Subscribe to the Podcast All right, Mr. DeMille, Im ready[], Subscribe to the Podcast No the man I knew could[], Subscribe to the Podcast If I ever run into any[]. Then he made a comeback in 1969 with The Wild Bunch and was praised for his work in Network in 1976. Although Holden was clearly one of Hollywood's most popular leading men in films that were the top money grossers of their day, and was considered the top box office draw in 1956, he also became an unwitting victim of the studio system. You can always change this later in your Account settings. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. In fact the reason I remain a devoted fan despite all his failings - as a father and as a husband - is because people with manic depression do not intend to hurt those they love, but of course it is inevitable that they do hurt them while attending to the constant demands of their own inner turmoil. Most stars knew each other, and they usually worked with each eventually. You find his whole life story where he was born, how he got started in acting, his loves (yes there were quite a lot) and, of course, always the drinking. He has that charm, that authenticity, which so few actors have, where they can play whatever the part is called for: Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum, some of Bogart's films, Bing Crosby in several earlier roles, as well as some of the later actors closer to my generation: Jeff Bridges, Paul Newman, Michael Douglas in some earlier films, Richard Gere, and a few others can play the soldier, the hero, the crusader, the reporter, the villain, the jaded coworkerall of them so convincingly. Now days sex has become the staple of how love or passion is measured.In the old films the smallest touch or gesture can be so passionate or romantic. Holden made more than 50 movies, including The Wild Bunch, Bridge On the River Kwai and Picnic. He also starred in The Blue Knight, a TV movie based on the Joseph Wambaugh novel about a Los Angeles cop. He first came onto the scene with his 1939 hit film Golden Boy. Mr. Holden also became a much more private person, refusing in interviews to talk about his politics, his family, or why he lived abroad when he did. Watching tcm tonight, Stalag 17 was on, William Holden, one of my favorite actors. Are you ready to be a guest on the show? :) Nancy. Does touching each other spark heat? Indifferent directing, little known costars, minimal budget how does the actor do under such paltry circumstances? Murdered in Google and came to this sight. JEC. His career peaked in 1957 with the enormous success of The Bridge on the River Kwai. Holden and Ernest Borgnine are sitting by a campfire, passing the bottle, said Lewis. It's so evident in his eyes. Learn more about managing a memorial . I honestly thought he was older than 63 when he died, but years of sun & alcohol take their toll on the best of us. After his death, Powers set up the William Holden Wildlife Foundation at Holdens Mount Kenya Game Ranch. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. As a 100 percent heterosexual man, I loved that guy like a brother. Holden won an Academy Award for his 1953 role as an American airman in a German prisoner of war camp in Stalag 17. He also received Oscar nominations for his parts in Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Network (1976). Holden likely didnt realize the extent of his injury and apparently tried to stop the bleeding on his own. . What can i say about William Holden my father took me to see "Picnic" i told my father i want her job! Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. By the end of the decade, Holden had relocated to Geneva, Switzerland. What he saw when he walked through that door most certainly stuck with him for the rest of his life. I got to Santa Monica and LA in December 2014,my lifetime dream, and did a tour of Paramount studios and saw the office where Joe Gillis stood in Sunset Boulevard.I was going to walk along Ocean Ave to Alta St but became ill on the day I had planned to go.I went to the Pasadena Rose Parade and a man standing behind me said"here comes my home town,O`Fallon Illinois and I said that is where William Holden was born.He looked at me and I told him Bill`s real name and date of birth and he at first did not believe me.I told him to Google him and when he saw the results he said to me "What a fan "I even found the Pasadena Playhouse where Bill first performed.That was also a thrill.At my age i have virtually fulfilled my dreams ,now just to meet Doris Day.I missed her when I got to Carmel.They do not make movie stars like Bill and Doris anymore.It was worth my long trip from Australia. The truth is that while he was a good actor, he also was a miserable drunk. He was partial owner of the building at #535. 'How Good it was to Watch his Movies & be Carried Away in those Days. The post The Horse Soldiers (1959) Classic Movie Review 126 appeared first on ClassicMovieRev.com. Enough education and the symptoms will be easily recognizable. To get out of the dance scene, Bill demanded stunt pay and to his surprise, Columbia wrote him a check for $8,000. His death was ignominious and far too soon (And The Earthling was his last released film) but I doubt if he would have hated it. During WW II, while Bill had a cushy job in the army, his brother Bob was a navy pilot and was shot down and killed. God Bless Him for his contribution he made while on the planet and may TCM continue to bring his movies to us for always. Also, watching You Tube, seeing Mr. Holden in "What's My Line" and at the Brown Derby on the Lucy show, I can fall under his spell every day. And still so depressed he had to constantly drink. This was a popular American sitcom that ran over 12 seasons and 380 episodes from 