Frank Craven (August 24, 1875 â€" September 1, 1945) was an American
stage and film actor, playwright, and screenwriter, best known for
originating the role of the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's Our
Town.Craven's parents, John T. Craven and Ella Mayer Craven, were
actors, and he first appeared on stage when he was three years old, in
a child's part in The Silver King, in which his father was acting. His
next appearance on stage occurred 13 years later in another production
of the same play. That experience stirred an interest in acting as a
career.Before he acted in films, Craven worked in stage productions,
not limiting his activity to acting. "I would do anything around the
place," he said. He found later that work with carpentry, painting,
and other backstage activities proved "invaluable" to him. His initial
success in New York came in the role of James Gilley in Bought and
Paid For (1911). He also played the same role in a production in
London.Craven was a character actor who often portrayed wry,
small-town figures. His first film role was in We Americans (1928),
and he appeared in State Fair (1933), Penrod and Sam (1937), Jack
London (1943), and Son of Dracula (1943), among many others. He wrote
numerous screenplays, most notably for the Laurel and Hardy film Sons
of the Desert (1933). His IMDB biography credits him with sixteen
writing credits and two directing credits.
stage and film actor, playwright, and screenwriter, best known for
originating the role of the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's Our
Town.Craven's parents, John T. Craven and Ella Mayer Craven, were
actors, and he first appeared on stage when he was three years old, in
a child's part in The Silver King, in which his father was acting. His
next appearance on stage occurred 13 years later in another production
of the same play. That experience stirred an interest in acting as a
career.Before he acted in films, Craven worked in stage productions,
not limiting his activity to acting. "I would do anything around the
place," he said. He found later that work with carpentry, painting,
and other backstage activities proved "invaluable" to him. His initial
success in New York came in the role of James Gilley in Bought and
Paid For (1911). He also played the same role in a production in
London.Craven was a character actor who often portrayed wry,
small-town figures. His first film role was in We Americans (1928),
and he appeared in State Fair (1933), Penrod and Sam (1937), Jack
London (1943), and Son of Dracula (1943), among many others. He wrote
numerous screenplays, most notably for the Laurel and Hardy film Sons
of the Desert (1933). His IMDB biography credits him with sixteen
writing credits and two directing credits.
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