biography Born Clarence Linden Crabbe in Oakland, California, on February 7, 1908, Buster Crabbe spent his formative years in Hawaii, where he learned to swim. Prior to winning a gold medal in 1932 for the 400-meter freestyle, Crabbe had graduated from college and attempted to break into films with a few bit parts while working as a stunt double. After his Olympic success, Crabbe landed a contract with Paramount Studios in 1933. Earlier, he had tested for the role of Tarzan at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer but lost out to Johnny Weissmuller. However, Paramount cast Crabbe in King of the Jungle (1933; with Frances Dee and Sidney Toler), a thinly veiled Tarzan-influenced adventure film.  Later that year, producer Sol Lesser cast Crabbe in the Principal Pictures 12-chapter serial Tarzan the Fearless (1933; with Julie Bishop and Mischa Auer) to encourage a competition between Weissmuller and Crabbe. However, Fearless was poorly received by fans and critics alike, mostly due to its low production values and the popularity of Weissmuller's Tarzan the Ape Man (1932). Although the film was shot both as a serial and as a feature, the full-length version is the only one that exists today. At the time of the serial's release, many theaters showed only the first episode of the serial and pulled it. No print of the serial currently exists and is considered lost.  While the Tarzan film did not do much for his career, Crabbe eventually found screen fame in the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers serials. Between 1936 and 1940, Crabbe starred as Flash Gordon in three movie serials released by Universal Studios: Flash Gordon (1936; with Jean Rogers and Charles Middleton); Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938; with Jean Rogers and Charles Middleton); and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940; with Carol Hughes and Charles Middleton). Some of these serials have alternate titles, resulting from their release to television. While Crabbe was the first actor to portray Flash Gordon onscreen, actor Gale Gordon voiced the radio serial in 1935. The movie serials with Crabbe were sold into a TV syndication package in the early 1950s. When his contract with Paramount lapsed in 1940, Crabbe headed over to poverty row studio PRC, where he acted in the studio's popular Billy the Kid western series. He tired of PRC's hectic production schedules, so in 1947 he signed with Columbia to star in a string of action films. |
the films of buster crabbeTarzan the Fearless (1933)  
From the poverty row production Tarzan the FearlessYou're Telling Me! (1934)
With Jean Marsh in the W.C. Fields comedy You're Telling Me!, released by ParamountSearch for Beauty (1934) 
Crabbe and Ida Lupino in the big-budget Paramount film Search for BeautyFlash Gordon (1936)Forlorn River (1937)
From the Paramount backlot western Forlorn River with Syd SaylorThrill of a Lifetime (1937) 
With Betty Grable in Thrill of a LifetimeFlash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)   
From Universal's 15-chapter serial Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars. LEFT: With Frank Shannon, Richard Alexander, and Lane Chandler. CENTER A: With Jean Rogers as Dale Arden and Frank Shannon as Professor Zarkov. CENTER B: Crabbe as the title character. RIGHT: With Charles Middleton as Ming the MercilessTip-Off Girls (1938)
From Paramount's second-feature crime drama Tip-Off Girls with Lloyd Nolan and Anthony QuinnCall a Messenger (1939)
With Victor Jory and Mary Carlisle from the crime drama Call a MessengerBuck Rogers (1939)
Crabbe as the title character in the twelve-chapter Universal serial Buck RogersFlash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
From the twelve-chapter Universal serial Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe with Carol HughesBilly the Kid Wanted (1941)
With Glenn Strange and Al St. John in PRC's Billy the Kid WantedQueen of Broadway (1942)
From the PRC drama Queen of Broadway with Rochelle HudsonWildcat (1942)
From Paramount's drama WildcatThe Contender (1944)
With Arline Judge in the PRC crime drama The ContenderHis Brother's Ghost (1945)
Crabbe as Billy the Kid in the PRC western His Brother's Ghost with Al 'Fuzzy' St. JohnTerrors on Horseback (1946)
With Al 'Fuzzy' St. John in the PRC western His Brother's GhostCaged Fury (1948)King of the Congo (1952) 
From Columbia's low-budget actioner King of the CongoGun Brothers (1956)
Crabbe stars as Chad Santee in the United Artists western Gun Brothers. Also pictured is Neville BrandGunfighters of Abilene (1960) 
LEFT: As Kip in the western Gunfighters of Abilene, released by United Artists. RIGHT: With Rachel AmesBuck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-1981 NBC TV Series)
Crabbe with Erin Gray and Gil Gerard in an episode of the NBC TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century titled Planet of the Slave Girls, which originally aired on September 27, 1979later years
Crabbe's film career began to decline in the years following World War II. Although he still found roles into the 1950s, he focused his
efforts on his swimming pool company, Buster Crabbe Swimming Pools, once a frequent prize on The Price is Right in the late 1950s
and early 1960s. Also, from 1955 through 1957, Crabbe starred in the syndicated TV series Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion.
Serving as co-stars were Fuzzy Knight and Crabbe's son Cullen.In the 1960s Crabbe retired from the screen, but during the last years of his life he made a return to acting, taking roles in TV shows such as Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and acting in a few low-budget films, such as Alien Dead (1980). He died of a heart attack on April 23, 1983, at the age of 75. He was survived by his wife, son Cullen, and daughter Susan. Crabbe's other daughter, Caren, died of complications resulting from anorexia in 1957 at age 20. the buster crabbe gallery           |
filmographyFILM
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This page premiered November 22, 1999.
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