Alma Kruger

Alma Kruger
in the trailer of Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant (1942)
Born	September 13, 1868 (or 1871, varying sources) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	April 5, 1960 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1907–1947

Alma Kruger (September 13, 1868 or 1871 – April 5, 1960) was an American actress.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kruger had a long career on stage before appearing in films. From 1907 to 1935, she featured in theatre plays on Broadway, mostly in Shakespearean plays such as Hamlet (as Gertrude), Twelfth Night (as Olivia), Taming of the Shrew (Widow), and The Merchant of Venice (Nerissa).

Kruger was brought to Hollywood by Samuel Goldwyn. She appeared in her first film while in her sixties, These Three (1936). She then proceeded to act in over forty films in the space of little more than a decade. Among her notable roles was Nurse Molly Byrd, the superintendent of nurses in the popular Dr. Kildare/Dr. Gillespie film series, appearing in all but the first two of the sixteen movies.

She portrayed Empress Maria Theresa of Austria in Marie Antoinette (1938) and the almost mother-in-law of Rosalind Russell's lead character in His Girl Friday (1940). In 1942, she appeared as the subversive society matron Henrietta Sutton in Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942). Kruger's last film appearance was in the film, Forever Amber (1947).

On radio, Kruger played Emily Mayfield on Those We Love and the captain's wife on Show Boat.

Kruger died of natural causes April 5, 1960, in a nursing home in Seattle, Washington.