James Cruze (March 27, 1884 near Ogden, Utah – August 3, 1942 in Hollywood, California) was a silent film actor and film director. Cruze was born Jens Vera Cruz Bosen. The Vera Cruz middle name came from the battle of Vera Cruz. He was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but did not practice the religion after his teenage years. Very little is certain about his childhood and teen years because he told a different story at every interview he granted. James Cruze acted, directed and or produced in over 100 films mainly during the silent film era. His first known acting job was at Lubin Manufacturing Company in 1910. He started at Thanhouser Company in 1912 which is where the majority of his body of work was produced, much of it as the leading man. He married the actress Marguerite Snow in 1913 and had a daughter by her in 1914. They divorced in 1922. After leaving Thanhouser in 1916, he worked for several other companies as director and producer, primarily for Paramount Pictures, from 1918 to 1938. He married the actress Betty Compson in 1924 and they divorced in 1930. He married Alberta McCoy on 30 June 1941. McCoy survived him, and died in Hollywood on 7 July 1960. Among his later credits are the surrealistic fantasies “Hollywood” (1923) and “Beggars on Horseback” (1925); another superior western, “The Pony Express” (1925); the historical spectacle “Old Ironsides” (1926); two episodes of the famous omnibus comedy “If I Had a Million” (1932); and the grittily realistic dramas “I Cover the Waterfront” (1933) and “The Gangs of New York” (1938). Cruze was married to actress Marguerite Snow from 1914 to 1922 and to actress Betty Compson from 1924 to 1930. For years a heavy drinker, Cruze suffered a heart attack in 1938 and was forced into retirement. He is interred in the Abbey of the Psalms in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California.