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^[1] or 1871^[2] – April 5, 1960) was an American actress.

Career

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.^[3] 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,^[4] appearing in all but the first two of the sixteen movies.

She portrayed Empress Maria Theresa of Austria in Marie Antoinette (1938)^[5] 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.^[6]

Death

Kruger died of natural causes April 5, 1960, in a nursing home in Seattle, Washington.^[4]

Filmography

These Three (1936) Craig's Wife (1936) Love Letters of a Star (1936) The Mighty Treve (1937) Breezing Home (1937) The Man in Blue (1937) Vogues of 1938 (1937) One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937) The Toy Wife (1938) Marie Antoinette (1938) Mother Carey's Chickens (1938) Tarnished Angel (1938) The Great Waltz (1938) Made for Each Other (1939) Calling Dr. Kildare* (1939) The Secret of Dr. Kildare* (1939) Balalaika (1939) His Girl Friday (1940) Dr. Kildare's Strange Case* (1940) Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) Dr. Kildare Goes Home* (1940) You'll Find Out (1940) Dr. Kildare's Crisis* (1940)

Blonde Inspiration (1941) The Trial of Mary Dugan (1941) The People vs. Dr. Kildare* (1941) Puddin' Head (1941) Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day* (1941) Dr. Kildare's Victory* (1942) Saboteur (1942) Calling Dr. Gillespie* (1942) That Other Woman (1942) Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant* (1942) Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case* (1943) Three Men in White* (1943) Mrs. Parkington (1944) (uncredited) Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944) Babes on Swing Street (1944) Between Two Women* (1945) Crime Doctor's Warning (1945) (uncredited) Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946) (uncredited) Do You Love Me (1946) (uncredited) A Scandal in Paris (1946) Fun on a Weekend (1947) Dark Delusion* (1947) Forever Amber (1947)

* -films in which Kruger portrayed Molly Byrd

References

1. "Alma Kruger Biography". allmovie.com. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
2. "Alma Kruger". IMDb. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
3. "Alma Kruger to Be In 'Soldiers Three'". Oakland Tribune. California, Oakland. Associated Press. December 12, 1935. p. 28. Retrieved July 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Alma Kruger, Film, Radio Actress, Dies". Wisconsin State Journal. Wisconsin, Madison. Associated Press. April 8, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved July 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Amusements". Rushville Republican. Indiana, Rushville. September 27, 1938. p. 4. Retrieved July 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
6. DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. P. 156.

External links

• Alma Kruger at the Internet Broadway Database
  
• Alma Kruger at the Internet Movie Database
• "Alma Kruger". Find a Grave. Retrieved August 9, 2010.