- Born
- Birth nameMichael Francis Gregson
- Height1.83 m
- A veritable everyman of stage and screen, both big and small, but relatively unfamiliar to American audiences, Michael Craig is of Scots heritage, born in India to a father on military assignment. When he was three, the family returned to England, but by his eleventh year, they moved on to Canada - where he undoubtedly acquired his North American accent. He left school for the Merchant Navy at 16, but finally returned to England and the lure of the theater. By 1947, he debuted on stage and, in 1953, Sir Peter Hall gave him his first lead stage role. In the meantime, he was trying his hand at extra work and had speaking roles by 1954. This eventually led to discovery by Rank Films and a list of lead movie roles into the early 1960s. When his 7-year contract with that company expired, he was optioned by Columbia Pictures and his Hollywood career commenced. Yet his American work is perhaps only modestly remembered in two films, ironically co-American productions with the UK, Mysterious Island (1961), and Australia, the Disney TV installment, Ride a Wild Pony (1975).
By the mid-1970s, Craig's TV and film work was heavily concentrated in Australia (where he still resides) and composed a depth or roles, both comedic and dramatic, that has included memorable and solid character pieces as he has matured in age. As a screen writer, he has written for and created several British TV series. And he has never been far from the stage, remaining a familiar face in both London and New York theater.- IMDb Mini Biography By: William McPeak - Born in India where his father was a cavalry major, he came to England when 3, then to Canada at 10. At 16 he went to sea as an apprentice merchant seaman for 5 years, rising to 3rd officer. During his voyages he read every play in the ships' libraries. Once discharged, he wrote to every repertory company he could find but with no success due to not having any experience until one accepted him. He had one big disadvantage that, by spending his schooldays in Canada, he had a strong Canadian accent which prevented him getting big parts so he set about ridding himself of it. He was in about 12 repertory companies. including those at Chatham., Cleethorpes, Farnham, Oxford, .Reading, Windsor, Worthing and York.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5
- SpousesBabette Rita Collier(1955 - ?) (divorced)Sue Walker(? - present)
- Ex-brother-in-law of Natalie Wood.
- Older brother of Richard Gregson.
- Uncle of Natasha Gregson Wagner.
- Svengali (1954) originally starred Robert Newton but he was fired after 3 weeks and replaced by Donald Wolfit which required some scenes to be re-shot. Michael Craig was unable to go back for this, resulting in some of his part being cut.
- His first important part in films was 'Passage Home' which won him a contract with Rank.
- [on his Rank Organization contract]: I did five films at Pinewood which are exactly the same: the same writers, same directors, producers, camera team, actors. In one, I'd be a doctor, in another I'd be an architect, whatever. Same jokes. Same character people. Well, there's a limited life for that kind of product.
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