A Birthday Tribute to James Craig

Actor James Craig was born in Nashville on February 4, 1912.

Craig began his film career in bit parts of the late '30s, breaking through in a leading role opposite Ginger Rogers in KITTY FOYLE (1940).

Craig spent several years at MGM, where along with John Carroll he served as a "backup" to Clark Gable, who was away serving in World War II. Although the dark-haired Craig somewhat resembled Gable, he proved to have his own likeable personality and was a pleasing performer in numerous films of the era.

Craig is seen here with Lana Turner in a publicity still for MARRIAGE IS A PRIVATE AFFAIR (1944):

Craig's best films during his MGM years included two superb pieces of Americana, THE HUMAN COMEDY (1943), seen here with Marsha Hunt and Katharine Alexander...

...and OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES (1945), seen here with Frances Gifford:

Craig had a particular facility working with child actors, such as Margaret O'Brien in both OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES and LOST ANGEL (1943).

He also worked with Jackie "Butch" Jenkins several times, including BOYS' RANCH (1946), seen here with Dorothy Patrick:

The frequency of his '40s work opposite child actors is all the more poignant as one of his own four children died in 1948, only three years old. Craig and Butch Jenkins are seen below in LITTLE MISTER JIM (1946):

As time went on Craig moved into noir and crime films, such as SIDE STREET (1950) and WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS (1956), and he did outstanding work in the lesser-known but excellent Westerns MAN OR GUN (1958) and FOUR FAST GUNS (1960). He's seen below in the latter film.

Craig's first marriage lasted 20 years before they parted; three subsequent marriages didn't last.  He was more successful in business, doing well in real estate after cutting back on acting. He retired from acting after 1972, save for one final film role in 1976, nearly four decades after his first screen appearance.

Craig died in Orange County, California, on June 28, 1985.

James Craig films reviewed at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: THIS WAY PLEASE (1937) (bit), THE BUCCANEER (1938) (bit), GOOD GIRLS GO TO PARIS (1939) (bit), SEVEN SINNERS (1940), UNEXPECTED UNCLE (1941), NORTHWEST RANGERS (1942), SEVEN MILES FROM ALCATRAZ (1942), LOST ANGEL (1943), THE HEAVENLY BODY (1944), KISMET (1944), MARRIAGE IS A PRIVATE AFFAIR (1944), GENTLE ANNIE (1944), BOYS' RANCH (1946), DARK DELUSION (1947), SIDE STREET (1950), A LADY WITHOUT PASSPORT (1950), CODE TWO (1953), WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS (1956) (also here), SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND (1957), MAN OR GUN (1958), FOUR FAST GUNS (1960).

I also wrote about two of Craig's Westerns in my Western RoundUp column at Classic Movie Hub: MAN OR GUN was discussed in Hidden Gems, Vol. 1 and FOUR FAST GUNS in Hidden Gems, Vol. 2.

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