Craig Stevens (born Gail Shikles Jr.; July 8, 1918 – May 10, 2000) was an American film and television actor, best known for his starring role on television as private detective Peter Gunn from 1958 to 1961.
Stevens was born in Liberty, Missouri, to Marie and Gail Shikles. His father was a high school teacher in Liberty and later an elementary school principal in Kansas City, Missouri. He studied dentistry at the University of Kansas.
Later, in the early 1940s, he also majored in theater at the University of Kansas at Lawrence.
Acting with the university's drama club prompted him to halt his studies to audition in Hollywood. Under the name Michael Gale (a play on his first name), his first screen role was as a sailor in Coast Guard (1939). After this small role, he adopted the stage name Craig Stevens. For the next period of his film career, he played mainly secondary parts.
He could be glimpsed in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939); Alice in Movieland (1940), a short at Warner Bros; Those Were the Days! (1940); Argentine Nights (1940); Lady with Red Hair (1940) at Warner Bros; and I Wanted Wings (1941), at Paramount.
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".
Stevens signed a contract with Warner Bros. They put him in Affectionately Yours (1941), then in Dive Bomber (1941); the latter starred his future wife Alexis Smith, although they shared no scenes in the film.
Stevens had a support role in Law of the Tropics (1941) and the lead in a short, At the Stroke of Twelve (1941). He was in The Body Disappears (1941) and was third billed in Steel Against the Sky (1941), with Smith top billed.
Stevens's first lead in a feature was Spy Ship (1942), a B movie. He followed it with leads in two other "B"s, Secret Enemies (1942), and The Hidden Hand (1942). He and Alexis Smith married on June 18, 1944.
He appeared in films like Three Cadets (1943), Learn and Live (1944), and Resisting Enemy Interrogation (1944). He also appeared in the training film How to Fly the B-26 Airplane (1944).
Stevens had a small role in Since You Went Away (1944) for David O. Selznick and The Doughgirls (1944) for Warners. He played himself in Warners' Hollywood Canteen (1944) and had the lead in Plantation Melodies (1945) playing Stephen Foster.
Stevens had support roles in Too Young to Know (1945), God Is My Co-Pilot (1945), Humoresque (1946), The Man I Love (1946), That Way with Women (1947), Love and Learn (1947), Night Unto Night (1948), and The Lady Takes a Sailor (1949).
In 1958, after 19 years working in films, Stevens gained national prominence for his starring role in the private detective series Peter Gunn, which ran on NBC from September 1958 to September 1960 and then moved to ABC, where it continued for another year. The series was produced by Blake Edwards, who also wrote and directed many of the episodes. The iconic theme music for the series was composed by Henry Mancini.
On June 18, 1944, Stevens married actress Alexis Smith at the Church of the Recessional, Forest Lawn. They were married for 49 years, until her death in 1993. They had no children.
Stevens died of cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on May 10, 2000, at the age of 81.
If you want to read more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Stevens_(actor)
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When it comes to summertime get-togethers, there are some absolute essentials you're going to want--like our Backyard Bean Bake! Made with canned baked beans, sweet molasses, smoky crumbled bacon, and more, it's a go-along that everyone will want the recipe for!
- 2 (16-ounce) cans baked beans
- 2 (2.8-ounce) cans French-fried onions
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 tablespoons real bacon bits
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- Preheat oven to 350º. Coat an 1-1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except one can of French-fried onions; mix well then pour into baking dish. Top with remaining can of French-fried onions.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and the onions are golden. Serve immediately.
Whether baked, fried or mashed, these taters bring on the flavor. They are a staple of many meals, too. Filling a void for appetizer dishes and working double duty at suppertime, these versatile root veggies satisfy and fill us up.
According to the International Potato Center, more than 4,000 varieties of potatoes grow around the world. Not only that, but they also come in a variety of beautiful colors and sizes. This starchy carbohydrate comes with no fat or cholesterol and is loaded with Vitamin C and potassium. Depending on your dietary needs and how you prepare your potatoes, this vegetable offers what many are looking for. However, with 26 grams of carbohydrates, it’s a no-no in a low-carb lifestyle.
When it comes to the health specs of a potato, we tend to tank the benefits when we prepare them. We fry them and load them with toppings like cheese, sour cream, and butter. Who doesn’t love a loaded baked potato? Ok, ok. You can all put your hands down, now.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL POTATO DAY
With so many ways to savor a potato, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a way. However, we do have a few tateriffic ways to get you started:
- Host a baked potato buffet. Line up all the best toppings such as cheese, jalapenos, bacon, chopped onions, chili, grilled chicken or ranch.
- Tried French fries dipped in soft, vanilla ice cream. If you’ve never had it before, you will be surprised.
- Swap out your corn chips with French fries and build a new kind of nacho. Think beer brats, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and sour cream for German flair. Aim for a bit of Irish celebration by using corned beef.
- Share your favorite recipes. You know, the ones you always go to when you’re craving potatoes. Or, try a new recipe and give it a review.
- Make a delicious potato soup. With so many different recipes, one of them is sure to satisfy!
- Visit your favorite restaurant and pile on the potatoes. Whether it’s an entree or an appetizer, be sure to give the eatery a shout-out!
- Check out this Home Fries recipe.
NATIONAL POTATO DAY HISTORY
The nation’s comfort food has been celebrated since at least 2006. Before that National Potato Day celebrations had been cropping up throughout the year all across the country.
Potato FAQ
Q. Which is healthier, the white potato or the sweet potato?
A. The sweet potato edges out the white potato thanks to fiber and vitamins. However, both are quite nutritious. How we prepare these root vegetables makes a bigger impact on our diet than the vegetables themselves. Frying vs. baking, toppings and more will tip the scales on nutrition quickly.
Q. Are there other potato holidays?
A. You bet your sweet potato there is! November is Sweet Potato Awareness Month. In February, we celebrate National Eat a Sweet Potato Day and in March we celebrate National Tater Day. And we can’t forget National French Fry Day in July.
Q. How are potatoes prepared?
A. Potatoes can be prepared in a number of ways. Besides baking, boiling, roasting and frying, potatoes are also used to make bread, pasta, hash browns, salads, pancakes, soup, croquettes, among other preparations.
Q. What country produces the most potatoes?
A. In 2016, China produced the most potatoes at more than 99 million tonnes. The United States comes in 5th behind India, Russia, and Ukraine.
