Judy Holliday Biography

(Actress)

Birthday: June 21, 1921 (Gemini)

Born In: New York City, New York, U.S.

Judy Holliday was an American actress known for playing the role of ‘dumb blondes’ with squeaky voices in a number of breezy comedy films during the 1940s and the 1950s. Her roles in films belied her inherent intelligence and spirit that she showed all through her real life in handling the various roles. Before coming to Hollywood she had formed a comedy troupe called ‘The Revuers’ with Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Al Hammer and John Frank. The roles she played with this troupe helped to get bit parts in some films but it took two Broadway shows before Judy Tuvim could become the Hollywood star Judy Holliday. With her recreation of the role she had played in ‘Born Yesterday’ on the stage in George Cukor’s film adaptation of the same name, she was able to win the Oscar for the ‘Best Actress’ beating out Gloria Swanson nominated for ‘Sunset Boulevard’ and Bette Davis and Anne Baxter nominated for ‘All About Eve’. During the 1950s she appeared in a handful of films for Columbia where she used her ‘dumb blonde’ image for acting in various roles. Though comedians fared rather poorly when it came to awards, Judy was able to win an ‘Oscar’ and a ‘Tony Award’ for all the hard work she had put in.
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Quick Facts

Died At Age: 43

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Dave Oppenheim (1948–58; divorced; one child)

father: Abraham Tuvim

mother: Helen Gollomb

children: Jonathan Oppenheim

Jewish Actresses Actresses

Died on: June 7, 1965

City: New York City

U.S. State: New Yorkers

  • 1

    Where did Judy Holliday attend college?

    Judy Holliday attended the University of Wisconsin for two years before pursuing a career in acting.

  • 2

    What was Judy Holliday's breakthrough role in a Broadway play?

    Judy Holliday's breakthrough role on Broadway was as Billie Dawn in the play "Born Yesterday," which also earned her critical acclaim and an Academy Award for the film adaptation.

  • 3

    Which famous Hollywood actor starred alongside Judy Holliday in the film "Born Yesterday?"

    William Holden starred alongside Judy Holliday in the film adaptation of "Born Yesterday," which was released in 1950.

  • 4

    What was the title of Judy Holliday's last film before her passing in 1965?

    Judy Holliday's last film before her passing in 1965 was "The Group," a drama released in 1966.

  • 5

    In what year was Judy Holliday posthumously inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame?

    Judy Holliday was posthumously inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1980.

