# Nell Craig

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{{Short description|American actress (1891–1965)}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Nell Craig
| image         = Nell Craig - Sep 1916 MP.jpg
| image_size    = 190px
| alt           = 
| caption       = Craig in 1916
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1891|6|13}}
| birth_place   = [Princeton, New Jersey](/source/Princeton%2C_New_Jersey), U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1965|1|5|1891|6|13}}
| death_place   = [Hollywood, California](/source/Hollywood%2C_California), U.S.
| occupation    = Actress
| years_active  = 1913–1948
}}

'''Nell Craig''' (June 13, 1891 – January 5, 1965) was an American actress from the 1910s into the 1940s.<ref>{{cite web|author=Hans J. Wollstein |url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/nell-craig-p15567 |title=Nell Craig |publisher=AllMovie |date= |accessdate=2019-03-27}}</ref> In silent pictures she was known for her collaborations with her husband, director [Fred E. Wright](/source/Fred_E._Wright_(director)). In the 1940s, she played Nurse "Nosey" Parker in the [Dr. Kildare](/source/Dr._Kildare) and Dr. Gillespie medical dramas. 

== Biography ==
Craig was born in [Princeton, New Jersey](/source/Princeton%2C_New_Jersey) and raised in Philadelphia,<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last=Naylor |first=Hazel Simpson |date=April 1917 |title=The Golden Girl: A Morning Spent with Nell Craig |url=https://archive.org/details/motionpicturemag13moti/page/n411/mode/2up?q=%22Nell+Craig%22+ |journal=Motion Picture Magazine |volume=13 |issue=3 |pages=66-67, 1960 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> the daughter of Charles Craig and Sarah J. Applegate Craig. Her father worked for the railroad; both of her parents were also born in New Jersey.<ref>1900 United States census, via Ancestry.</ref>  

Craig made over 150 films. Unlike some of her peers, she successfully made the transition from the [silent era](/source/Silent_film) into sound films.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Parsons |first=Louella O. |author-link=Louella Parsons |date=1930-07-22 |title=Warners Making Latest Picture With New Telescopic Process |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-courier-warners-making-latest-pi/196933403/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Evening Courier |pages=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She was seen in westerns,<ref name=":0" /> historical romances,<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=McQuade |first=James S. |date=1915-10-16 |title=Reviews of Current Productions: 'In the Palace of the King' |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Moving_Picture_World_and_View_Photograph/De8lR_sUtoUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nell+Craig&pg=PA657&printsec=frontcover |journal=The Moving Picture World |pages=460-461}}</ref> melodramas,<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Graham |first=Thomas |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Silent_Films_in_St_Augustine/-YDSEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nell+Craig&pg=PA1913-IA3&printsec=frontcover |title=Silent Films in St. Augustine |date=2017-09-05 |publisher=University Press of Florida |isbn=978-0-8130-6304-1 |language=en}}</ref> and comedies. "I prefer emotional parts, not simpering ingenue parts," she told an interviewer in 1917.<ref name=":8" /> She was considered a screen beauty, with dark hair and eyes.<ref name=":8" /> After playing a blind character in ''In the Palace of the King'' (1916), she "suffered severely from inflamed eye balls" after holding her eyes wide open without blinking during filming.<ref name=":1" /> Later in her career she played "Nurse Nosey Parker" in the Dr. Kildare and Dr. Gillespie movies.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=1941-03-08 |title=Criterion; 'Dr. Kildare's Crisis' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-of-cumberland-county-criterion/196933670/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=The News of Cumberland County |pages=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite news |last=Cameron |first=Kate |date=1943-02-21 |title=Barrymore Again the Peevish Doc |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-barrymore-again-the-peevish-d/196933938/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Daily News |pages=39 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1941-08-01 |title=Birthday on Stage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-birthday-on-stage/196934620/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Democrat and Chronicle |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>  

She married writer and director [Fred E. Wright](/source/Fred_E._Wright_(director)),<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=1924-10-26 |title=Wrights Prove Romance Lives; Love Story of Novelist and Actress Colorful |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-wrights-prove-roma/196932304/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=19, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-wrights-prove-roma/196932457/ 20] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> who directed her in silent films for [Pathé](/source/Path%C3%A9) and [Essanay](/source/Essanay_Studios) studios. They moved to California in 1918, he left film work, and she supported them while he wrote his best-selling novel, ''Pandora La Croix'' (1924)''.''<ref>{{Cite journal |date=September 1924 |title=A Writer's Mouse |url=https://archive.org/details/Screenland-1924-09-Vol-9-No-6/page/78/mode/2up?q=%22Nell+Craig%22+ |journal=Screenland |volume=9 |issue=6 |pages=78 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> Her husband died in 1936.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1936-08-07 |title=Rite Near for Film Veteran |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news-rite-ne/196932937/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Los Angeles Evening Citizen News |pages=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She lived at the [Motion Picture Country House and Hospital](/source/Motion_Picture_%26_Television_Fund) in her later years, and died in 1965, in Hollywood, at the age of 73.<ref>Death date confirmed in California Death Index, via Ancestry.</ref>

==Partial filmography==
thumb|Still from the American drama film ''The Queen of Sheba'' (1921) with Nell Craig as Princess Vashti, on page 71 of the September 24, 1921 ''Exhibitors Herald''.

