James Craig (actor)

James Craig (born James Henry Meador, February 4, 1912 - June 27, 1985) was an American actor. He is best known for appearances in films like '' Kitty Foyle'' (1940) and '' The Devil and Daniel Webster'' (1941), and his stint as a leading man at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1940s where he appeared in films like '' The Human Comedy'' (1943).

Biography

He was born in Nashville, Tennessee and studied at the Rice Institute (now Rice University), planning a career in medicine. After graduation he worked for a time as a professional football player, and a debt collector. A visit to Hollywood made him decide to become an actor. He returned home and worked in theatre for a year, then went back to Hollywood. He did a screen test for Paramount, which offered him a contract.

Paramount

He began appearing in films at Paramount, originally using the name James Mead. He appeared mostly in B-movies and serials. His early credits included '' Sophie Lang Goes West'' (1937), '' This Way Please'' (1937), '' Thunder Trail'' (1937), '' Born to the West'' (1937), '' The Buccaneer'' (1938), '' The Big Broadcast of 1938'' (1938), and '' Swing, Teacher, Swing'' (1938). He was in '' Pride of the West'' (1938).

Craig left Hollywood and went to New York. He appeared on Broadway in ''Missouri Legend'' (1938), which re-ignited Hollywood's interest in him.

Columbia

Craig tested for the role of Rhett Butler in '' Gone with the Wind'' and had the lead in '' North of Shanghai'' (1939) for Columbia.

He was in '' The Lone Wolf's Daughter'' (1939) and the serial '' Flying G-Men'' (1939). He was in '' Blondie Meets the Boss'' (1939), '' Romance of the Redwoods'' (1939), '' Blind Alley'' (1939), '' Outside These Walls'' (1939), and '' Missing Daughters'' (1939). He was in a Buster Keaton short, '' Pest from the West'' (1939), then '' Good Girls Go to Paris'' (1939) and the serial '' Overland with Kit Carson'' (1939). He did a short with Andy Clyde, ''Trouble Finds Andy Clyde'' (1939), then '' Behind Prison Gates'' (1939), '' The Man They Could Not Hang'' (1939), and '' Konga'' (1939).

Craig was in some Charley Chase shorts, ''Skinny the Moocher'' (1939) and ''Static in the Attic'' (1939). After '' A Woman Is the Judge'' (1939) he appeared in the Three Stooges film '' Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise''. Craig followed this with '' Taming of the West'' (1939), '' Scandal Sheet'' (1939), '' Forestalled'' (1939), and '' Cafe Hostess'' (1940).

Universal

Craig signed with Universal in November 1939. The studio announced it wanted to build him into a leading man. He had a support role in '' Black Friday'' (1940), then he did '' The House Across the Bay'' (1940) for Walter Wanger.

He returned to Universal for ''Zanzibar'' (1940), where he had the male lead. He was down the cast list for '' Secret Enemy'' (1940), and the serial '' Winners of the West'' (1940) but had a lead part in '' South to Karanga'' (1940). Craig had smaller parts in '' I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now'' (1940), '' Seven Sinners'' (1940), and '' Lucky Ralston'' (1940).

RKO

Craig's big break happened when RKO bought out his contract with Universal to play one of Ginger Rogers' suitors in '' Kitty Foyle'' (1940). This was a big hit.

RKO gave him the romantic lead in '' Unexpected Uncle'' (1941), and he played a New Hampshire farmer who sells his soul in '' All That Money Can Buy'', also titled '' The Devil and Daniel Webster'' (1941), with Walter Huston and Edward Arnold.

He appeared with Lucille Ball in an RKO Western, '' Valley of the Sun'' (1942). Edward Small cast him in '' Friendly Enemies'' (1942), supporting Charles Ruggles and Charles Winninger.

MGM

Louis B. Mayer, head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, thought Craig resembled the studio's most popular male star Clark Gable. Mayer signed Craig to a seven-year contract to potentially fill in for Gable when he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces.

