Alma Kruger (September 13, 1871 – April 5, 1960) was an American actress.

Career

Born in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

in 1871 (or 1868 according to other sources), 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 William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

plays such as ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' (as Gertrude), ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'' (as Olivia), ''

Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunke ...

'' (Widow), and ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'' (Nerissa). Kruger was brought to Hollywood by

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor an ...

. She appeared in her first film ''

These Three ''These Three'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by William Wyler and starring Miriam Hopkins, Merle Oberon, Joel McCrea, and Bonita Granville. The screenplay by Lillian Hellman is based on her 1934 play '' The Children's Hour''. A 1961 re ...

'' (1936) while in her 60s. She then proceeded to act in over 40 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. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictur ...

/Dr. Gillespie film series, appearing in all but the first two of the 16 movies. Alma Kruger in Dr

She portrayed Empress

Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position '' suo jure'' (in her own right) ...

in '' Marie Antoinette'' (1938) and the almost mother-in-law of

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the H ...

's lead character in ''

His Girl Friday ''His Girl Friday'' is a 1940 American screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks, starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell and featuring Ralph Bellamy and Gene Lockhart. It was released by Columbia Pictures. The plot centers on a newspaper edito ...

'' (1940), after already playing an in-law to Russell four years earlier, in ''

Craig's Wife ''Craig's Wife'' is a 1925 play written by American playwright George Kelly. It won the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and has been adapted for three feature films. Production ''Craig's Wife'' premiered on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre on ...

''. In 1942, she appeared as the subversive society matron Henrietta Sutton in Alfred Hitchcock's ''

Saboteur Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identiti ...

'' (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''.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 156.

Death

Kruger died of natural causes April 5, 1960 in a nursing home in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region ...

Filmography

* ''

'' (1936) – Mrs. Amelia Tilford * ''

'' (1936) – Ellen Austen * '' Love Letters of a Star'' (1936) – Veronica Todd * '' The Mighty Treve'' (1937) – Mrs. Davis * ''

Breezing Home ''Breezing Home'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Milton Carruth and starring Binnie Barnes, William Gargan, and Wendy Barrie Wendy Barrie (born Marguerite Wendy Jenkins; 18 April 1912 – 2 February 1978) was a British-Ameri ...

'' (1937) – Mrs. Evans * '' The Man in Blue'' (1937) – Mrs. Dunne * ''

Vogues of 1938 ''Walter Wanger's Vogues of 1938'' (also known by its shortened form, ''Vogues of 1938'') is a 1937 musical comedy film produced by Walter Wanger and distributed by United Artists. It was directed by Irving Cummings, written by Bella Spewack and S ...

'' (1937) – Sophie Miller * ''

One Hundred Men and a Girl ''One Hundred Men and a Girl'' (styled 100 Men and a Girl in advertising) is a 1937 American musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin and the maestro Leopold Stokowski. Written by Charles Kenyon, Bruce Manning, and ...

'' (1937) – Mrs. Tyler * ''

The Toy Wife ''The Toy Wife'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Luise Rainer and Melvyn Douglas. The period film was produced by Merian C. Cooper and written by Zoë Akins. Plot Set before the American Civil War, ''The T ...

'' (1938) – Madame Vallaire * '' Marie Antoinette'' (1938) – Empress Maria Theresa * '' Mother Carey's Chickens'' (1938) – Aunt Bertha * '' Tarnished Angel'' (1938) – Mrs. Harry Stockton * '' The Great Waltz'' (1938) – Mrs. Strauss * '' Made for Each Other'' (1939) – Sister Madeline * ''

Calling Dr. Kildare ''Calling Dr. Kildare'' is a 1939 film in the Dr. Kildare series. Directed by Harold S. Bucquet, it stars Lew Ayres as the young Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie, his mentor. The second of MGM's series of Kildare films, it intro ...

'' (1939) – Molly Byrd * ''

The Secret of Dr. Kildare ''The Secret of Dr. Kildare'' is a 1939 American film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This was the fourth of a total of ten Dr. Kildare pictures, Lew Ayres starred all but the first. Plot summary Dr. Leonard ...

'' (1939) – Head Nurse Molly Byrd * ''

Balalaika The balalaika (russian: link=no, балала́йка, ) is a Russian stringed musical instrument with a characteristic triangular wooden, hollow body, fretted neck and three strings. Two strings are usually tuned to the same note and the thir ...

'' (1939) – Mrs. Danchenoff * ''

'' (1940) – Mrs. Baldwin * '' Dr. Kildare's Strange Case'' (1940) – Molly Byrd, Superintendent of Nurses * ''

Anne of Windy Poplars Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

'' (1940) – Mrs. Stephen Pringle * '' Dr. Kildare Goes Home'' (1940) – Molly Byrd * '' You'll Find Out'' (1940) – Aunt Margo * '' Dr. Kildare's Crisis'' (1940) – Molly Byrd * ''

Blonde Inspiration ''Blonde Inspiration'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Busby Berkeley and written by Marion Parsonnet. The film stars John Shelton, Virginia Grey, Albert Dekker, Charles Butterworth, and Donald Meek. The film was released on February ...

