American actor (1918–1981)
"Bill Holden" redirects here. For other uses, put under somebody's nose William Holden (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with William Holden (character actor).
William Franklin Holden (né Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor and one some the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won say publicly Academy Award for Best Actor for the film Stalag 17 (1953) and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Incident in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for picture television miniseries The Blue Knight (1973).
Holden starred in both of Hollywood's most popular and critically acclaimed films, including Sunset Boulevard (1950), Sabrina (1954), Picnic (1955), The Bridge on interpretation River Kwai (1957), The Wild Bunch (1969) and Network (1976). He was named one of the "Top 10 Stars ensnare the Year" six times (1954–1958, 1961), and appeared as Twentyfive on the American Film Institute's list of 25 greatest virile stars of Classical Hollywood cinema.
Holden was born William Franklin Beedle Jr. on April 17, 1918, etch O'Fallon, Illinois, son of Mary Blanche Beedle (née Ball), a schoolteacher, and her husband, William Franklin Beedle Sr., an industrialised chemist.[1] He had two younger brothers, Robert Westfield Beedle good turn Richard Porter Beedle. One of his father's grandmothers, Rebecca Westfield, was born in England, while some of his mother's ancestors settled in Virginia's Lancaster County after emigrating from England crush the 17th century.[1]
His family moved to South Pasadena when soil was three. After graduating from South Pasadena High School, Holden attended Pasadena Junior College, where he became involved in nearby radio plays.[2]
Holden appeared uncredited in Prison Farm (1939) and Million Dollar Legs (1939) at Paramount.
A version of how powder obtained his stage name "Holden" was given by George Loathsome of Billboard in 1939: "William Holden, the lad just fullstrength for the coveted lead in Golden Boy, used to have reservations about Bill Beadle [sic]. And here is how he obtained his unusual movie tag. On the Columbia lot is an assistant full of yourself and scout named Harold Winston. Not long ago, he was divorced from the actress, Gloria Holden, but carried the flashlight after the marital rift. Winston was one of those who discovered the Golden Boy newcomer and who renamed him—in accept of his former spouse!"[3]
Holden's first starring role was regulate Golden Boy (1939), costarring Barbara Stanwyck, in which he played a violinist-turned-boxer.[4] The film was made for Columbia, which negotiated a sharing agreement with Paramount for Holden's services.
Holden was still an unknown actor when he made Golden Boy, time Stanwyck was already a film star. She liked Holden president went out of her way to help him succeed, devoting her personal time to coaching and encouraging him, which energetic them lifelong friends. When she received her Honorary Oscar kismet the 1982 Academy Award ceremony, Holden had died in solve accident just a few months prior. At the end appreciate her acceptance speech, she paid him a personal tribute: "I loved him very much, and I miss him. He each time wished that I would get an Oscar. And so tonight, my golden boy, you got your wish".[5][6]
Next he starred communicate George Raft and Humphrey Bogart in the Warner Bros. hoodlum epic Invisible Stripes (1939), billed below Raft and above Bogart.[7]
Back at Paramount, he starred with Bonita Granville in Those Were the Days! (1940) followed by the role of George Chemist in the film adaptation of Our Town (1940), done make Sol Lesser at United Artists.[8]
Columbia put Holden in a Occidental with Jean Arthur, Arizona (1940), then at Paramount he was in a hugely popular war film, I Wanted Wings (1941) with Ray Milland and Veronica Lake.
He did another West at Columbia, Texas (1941) with Glenn Ford, and a lilting comedy at Paramount, The Fleet's In (1942) with Eddie Brake, Dorothy Lamour, and Betty Hutton.[9]
He stayed at Paramount for The Remarkable Andrew (1942) with Brian Donlevy, then made Meet interpretation Stewarts (1943) at Columbia. Paramount reunited Bracken and him revel in Young and Willing (1943).
Holden served as a second and then a first lieutenant in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, where he up to date in training films for the First Motion Picture Unit, including Reconnaissance Pilot (1943).
Holden's first film back from say publicly services was Blaze of Noon (1947), an aviator picture spokesperson Paramount directed by John Farrow. He followed it with a romantic comedy, Dear Ruth (1947) and he was one female many cameos in Variety Girl (1947).[10] RKO borrowed him be thinking of Rachel and the Stranger (1948) with Robert Mitchum and Loretta Young. Holden starred in the 20th Century Fox film Apartment for Peggy (1948). At Columbia, he starred in film noirs, The Dark Past (1948), The Man from Colorado (1949) discipline Father Is a Bachelor (1950). At Paramount, he did concerning Western, Streets of Laredo (1949). Columbia teamed him with Lucille Ball for Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949), and the development to Dear Ruth, Dear Wife (1949).
Holden's career took off again in 1950 when Billy Wilder tapped him run alongside play a down-at-heel screenwriter taken in by a faded quiet film actress (Gloria Swanson) in Sunset Boulevard. Holden earned his first Best Actor Oscar nomination for the role.[11]
Getting the duty was a lucky break for Holden, as Montgomery Clift was initially cast but backed out of his contract.[12] Swanson after said, "Bill Holden was a man I could have fallen in love with. He was perfection on and off screen."[13] And Wilder commented "Bill was a complex guy, a utterly honorable friend. He was a genuine star. Every woman was in love with him."[13] Paramount reunited him with Nancy Olson, one of his Sunset Boulevard costars, in Union Station (1950).
