William Holden biography
William Holden history
William Holden facts
William Holden video clips
William Holden photos
William Holden story
William Holden discography
William Holden photographs
William Holden bio
William Holden info
William Holden curious
William Holden images
William Holden quotes
William Holden films
William Holden filmography

[h3]Few Hollywood actors have conveyed spiritual and physical pain with as much charismatic authority as William Holden. [/h3]

This scion of a wealthy family in the chemical business first registered in films as a clean-cut, affably handsome lead in the 1940s, who matured into more rough and tumble roles.

Along the way his earnest qualities yielded to cynicism, perhaps most notably for writer-director Billy Wilder, in 'Sunset Boulevard', in 1950, and in his Oscar-winning performance in 'Stalag 17'.

Over the years, the rigors of life and drink re-sculpted his features into an expressive leather that gave testimony to the ravages of the moral ambiguity that had characterized many of his best roles.

This quality may have been most eloquently expressed by his central performance as the desperado cowboy, Pike, in [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/584:756/1/Sam_Peckinpah.htm]Sam Peckinpah's[/urlnew] violent autumnal Western classic, 'The Wild Bunch'.

Holden became a star with his first substantial feature role as the boxer-violinist in 'Golden Boy', a part that cast him opposite screen siren [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/226:0/Barbara_Stanwyck.htm]Barbara Stanwyck[/urlnew], who would later become his mentor.

Fighting in the Air Force in World War II, he returned to the screen after discharge with a more complex personality, and starred in box-office favorites, 'Dear Ruth' and 'Rachel and the Stranger'.

1950 proved to be Holden's watershed year: he starred in two career landmarks, 'Born Yesterday', as Judy Holliday's culture tutor-cum-lover, and Billy Wilder's 'Sunset Boulevard', as Norma Desmond's hack screenwriter gigolo.

He won a best actor Oscar for his pessimistic POW suspected of being a Nazi informer, in Wilder's 'Stalag 17', in 1953.

Holden went on to become a leading box-office star between 1954-58, including roles in 'Executive Suite', 'Sabrina' and 'Picnic'. He played a pivotal role in 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' and his 1960s successes included 'The Counterfeit Traitor' and a career highlight in Peckinpah's 'The Wild Bunch'.

The 1970s saw him in 'Towering Inferno' and 'Ashanti', as well the highly acclaimed 'Network', as a conscientious TV executive.

His final film performance came in Blake Edwards' caustically comic look at Hollywood, 'S.O.B', in 1981, and he died following an accidental fall in his apartment in November that year.
William Holden biography



- His full name is William Franklin Beedle Jr.

- He was the best man at Ronald Reagan's wedding.

- He died from a laceration to his forehead which was caused by hitting his head while drunk. He apparently remained conscious for about half an hour after the injury but never realised he should phone for help. Had he done so, it is likely he would have lived.

- He has two sons and a stepdaughter from a previous marriage, whom he adopted as his own.

- He reportedly showered up to 4 times a day.

- His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.
William Holden biography



S.O.B. (1981)

Earthling, The (1980)

When Time Ran Out... (1980)

Ashanti (1979)

Escape to Athena (1979)

Fedora (1978)

Damien: Omen II (1978)

Network (1976)

21 Hours at Munich (1976)

Towering Inferno, The (1974)

Cazadores, Los (1974)

Breezy (1973)

Blue Knight, The (1973)

Revengers, The (1972)

Wild Rovers (1971)

Arbre de Noël, L' (1969)

Wild Bunch, The (1969)

Devil's Brigade, The (1968)

Casino Royale (1967)

Alvarez Kelly (1966)

7th Dawn, The (1964)

Paris - When It Sizzles (1964)

Lion, The (1962)

Counterfeit Traitor, The (1962)

Satan Never Sleeps (1962)

World of Suzie Wong, The (1960)

Horse Soldiers, The (1959)

Key, The (1958)

Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)

Toward the Unknown (1956)

Proud and Profane, The (1956)

Picnic (1955)

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

Bridges at Toko-Ri, The (1955)

Country Girl, The (1954)

Miyamoto Musashi (1954)

Sabrina (1954)

Executive Suite (1954)

Escape from Fort Bravo (1954)

Forever Female (1953)

Moon Is Blue, The (1953)

Stalag 17 (1953)

Turning Point, The (1952)

Submarine Command (1952)

Boots Malone (1952)

Force of Arms (1951)

Born Yesterday (1950)

Union Station (1950)

Sunset Blvd. (1950)

Father Is a Bachelor (1950)

Dear Wife (1949)

Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949)

Streets of Laredo (1949)

Dark Past, The (1948)

Apartment for Peggy (1948)

Rachel and the Stranger (1948)

Man from Colorado, The (1948)

Dear Ruth (1947)

Blaze of Noon (1947)

Young and Willing (1943)

Meet the Stewarts (1942)

Remarkable Andrew, The (1942)

Fleet's In, The (1942)

Texas (1941)

I Wanted Wings (1941)

Arizona (1940)

Those Were the Days (1940)

Our Town (1940)

Invisible Stripes (1939)

Golden Boy (1939)

Million Dollar Legs (1939)

Prison Farm (1938)
William Holden biography

Mickey Rourke Wed 20th Aug - 8:00PM

Carlos Santana Wed 20th Aug - 7:00PM

Ramsay's Boiling Point (Part 2 of 5) Wed 20th Aug - 9:00PM