1960 to 1972. He was notoriously private. The latter proved to be one of his most financially lucrative film roles making him an instant multi-millionaire. The Tragic 1981 Death Of Sunset Boulevard Star William Holden Grunge 2.14M subscribers Subscribe 486 18K views 3 weeks ago #Actor #Hollywood #SunsetBoulevard While Actor William Holden. We all have issues just being a regular person or a actor and what a great actor but a human man , no one is perfect , we all have our issues , Love you Mr. Holden thank you for all the movies I still watch. Holden holds Novak gently yet firmly. What do you say about a longtime friend - a sense of personal loss, a fine man. Educate to the point where no one can deny .that people who act stupid when drinking or drugging are addicts, and when that education light shines bright enough and continually, denial will not be possible by anyone. This adored, leading man starred in some of the most revered classics of all time including Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, Sunset Boulevard, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Casino Royale, The Wild Bunch and The Towering Inferno. I wish I knew what happened to it. According to friends he was preparing to act in That Championship Season, a movie version of the Broadway play. His range was incredible, he could play the rugged "Real Man" in the River Kwai, keeping up with the rugged Jack Hawkins or the caring sensitive guy in a sappy romance, The World of Susie Wong and Love is a Many Splendored Thing. Ava, Hedy, Grace and others. Picnic, The moon is blue, Golden boy, Breezy, The world of Suzie Wong, Love is a many splendored thing, Born Yesterday (my favorite so far), Escape from Fort Bravo, Streets of Loredo, The country Girl and Sabrina. I just discovered William Holden in November of 2013. I specifically remember once watching it when he meets Norma and in the room with her monkey and was taken aback at how perfect that music and the stopping of the music melded perfectly with the script and camera work to create a profound effect. The 63-year-old actor bled to death Nov. 16 after slipping on a throw rug in his beachfront apartment and striking his head on a table. Assistant Coroner Richard Wilson said that Holden was ''very intoxicated'' when he died, with a blood-alcohol reading of .22. "I remind you that World War Two happened 20 years BEFORE these "simpler, slower, and less stressfull times. From the report: All the lights were off, except for the television, so they used flashlights to get around. The restricted access elevator opens to a marble and wood entry beckoning you into the Grand Salon with a 180-degree ocean view, cozy granite fireplace and filtered light playfully dancing through a domed skylight. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. It is hard to believe that William Holden has been dead now for 30 years. Sorry! Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. '', Indeed, there was a seven-year period in the late 1950's and early 60's when Mr. Holden made no movies in Hollywood; he moved abroad to Switzerland, Hong Kong and Kenya. William Holden is my favorite actor. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Born the same year as her. He truly let his light shine. Thanks for your help! Aside from swooning from his looks ever since I was a kid, I miss hearing his wonderful deep voice. He knew what he was and couldn't find a way to stop.The senseless war on drugs perpetuates the myth that because drinking is legal it is somehow more innocent than the other drugs that destroy lives and kill. Perhaps that's why I generally stay away from his 70's films. Few people recall that today. If he had so much guilt, he should have done what JFK did and left the cushy job and made certain he got into action. Are you an expert on a movie? Can't watch it anymore - the ending is too sad. He then beat the odds by landing a starring role in Golden Boy, the film that made him an instant success. As a teenager I was into Elvis Presley, but somewhere in my subconscious, William Holden had made an impact. Exusers They feel good for a short period of time and then they feel so terribly bad that they will do literally anything to escape how depressed and bad they feel later. No need to make any drugs illegal when people learn what they have to offer them. But when he To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. I just discovered Bill H. a couple months ago and watched as he aged from Golden Boy, through the 1950's, 60's and 70's and am not so sure drinking aged him. Bill was guilty for his military "toy job", while his brother was the real thing. Look, Bill was a loner by nature. Classy guy with intelligence.Excellent actor.Greatly missed. Holden in Stalag 17 & Peck in The Guns Of Navarone.just magnificent! I thought you might like to see a memorial for William Holden I found on Findagrave.com. #TCMParty #FilmNoir #FemmeFatale, The Challenge (1982) Classic Movie Review 217 https://is.gd/BEEZVI #action #martialarts, Doctor X (1932) Classic Movie Review 288 https://is.gd/cZ6yox #comedy #horror, #OTD 44 years ago The Warriors (1979) premiered. Although he was still relatively young by Hollywoods standards. I understand that Clint has said it is one of his favorites. But in the end he does what has to be done, leading an expedition back to the camp to blow up the bridge. He was out doors a lot and no one used sun screen then. Holden was one of the greatest actors of our times. Drag images here or select from your computer for William Holden memorial. Didn't your mother teach you anything? The role in ''Stalag 17'' for which he won the Oscar was that of a cynical, hard-bitten prisoner of war who inevitably becomes a hero. He always looked about 10 years older than