Who was William Holden? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: William Franklin Beedle Jr

Died At Age: 63

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Brenda Marshall, Stefanie Powers

father: William Franklin Beedle Sr.

mother: Mary Blanche Ball

siblings: Richard P. Beedle, Robert Westfield Beedle

children: Arlene Holden, Peter Westfield Holden, Scott Porter Holden, Virginia Holden

Born Country: United States

Actors American Men

Height: 5'10" (178 cm), 5'10" Males

Died on: November 12, 1981

place of death: Santa Monica, California, United States

Ancestry: British American

Notable Alumni: Pasadena Junior College

Cause of Death: Bleeding

U.S. State: Illinois

More Facts

education: Pasadena Junior College

Recommended For You

1

What was William Holden's most famous role?

William Holden's most famous role was as Joe Gillis in the 1950 film "Sunset Boulevard."
2

Did William Holden serve in the military?

Yes, William Holden served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II.
3

What were some of William Holden's other notable films?

Some of William Holden's other notable films include "Stalag 17," "The Bridge on the River Kwai," and "Network."
4

Did William Holden win any Oscars?

Yes, William Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film "Stalag 17."
5

How did William Holden pass away?

William Holden passed away in 1981, at the age of 63, due to injuries sustained from a fall at his home.

Recommended Lists:

American Film & Theater Personalities

Childhood & Early Life

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. His mother Mary Blanche Ball was a schoolteacher.

His had two younger brothers named Robert and Richard.

His family was quite wealthy and moved from O’Fallon to South Pasadena when he was three years old.

He did his schooling from the ‘South Pasadena High School’.

After completing high school he enrolled at the ‘Pasadena Junior College’ to study chemistry where he got involved in acting in different plays.

Continue Reading Below

Career

William Holden’s acting career started with the film ‘Golden Boy’ in 1939 when he was still unknown as an actor.

His next film was ‘Invisible Stripes’ by Warner Bros. in 1940, and ‘Our Town’ the same year

He joined the US Army Air Forces in the Second World War as a Second Lieutenant.

His popularity as an actor increased with the film ‘Sunset Boulevard’ in 1950, which helped him earn his first Oscar nomination as ‘Best Actor’.

In 1950 he acted in the comedy ‘Born Yesterday’.

In 1953 he played the lead role in ‘Stalag 17’ for which he received the ‘Academy Award for Best Actor’.

He also acted in a couple of comedies such as ‘The Moon is Blue’ and ‘Forever Female’ in 1953.

He acted in the films ‘Executive Suit’, ‘Country Girl’ and ‘The Bridges at Toko-Ri’ in 1954.

In 1954 he starred in ‘Sabrina’ and got romantically involved with Audrey Hepburn during the shooting.

Continue Reading Below

In 1955 he starred in ‘Picnic’ and ‘Love Is a Many-Splendoured Thing’.

He appeared as a guest star in ‘I Love Lucy’ in 1955.

His next appearance was in the world famous movie ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ in 1957.

He starred in the movie ‘The Key’ in 1958 and in the movie ‘The Horse Soldiers’ in 1959.

In 1959 he had to move to Switzerland due to some tax issues and returned to the US only in 1967.

During the period 1960 to 1970 he became an alcoholic and his films began to lose their appeal.

He paired with Audrey Hepburn in another film ‘Paris When It Sizzles’ in 1964.

He made a comeback in 1969 with the film ‘The Wild Bunch’ and also starred in ‘L’Arbre de Noel’ which was released as ‘The Christmas Tree’ in the US and as a home video named ‘When Wolves Cry’.

He starred in the film ‘Breezy’ in 1973 which became a box-office flop.

Continue Reading Below

In 1974 he appeared in the television film ‘Blue Knight’ as a tough street cop.

He acted in another famous film ‘The Towering Inferno’ in 1974 which was a smash hit at the box-office and earned Holden huge money.

In 1976 he starred in the film ‘Network’ which received huge acclaim from all spheres and got him another Oscar nomination.

He starred in the film ‘The Earthling’ in 1980 with the Australian outback as the backdrop of the film.

During the end of his career he acted in ‘When Time Ran Out” which was not as successful as his last role in ‘S. O. B.’ for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe award.

In 1981 he was offered a role in “That Championship Season’ but became depressed and started drinking more heavily as the film’s production could not start before 1982.

Awards & Achievements

William Holden won the ‘Academy Award for Best Actor’ in 1953 for his role in ‘Stalag 17’.

He was honored with a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame’ and a star on the ‘St. Louis Walk of Fame’.

He has been immortalized in the song ‘Floating’ sung by the Canadian band ‘Blue Rodeo’

Personal Life & Legacy

He married Brenda Marshall on July 12, 1941, and divorced her in 1971. He had two sons, Peter and Scott from this marriage. He also adopted Virginia who was Brenda Marshall’s daughter from an earlier marriage.

He has a daughter Arlene with actress Eva May Hoffman who was brought up by her mother.

William Holden died on November 12, 1981, in Santa Monica, California, USA, of a serious head injury due to a fall at his home.

Facts About William Holden

William Holden was an avid conservationist and animal lover. He co-founded the Mount Kenya Game Ranch and served as the president of the Mount Kenya Game Ranch for many years.

In addition to his successful acting career, Holden was also a skilled pilot. He earned his private pilot's license in the 1950s and enjoyed flying as a hobby.

Despite his tough-guy image on screen, Holden was a sensitive and compassionate person in real life. He was known for his generosity and often supported various charitable causes, including children's hospitals and animal welfare organizations.

Holden was a talented photographer and enjoyed capturing moments behind the scenes on film sets. His photography skills were well-regarded among his colleagues, and he even exhibited his work in galleries during his lifetime.

William Holden Biography

You wanted to know

What was William Holden's most famous role?

Did William Holden serve in the military?

What were some of William Holden's other notable films?

Did William Holden win any Oscars?

How did William Holden pass away?