'' (1941) – Victoria * ''

The Trial of Mary Dugan ''The Trial of Mary Dugan'' is a play written by Bayard Veiller. The 1927 melodrama concerns a sensational courtroom trial of a showgirl accused of killing her millionaire lover. Her defense attorney is her brother, Jimmy Dugan. It was first pr ...

'' (1941) – Dr. Saunders * ''

The People vs. Dr. Kildare ''The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' is a 1941 drama directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Bonita Granville, and Laraine Day. Dr. Kildare performs an emergency operation on a crash victim. Plot Ice skater Frances Marlo ...

'' (1941) – Molly Byrd * '' Puddin' Head'' (1941) – Molly Byrd * ''

Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day ''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, and Laraine Day. It is the eighth of a total of nine Dr. Kildare pictures made by the MGM studios. When MGM decided ...

'' (1941) – Molly Byrd * '' Dr. Kildare's Victory'' (1942) – Molly Byrd * ''

'' (1942) – Mrs. Sutton * ''

Calling Dr. Gillespie ''Calling Dr. Gillespie'' is a 1942 drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lionel Barrymore, Donna Reed and Philip Dorn. This was a continuation of the series that had starred Lew Ayres as Dr. Kildare. Ayres, however, had declared c ...

'' (1942) – Molly Byrd * '' Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant'' (1942) – Molly Byrd * ''

That Other Woman ''That Other Woman'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Ray McCarey, written by Jack Jungmeyer, and starring Virginia Gilmore, James Ellison, Dan Duryea, Janis Carter, Alma Kruger and Lon McCallister. It was released on November 13, 19 ...

'' (1942) – Grandma Borden * ''

Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case ''Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case'' is a 1943 film in the Dr. Kildare series. Based on characters created by Max Brand. The third of MGM's Dr. Gillespie series (6 in all) to dispense with the services of Dr. Kildare (Lew Ayres) (8 in all) after '' ...

'' (1943) – Molly Byrd * '' Three Men in White'' (1944) – Molly Byrd * ''

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay ''Our Hearts Were Young and Gay'' is a book by actress Cornelia Otis Skinner and journalist Emily Kimbrough, published in 1942. The book presents a description of their European tour in the 1920s, when they were fresh out of college from Bryn M ...

'' (1944) – Mrs. Lamberton * ''

Babes on Swing Street ''Babes on Swing Street'' is a 1944 musical comedy film directed by Edward C. Lilley and starring Ann Blyth, Peggy Ryan, and Andy Devine. It was produced by Universal Pictures. Plot Barber's daughter Trudy Costello gives close shaves at her dad ...

'' (1944) – Martha Curtis * ''

Mrs. Parkington ''Mrs. Parkington'' is a 1944 drama film. It tells the story of a woman's life, told via flashbacks, from boarding house maid to society matron. The movie was adapted by Polly James and Robert Thoeren from the novel by Louis Bromfield. It was ...

'' (1944) – Mrs. Jacob Livingstone (uncredited) * '' Between Two Women'' (1945) – Nurse Molly Byrd * ''

Crime Doctor's Warning ''Crime Doctor's Warning'' is a 1945 American mystery film directed by William Castle, and fourth in the Crime Doctor series of ten films produced between 1943 and 1949. William Castle made it just before leaving to help make '' The Lady from ...

'' (1945) – Mrs. Wellington Lake (uncredited) * ''

Colonel Effingham's Raid ''Colonel Effingham's Raid'' (UK title: ''Man of the Hour'') is a 1946 American comedy film directed by Irving Pichel. It is also known as ''Berry Fleming's Colonel Effingham's Raid'', ''Everything's Peaches Down in Georgia'' and ''Rebel Yell''. ...

'' (1946) – Mrs. Clyde Manadue (uncredited) * ''

Do You Love Me "Do You Love Me" is a rhythm and blues song recorded by the Contours in 1962. Written and produced by Motown Records owner Berry Gordy Jr., it appeared twice on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, reaching numbers three in 1962 and eleven in 198 ...

'' (1946) – Mrs. Joshua Frederick Crackleton (uncredited) * ''

A Scandal in Paris ''A Scandal in Paris'' is a 1946 American biographical film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring George Sanders, Signe Hasso and Carole Landis. It loosely depicts the life of Eugène François Vidocq, a French criminal who reformed and became ...

'' (1946) – Marquise De Pierremont * '' Fun on a Weekend'' (1947) – Mrs. Van Orsdale * ''

Dark Delusion ''Dark Delusion'' is a 1947 American drama film directed by Willis Goldbeck and starring James Craig, Lionel Barrymore, and Lucille Bremer. Produced and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the last film in the Dr. Kildare film series which st ...

'' (1947) – Molly Byrd * '' Forever Amber'' (1947) – Lady Redmond (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kruger, Alma 1960 deaths Actresses from Pittsburgh American stage actresses American film actresses American radio actresses American Shakespearean actresses Year of birth uncertain 20th-century American actresses 19th-century births