he was, even in the late 1940's/early 50's. He was one of the best ever to do films. After Columbia Pictures signed him to a contract, he suddenly one of the most in-demand polished leading men in Tinseltown. Sad. WILLIAM HOLDEN DEAD AT 63; WON OSCAR FOR 'STALAG 17', https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/17/obituaries/william-holden-dead-at-63-won-oscar-for-stalag-17.html. I wondered about his health but he was very involved building a hunting lodge in Africa and involved with Stephanie Powers. Truly one of the best, and, in my opinion muchunder appreciated today.God bless you Golden Boy. He was one of the finest actors of his time. I just read the book 'Audrey and Bill' a romantic Biography of Audrey Hepburn and William Holden. And promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He acted in several radio plays in college and in 1939 a talent scout got him a small part in the movie Million Dollar Legs. At that point he changed his name to Holden, reportedly taking the name of a Los Angeles Times editor with the hope the papers critics would not pan his first movie performance too severely. It was then that he took the name William Holden, which he made his legal name in 1943. That's the true story. It is available from most DVD providers, including Amazon. A cut on his forehead caused him to bleed to death. She has kept his legacy alive through the Wildlife Foundation she started in HIS name and has been the Executive Director of it since it's inception. I do this just to expose people to great movies from the past. It would be very exciting and great for the followers of my Podcast if I could interview about William Holden and post it on the podcast and YouTube. They included a psycopathic gangster in ''The Dark Past'' in 1948 and, in 1950, the young writer who becomes the emotional property of an aging actress in ''Sunset Boulevard.'' cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Bill and Stef had been in a relationship for 9 years by this point. (1950), for which Holden earned his first Best Actor Oscar nomination. Popular, by Bill carried those traits in his heart but could only translate them through the characters he played on screen. I have always been a big fan of Wiliam Holden. And was one of his first ancestors to immigrate to America. Against his better nature, the real hero would eventually come out but next to his predecessors, Holden's heroes were complex, ambiguous men. Todays movie is Hassan And, yes, his drinking definitely altered his looks. No funeral or memorial service was held, per his wishes. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He was 63. My mother's favourite actor was William Holden and we went as a family to watch his movies. Really great in Bridge Over the River Kwai.Beautiful girlfriend too (Stefanie Powers). Peckinpah said that the whole crew was crying by the time the scene was over. I thinkhis alcoholism is exaggerated. His file at CIA is still classified. BTW: his brother was a fighter pilot in WW2, lost in battle. It's power is greater than the human will. I discovered Bill Holden when I was browsing Netflix and found Sabrina. The coroner's report indicated that William Holden had died as a result of an accidental fall contributed to by a blood alcohol level of .22. . He bled to death from a forehead wound. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. ''For me, acting is not an all-consuming thing, except for the moment when I am actually doing it. By Oyin Balogun. I Goofed 'cause the actress in said film was NANCY KWAN BITCHIN' and enjoyable film; N'est-Ce Pas?? Those absences for weeks at a timewell, he wasn't doing nothing. Thats why it took so long for someone to find him. If education was facing these people everywhere they looked, and success stories were all around them, the sooner they would seek help and realize they didn't have to live like that.No, I take that all back. He was unparalleled; excellent actor.I too, miss him. I totally adore William Holden and have always thought the circumstances of his death were so very sad. Does he hold her firmly and bring her close to him, put her hand on his chest and lay his cheek against hers or does he keep her at arms length? Agreed! Yes, the part that established him as a Hollywood powerhouse was the wholesome young prizefighter who just wants to be a violinist in Golden Boy. I told police what happened and the studio paid to have it all covered up being it was self defense nobody was charged and the studio kept the truth about Holden out of the press etc. Try again later. I prefer him in his older years too. On Monday November 16, 1981, the building manager, Bill Martin, let curiosity get the best of him. He was insecure all his life, that was one of the reasons he started drinking at a real early age. Holden died young but due to the decades of alcohnolic poisoning he really looked alot older.RIP Mr Holden.Now In Gods Care . Is he confident when he holds her in his arms or is he uncomfortable, tentative and uncertain about holding her? An alcoholic drinks because he/she is an alcoholic. Drinking by itself will not cause premature aging. Fine actor, of course. This account has been disabled. My dad would always say that home owner was a friend of WH and also he had mob connections. What also aged him was the bad eye lifts he got which took way the normal bags under his eyes, making his face appear gaunt and old before his time. He was actually a very shy man which is hard to believe. Holden, who regularly dated his leading ladies did not have that connection with Novak and that made this dance scene even more undesirable to him. Addiction is a disease and we can put every person on the planet in jail and nothing is going to change until we mandate that the only