Cruze, James, 1884-1942

Born in Ogden, Utah in 1884, James Cruze left home at sixteen and headed to California. Once there, he joined a traveling "medicine show" and later, worked his way to the East Coast. His first film roles were a series of "shorts" for the Thanhouser Film Company. He continued in New York until 1915, when he returned to California and became part of the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Players company. In 1918, he directed his first film Too Many Millions; by 1938 he had 74 film credits as a director, including the 1928 The Mating Call. Cruze's transition to "talkies" was uneven and a flamboyant lifestyle led to fewer opportunities. He died in 1942.

Source:

Q. David Bowers. "James Cruze: Biography". Thanhouser Films, an Encyclopedia and History. Version 2.1. Accessed 07 October, 2021. https://www.thanhouser.org/tcocd/Biography_Files/indkbdzcc.htm