James Craig, an American actor, was a leading man of Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s. He was used by MGM as a replacement for Clark Gable during the latter’s World War II service. He is well known for his appearances in movies like “Kitty Foyle” and “The Devil and Daniel Webster.” James had a spell as a leading man at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in the 1940s because, at that time, he appeared in films like “The Human Comedy.”
| Characteristics | Classification |
| Name | James Craig |
| Date of Birth | February 4, 1912 |
| Place of Birth | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Date of Death | June 28, 1985 |
| Place of Death | Santa Ana, California |
| Age | 73 years old |
| Spouse | Sumie Craig (1969 to 1989), Jane Gail Hoschouer ( 1963 to 1967), Jill Jarmyn (1959 to 1962), Mary June Ray (1939 to 1954) |
| Children | 3 |
James was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and he studied at the Rice Institute, now named Rice University. He was planning a career in medicine. After completing his studies and graduating, he worked as a professional football player and a debt collector for some time. Then James visited Hollywood, and after going there, he wanted to become an actor.
Then, after returning home, he worked in a theatre for a year and then again went back to Hollywood. At the start, he faced struggles in getting roles and did several screen tests, and eventually got different contracts.
Craig was married to Mary June Ray in 1939, and they got divorced in 1954. The couple also has three children together, two sons and one daughter. He then married Jill Jarmyyn in 1959 and divorced in 1962. Then he married Jane Gail in 1963, and they got divorced in 1967. Then he married Sumie Craig in 1969, and their marriage ended in 1989.
The personal life of James is complicated, as his first wife claimed that he hit her. Also, in 1963, a judge issued an arrest warrant for James as he refused to attend a divorce hearing with his second wife. His third wife, Jane, also alleged that he broke into their home and behaved badly with her. Along with that, Jane also stated that he had a drinking problem. The personal life of James is filled with so many challenges and ups and downs.
The acting career of James Craig spanned almost 30 years, during which he transitioned from an uncredited extra to a leading man at MGM. He also got a chance to work in B-movies and television. At the start of his career, he was credited as an extra, then he landed a contract with Paramount, where he mostly appeared in B-movies.
The prominent role of his career includes the romantic leads in “Unexpected Uncle” in 1941 and a Faustian character in “The Devil and Daniel Webster” in 1941. James' career faced a significant rise at MGM when he signed a seven-year contract, as they planned to cast him as a replacement for the role of major star, Clark Gable, because he was serving in the military during World War II.
He appeared in various successful films for the studio, like “The Human Comedy” in 1940 and “Our Veins Have Tender Grapes” in 1945. In 1972, James was filmed in his last film of the sci-fi genre, “Doomsday Machine,” and after making this film, he retired from his acting career. After his retirement, James Craig became a real estate agent.
The significant achievement of James Craig's career includes the contract player becoming a leading man at MGM. His breakthrough role is as a suitor to Ginger Rogers in this highly successful film that led to his contract with MGM. He was a prominent star in several MGM films.
Throughout his long career, Craig has demonstrated the versatility he shows that he can play a wide variety of genres, including crime dramas and comedies. He also became a familiar guest star on popular shows of the 1950s and 1960s, including “The Virginian” and “Have Gun-Will Travel.”
The American actor James Craig died of lung cancer on June 28, 1985. James passed away at the age of 73 at Western Medical Centre in Santa Ana, California. His death came after he had retired from his acting career in the 1970s and became a real estate agent in his second career.
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