Hal Holbrook Biography

(Actor)

Birthday: February 17, 1925 (Aquarius)

Born In: Cleveland, Ohio, U.S

Hal Rowe Holbrook Jr. was an American film and stage actor, and director. He is best known for his portrayal of the author, Mark Twain. He started his career with stage plays, playing the great author. Later, he played Mark Twain in several TV networks too. His creativity in performing the role impressed his audiences. For many years, the name Holbrook was synonymous with ‘Mark Twain.’ He also played other famous people such as Abraham Lincoln. Holbrook gained international reputation for his performance in various movies. Despite being a renowned actor, he never played the lead role in any movie. He would always play the father, the lawyer, or the military officer, and each time, he would perform convincingly. The veteran actor earned an ‘Academy Award’ nomination at the age of 82. His admirers felt that this recognition was long overdue. At an age when most actors consider retirement, Holbrook remained active and vigorous. He was honored with the National Humanities Medal in 2003.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr.

Died At Age: 95

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Carol Eve Rossen (m. 1966–1983), Dixie Carter (m. 1984–2010), Ruby Holbrook (m. 1945–1965)

father: Harold Rowe Holbrook, Sr.

mother: Aileen Davenport Holbrook

Born Country: United States

Actors Directors

Height: 6'1" (185 cm), 6'1" Males

Died on: January 23, 2021

place of death: Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

U.S. State: Ohio

More Facts

education: Culver Military Academy, Denison University

  • 1

    What movies did Hal Holbrook appear in?

    Hal Holbrook appeared in movies such as "Into the Wild," "All the President's Men," "The Firm," "Men of Honor," and "The Fog."
  • 2

    Did Hal Holbrook serve in the military?

    Yes, Hal Holbrook served in the United States Army during World War II.
  • 3

    Was Hal Holbrook known for any specific acting technique?

    Hal Holbrook was known for his one-man stage show portraying Mark Twain, which he performed for many years.
  • 4

    Did Hal Holbrook have any notable collaborations with other actors?

    Hal Holbrook had notable collaborations with actors like Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, Al Pacino, and Leonardo DiCaprio throughout his career.
  • 5

    What was Hal Holbrook's most memorable role?

    Many consider Hal Holbrook's portrayal of Deep Throat in "All the President's Men" to be one of his most memorable roles.
Childhood & Early Life

Hal Holbrook was born Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr., on February 17, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio. His mother, Aileen, was a vaudeville dancer. His parents, Harold Sr. and Aileen, abandoned young Holbrook when he was 2 years old. Holbrook and his two sisters grew up with their paternal grandparents.

Holbrook graduated from the ‘Culver Military Academy.’ Thereafter, he attended the ‘Denison University’ in Ohio, where he studied theater. While studying there, he was required to work on a project on the author Mark Twain. The author’s works had influenced him a lot and had inspired him to create his one-man show, a series of performances known as ‘Mark Twain Tonight.’

Holbrook served in the ‘United States Army’ during World War II. He was stationed in Newfoundland as an engineer. While in the army, Holbrook was active in theater and performed in plays such as ‘Madam Precious.’
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Career

In 1954, Holbrook gave his first solo performance as ‘Mark Twain’ in ‘Lock Haven State Teachers College’ in Pennsylvania. He created a buzz with this performance. Soon, he was noticed by noted TV presenter Ed Sullivan. Holbrook was invited to ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ in February, 1956. The show received an overwhelming response from its audiences.

Holbrook developed his performance through a one-man show, ‘Mark Twain Tonight.’ He was part of the European tour sponsored by the ‘US Department of State.’ He performed in several nations situated behind the ‘Iron Curtain.’

In 1959, Holbrook performed solo for the first time in an ‘Off- Broadway’ show. He performed for the ‘New York World’s Fair’ in 1964, and 1965. In 1966, Holbrook performed on ‘Broadway.’ In the same year, he won a ‘Tony Award’ for his performance. In 1967, the show, ‘Mark Twain Tonight’ was presented on TV by ‘CBS’ and ‘Xerox.’ Holbrook won an ‘Emmy Award’ for this performance. When Holbrook gave his last performance as ‘Twain,’ he was 80 years old, making him older than the character he played. ‘Mark Twain Tonight’ remained one of the most popular shows, with more than two thousand performances, until Holbrook retired in 2017.

From 1954 to 1962, the daytime soap opera ‘The Brighter Day’ was aired on ‘CBS.’ In the series, Hal Holbrook played ‘Grayling,’ one of the major characters. In 1964, he played the role of ‘Major’ in the original production of the ‘Broadway’ play ‘Incident at Vichy.’

