And when reading about his personal life and suffering you realize he had to draw from his own internal makeup to bring you close- I saw him in Network and there were moments where you felt the same- He was older than my father, but Picnic will always make you want to step back in time. It made his life difficult and unhappy yet he triumphed just the same. Throughout the 1960s, he starred in a dozen films, including the notorious Sam Peckinpah Revisionist Western classic "The Wild Bunch" in 1969, but his productivity was on the decline as other interests became more important. Bill played the early anti-heroes, the guy who only looked out for number one, the selfish, lazy, opportunist. He probably was not having blackouts. Facts Verse We have Kirk Douglas and Olivia Dehavilland, Leslie Caron, Sophia Loren. These roles include a prisoner-of-war entrepreneur in Stalag 17 (1953), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Astute people can see the sadness seeping through. It explains his illogical self destructive actions. I think he would like that a lot. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of William Holden (1890)? Died a sad man. Career William Holden's career began with an uncredited role in the movies, "Prison Farm" and "Million Dollar Legs" in 1939. I have almost all his movies including S.O.B. His brother fought and died in WW2 as a fighter pilot showing his great qualities too. Holdens birth name wasWilliam Franklin Beedle, Jr. His last name was changed to Holden by an agent that was still in love with his ex-wife. These guys didn't act, they lived the parts. But in reality he did not emulate them in his own life. He left a legacy of thoughtful work worth seeing and the animal refuge in Africa. Watching tcm tonight, Stalag 17 was on, William Holden, one of my favorite actors. 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. A man and a woman dancing, not just dancing, but slow dancing. But before we dive into his early years and accomplishments, take a moment to show us a little support by giving this video a like and subscribing to our channel if you havent already. 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. Unfortunately, this time it didn't happen that way. However, he did return to Hollywood in 1965 to make ''Alvarez Kelly. He was the eldest child of three. He was not heard from much in the 1960s, when he lived in Switzerland and made several undistinguished films. Another observation about him is that he was in incredible shape for the times. They spoke. 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. agree with Gary R One of my favorite was the I Love Lucy show in 1955. Even though he clearly had talent, his lack of experience made shooting very difficult and after just two weeks of filming. While in high school and junior college, Holden immersed himself in sports. A lot has been said here about William Holden. The man was an amazing actor since his early years. Holden married actress Brenda Marshall in 1941. Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox! Try again later. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Stefanie Powers 'Would Have Had a Child' with William Holden Inside He also had the habit of disappearing for many days, without notice. So true. Nobody takes away from William Holden, the popular, talented and extraordinary actor that he was, your instead in your mediocre life you will never do or you will be nobody, I do not know how you dare to speak of someone who was excellent in what he did, and in the rest look in a mirror that you are not perfect. Picnic? I truly believe that he aged due to the sun and cigarette smoking. 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. Living in Pasadena, Holden was spotted by a talent scout from Paramount Pictures in 1937 while playing the part of an 80-year-old man. william holden arlene holden - bdcgtoronto.ca After that, he starred in a screen adaption of the film Our Town that further established him as one of Hollywoods leading men. I can say the film's I watched with William Holden acting,made me fell good as William was a great actor, R.I.P,William Holden. I love the way he leaves the prison camp at the end of Stalag 17. So sad. See the article in its original context from. I watch one of his films everyday. Barbara Stanwick was simply awesome. I have most of his movies on my iPad but I take advantage when either TCM or Encore's western channel show one of his movies. Although he was still relatively young by Hollywoods standards. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Glad to see so many agree what a wonderful actors, conservationist he was. His films were well written, well directed, and cast correctly. Art imitates life.Watch Breezy. He was unparalleled; excellent actor.I too, miss him. Thanks for your help! The years of heavy drinking had seriously taken a heavy toll on his physical appearance not to mention his physical and mental well-being. In 1972, Holden began a nine-year relationship with actress Stefanie Powers, which sparked her interest in animal welfare. They want to be alone to do their thing.we all wished we'd stepped in. He first came onto the scene with his 1939 hit film Golden Boy. Who gives a fuck if he drank the world. He always looked about 10 years older than he was, even in the late 1940's/early 50's. A perceptive woman can tell a lot about a man just by the way he slow dances with her. I have yet to find a truly complete biography of him.He drank and smoked a lot because that is what men did at that time. I just read the book 'Audrey and Bill' a romantic Biography of Audrey Hepburn and William Holden. Happy Birthday today William!!! I love you Bill. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Made me happy! A system error has occurred. Also sad, for obviously she could do nothing to help him. An alcoholic drinks because he/she is an alcoholic. Hard to believe he would be 96 if he were alive todaywow! However, by that time he was no longer the handsome leading man of movies. Thank you. I believe that part of the reason he drank was from guilt; his brother was an Army Air Corps pilot who was shot down and killed during a WW II mission, while big shot actor Bill, though in the service, had a nice cushy job. Only he could make Pike Bishop so believable! NICE! His long-term contract was shared by Columbia and Paramount, being both underpaid and forced into low-budget films unworthy of his exceptional talent. He was so good. He was in Hong Kong to meet his wife, and then return to Columbo to finish the film. Non-addicts learn all drugs are used in moderation, and addictive people learn quicky what makes them feel terriblyIn the early 1980s, many Alcoholics Anonymous meetings began to see younger and younger people coming in to meetings and it quickly became apparent that it was drugs like cocaine that were causing this to happen. Bill Holden obviously suffered from chronic untreated depression. 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Bill was guilty for his military "toy job", while his brother was the real thing. But one thing I have to say, he did not deserve to die all alone in November 1981, not with all the friends he had. Specifically: Ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1890/william-holden. Talk about lengthy speeches. The ex-wife was Gloria Holden who starred in Draculas Daughter (1936). He used a flashlight to navigate the apartment. He burst onto the scene with his role in Golden Boy in 1939. 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. Depressing Facts About William Holden, Hollywood's Golden Boy - Factinate I couldn't believe how handsome and classy he was. These are both known culprits of premature aging. A classic movie at a critical junction in my life and always will be; bravo to both of them as Novak still is alive. His performance as Gloria Swanson's ill-fated lover in ''Sunset Boulevard'' in 1950 was perhaps his best known; it won him a second Oscar nomination. He was elusive by nature and as such wouldn't be pinned down, so much so that he probably chose not to call 911 when in mortal danger. 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. But instead, he likely died of blood loss within about 15 minutes of his accident. When he and Audrey had to do one more film 'Paris when it Sizzles', supposedly he was drunk all the time because he could not handle it. It was the sun and alcohol. He was a serial adulterer and not a devoted family man. It takes me somewhere that other movies never have. Just try to stop them. But in the end he does what has to be done, leading an expedition back to the camp to blow up the bridge. Fine actor, of course. Then they begin talking about their plans to give up the outlaw life. It was during one of these discussions - when she was telling him which names she would like to give their future children - that he finally told her about his vasectomy. Bill carried those traits in his heart but could only translate them through the characters he played on screen. He was also romantically linked to costars Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Stefanie Powers, who after his death, established the William Holden Wildlife Fund supporting wildlife preservation in Kenya, thus realizing his dream. The Beedle family made the move to Pasadena, California when William was just three years old. I'm wrong. William Holden, original name William Franklin Beedle, Jr., (born April 17, 1918, O'Fallon, Illinois, U.S.found dead November 16, 1981, Santa Monica, California), American film star who perfected the role of the cynic who acts heroically in spite of his scorn or pessimism. ''For me, acting is not an all-consuming thing, except for the moment when I am actually doing it. The movie Picnic 1955. 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. I also think there is something strange about Stefanie Powers. Great actor I watched an old Black/White yesterday of his The Key where he was a skipper of a tug in WW11 everyone of his movies excellent, dont get the same today. Thank you for your lovely remarks. Agree. His most notable movies included ''Our Town'' (1940); ''Apartment for Peggy'' (1948); ''Union Station'' (1950); ''Executive Suite'' (1954); ''Sabrina'' (1954); ''The Country Girl'' (1954); ''The Bridges at Toko-Ri'' (1955); ''Love is a Many-Splendored Thing'' (1955); ''Picnic'' (1956); ''The Key'' (1958) and ''The World of Suzie Wong (1960). Managed to convince the executive to rethink his decision. God Bless you Bill. The professor ponders if his life is no longer useful while the young couple faces the challenges shared with many WW II veterans' families. Holdens performance in that film received with almost unanimous acclaim. Best They certainly do not make films like that anymore. You are truly missed Mr. Holden. It's unfortunate, but at least his work can still be enjoyed to this day. We all have too many demons and not enough angels. Holden was one of the greatest actors of our times. She did 5 movies with him, so you know she thought he was good. 40 Handsome Portrait Photos of William Holden From Between the - Vintag 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. Facts Verse He was the ultimate talented handsome movie star, and will never be replaced. Weve updated the security on the site. However, many audience members didnt realize that. It's so evident in his eyes. In early October 1981, Holden travelled from his Palm Springs home to his coastal apartment to live a semi-reclusive existence. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Written by a real loser. But, he was still getting good roles untill he died.Dan. The Horse Soldiers, Stalag 17, and Picnic are my favourites. There's really nothing mysterious about his life or his passing. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Drinking and his smooth nature left a great legacy. I just got too tired of looking at people's ugly, no-talent sons, daughters, cousins, etc. What could one do in a situation like that when there was such a profound breach of trust. With the right direction and material, Bill Holden was as good anactor as any at the time. He left too early. I just turned 50 and I have been in show business my whole life too but in the Live Entertainment field. Join Facts Verse to learn more about the Inside William Holdens Frightening Final Moments. He wasn't acting when he did his great movies. They are great actors. Odds are if you are a current American circa 2016 you are a godless pansy in debt up to your brainless skull with chewed nails and chicken wing sauce on your carcass. He was just another drunk bum. Although I am a big fan of William Holden's work, I can see in some of the comments that people sometimes confuse the man with the characters he played. Death 12 Nov 1981 (aged 63) Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, USA. On Monday, November 16, 1981, the apartment buildings manager Bill Martin decided to investigate Holdens absence and let himself into his apartment via a passkey. My mother's favourite actor was William Holden and we went as a family to watch his movies. Since then we have been looking for and watching every Holden movie we can rent or buy. 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. Watched Stalag 17 with my wife and two teenage sons. we all have our own sickness.it just developes and all of a sudden we realize we are not what we could or should have been when something is missing either love or too much memory regret,or disappointment we seem to fail as gods creature.bill was a great guy,looks,talent,he had it all,and died a meaningless life.63,im 87,what happens to me is reasonable,but not at age 63,alone,drinking,he wasnt drunk he has ti=oo much exoerience drinking to be drunk,he just got to the point where he did not give a shit, Hi Gene, That was the point of my title. Nothing more nothing less. Money, fame, looks, and talent. Today, it is not possible to create a building that could duplicate OceanAire, making it the most prestigious and luxurious address in Santa Monica. Every time he would say he'd never have another drink. He need not have worried. The film crew saw it being delivered and contacted my father to see if they could use it and they did. Oak Island is a privately owned island that sits off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. Watched the bridge on the river kwai last night and enjoyed Holdens performance again. You were ahead of your time in your pursuit of wildlife conservation and environmental studies especially in Kenya. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. In this film you can really see Holden's chops as a consumate performer. Nice guy, down to earth. On or around Nov. 12, 1981, William Holden drunkenly slipped on a rug and hit his head against a table. I search, William Holden. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Still, I have a gut feeling that the truth about the death of the great star is so much stranger, darker, and more shocking. Still, I feel in my . When he wanted to be left alone to drink, he made it known that he wanted to be alone. He was best man at Ronald Reagan's wedding to Nancy Davis. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Despite his far-reaching fame and the fact that he won an Academy Award in 1954. 