Frank Craven(1875-1945)
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Frank Craven, the actor, director, playwright, and producer who achieved
theatrical immortality as The Stage Manager in the original 1938
Broadway production and 1940 movie version of
Thornton Wilder's classic
Our Town (1940), was born into a
theatrical family on August 24, 1875 in Boston, Massachusetts. The son
of Ella Mayer Craven and John T. Craven, he first trod the boards in
Boston as a child. He made his Broadway debut in
George Ade's comedy "Artie" at the Garrick
Theatre on October 28, 1907. In 1914, he starred in and directed the
first of his many plays to be produced on the Great White Way, "Too
Many Cooks" [Original, Play] The play, which opened on February 24 and
closed in September 1914, was a hit, lasting 223 total performances.
His 1924 Broadway play
"New Brooms (1925)" which he wrote,
produced and directed, was made into a major motion picture the
following year by Paramount. Screenwriter
Clara Beranger adapted the play for the
film, which was directed by
William C. de Mille. As a
screenwriter himself, Craven worked on
State Fair (1933); in all, he wrote or
contributed to eight films, including an adaptation of his own 1932
play That's Gratitude (1934),
which he also directed and starred in at Columbia. His most famous
screen work was providing the story for the Laurel & Hardy comedy
Sons of the Desert (1933) and
adapting "Our Town" for the screen. In addition, seven of his plays
were made into movies and one of his short stories was adapted for
television production.
As a playwright and screenwriter, Craven generally stuck to the
domestic-comedy genre rooted in the trials and tribulations of everyday
family life. As an actor, Craven was willing typecast as an actor as
small-town men with a wry sense of humor. He made his acting debut on
the Big Screen in an uncredited role in the 1928 drama
We Americans (1928) for Universal.
At R.K.O. the following year, he directed and starred in the movie
adaptation of William LeBaron's play
The Very Idea (1929), which he
co-directed with
_Richard Rosson (I)_. Then, he returned to Broadway.
His film career began in earnest after Fox signed him to a contract in
1932. At Fox, he appeared in Handle with Care (1932)
before writing the screenplay and playing the Storekeeper in the
classic "State Fair", which starred superstar
Will Rogers. In all, he acted in
almost two score films.
Craven returned to Broadway in 1935 to direct the play "A Touch of
Brimstone", which opened in September and closed after 98 performances.
He also directed and performed in the World War One drama "For Valor"
on Broadway, a flop that lasted only one week of eight performances.
His next appearance on Broadway, three years later, was more memorable.
"Our Town", which opened at Henry Miller's Theatre on February 4, 1938
and ran there and at the Morosco for 336 performances, won the 1938
Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play set in to the fictional Grover's
Corners, New Hampshire between 1901 and 1913, also was the Broadway
debut of his son John Craven, who
played one of the main roles, George Gibbs. The independently made film
of "Our Town" was released in 1940, with Craven reprising his role as
the Stage Manager (with
William Holden replacing his son
in the role of George Gibbs). The movie, directed by
Sam Wood, earned seven Academy Award
nominations and remains a part of the mystique of the American classic.
Craven appeared on Broadway in three more productions after "Our Town".
His last appearance was in Zoe Akins' "Mrs.
January and Mr. X" in 1944. He died on September 1, 1945 in Beverly
Hills, California, shortly after completing his role in movie
Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946). He was 70 years old.
theatrical immortality as The Stage Manager in the original 1938
Broadway production and 1940 movie version of
Thornton Wilder's classic
Our Town (1940), was born into a
theatrical family on August 24, 1875 in Boston, Massachusetts. The son
of Ella Mayer Craven and John T. Craven, he first trod the boards in
Boston as a child. He made his Broadway debut in
George Ade's comedy "Artie" at the Garrick
Theatre on October 28, 1907. In 1914, he starred in and directed the
first of his many plays to be produced on the Great White Way, "Too
Many Cooks" [Original, Play] The play, which opened on February 24 and
closed in September 1914, was a hit, lasting 223 total performances.
His 1924 Broadway play
"New Brooms (1925)" which he wrote,
produced and directed, was made into a major motion picture the
following year by Paramount. Screenwriter
Clara Beranger adapted the play for the
film, which was directed by
William C. de Mille. As a
screenwriter himself, Craven worked on
State Fair (1933); in all, he wrote or
contributed to eight films, including an adaptation of his own 1932
play That's Gratitude (1934),
which he also directed and starred in at Columbia. His most famous
screen work was providing the story for the Laurel & Hardy comedy
Sons of the Desert (1933) and
adapting "Our Town" for the screen. In addition, seven of his plays
were made into movies and one of his short stories was adapted for
television production.
As a playwright and screenwriter, Craven generally stuck to the
domestic-comedy genre rooted in the trials and tribulations of everyday
family life. As an actor, Craven was willing typecast as an actor as
small-town men with a wry sense of humor. He made his acting debut on
the Big Screen in an uncredited role in the 1928 drama
We Americans (1928) for Universal.
At R.K.O. the following year, he directed and starred in the movie
adaptation of William LeBaron's play
The Very Idea (1929), which he
co-directed with
_Richard Rosson (I)_. Then, he returned to Broadway.
His film career began in earnest after Fox signed him to a contract in
1932. At Fox, he appeared in Handle with Care (1932)
before writing the screenplay and playing the Storekeeper in the
classic "State Fair", which starred superstar
Will Rogers. In all, he acted in
almost two score films.
Craven returned to Broadway in 1935 to direct the play "A Touch of
Brimstone", which opened in September and closed after 98 performances.
He also directed and performed in the World War One drama "For Valor"
on Broadway, a flop that lasted only one week of eight performances.
His next appearance on Broadway, three years later, was more memorable.
"Our Town", which opened at Henry Miller's Theatre on February 4, 1938
and ran there and at the Morosco for 336 performances, won the 1938
Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play set in to the fictional Grover's
Corners, New Hampshire between 1901 and 1913, also was the Broadway
debut of his son John Craven, who
played one of the main roles, George Gibbs. The independently made film
of "Our Town" was released in 1940, with Craven reprising his role as
the Stage Manager (with
William Holden replacing his son
in the role of George Gibbs). The movie, directed by
Sam Wood, earned seven Academy Award
nominations and remains a part of the mystique of the American classic.
Craven appeared on Broadway in three more productions after "Our Town".
His last appearance was in Zoe Akins' "Mrs.
January and Mr. X" in 1944. He died on September 1, 1945 in Beverly
Hills, California, shortly after completing his role in movie
Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946). He was 70 years old.