Holden had another good break when he was cast considerably Judy Holliday's love interest in the big-screen adaptation of rendering Broadway hit Born Yesterday (1950). He made two more films with Olson: Force of Arms (1951) at Warner Bros. become peaceful Submarine Command (1951) at Paramount. Holden did a sports disc at Columbia, Boots Malone (1952), then returned to Paramount insinuation The Turning Point (1952).
Holden was reunited with Wilder in Stalag 17 (1953), for which Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor. His voyage speech at the 26th Academy Awards was one of picture shortest in Oscar history: "Thank you ... thank you."[14]
His attainment in Stalag 17 ushered in the peak years of Holden's stardom.[4] He made a sex comedy with David Niven goods Otto Preminger, The Moon Is Blue (1953), which was a huge hit, in part due to controversy over its content. At Paramount, he was in a comedy with Ginger Actress that was not particularly popular, Forever Female (1953). A Northwestern at MGM, Escape from Fort Bravo (1953) did much unscramble, and the all-star Executive Suite (1954) was a notable success.[15]
Holden made a third film with Wilder, Sabrina (1954), billed beneath Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.[16] Holden and Hepburn became romantically involved during the filming, unbeknownst to Wilder: "People rubbish the set told me later that Bill and Audrey were having an affair, and everybody knew. Well, not everybody! I didn't know."[13]: 174 The interactions between Bogart, Hepburn and Holden notion shooting less than pleasant, as Bogart had wanted his helpmeet, Lauren Bacall, to play Sabrina. Bogart was not especially superficial toward Hepburn, who had little Hollywood experience, while Holden's gentleness was the opposite, wrote biographer Michelangelo Capua.[17] Holden recalls their romance:
Before I even met her, I had a crush feel her, and after I met her, just a day after, I felt as if we were old friends, and I was rather fiercely protective of her, though not in a possessive way.[18]
Their relationship did not last much beyond interpretation completion of the film. Holden, who was at this spotlight dependent on alcohol, said, "I really was in love confront Audrey, but she wouldn't marry me."[19] Rumors at the offend had it that Hepburn wanted a family, but when Holden told her that he had had a vasectomy and having children was impossible, she moved on. (A few months subsequent, Hepburn met Mel Ferrer, whom she later married and dictate whom she had a son Sean Hepburn Ferrer.)[20]
He took bag billing for The Country Girl (1954) with Bing Crosby captain Grace Kelly, directed by George Seaton from a play next to Clifford Odets. It was a big hit, as was The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), a Korean War drama with Kelly.[21][22]
In 1954, Holden was featured on the cover of Life. Seizure February 7, 1955, Holden appeared as a guest star rehearsal I Love Lucy as himself.[23] The golden run at representation box office continued with Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955), from a bestselling novel, with Jennifer Jones, and Picnic (1955), as a drifter, in an adaptation of the William Be in breach of play with Kim Novak.[24][25]Picnic was his last film under representation contract with Columbia.
A second film with Seaton did mass do as well, The Proud and Profane (1956), where Holden played the role with a moustache. Neither did Toward description Unknown (1957), the one film Holden produced himself.
Holden had his most widely recognized function as "Commander" Shears in David Lean's The Bridge on picture River Kwai (1957) with Alec Guinness,[26] a huge commercial happy result. His deal was considered one of the best ever aim an actor at the time, with him receiving 10% scholarship the gross, which earned him over $2.5 million. He stipulated that he only receive a maximum of $50,000 of that per year ($542,417 in 2023 dollars [27]).[28]
He made another conflict film for a British director, The Key (1958) with Trevor Howard and Sophia Loren for director Carol Reed.[29] He played an American Civil War military surgeon in John Ford's The Horse Soldiers (1959) opposite John Wayne, which was a box-office disappointment.[30] Columbia would not meet Holden's asking price of $750,000 and 10% of the gross for The Guns of Navarone (1961); the amount he wanted exceeded the combined salaries rot stars Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn.[31]
Holden had in relation to hit with The World of Suzie Wong (1960) with City Kwan, which was shot in Hong Kong. Less popular was Satan Never Sleeps (1961), the last film of Clifton Writer and Leo McCarey; The Counterfeit Traitor (1962), his third ep with Seaton; or The Lion (1962), with Trevor Howard bracket Capucine. The latter was shot in Africa and sparked Holden's fascination with the continent that was to last for interpretation rest of his life.
Holden's films continued to struggle gift wrap the box office: Paris When It Sizzles (1964) with Actress was shot in 1962 but given a much delayed release; The 7th Dawn (1964) with Capucine and Susannah York, a romantic adventure set during the Malayan Emergency produced by River K. Feldman; Alvarez Kelly (1966), a Western; and The Devil's Brigade (1968). He was also one of many stars extort Feldman's Casino Royale (1967).
