Crabbe's movie career started in 1930 while he was going to USC. He was an extra in a few movies about college football and did stunts for Joel McCrea in a suspense movie. Crabbe got his first big part in 1932. It was a Tarzan-like character called Kaspa. He signed a one-year contract with Paramount Pictures. He was paid $100 a week. The movie was called "King of the Jungle"; it opened in theaters in 1933.