=== Silent films ===
* ''[The Battle of Shiloh](/source/The_Battle_of_Shiloh)'' (1913)
* ''Pearl of the Punjab'' (1914, Pathé)<ref name=":2" /> 
* ''When Rome Ruled'' (1914, Pathé)<ref name=":2" /> 
* ''Once a Thief'' (1914, Essanay)<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Rainey |first=Buck |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Strong_Silent_Type/JZMuEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nell+Craig&pg=PA163&printsec=frontcover |title=The Strong, Silent Type: Over 100 Screen Cowboys, 1903-1930 |date=2024-10-18 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-1524-0 |pages=162, 163, 164 |language=en}}</ref> 
* ''Jabez's Conquest'' (1915, Essanay)<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1915-07-10 |title=Jabez's Conquest |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Moving_Picture_World/AZ0sAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Nell%20Craig |journal=The Moving Picture World |pages=328}}</ref> 
* ''A Pound for a Pound'' (1915, Essanay)<ref name=":0" /> 
* ''His Crucible'' (1915, Essanay)<ref name=":3" /> 
* ''The Law's Decree'' (1915, Essanay)<ref name=":3" /> 
* ''The Return of Gentleman Joe'' (1915, Essanay)<ref name=":3" /> 
* ''The Second Son'' (1915, Essanay)<ref name=":3" /> 
* ''The Destroyer'' (1915, Essanay)<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1915-10-30 |title=Stories of the Films |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Moving_Picture_World_and_View_Photograph/De8lR_sUtoUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nell%20Craig&pg=PA1015&printsec=frontcover |journal=The Moving Picture World |pages=1015}}</ref> 
* ''The Whirlpool'' (1915, Essanay)<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Howard |first=Marion |date=1915-11-06 |title=Spokes from the Hub |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Moving_Picture_World_and_View_Photograph/De8lR_sUtoUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nell%20Craig&pg=PA1122&printsec=frontcover |journal=The Moving Picture World |pages=1122}}</ref> 
* ''On the Little Mill Trace'' (1915, Essanay)<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1915-11-06 |title=Stories of the Films |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Moving_Picture_World_and_View_Photograph/De8lR_sUtoUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nell%20Craig&pg=PA1187&printsec=frontcover |journal=The Moving Picture World |pages=1187}}</ref> 
* ''The Danger of Being Lonesome'' (1915, Essanay)<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1915-12-18 |title=Stories of the Films |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Moving_Picture_World_and_View_Photograph/De8lR_sUtoUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nell%20Craig&pg=PA208-IA27&printsec=frontcover |journal=The Moving Picture World |pages=2239}}</ref> 
* ''The Condemnation'' (1916, Essanay)<ref name=":3" /> 
* ''Gold Dust'' (1916, Essanay)<ref name=":3" /> 
* ''Her Naked Soul'' (1916, Essanay)<ref name=":3" /> 
* ''The War Bride of Plumville'' (1916, Essanay)<ref name=":3" /> 
* ''The Breaker'' (1916, Essanay) based on a story by [Arthur Stringer](/source/Arthur_Stringer_(writer))<ref>{{Cite news |date=1917-12-09 |title=Grand Theatre |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-cruz-sentinel-grand-theatre/196932083/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |pages=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* ''In the Palace of the King'' (1916, Essanay; adapted from a [Francis Marion Crawford](/source/Francis_Marion_Crawford) novel)<ref name=":1" />
* ''[The Trufflers](/source/The_Trufflers)'' (1917)<ref>{{Cite news |date=1917-05-05 |title=Would You Know What a Truffler is? Read This and See |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-express-would-you-kn/196931854/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Los Angeles Evening Express |pages=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1917-06-03 |title=Nell Craig Star in 'The Trufflers' at The Royal Today; Pretty Actress Demonstrates Her Versatility |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/atlantic-city-sunday-press-the-sunday-ga/196933138/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Atlantic City Sunday Press the Sunday Gazette |pages=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* ''[The Triflers](/source/The_Triflers_(1920_film))'' (1920)
* ''[The Desperate Hero](/source/The_Desperate_Hero)'' (1920)<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1920-06-19 |title=The Desperate Hero |url=https://archive.org/details/camera1920192200unse/page/n5/mode/2up?q=%22Nell+Craig%22+ |journal=Camera! |volume=3 |issue=10 |pages=7 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
* ''[Passion's Playground](/source/Passion's_Playground)'' (1920)
* ''[Her First Elopement](/source/Her_First_Elopement)'' (1920)
* ''[The Queen of Sheba](/source/The_Queen_of_Sheba_(1921_film))'' (1921)
* ''[Remembrance](/source/Remembrance_(1922_film))'' (1922)
* ''[The Abysmal Brute](/source/The_Abysmal_Brute_(film))'' (1923)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[Abraham Lincoln](/source/Abraham_Lincoln_(1924_film))'' (1924)<ref name=":4" />
* ''[A Boy of Flanders](/source/A_Boy_of_Flanders)'' (1924)