MGM started off Craig as the lead in some B Westerns, '' The Omaha Trail'' (1942) and '' Northwest Rangers'' (1942). The latter was a remake of '' Manhattan Melodrama'' with Craig playing the role played by Gable in the original. Both films lost money.

Craig went back to RKO for '' Seven Miles from Alcatraz'' (1942) then did a naval propaganda short, ''Freedom Comes High''.

MGM launched Craig as a star in '' The Human Comedy'' (1943), which was a massive success. He was Ann Sothern's love interest in '' Swing Shift Maisie'' (1943) and supported Margaret O'Brien in '' Lost Angel'' (1943).

In 1944, Craig co-starred with William Powell and Hedy Lamarr in '' The Heavenly Body''. That year exhibitors voted him the second most likely to be a "star of tomorrow".

Craig supported Ronald Colman in '' Kismet'' (1944), and Lana Turner in '' Marriage Is a Private Affair'' (1944); the latter was a big hit. Craig was given the star role in '' Gentle Annie'' (1945) and '' Dangerous Partners'' (1945); he was reunited with Margaret O'Brien in '' Our Vines Have Tender Grapes'' (1945).

Craig starred in '' She Went to the Races'' (1945), and two with Butch Jenkins, '' Boys' Ranch'' (1946) and '' Little Mister Jim'' (1947), which both lost money. Craig replaced Van Johnson in the final film of the Dr. Kildare series. The film, '' Dark Delusion'' (1947), lost money.

Craig was loaned to Eagle Lion to appear in '' The Man from Texas'' (1948). Eagle Lion borrowed him again for '' Northwest Stampede'' (1948) then he went back to MGM to play the villain in '' Side Street'' (1949). It flopped as did '' A Lady Without Passport'' (1950), where Craig supported Lamarr and John Hodiak, and '' The Strip'' (1951) with Mickey Rooney.

Craig had the lead in a Western, '' Drums in the Deep South'' (1951), for the King Brothers and RKO. He supported Yvonne De Carlo in '' Hurricane Smith'' (1952). He wrote the script for the Western '' Scorching Fury'' (1952). The ''Los Angeles Times'' noted that Craig's MGM contract "seems to go on and on... notwithstanding he only seems to appear in the company's films at well-spaced intervals."

Walter Wanger gave him the lead in '' Fort Vengeance'' (1953). He supported in '' Code Two'' (1953) for MGM. In 1953 his $2,500 a week contract with MGM ended.

Later career

Craig began appearing on TV in "The Westerner" for '' Chevron Theatre'' and '' Studio 57'' and "Wedding March" for '' Ford Television Theatre''. He did "Dead Reckoning" for '' Science Fiction Theatre'' (1955).

Craig returned to features with '' Last of the Desperados'' (1955), where he had the lead, and '' While the City Sleeps'' (1956), which he had a support role. He could be seen in starring roles in B films like '' The Women of Pitcairn Island'' (1956), '' Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend'' (1957) with Randolph Scott, '' The Persuader'' (1957), '' The Cyclops'' (1957) for Bert I. Gordon, '' Naked in the Sun'' (1957), '' Ghost Diver'' (1957), '' Man or Gun'' (1958) and '' Four Fast Guns'' (1960).

He guest starred on shows like '' The Millionaire'' (1956), '' Broken Arrow'' (1957), '' Have Gun – Will Travel'' as Ralph Coe in S1 E26 "Birds of a Feather" (1958), '' Colgate Theatre'' (1958), '' Death Valley Days'' (1960), and '' Tales of Wells Fargo'' (1962).

B films

Craig went to Japan for '' The Revenge of Doctor X'' (1967), also known as ''Venus Flytrap''. He had support roles in '' Hostile Guns'' (1967), '' Fort Utah'' (1967) and '' Arizona Bushwhackers'' (1968) and guest starred in '' Daniel Boone'', '' Custer'', and '' The Virginian''

Craig could also be seen in '' The Devil's Brigade'' (1968), '' If He Hollers, Let Him Go!'' (1968), '' Bigfoot'' (1970), and '' The Tormentors'' (1971).

Both his last film and television performance came in 1972: he played Dr. Hainer in the sci-fi movie '' Doomsday Machine'' and John Rodman on '' The ABC Afternoon Playbreak'' episode "This Child Is Mine".

Personal life

Craig was married to Mary June Ray (from 1939 to 1954), Jil Jarmyn (married 1959, divorced 1963)) Jane Valentine 1963-1964, and Sumie Jassi; each union ended in divorce.

Craig's first wife claimed he hit her. In 1963, a judge issued an arrest warrant to Craig for refusing to attend a divorce hearing involving his second wife Jane. He turned himself in and successfully argued for his release. Jane alleged he had broken into their home, beaten her and cut up her clothes; she also alleged he had a problem with drinking. In 1967 Jane killed her eleven year old son by a previous marriage, then committed suicide.

Craig had two sons, Robert and James Jr., and a daughter; one of the sons predeceased him.

During his 1954 divorce hearing, Craig revealed he made money from a variety of sources in addition to acting, including race horses, a cafe, a chicken ranch, and carpentry.

After retiring from acting in 1972, Craig became a real estate agent.

Death

Craig died of lung cancer at Western Medical Center in Tustin, California, in 1985. He was 74.

Selected filmography

* '' Sophie Lang Goes West'' (1937) – Waiter (uncredited)
* '' This Way Please'' (1937) – Soldier (uncredited)
* '' Thunder Trail'' (1937) – Bob Tate
* '' Born to the West'' (1937) – Brady (uncredited)
* '' The Buccaneer'' (1938) – Victory Ball Creole Guest (uncredited)
* '' The Big Broadcast of 1938'' (1938) – Steward (uncredited)
* '' College Swing'' (1938) – Student (uncredited)
* '' Pride of the West'' (1938) – Nixon
* '' North of Shanghai'' (1939) – Jed Howard
* '' The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt'' (1939) – Party Guest (uncredited)
* '' Flying G-Men'' (1939, Serial) – John Cummings
* '' Blondie Meets the Boss'' (1939) – (uncredited)
* '' Romance of the Redwoods'' (1939) – Logger (uncredited)
* '' Blind Alley'' (1939) – Party Guest (uncredited)
* '' Outside These Walls'' (1939) – Reporter (uncredited)
* '' Missing Daughters'' (1939) – 1st Attendant (uncredited)
* '' Good Girls Go to Paris'' (1939) – Party Guest (uncredited)
* '' Overland with Kit Carson'' (1939) – Trapper Tennessee
* '' Behind Prison Gates'' (1939) – Jenkins (uncredited)
* '' The Man They Could Not Hang'' (1939) – Juror Watkins
* '' Konga, the Wild Stallion'' (1939) – Ed (uncredited)
* '' A Woman Is the Judge'' (1939) – Detective (uncredited)
* '' Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise'' (1939 '' The Three Stooges'') – Swindler Driving Car (uncredited)
* '' The Taming of the West'' (1939) – Handy Clem – Henchman
* '' Scandal Sheet'' (1939) – Mann
* '' Two-Fisted Rangers'' (1939) – Saloon Gambler (uncredited)
* '' Cafe Hostess'' (1940) – Rocky (uncredited)
* '' Black Friday'' (1940) – Reporter Ernst Gives Notes To (uncredited)
* '' The House Across the Bay'' (1940) – Brenda's Friend (uncredited)
* ''Zanzibar'' (1940) – Steve Marland
* '' Enemy Agent'' (1940) – Federal Agent Posing as Drunk (uncredited)
* '' Winners of the West'' (1940, Serial) – Jim Jackson
* '' South to Karanga'' (1940) – Steve Hawley
