Alma Kruger

Alma Kruger (September 13, 1871¹ – April 5, 1960) was an American actress.

Early years

Kruger was born on September 13, 1871, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,² and a member of " a well-to-do Pittsburgh family".³ Her father was a businessman and an amateur actor. She was educated at Curry University and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.³

Career

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 plays such as Hamlet (as Gertrude), Twelfth Night (as Olivia), Taming of the Shrew (Widow), and The Merchant of Venice (Nerissa).

Kruger was brought to Hollywood by Samuel Goldwyn.⁴ She appeared in her first film These Three (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. Gillespie film series,⁵ appearing in all but the first two of the 16 movies.

She portrayed Empress Maria Theresa of Austria in Marie Antoinette (1938)⁶ and the almost mother-in-law of 's lead character in (1940), after already playing an in-law to Russell's character four years earlier in . In 1942, she appeared as the subversive society matron Henrietta Sutton in 's (1942). Kruger's last film appearance was in the film (1947).