answer is education, 10% of the population have the addiction bug, and it's a total waste of lives and resources to put people in jail for drug use when only that addictive 10% are going to abuse alcohol and other drugs, and it's pointless to imprison all that use when a small fraction destroy themselves whether it is legal or not. After Columbia Pictures picked up half of his contract, he alternated between starring in several minor pictures for Paramount and Columbia before serving as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, where he acted in training films for the First Motion Picture Unit. The boy went to school in Monrovia and South Pasadena and attended Pasadena Junior College. William Holden is my favorite actor, bar none. William and his wife, Brenda Marshall were the two witnesses for Ronald and Nancy Reagan's wedding in 1952. The Shorecliff Towers. What did the beautiful Stephanie Powers see in him with the mess he was at the end? But I have no excuse for what he did to himself off screen. 1 Year-Later She Realizes Her Huge Mistake, Bebe Buell Reveals Everything About Her Rock Star Romances, The Real Reason Peter Lawford Got Kicked Out of the Rat Pack, Pam Dawber is Unrecognizable Today (Try Not to Gasp), Why Jan Smithers DISAPPEARED After WKRP in Cincinnati, Celebrities Who Died Due to Medical Malpractice, The ONE Time Dolly Parton Got Naked in Public, Rare Photos of Lynda Carter Not Suitable for All Ages, The Tragic Death of Robert Urich & His Wife, The Tragic Life and Demise of Angie Dickinson, How Each Gilligans Island Cast Member Died. I miss him. Holden starred in some of Hollywoods most popular and critically acclaimed films, including Sunset Blvd(1950),The Bridges at Toko-Ri(1954), Sabrina (1954),The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), The Wild Bunch (1969), Picnic (1955), The Towering Inferno (1974), and Network (1976). 8 blood-soaked tissues were found next to his body and so was a working telephone which he could have used to call for medical help. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Read on for more details about her love life. I always was a huge fan of William Holden, he was an amazing actor. Happy memories for me as I saw it with my mom who is gone now. The thought was, he'd emerge in a week or so sober and ready to work like had happened so many times before. February 19, 2023, 6:17 am, by https://classicmovierev.com/the-warriors-1979/. As the best man at Ronald Reagan's wedding, his star power never dimmed. Ive watched it in theaters, dvd, Netflix, and even listened to it while riding my bicycle. Stefanie Powers' Love Life Including 2 Failed Marriages and Her Deep Love for William Holden. But spent the majority of his free time traveling the world. That's right, no one. Sad that many people dont slow dance now; they dont know what theyre missing. Drinking and his smooth nature left a great legacy. He was obviously still becoming intoxicated from alcohol. Would you like to request a film for review? you aren't familiar with Holliday or Crawford, you are in for a treat Judy Holliday is another great actress who died much too soon & tragically. He was still functioning and still remembering his lines and still getting work as an actor. William Holden began working in Hollywood as a piece of beefcake. Actually I didnt know he existed until the late 1960s since I was born in 1955. at the time of his death? Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Cry your heart out Leonrado Di Caprio. In the new millennium, Jan has turned her interests [] More, Each year over 1.5 million patients become victims of medical malpractice in the US alone. Breaks my heart. If his Japanese captors want a bridge built, then his men will build it. It was just silly and random enough to fit a man uncomfortable with his random, often silly, world. The actor was best man at the 1952 wedding of President and Mrs. Reagan and remained friends with them over the years. Many have had tons of plastic surgery and still look horrible. He was so suave, elegant, restrained and drop dead gorgeous. Or his children? He was gorgeous and talented. An assistant coroner said the actor had been ''heavily intoxicated'' when he fell. From the Archives: Gloria Swanson, Queen of Movies Golden Years, Dies, From the Archives: Dorothy Chandler, Cultural Leader, Dies, From the Archives: Audrey Hepburn, Actress and Humanitarian, Dies, Ernest Borgnine dies at 95; won Oscar for Marty, showed comic side in sitcom, From the Archives: Ella Fitzgerald, Jazzs First Lady of Song, Dies. By the 1960s, Holdens drinking had already started to detrimentally affect his physical appearance. We have set your language to For the person who said "that reflect simpler, slower, and less stressfull times. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? During the filming they had to sent him to a clinic to dry out for a week. I have almost all his movies including S.O.B. The OceanAire Penthouse is now available for $10.8 million. I always feel as though he and the other wonderful actors, actresses, dancers of the period are friends they had brought me so much joy, understanding, laughter and I cry whenever I read of another passing of these talented souls. I like Stalag 17, Sunset Blvd. Seventh Dawn is an excellent movie and very prophetic in todays world. Picnic? I had the fortune to visit his favourite retreat, The Mount Kenya Safari Club, near Nanyuki, Kenya. Further examination revealed a deep gash on his forehead approximately 3 inches in length. I think he played these parts so well because he understood those characters. You would be thrilled to know that Stef brought your conservation dreams to life by creating the William Holden Wildlife Foundation in your honor - an enormous achievement.