Childhood & Early Life
Judy Holliday was born as Judith Tuvim in New York City, New York, USA on June 21, 1921. She was the only child of a fundraiser, Abraham Tuvim and a music teacher, Helen Gollomb.
Her parents had separated in 1928 and she was raised by her mother in New York City.
She scored 172 in an IQ test at the age of ten and graduated from the ‘Julia Richman High School’ at the top of her class in 1938. She did not go to college after being rejected by the ‘Yale Drama School’ for being too young and instead opted for the job of switch board operator with ‘Mercury Theater’ in 1938 in the hope of becoming a director and a playwright.
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Career
In 1940 she made her stage debut with a cabaret group called ‘The Revuers’ which she had co-founded, and performed at the Greenwich Village nightclubs. She also took part in a half-hour NBC program titled ‘Fun with the Revuers’.
In 1944 she moved with the ‘Revuers’ to Los Angeles when the group was hired by ‘20th Century Fox’ to appear in the film ‘Greenwich Village’.
She also appeared in small roles in the feature films such ‘Winged Victory’ in the role of ‘Ruth Miller’ in the same year and in ‘Something for the Boys’ in 1945 before being dropped by the studio.
Disappointed but not discouraged that most of her scenes had ended up on cutting room floor, she returned to New York and moved on with her stage career.
She made her Broadway debut in 1945 with ‘Kiss Them for Me’ in 1945 in which she played the role of a dumb blonde for the first time which became her signature act.
In 1946 she got her biggest break on the stage when she replaced Jean Arthur in the role of ‘Billie Dawn’ in the Garson Kanin play ‘Born Yesterday’.
She lent her voice to a sailor’s date coming from the background in the film ‘On The Town’ in 1949.
In 1949 she returned to films and appeared in the supporting role of ‘Doris Attinger’ in the comedy ‘Adam’s Rib’ which starred Spencer Tracy, Tom Ewell and Katharine Hepburn.
Her first successful role in films was in ‘Born Yesterday’. The film rights of the play had been bought by Columbia and Harry Cohn had wanted Rita Hayworth to play the role of ‘Billie Dawn’. But Judy was ultimately chosen for the part due to favorable reviews about her work in ‘Adam’s Rib’. She bagged the Oscar for the ‘Best Actress’ for her acting in this film.
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In 1951 she again appeared on the Broadway stage in the lead role in ‘Dream Girl’.
She signed up with ‘Columbia’ in 1952 and acted in the film ‘The Marrying Kind’ in the role of ‘Florence Keefer’.
In 1952 during the McCarthy era, she was summoned before the ‘Un-American Activities Committee’ to testify regarding her political affiliations. Though she was not blacklisted as many of her counterparts were, her film career suffered a setback even if it was temporary. She had to spend more time on the stage than on the screen for some time.
In 1954 she made the film ‘Phffft’ in which she played the role of ‘Nina Tracy’.
In 1954 she starred as ‘Gladys Glover’ opposite Jack Lemmon in ‘It Should Happen to You’. In the same year she appeared as a waitress in ‘Sunday in Town’ and as a guest artist in ‘Fanfare’.
In 1955 she acted as a host for ‘Good Times’ and appeared as a guest artist in ‘Entertainment 1955’.
She returned to the Broadway in 1956 and played the lead role in the musical ‘Bells Are Ringing’.
Her next film was ‘The Solid Gold Cadillac’ which was released in 1956 where she played the part of ‘Laura Partridge’.
In 1957 she appeared in the role of ‘Emily Rocco’ in the film ‘Full of Life’.
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She recreated her role in the stage play ‘Bells Are Ringing’ on the screen in her last film with the same name in 1960 opposite Dean Martin. This film is supposed to be one of her best performances.
She was cast for the short film ‘Is It a Crime?’ in 1960.
Her final appearance on the Broadway stage was in 1962 in the play ‘Hot Spot’.
She composed the music for the musical ‘A Thousand Clowns’ in 1965.
Awards & Achievements
Judy Holliday won the ‘Clarence Derwent Award’ in 1945 for her supporting role in ‘Kiss Them for Me’.
She won an ‘Oscar for the Best Actress’ in 1950 for the film ‘Born Yesterday’.
She won the ‘Tony Award’ for the musical ‘Bells are Ringing’ in 1956.
She has a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame’.
Personal Life & Legacy
Judy Holliday died of breast cancer in New York City on June 7, 1965 at the age of 43, three weeks before her 44th birthday.
She married David Oppenheim, a musician, on January 5, 1948. She filed for a divorce in 1957 and divorced him on March 1, 1958.
She had a son, Jonathan who was born on November 10, 1952.
Facts About Judy Holliday

Judy Holliday was known for her exceptional talent in comedy and her ability to bring humor to every role she played, earning her a well-deserved reputation as a comedic genius.

Despite her success in Hollywood, Judy Holliday remained humble and down-to-earth, often preferring to spend her free time with close friends and family rather than attending glamorous events.

Judy Holliday was also a talented singer, with a beautiful voice that captivated audiences both on screen and on stage. She showcased her vocal abilities in several of her films and received praise for her musical performances.

In addition to her work in film and theater, Judy Holliday was also a passionate advocate for social justice and civil rights. She used her platform to speak out against discrimination and inequality, showing her commitment to making the world a better place.

Awards

Academy Awards(Oscars)
1951 Best Actress in a Leading Role Born Yesterday (1950)
Golden Globe Awards
1951 Best Actress - Comedy or Musical Born Yesterday (1950)

See the events in life of Judy Holliday in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Judy Holliday Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/judy-holliday-7574.php

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