* '' I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now'' (1940) – Ray
* '' Seven Sinners'' (1940) – Ensign #1
* '' Law and Order'' (1940) – Brant
* '' Kitty Foyle'' (1940) – Mark Eisen
* '' Unexpected Uncle'' (1941) – Johnny Kerrigan
* '' The Devil and Daniel Webster'' (1941) – Jabez Stone
* '' Valley of the Sun'' (1942) – Jonathan Ware
* '' Friendly Enemies'' (1942) – Bill Pfeiffer
* '' The Omaha Trail'' (1942) – Pat Candel
* '' Northwest Rangers'' (1942) – Frank 'Blackie' Marshall
* '' Seven Miles from Alcatraz'' (1942) – Champ Larkin
* '' The Human Comedy'' (1943) – Tom Spangler
* '' Swing Shift Maisie'' (1943) – 'Breezy' McLaughlin
* '' Lost Angel'' (1943) – Mike Regan
* '' The Heavenly Body'' (1944) – Lloyd X. Hunter
* '' Kismet'' (1944) – Caliph
* '' Marriage Is a Private Affair'' (1944) – Capt. Miles Lancing
* '' Gentle Annie'' (1944) – Lloyd Richland aka Rich Williams
* '' Dangerous Partners'' (1945) – Jeff Caighn
* '' Our Vines Have Tender Grapes'' (1945) – Nels Halverson
* '' She Went to the Races'' (1945) – Steve Canfield
* '' Boys' Ranch'' (1946) – Dan Walker
* '' Little Mister Jim'' (1947) – Capt. Big Jim Tukker
* '' Dark Delusion'' (1947) – Dr. Tommy Coalt
* '' The Man from Texas'' (1948) – Tobias Simms, alias Toby Heath
* '' Northwest Stampede'' (1948) – Dan Bennett
* '' Side Street'' (1949) – Georgie Garsell
* '' A Lady Without Passport'' (1950) – Chief Frank Westlake, INS
* '' The Strip'' (1951) – Delwyn 'Sonny' Johnson
* '' Drums in the Deep South'' (1951) – Maj. Clay Clayburn
* '' Hurricane Smith'' (1952) – Gorvahlsen
* '' Fort Vengeance'' (1953) – Dick Ross
* '' Code Two'' (1953) – Police Lt. Redmon
* '' Last of the Desperados'' (1955) – Sheriff Pat Garrett
* ''Massacre'' (1956) – Teniente Ezparza
* '' While the City Sleeps'' (1956) – 'Honest' Harry Kritzer
* '' The Women of Pitcairn Island'' (1956) – Capt. Jeb Page
* '' Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend'' (1957) – Ep Clark
* '' The Persuader'' (1957) – Bick Justin
* '' The Cyclops'' (1957) – Russ Bradford
* '' Naked in the Sun'' (1957) – Chief Osceola
* '' Ghost Diver'' (1957) – Roger Bristol
* '' Man or Gun'' (1958) – Pinch Corley
* '' Four Fast Guns'' (1960) – Tom Sabin
* '' Hostile Guns'' (1967) – Ned Cooper
* '' Fort Utah'' (1967) – Bo Greer
* '' Arizona Bushwhackers'' (1968) – Ike Clanton
* '' The Devil's Brigade'' (1968) – Major General Knapp
* '' If He Hollers, Let Him Go!'' (1968) – Police Chief
* '' Bigfoot'' (1970) – Cyrus
* '' The Revenge of Dr. X'' (1970) – Dr. Bragan
* ''The Tormentors'' (1971)
* '' Doomsday Machine'' (1972) – Dr. Haines (final film role)

Radio appearances

References

External links

"James Craig, Once Billed as 2nd Gable, Dies"
''Los Angeles Times'' obituary, July 9, 1985.


''New York Times'' obituary, July 10, 1985.

"James Craig; Actor Had Clark Gable-type Roles"
''Chicago Tribune'' obituary, July 10, 1985.


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Craig, James
1912 births
1985 deaths
American male stage actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
Male actors from Nashville, Tennessee
Deaths from lung cancer in California
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players
Rice University alumni
20th-century American male actors
Universal Pictures contract players