Craig Stevens (actor)
| Craig Stevens | |
|---|---|
in 1960
|
|
| Born |
Gail Shikles, Jr. July 8, 1918 Liberty, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | May 10, 2000 (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | cancer |
| Years active | 1939-1988 |
| Spouse(s) | Alexis Smith (1944-1993) (her death) |
Craig Stevens (born Gail Shikles, Jr.; July 8, 1918 – May 10, 2000) was an American film and television actor.
Born Gail Shikles, Jr., in Liberty, Missouri, his father was a high school teacher and elementary school principal in Kansas City, Missouri. Stevens studied dentistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, from which he received a bachelor's degree in 1936.
Acting with the university's drama club prompted him to halt his studies and instead to audition in the Hollywood film industry. After first using "Michael Gale" (a play on his first name), his first screen role was a sailor in Coast Guard. After his debut in a small role in 1939, he adopted the stage name Craig Stevens. For the next period of his film career, he played mainly secondary parts.
Stevens and his future wife, Alexis Smith, both appear in the 1941 film Dive Bomber, though they share no scenes together.
During World War II, Stevens served in the United States Army Air Corps First Motion Picture Unit based in Culver City, California, acting in propaganda and training films. The unit came to be known as "The Culver City Commandos".
On October 29, 1954, Stevens guest starred on the 1953–1955 ABC sitcom with a variety show theme, The Ray Bolger Show. Ray Bolger portrayed Raymond Wallace, a song-and-dance man who was repeatedly barely on time for his performances. Stevens portrayed a novelist interested in Ray's girlfriend, Susan, played by Marjie Millar.
...
Wikipedia