In the late 1960s and 1970s, Holbrook got more prominent TV roles. In 1976, he played ‘Abraham Lincoln’ in the mini-series ‘Lincoln.’ The series was based on the biography of Lincoln, written by Carl Sandburg. Holbrook continued his success story with the role of ‘Senator Hays Stowe’ in the political-drama series, ‘The Bold Ones: The Senator.’ The series was aired on ‘NBC’ from 1970 to 1971. Both these roles earned him ‘Emmy’ awards.

In 1966, Hal Holbrook made his debut in films, with ‘The Group,’ directed by Sidney Lumet. In 1972, he played the role of ‘Doug Salter’ in ‘That Certain Summer,’ a controversial movie that dealt with homosexuality. In 1976, Holbrook shot to international fame with the portrayal of the enigmatic ‘Deep Throat’ in the movie ‘All the President’s Men.’ In 1999, he was inducted into the ‘American Theater Hall of Fame.’ He also acted in several movies such as ‘Julia,’ ‘The Fog,’ and ‘Men of Honor.’

In 2007, Hal Holbrook bagged the role of ‘Ron Franz’ in the movie ‘Into The Wild.’ It was a biographical survival movie, directed by Sean Penn. This was a major landmark in his career. At the age of 82, Holbrook delivered the best performance of his life. He received an ‘Academy Award’ nomination for the ‘Best Actor in a Supporting Role’ for this movie. He shot to fame as the oldest star to be nominated for an ‘Academy Award’ in the said category. He was also nominated for the ‘Screen Actors Guild Award.’

Although Holbrook was in his eighties in the 2000s, he continued being active in films and TV. In 2008, he acted in the movie ‘That Evening Sun,’ with his wife. The movie was about an octogenarian farmer who refused to bend before old age. Holbrook received critical acclaim for his portrayal of the character.
In 2012, Holbrook played the part of ‘Francis Preston Blair,’ in the Steven Spielberg movie ‘Lincoln.’ In 2014, he lent his voice to the Disney animated movie ‘Planes: Fire & Rescue.’ He also directed some episodes of the TV sitcom ‘Designing Women.’
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Hal Holbrook has won five ‘Emmy Awards’ and one ‘Tony Award’ for his portrayal of ‘Mark Twain.’ In 2003, he was honored with the ‘National Humanities Medal’ by President George W. Bush, for charming audiences with the wit and wisdom of ‘Mark Twain.’ In 2009, he was honored with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at the ‘Nashville Film Festival.’
Personal Life & Death

Hal Holbrook married thrice. He married Canadian actress Ruby Elaine Johnstone in 1945. They had two children: Victoria and David. The couple divorced in 1965. In 1966, Holbrook married Carol Eve Rossen. They had one daughter, Eve Holbrook. His second marriage too ended in a divorce.

In 1984, Holbrook got married to actor and singer, Dixie Carter. He starred in a number of sitcoms with Dixie. The couple did not have any children. Dixie died of cancer in 2010. After her death, a local community in her hometown, Tennessee, constructed the ‘The Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center’ in her memory.

Holbrook was a converted Christian. However, he was known to keep liberal views, and he criticized the ‘Bible’ at times. He held independent views on politics.

Death

Hal Holbrook died on January 23, 2021, at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He was 95.

Facts About Hal Holbrook
Hal Holbrook was known for his incredible dedication to his craft, often performing his one-man show, "Mark Twain Tonight!", well into his 90s.
In addition to his acting talents, Holbrook was also a talented director and producer, showcasing his multifaceted skills in the industry.
A lesser-known fact about Holbrook is that he was an accomplished painter and photographer, showcasing his creativity beyond the stage and screen.
Holbrook was a strong advocate for the arts and education, supporting various initiatives to promote the importance of creativity and expression in society.

Hal Holbrook Movies

1. Hal Holbrook: Mark Twain Tonight! (1967)

  (Comedy, Documentary)

2. All the President's Men (1976)

  (Biography, History, Thriller, Drama)

3. Into the Wild (2007)

  (Drama, Adventure, Biography)

4. Julia (1977)

  (Drama)

5. Magnum Force (1973)

  (Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Action)

6. Lincoln (2012)

  (Biography, History, War, Drama)

7. The Great White Hope (1970)

  (Drama, Romance, Sport)

8. Wall Street (1987)

  (Drama, Crime)

9. Natural Enemies (1979)

  (Drama)

10. Eye of God (1997)

  (Drama, Crime)

Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards
1989 Outstanding Performance in Informational Programming Portrait of America (1983)
1976 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series Lincoln (1974)
1974 Best Lead Actor in a Drama Pueblo (1973)
1974 Actor of the Year - Special Pueblo (1973)
1971 Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series The Bold Ones: The Senator (1970)

See the events in life of Hal Holbrook in Chronological Order

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- Hal Holbrook Biography
Author
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Website
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URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/hal-holbrook-36031.php

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