Yvonne Craig: Summary

Recent Role:: Herself on TV Land Confidential

Gender:: Female

Birthday:: 5-16-1937

Birthplace:: Taylorville, Illinois, USA

Birth Name:: Yvonne Joyce Craig

American actress Yvonne Craig trained for a ballet career from age 10 onward. While in high school, Yvonne was accepted by George Balanchine for the School of American Ballet, but she chose instead to tour with the Ballet Russe. Stopping over in Los Angeles, Ms. Craig was approached by a producer asking if she'd like to be in movies. She turned him down, but was more responsive to Hollywood after she later broke her contract with the Ballet Russe. Yvonne's first film was The Young Land (1957), but it remained on the shelf for two years, thus Eighteen and Anxious (1957) was the moviegoers' first introduction to the actress. The Young Land earned Yvonne a contract with Columbia pictures, where because of her exotic looks and flowing black hair she was cast in teen-aged "femme fatale" roles, such as the seductress in The Gene Krupa Story (1960) (though quite thin, she was actually larger than her frail Krupa co-star Sal Mineo, which caused a minor crisis when the script called for Mineo to hold Yvonne in his arms). Amidst movie assignments of off-and-on quality, Yvonne tested for West Side Story, but lost out to Natalie Wood. She did, however, hold the distinction of appearing with Elvis Presley twice in It Happened at the World's Fair (1962) and Kissin' Cousins (1964). Ms. Craig also dated Mr, Presley for a short time. In 1967, Yvonne was called upon to replace an incapacitated Mary Ann Mobley as Batgirl (aka Barbara Gordon) on the popular TV series Batman. Ms. Craig did well in a sketchily written part, and was proud of the fact that she handled her motorcycle-riding scenes without a double. Although, Batman was was cancelled in early 1968, Ms. Craig had already developed legions of fans whose children would also become "Yvonne Craig" fans. Ms. Craig guest-starred in a number of television series following "Batman." Ms. Craig finally elected not to play the Hollywood Game anymore and entered the real estate business, where she did quite well for herself. More recently she has been involved in film-fan conventions and Batman retrospectives.

Training summary:

Ms. Craig received her acting training from Curt Conway and Lee Strasberg. Her voice training was with Lee & Sally Sweetland. Other training includes:

School of American Ballet - New York

Frank Wagner - Jazz - New York

Stanley Holden School of Dance - Los Angeles

Eugene Loring School of Dance - Los Angeles

Summary Biography: American actress Yvonne Craig trained for a ballet career from age 10 onward. While in high school, Yvonne was accepted by George Balanchine for the School of American Ballet, but she chose instead to tour with the Ballet Russe. Stopping over in Los Angeles, Ms. Craig was approached by a producer asking if she'd like to be in movies. She turned him down, but was more responsive to...

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fanaticannie
member since: Mar 27, 2006
A brief bit of props for Ms. Yvonne from a fan and friend. See my review of Peter Tork for more interesting bits and bobs on Ms. Craig ...Continue »
This last weekend March 26, 2006 I had the great, good fortune to come across Ms. Yvonne Craig and her lovely sister again at the Memorabilia fan con in Birmingham, England.

I first met these two gals in Tulsa, Oklahoma around six years ago. They were then in cahoots with Celeste Yarnell but yesterday, minus her, they were still just as brilliant and bubbly.

I came over to say a polite hello and ended up sitting around and chatting like girlfriends. The funniest part of our conversation was when I said Damn, I am sweating!

Yvonne pointed to her sibling and said, She said she was having hot flashes. I retorted, I thought I was going through the change!

So Yvonne says, Yeah, but the change is good, it gives you three extra cup sizes in your boobs. Her sister laughs and says, yeah, but you gain it all in your armpits!

Yvonne is still a stunning beauty is a generous philanthropist, business woman, animal lover and an all around gregarious, lovely woman. First time, or long time fan no one is ever dissapointed with this particular Diva of distinction.
03/27/06 05:47am | report abuse