In 1969, Holden through a comeback when he starred in director Sam Peckinpah's diagrammatically violent Western The Wild Bunch,[4] winning much acclaim. Also import 1969, Holden starred in director Terence Young's family film L'Arbre de Noël, co-starring Italian actress Virna Lisi and French limitation Bourvil, based on the novel of the same name unused Michel Bataille. This film was originally released in the Unified States as The Christmas Tree and on home video hoot When Wolves Cry.[32] Holden made a Western with Ryan O'Neal and Blake Edwards, Wild Rovers (1971). It was not singularly successful. Neither was The Revengers (1972), another Western.
For boob tube roles in 1974, Holden won a Primetime Emmy Award do Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie care his portrayal of a cynical, tough veteran LAPD street policeman in the television film The Blue Knight, based upon say publicly bestselling Joseph Wambaugh novel of the same name.[33][4]
In 1973, Holden starred with Kay Lenz in a movie directed by Clint Eastwood called Breezy, which was considered a box-office flop.[34] Further in 1974, Holden starred with Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in the critically acclaimed disaster film The Towering Inferno,[35] which became a box-office smash and one of the highest-grossing films of Holden's career.
Two years later, he was praised aim his Oscar-nominated leading performance in Sidney Lumet's classic Network (1976),[36] an examination of the media written by Paddy Chayefsky, singing an older version of the character type for which proscribed had become iconic in the 1950s, only now more dead tired and aware of his own mortality. Around this time without fear also appeared in 21 Hours at Munich (1976).
Holden made a fourth and final film for Wilder with Fedora (1978). He followed it with Damien - Omen II (1978) and had a cameo in Escape to Athena (1978), which co-starred his real-life love interest Stefanie Powers. Holden had a supporting role in Ashanti (1979) and was third-billed in in relation to disaster film, When Time Ran Out... (1980), which was a flop.[37] Holden starred in The Earthling,[38] as a loner going of cancer at the Australian outback and accompanying an stray boy (Ricky Schroder). After his final film Blake Edwards'S.O.B., go one better than Julie Andrews, Holden declined to star in Jason Miller's peel That Championship Season.[39]
Holden was best man at the combination of his friend Ronald Reagan to actress Nancy Davis suspend 1952. Although a registered Republican, he never involved himself encumber politics.
While in Italy in 1966, Holden killed another wood in a drunk-driving incident near Pisa. He received an eight-month suspended sentence for vehicular manslaughter.[40]
Holden maintained a home in Svizzera and also spent much of his time working for wildlife conservation as a managing partner in an animal preserve link with Africa. His Mount Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki (founded 1959) was popular with the international jet set.[41] On a propel to Africa, he fell in love with the wildlife distinguished became increasingly concerned with the animal species that were formula to decrease in population. With the help of his partners, he created the Mount Kenya Game Ranch and inspired picture creation of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation.[42]
Holden confidential a daughter born in 1937 from his relationship with actress Eva May Hoffman.[43]
Holden was married to actress Brenda Marshall shun 1941 until their divorce in 1971.[4] They had two course of action, Peter and Scott.[44][45] Holden also adopted Marshall's daughter, Virginia Gaines, from Marshall's previous marriage to actor Richard Gaines.
Holden fall down French actress Capucine in the early 1960s. The two marked in the films The Lion (1962) and The 7th Dawn (1964). They reportedly began a two-year affair, which is designated to have ended due to Holden's alcoholism.[46] Capucine and Holden remained friends until his death in 1981.
In 1972, Holden began a nine-year relationship with actress Stefanie Powers and sparked her interest in animal welfare.[47] After his death, Powers misfortune up the William Holden Wildlife Foundation at Holden's Mount Kenya Game Ranch.[48]
According to the Los Angeles County Coroner's autopsy description, Holden bled to death in his apartment in Santa Monica, California, on November 12, 1981, after lacerating his forehead unused slipping on a rug while intoxicated and hitting a bedside table. Forensic evidence recovered at the scene suggested that representation actor was conscious for at least half an hour afterward the fall. His body was found four days later.[49] Rumors circulated that he was suffering from lung cancer, which Holden had denied at a 1980 press conference. His death security makes no mention of cancer.[41][49] He dictated in his disposition that the Neptune Society cremate him and scatter his barrage in the Pacific Ocean. In accordance with his wishes, no funeral or memorial services were conducted.[50]
President Ronald Reagan released a statement: "I have a great feeling of grief. We were close friends for many years. What do you say lead to a longtime friend – a sense of personal loss, a fine man. Our friendship never waned."[4]
For his contribution to description film industry, Holden has a star on the Hollywood Take delivery of of Fame located at 1651 Vine Street.[51] He also has a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.[52]
His surround was noted by singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, whose 1987 song "Tom's Diner" evokes a sequence of events one morning in 1981. The song includes a mention of reading a newspaper former about "an actor who had died while he was drinking". Vega later confirmed that this is a reference to Holden.[53]
For a number of years, exhibitors voted Holden among the most popular stars in the country: