Not only did Holden find Wilders version of Stalag 17 to be much more exciting, but he was especially intrigued by the part he was offered. The comments below have not been moderated, By Born on April 17, 1918, in O'Fallon, Illinois, William Holden grew up with his two younger brothers Richard and Robert. . Depressing Facts About William Holden, Hollywood's Golden Boy - Factinate "[12] Paramount reunited him with Nancy Olson, one of his Sunset Boulevard costars, in Union Station (1950). I didn't know. Underneath his pretty face, however, was a man with a troubled life, who constantly struggled with the demons of addiction. It is hard to believe that William Holden has been dead now for 30 years. Holden walked into the Columbia Pictures office, practically quaking in his boots. Wilder convinced Holden to read the films version of the script. Were always looking for your input! Even a studio worker admitted that Columbia was really taking advantage of him.. Jealous of Holdens sudden stardom and the loss of her own, Holdens wife took every opportunity to knock him down a pegand the cracks in their marriage began to show. The "Stalag 17" star was not drawn to acting because of the fame that came alongside it but rather pursued acting to overcome his shyness. 20:29 BST 26 Feb 2015. They were together for nine years. Now Holden just needed to prove himself on set, but that was easier said than done. While intoxicated in his apartment, Holden slipped on a rug and hit his head on a bedside tablebut that wasnt the most disturbing part. The script excited Holden. William Holden was born William Franklin Beedle, Jr. on April 17, 1918 in O'Fallon, Illinois, USA to William Franklin Beedle, Sr. who worked as an industrial chemist. [9] RKO borrowed him for Rachel and the Stranger (1948) with Robert Mitchum and Loretta Young. Holden threw himself into the role, but it got him into some major trouble. Audrey Hepburn's and William Holden's love affair revealed in new book From the Archives: Actor William Holden Found Dead at Home Holden, who was at this point dependent on alcohol, said, "I really was in love with Audrey, but she wouldn't marry me. One day, Holden got a little too into character, and ended up yelling at the entire crew for being too noisy, shocking everyoneincluding himself! There she opened up about her nearly decade-long love with the late actor. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. Hepburn became a screen legend thanks to her iconic role in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but suffered a huge backlash after being cast in the title role for My Fair Lady because many felt it belonged to Julie Andrews. 'He told her that the one thing, the only thing they could not have together, was children. In no uncertain terms she gave him an ultimatum and 'demanded that Bill stop seeing that woman'. He was named one of the "Top 10 Stars of the Year" six times (19541958, 1961), and appeared as 25th on the American Film Institute's list of 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema. Mr. Holden, who was 63 years old, was found by an apartment manager. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Beedle grew up in South Pasadena, California. Shocked by Holdens talent, Lewis decided to offer him the opportunity of a lifetime. Holden is remembered for his amazing performances on screen, which won him both an Academy Award and an Emmy Award. His . In the early 1960s, Holden left for Africa to film The Lion. "[18] Rumors at the time 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. 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 in the 17th century. He stayed at Paramount for The Remarkable Andrew (1942) with Brian Donlevy, then made Meet the Stewarts (1943) at Columbia. Due to his filming schedule and his desire to keep his wedding plans hush-hush, Holden ended up missing his own wedding! One smile from him and she knew she was understood'. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. The rest of his career wouldnt go this smoothly, however. At the end of her acceptance speech, she paid him a personal tribute: "I loved him very much, and I miss him. Birth: 1937: Relatives. UICTA. At the time filming of Sabrina was due to start, Hepburn, who grew up in England, had recently broken off her engagement to James Hanson, the wealthy British industrialist and a member of the House of Lords, a parting which Epstein describes as 'unpleasant'. In July of 1941, Holden suggested that they elope in Las Vegasbut this adventure nearly ended in disaster. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. In 1954, Holden appeared in The Country Girl and The Bridges at Toko-Ri. All Rights Reserved. With Holden and his wife present, what clearer sign could there be that nothing had been going on? Hepburn was the Belgian born, British-raised, Dutch baroness's daughter and Holden was the son of a teacher and a chemist and first teamed up with an ageing Humphrey Bogart for the love triangle . Miraculously they managed to keep their affair out of the tabloid newspapers, even though they were caught in an intimate moment when a member of the Sabrina crew barged into Holden's dressing room without knocking. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. It was a sort of real-life adventure., Bill confided to his love that hed had other off-screen exploits too. The actor, who died at 63, adopted Gaines when he married her mother, Brenda Marshall, in 1941. 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. Holdens character, Sefton, was always center stage and in the spotlight. [15] Holden and Hepburn became romantically involved during the filming, unbeknownst to Wilder: "People on the set told me later that Bill and Audrey were having an affair, and everybody knew. Getting the role was a lucky break for Holden, as Montgomery Clift was initially cast but backed out of his contract. William Holden | Biography, Movies, Death, & Facts | Britannica To calm himself, Holden turned to drink. [40] On a trip to Africa, he fell in love with the wildlife and became increasingly concerned with the animal species that were beginning to decrease in population. His Mount Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki (founded 1959) was popular with the international jet set. Sunset Boulevard (1950), Paramount Pictures. Intrigued by Holdens screen presence, Mamoulian asked Paramount to send Holden over for a meetingBut Holden didnt exactly make a great first impression. Holden's career took off again in 1950 when Billy Wilder tapped him to play a down-at-heel screenwriter taken in by a faded silent film actress (Gloria Swanson) in Sunset Boulevard. [3] The film was made for Columbia, which negotiated a sharing agreement with Paramount for Holden's services. She has a 27-year-old daughter . Jennifer Jones reportedly chewed garlic cloves before her love scenes with William Holden, which may have been an effort to deter her notoriously womanizing co-star. Holden had another hit with The World of Suzie Wong (1960) with Nancy Kwan, which was shot in Hong Kong. Caught up in the patriotic fervor of the nation, Holden enlisted, leaving his new wife behind and putting his acting career on hold. Shortly after Sabrina completed filming, their affair fizzled out. LOS ANGELES -- The late actor William Holden left $250,000 to his actress-girlfriend Stephanie Powers and the bulk of his. What do you say about a longtime friend a sense of personal loss, a fine man. Chicago P.D. Star Marina Squerciatis Bikini Photos, What Happened to Ben Napier? Holden set up the meeting and when Hepburn laid eyes on her rival she was 'impressed', Epstein writes. Holden was still an unknown actor when he made Golden Boy, while Stanwyck was already a film star. William Holden - His Life and his Loves - Historian Alan Royle Italy (UPI) -An Italian prosecutor has recommended ttiat American actor William Holden be charged with manslaughter hi the July 2fi deaih of a motorist whose car Hoi- ' den's Ferrari sideswiped on the Florence - Viareggion Super 1 highway. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. Advertisement Audrey Hepburn and William Holden get into character as the ugly duckling-turned-beauty queen Sabrina Fairchild and charming millionaire playboy Linus Larrabee, respectively in "Sabrina" circa 1954 . "Fame did not interest him," the actor's daughter, Virginia Holden Gaines, exclusively tells Closer in the latest issue, on newsstands now, adding that her father initially tried acting to. 'I've just shot Audrey Hepburn.'. The adopted daughter of actor William Holden, Virginia married Legan's maternal grandfather, an Iranian-born economics professor. At home, Virginia, who was adopted by Bill after he married her mother, Brenda Marshall, in 1941, blossomed with his love and support. That same afternoon, his wife dropped by to visit him. Though without a child now, the veteran actress revealed that she would have had a child with Holden if he had been able to get her pregnant. Hepburn was pleased to see the troubled actor and director because his 'attentiveness and sense of romantic urgency' was the perfect tonic to Holden. Although a registered Republican, he never involved himself in politics. To make matters worse, his next two films, Streets of Laredo and Miss Grant Takes Richmond, flopped. But with Hepburn, Ardis sensed something different and she was scared. Lewis invited Holden to Paramount Studios for an audition. Holden was born William Franklin Beedle, Jr., on April 17, 1918, in O'Fallon, Illinois, son of Mary Blanche Beedle (ne Ball), a schoolteacher, and her husband William Franklin Beedle, an industrial chemist. In September of 1945, Holden eagerly returned to his acting career. Around this time, WWII rocked the lives of everyone in the United States, and that included Holdens as well. Holden made his start in radio plays fresh out of college and made his way onto the big screen, where he won a string of accolades that live on as his legacy beyond his tragic death. Zach Edey's Mom Played Basketball but Couldn't Afford a Career in the Sport, Justine Skye's Parents Were Successful but Her Mom Sold Her Valuables for Their Daughter's Career, Is Cybill Shepherd Married? Powers was in a relationship with William Holden. Since the role required Holden to know how to box and how to play the violin, his days consisted of relentless, endless lessons. To put any rumors to bed about her and Holden, Paramount, the studio to which she was signed, decided to stage an evening at Holden's house during which Hepburn would announce her engagement to Ferrer. [45] After his death, Powers set up the William Holden Wildlife Foundation at Holden's Mount Kenya Game Ranch. The talent scout described his voice as, the voice of a mature man, warm and resonant, rising from deep within him. Paramount executives offered Holden a position as a contract player for seven years, and thus, Holdens life as an actor began. Bill was now one of the hottest names in the business, and his career went into overdrive. The Lion (1962) - Turner Classic Movies After that, the happy couple went on to have two more sons. Holden then started dating Stefanie Powers, known for her role in "Hart to Hart.". With his dad bedridden, Holden became the head of the family. I particularly enjoyed when he was playful. Cast & Crew Read More Jack Cardiff Director William Holden Robert Hayward Trevor Howard John Bullitt Capucine Christine Pamela Franklin Tina Makara Kwaiha Ramadhani Bogo Photos & Videos View All Lion, The - (Original Trailer) It was not particularly successful. During these tough times, Holdens few escapes included the Boy Scouts, athletics, and, to his surprise, acting. And although he hid his domestic troubles well from the public, his relationship with his wife was already crumbling. After the Korean War, there were parts of Southeast Asia Bill was interested in going to, says Stefanie. Stefanie Powers on 'Hart to Hart,' Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood, Facing Wilder convinced Holden to read the films version of the script. But his career wasnt all nerves and booze. It ended up being one of the worst experiences of his life. "The only thing I'm ashamed of in the book is William Holden," she starts in, her raucous laughter cutting through the noise of a matinee luncheon crowd. Instead of being the handsome lead, Holden needed to convince movie-goers that he could believably play a ruthless killer. He. But beyond his acting endeavors, Holden is also remembered by his loved ones with fondness. Virginia Holden Gaines, William Holden's adopted daughter, shared a side of the famous "Sunset Boulevard" actor that those closest to him knew very well. The organization is known as The William Holden, says Stefanie. This early and promising start to acting didnt keep Holden out of trouble, though. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Needless to say, Holden could barely afford his new home. However, while on set, he got a littletoo confident. The third Wilder/Holden collaboration was this adaptation of Samuel Taylor's Sabrina Fair, with Audrey Hepburn as the titular chauffeur's daughter who is sent to Paris to become a lady. Not long ago, he was divorced from the actress, Gloria Holden, but carried the torch after the marital rift. In Hepburn's eyes Ardis was 'beautiful; the role of injured wife did not suit her.'. He became increasingly irritable, isolating himself from his friends and unable to face their questions. William Holden family tree. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film Stalag 17 (1953) and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for the television miniseries The Blue Knight (1973). He woke at six in the morning every day for his lessons, and on most days, he didnt get to sleep until well past midnight. He always wished that I would get an Oscar. Actress Stefanie Powers dishes on her love William Holden - Today As Holdens acting career took off, he grew more and more wary of Cohns attempts to control his career. Holden's dad, after years of working in a lab that exposed him to a concoction of dangerous chemicals, contracted pneumosilicosis. Winston was one of those who discovered the Golden Boy newcomer and who renamed himin honor of his former spouse!"[2]. Holdens dad, after years of working in a lab that exposed him to a concoction of dangerous chemicals, contracted pneumosilicosis. Holdens drinking also went off the rails. Holden served as a second and then a first lieutenant in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, where he acted in training films for the First Motion Picture Unit, including Reconnaissance Pilot (1943). (A few months later, Hepburn met Mel Ferrer, whom she later married and with whom she had a son Sean Hepburn Ferrer. Columbia put Holden in a Western 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.
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