobody, and I mean nobody, can hide anything from Norton Drake.

• They haven't built the city big enough to hide from Norton Drake.

• Well, freak me out.