Biography

Craig Stevens

Jump to

Born in Liberty, Missouri, as Gail Shikles Jr., tall, suave Craig Stevens will forever be remembered for his role as the cool, laid-back private eye Peter Gunn (1958), a ground-breaking show that ushered in the era of tough but smooth private eyes who were handy with their fists and with the ladies, and which also pioneered the use of jazz as not only background music but its main theme song. Stevens was attending Kansas University and planning a career in dentistry when he began performing in student plays at the university. Bitten by the acting bug, he moved to California, and in 1941 was signed by Warner Bros., where he met his future wife, Alexis Smith. Although never a front-rank star, Stevens played many second-leads through the 1940s and 1950s. Sci-fi fans will know him best as the lead in the somewhat cult-classic The Deadly Mantis (1957). With his film career in a rut, he moved over to television, and it was there he made his mark in the landmark "Peter Gunn" series. He made many guest-starring appearances in TV series over the years, had recurring roles in such series as Dallas (1978) and starred in ITC's Man of the World (1962). He retired after a role in his old friend Blake Edwards' 1981 film S.O.B. (1981).
- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com

His physical features and performance in the TV series Peter Gunn were the inspiration for the Dutch comics character Agent 327 by Martin Lodewijk. He was also the inspiration for the cartoon character "Archer".
Originally planned to become a dentist prior to being spotted by a talent scout.
Neither Stevens nor his wife of nearly 50 years, Alexis Smith, has a 'star' on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
During World War II he served in the United States Army Air Corps' First Motion Picture Unit based in Culver City, California acting in propaganda and training films. That unit came to be known as "The Culver City Commandos".
His nearly half century marriage to actress Alexis Smith was one of the longest in Hollywood history.

Suggest an edit or add missing content