James Cruze


James Cruze was a silent film actor and film director.

Biography

Cruze's middle name came from the battle of Vera Cruz. He was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but did not practice the religion after his teenage years. Very little is certain about his childhood and teen years because he told a different story at every interview he granted.
Cruze acted in, directed and or produced over 100 films mainly during the silent film era. His first known acting job was at Lubin Manufacturing Company in 1910. He started at Thanhouser Company in 1911 with She which is where the majority of his body of work was produced, much of it as the leading man. He married the actress Marguerite Snow in 1913 and had a daughter with her in 1914. They divorced in 1922.
After leaving Thanhouser in 1916, he worked for several other companies as director and producer, primarily for Paramount Pictures, from 1918 to 1938. He married the actress Betty Compson in 1924 and they divorced in 1930. He married Alberta McCoy on 30 June 1941. McCoy survived him, and died in Hollywood on 7 July 1960.
Cruze struggled to regain his successes of the silent era when sound came to film. His career declined as he descended further into alcoholism and he ended his directing career at Republic Pictures. He spent the last four years of his life unemployed before he killed himself in 1942.
He is interred in the Abbey of the Psalms in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Filmography

As Director
As Actor