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. 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. Breaks my heart. What more could you ask for? 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. June 20, 2021, 9:06 am, by He was an enigma; men wanted to emulate him and women wanted to copy and paste him into their lives. And he was forever in Stanwycks debt for believing in him enough to pull him through that picture. I first saw Bill Holden when I was about 9 years old in the movie "Love is a many splendor thing" and I thought he was soooo handsome. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. He was notoriously private. Holden died in 81 just shortly after the Reagan Administration started their reign. Finally, in the late '50s he negotiated a ground-breaking contract with Columbia to star in The Bridge on the River Kwai, allowing him to become a part-owner in the film. Many of us leave behind loved ones but when you think clearly about it..dying is what we all do alone. But then again, who really knows. Flippo asked Parton about what the most outrageous thing shed [] More, Robert Urich was known throughout the world as a tough guy. The Life and Tragic Ending of William Holden - YouTube He said in 1971 that he had always resented the ''ground rules of 30 years ago, when you did anything to get your name in the paper with Hedda Hopper or Louella Parsons.''. Hey Dan,Do yourself a favour and check out The Country Girl from the same era. Ronald Reagan was his immediate supervisor. Wish somebody had been with him when he had a fall. And they all hailed from Milenback, Lancaster, England. His first starring role was in the movie "Golden Boy" (1939). Bill and Stef had been in a relationship for 9 years by this point. Wow he did age badly! You are correct Tracy Jo! 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. No one else drinks to that point. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Ahead of his time in trying to save animals. Read the book Full Service by Scotty Bowers..who fixed Holden up with Hookers but too drunk to participate. Can't watch it anymore - the ending is too sad. RIP Mr. Holden and Mr. McElfay. 469 Views. Even his neighbors reported only ever receiving the occasional head nod from the elusive actor. IVE SEEN EVERYTHING HE MADE,HIS LOVE SCENE WITH NANCY OLSON IN FORCE OF ARMS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC,HIS STYLE,HIS WALK,TALK,AND GOOG LOOKS, ITS A SIN HE DIED.AT 63.IM 87 AND STILL WANT TO LIVE IN SPITE OF MY PAIN.AT LEAST DUKE LASTED TILL THE SEVENTIES,PALADIN MADE IT TO 63 ALSO,ANOTHER SHAME,THE LADDER TO SUCCESS DOES NOT TAKE YOU IN THE DIRECTION U ALWAYS WANT TO GO.MITCHUM MADE IT TO ALMOST 80.LANCASTER 81. Sunset Blvd? He has it all. As for tonight I will enjoy watching The Bridge on the River Kwai. Loved William Holden and I am heading to Santa Monica in January 2015.My dream has always been to get to California and to see his hand and footprints somewhere in Hollywood. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. He bled to death from a forehead wound. I recommend it. I ADORED THE MOVIE. The Theme from Picnic and Moonglow I can listen to for hours. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. What a fine actor Bill Holden was, so handsome with his chiselled good looks. I love Daniel Day Lewisand Christian Bale, but they still don't hold a candle to William Holden. That's why I'd rather watch some old film I have never seen instead of watching a new film.William Holden has to be mention in the top five of greatest leading men. Can you imagine the guilt she has carried for the last 35 years? An avid traveler, he became a managing partner in an animal preserve country club in Kenya where he began to spend much of his time. He then beat the odds by landing a starring role in Golden Boy, the film that made him an instant success. According to the book he started early to get enough courage to act. Mr. Holden, 63 years old, was found dead at the apartment Monday morning by the building manager. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. I think this resulted in great on screen chemistry. A pressured young engineer/family man in Executive Suite (1954), a conflicted jet pilot in the Korean War film The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), a carefree playboy in Sabrina (1954), his most widely recognized role as an ill-fated prisoner in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) with Alec Guinness, a World War II tug boat captain in The Key (1958), and an American Civil War military surgeon in John Fords The Horse Soldiers(1959) opposite John Wayne. She starred alongside Hollywood titans like John Wayne, William Holden, . 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). Miss you,Dottie K. That is so true I just realized Audrey Hepburn and William holden died at the same age 63 and both of their lives were unhappy I think that's saying u fall in love once in a life time is true. William Holden passed away in 1981 at the age of 63. Classy guy with intelligence.Excellent actor.Greatly missed.