=== Sound pictures ===
* ''[Cimarron](/source/Cimarron_(1931_film))'' (1931)<ref name=":5" />
* ''[Hold Your Man](/source/Hold_Your_Man)'' (1933)
* ''[Beauty for Sale](/source/Beauty_for_Sale)'' (1933)
* ''[I'm No Angel](/source/I'm_No_Angel)'' (1933)
* ''[The Cat's-Paw](/source/The_Cat's-Paw)'' (1934)
* ''[The Lemon Drop Kid](/source/The_Lemon_Drop_Kid_(1934_film))'' (1934)
* ''[Mad Love](/source/Mad_Love_(1935_film))'' (1935)
* ''[The Secret of Dr. Kildare](/source/The_Secret_of_Dr._Kildare)'' (1939)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[Dr. Kildare's Strange Case](/source/Dr._Kildare's_Strange_Case)'' (1940)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[Beyond Tomorrow](/source/Beyond_Tomorrow_(film))'' (1940)
* ''[Dr. Kildare Goes Home](/source/Dr._Kildare_Goes_Home)'' (1940)
* ''[Nobody's Children](/source/Nobody's_Children_(1940_film))'' (1940)
* ''[Dr. Kildare's Crisis](/source/Dr._Kildare's_Crisis)'' (1940)<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Rainey |first=Buck |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Reel_Cowboy/Q3iPEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nell+Craig&pg=PA79&printsec=frontcover |title=The Reel Cowboy: Essays on the Myth in Movies and Literature |date=2014-03-14 |publisher=McFarland |page=79, 176, 227 |isbn=978-0-7864-9365-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6" />
* ''[This Woman is Mine](/source/This_Woman_Is_Mine)'' (1941)<ref>{{Cite news |date=1941-12-03 |title=Tone and Carroll Star at Regent; 'This Woman is Mine' Based on Best-Selling Novel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call-tone-and-carroll-star-a/196933531/ |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=The Morning Call |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* ''[The People vs. Dr. Kildare](/source/The_People_vs._Dr._Kildare)'' (1941)
* ''[Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day](/source/Dr._Kildare's_Wedding_Day)'' (1941)
* ''[Dr. Kildare's Victory](/source/Dr._Kildare's_Victory)'' (1942)
* ''[Calling Dr. Gillespie](/source/Calling_Dr._Gillespie)'' (1942)
* ''[Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant](/source/Dr._Gillespie's_New_Assistant)'' (1942)<ref name=":7" />
* ''[Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour](/source/Henry_Aldrich_Gets_Glamour)'' (1943)
* ''[Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case](/source/Dr._Gillespie's_Criminal_Case)'' (1943)
* ''[Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid](/source/Henry_Aldrich_Plays_Cupid)'' (1944)
* ''[3 Men in White](/source/3_Men_in_White)'' (1944)
* ''[Casanova Brown](/source/Casanova_Brown)'' (1944)
* ''[Fashion Model](/source/Fashion_Model_(film))'' (1945)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Monogram Pictures |url=http://archive.org/details/pressbook-monogram-fashion-model |title=Fashion Model (Monogram Pressbook, 1945) |date=1945 |publisher=Monogram Pictures |others=Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research}}</ref>
* ''[Between Two Women](/source/Between_Two_Women_(1945_film))'' (1945)
* ''[Black Market Babies](/source/Black_Market_Babies)'' (1945)
* ''[Possessed](/source/Possessed_(1947_film))'' (1947)
* ''[Dark Delusion](/source/Dark_Delusion)'' (1947)
* ''[Here Comes Trouble](/source/Here_Comes_Trouble_(1948_film))'' (1948)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Nell Craig}}
* {{IMDb name|0185968}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Craig, Nell}}
Category:1891 births
Category:1965 deaths
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:American film actresses
Category:Actresses from Princeton, New Jersey

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nell Craig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nell_Craig) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nell_Craig?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.