Stage Craig began his entertainment career in the theatre. His first job was as an assistant stage manager at the Castle Theatre,
Farnham, England in 1950. His stage credits include
A Whistle in the Dark (
Apollo Theatre, 1961),
Wars of the Roses (
RSC at Stratford 1963–64),
Funny Girl (with
Barbra Streisand at the
Prince of Wales Theatre 1966),
Pinter's
The Homecoming (
Music Box Theatre,
Broadway 1966–67) and the lead role in
Trying in Australia in 2007 and at the
Finborough Theatre, London, in 2009.
Screen Craig made his film debut in a non-speaking part, as an uncredited extra in the 1949 film
Passport to Pimlico. Groomed as a star by the
Rank Organisation, he appeared in a number of films, including ''
Campbell's Kingdom (1957), Sea of Sand (1958), The Silent Enemy (1958), Sapphire (1959), Doctor in Love (1960), Cone of Silence (1960), Mysterious Island (1961), The Iron Maiden (1962), A Choice of Kings, Modesty Blaise (1966), Turkey Shoot (1982), Ride a Wild Pony (1975) and Appointment with Death (1988). He received a BAFTA Best actor nomination for his performance in Sea of Sand'' (1958). In October 1956, John Davis, managing director of Rank, announced him as one of the actors under contract that Davis thought would become an international star.
Filmink argued the success of
Doctor in Love "vindicated Rank’s loyalty to Michael Craig over the years – the studio had given him numerous leading roles for little box office return, but still held on to him even after they jettisoned other back-up Bogardes like Patrick McGoohan and Ronald Lewis, and Craig turned down roles in films like
The Gentleman and the Gypsy." Craig's television credits include
Arthur of the Britons (1973),
The Emigrants (1976),
Rush (1976),
The Danedyke Mystery (1979),
The Professionals (1980),
Shoestring (1980),
The Timeless Land (1980),
Triangle (1981–83),
Tales of the Unexpected (1982),
Robin of Sherwood (1986),
Doctor Who (in the serial
Terror of the Vervoids 1986), the Australian series
G.P. (1989–95),
Brides of Christ (1991),
Grass Roots (2000) and
Always Greener (2003). He was the subject of an hour-long interview on his life and career recorded for and broadcast on
Talking Pictures TV in 2018. == Scriptwriting credits ==