Craig Stevens (born Gail Shikles Jr.; July 8, 1918 â€" May 10, 2000)
was an American film and television actor, best known for his starring
role on television as private detective Peter Gunn from 1958 to
1961.Stevens was born in Liberty, Missouri to Marie and Gail Shikles.
His father was a high school teacher in Liberty and later an
elementary school principal in Kansas City, Missouri. He studied
dentistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, from which he
received a bachelor's degree in 1936.Later, in the early 1940s, he
also majored in theatre at the University of Kansas at Lawrence.Acting
with the university's drama club prompted him to halt his studies to
audition in the Hollywood film industry. Under the name Michael Gale
(a play on his first name), his first screen role was a sailor in
Coast Guard (1939). 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.
was an American film and television actor, best known for his starring
role on television as private detective Peter Gunn from 1958 to
1961.Stevens was born in Liberty, Missouri to Marie and Gail Shikles.
His father was a high school teacher in Liberty and later an
elementary school principal in Kansas City, Missouri. He studied
dentistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, from which he
received a bachelor's degree in 1936.Later, in the early 1940s, he
also majored in theatre at the University of Kansas at Lawrence.Acting
with the university's drama club prompted him to halt his studies to
audition in the Hollywood film industry. Under the name Michael Gale
(a play on his first name), his first screen role was a sailor in
Coast Guard (1939). 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.
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