Walter Craig, also known as Anthony Dexter, led a dual life, with his professional name shining brightly under the spotlight, while his given name remained hidden from the public eye. Outside of the glamour of show business, Craig/Dexter taught high school English, Speech, and Drama classes at Eagle Rock High School in the Los Angeles area, a role he took on from approximately 1968 to 1978.
However, it was his role as Rudolph Valentino in the 1951 biopic Valentino that brought him widespread recognition. Craig/Dexter reportedly won the part after beating out a staggering 75,000 other hopefuls, impressing the film's producer, Edward Small, with his uncanny resemblance to the legendary actor. Valentino fan clubs and the press alike praised Craig/Dexter's performance, with one article from the Los Angeles Times noting his incredible likeness to Valentino, stating, "The same eyes, ears, mouth--the same grace in dancing."
Although Valentino did not achieve the level of success its producers had hoped for, Craig/Dexter went on to land roles in films similar to those played by the real Valentino. He appeared as John Smith in Captain John Smith and Pocahontas (1953),Captain Kidd in Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl (1954),a pirate leader in The Black Pirates (1954),and Christopher Columbus in The Story of Mankind (1957).
As his career gradually slowed, Craig/Dexter was eventually cast in a bit part in the 1967 film Thoroughly Modern Millie, starring Julie Andrews.
Born on a farm in Talmadge, Nebraska, Craig/Dexter grew up playing football in high school, earning a scholarship to St. Olaf's College in Minnesota. He began his pursuit of a stage and screen career, singing in the college choir before moving on to the University of Iowa to earn his Master's degree in Speech and Drama.
During World War II, Craig/Dexter, then a sergeant with the Army Special Services, toured England and other parts of the European theater of war, performing in the show "Claudia." After the war, he returned to the United States and continued his acting career, appearing in summer theater productions in San Francisco and on Broadway in shows such as "The King and I," "The Three Sisters," "Ah, Wilderness," and "The Barretts of Wimpole Street."
Craig/Dexter passed away at the age of 88 in Greeley, Colorado.
