tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post7736590498657719238..comments2024-03-27T20:04:03.745-04:00Comments on RICK'S REAL/REEL LIFE: William Holden’s Golden Year: 1950http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/http://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-79012073200942728902023-11-12T14:57:30.518-05:002023-11-12T14:57:30.518-05:00I remember when Holden died the headline on our lo...I remember when Holden died the headline on our local paper was 'Drunken fall kills actor' That made me so sad. I know he tried to quit booze many times. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-16576517772567124922022-04-23T17:38:40.440-04:002022-04-23T17:38:40.440-04:00Thanks, I agree! Cheers, Rick Thanks, I agree! Cheers, Rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-70020850613459687032022-04-23T15:40:38.731-04:002022-04-23T15:40:38.731-04:00This was fascinating! I agree with you about Holde...This was fascinating! I agree with you about Holden being a very natural actor. He seemed to be immersive without being method, but you still forgot you were looking at William Holden.Rebecca Denistonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07505297430024467869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-77993082956361601412022-04-19T15:27:13.585-04:002022-04-19T15:27:13.585-04:00Hey Jeanne, there's definitely two sides of th...Hey Jeanne, there's definitely two sides of the story, for sure. He was a bit of a wild child since he was a boy. But in a couple of bios, Ardis has been depicted as a killjoy, the opposite of the kind of wife you'd think Holden had. I often wondered why they stayed married so long, as they were pretty much apart starting in the '60s. Religion? Guilt on his part? Someone needs to write the definitive Holden bio.<br />Cheers, Rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-17388151683944999712022-04-19T14:40:10.287-04:002022-04-19T14:40:10.287-04:00I'm intrigued by your statement: Bill "ma...I'm intrigued by your statement: Bill "married a woman who was just as rigid as his parents." That's a revelation. Was she really as conservative as they? Not much written about Ardis, but you seem to have a bead on her life. Did she resent his rising star? There are some veiled hints that she carried on her own personal liaisons. I do sympathize over her plight---married to a gorgeous man, inevitably tempted by women, booze, and the bounties of fame. Jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01168945539079402537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-42929940789876947572022-04-18T13:07:45.153-04:002022-04-18T13:07:45.153-04:00Thank you for the praise, I found what little has ...Thank you for the praise, I found what little has been written about Bill and tried to research the gaps, as well. Holden is due for a serious, full-bodied bio. I think Bill's natural acting and non-star attitude continues to bring him new fans. I truly enjoyed writing what I hope is an even-handed piece on William Holden. Thanks again, Rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-26307109045664353942022-04-18T10:05:52.265-04:002022-04-18T10:05:52.265-04:00Wow, this is a terrific post! I loved every word. ...Wow, this is a terrific post! I loved every word. You hit the nail on the head when talking about Holden's appeal: "he was empathetic and real." It's not hard to find a good looking actor, but it's like searching for a needle in a haystack to find one that is humble and genuine. Holden was all of the above. It warms my heart that audiences still love him for it.The Classic Movie Musehttp://www.theclassicmoviemuse.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-84957214413681899432022-04-18T07:50:11.390-04:002022-04-18T07:50:11.390-04:00Absolutely, Jeanne! Bill was a natural and his leg...Absolutely, Jeanne! Bill was a natural and his legacy is proof of that! Cheers, Rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-12780295997151867352022-04-17T18:55:10.721-04:002022-04-17T18:55:10.721-04:00No question that Paramount and Columbia undervalue...No question that Paramount and Columbia undervalued their star and in the 30s and 40's "conscripted" him to mediocre material. However, they didn't count on Holden to elevate that same material to the high level that has over time earned our admiration. Invisible Stripes, Our Town, Arizona, Texas, I Wanted Wings, and The Fleet's In all sparkle because of his presence. And those films stand as a proving ground for his burgeoning talent and screen charisma. Jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01168945539079402537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-36571390027727833732022-04-17T15:11:18.904-04:002022-04-17T15:11:18.904-04:00Sadly his problem was alcohol brought on by failed...Sadly his problem was alcohol brought on by failed love affairs with his actresses. His last film was Blake Edwards SOBin1981.Blake Edwards knew this and tried to keep an eye on him, unfortunately he fell over drunk in his house and hit his head on a table and bled to death as no one came to see him for several days.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06084491996031948967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-68121443016525814192022-04-17T03:10:29.249-04:002022-04-17T03:10:29.249-04:00This was a very good read, thank you. Bill will al...This was a very good read, thank you. Bill will always be my favourite actor. Luckily he left us with a great body of work. He always gave strong, quality performances, with that deep beautiful voice, he was the real deal. It is a bonus, to see rare interviews of him on You Tube, if your lucky enough to come across one. He always struck me as very humble, forthright, but had class all the way. Bill had real star quality and charisma. Beautiful to look at, he was utterly handsome. He proved to be a man ahead of his time with regards to Conservation, his legacy in Africa is testament to that. He was intelligent and well travelled. To me its still sad how he left us, but who doesn't have their crosses and demons to bear? He choose to deal with this privately and alone. I cannot really pick a favourite role, I love all of them for all sorts of reasons. I would much rather watch a performance from Bill than the modern day productions, its just not the same. Always xxAva Pittmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03931069844497700305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-78871387620552942152022-04-16T15:15:28.772-04:002022-04-16T15:15:28.772-04:00Thanks, Emily!
I think Bill could have just as eas...Thanks, Emily!<br />I think Bill could have just as easily been a star today, he was so natural.<br />And maybe in this era, Holden could have gotten a better hold on his demons.<br />Holden was the whole package!<br />Cheers, rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-78722483958387535332022-04-16T15:12:13.623-04:002022-04-16T15:12:13.623-04:00Thank you, Virginie!
Perhaps I will give Born Yest...Thank you, Virginie!<br />Perhaps I will give Born Yesterday another try! Bill was the charming balm of that movie,<br />Cheers, Rick <br />http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-20256666567437764242022-04-16T15:08:36.554-04:002022-04-16T15:08:36.554-04:00Hi Victor,
Thank you, and I'll always remember...Hi Victor,<br />Thank you, and I'll always remember Bill's tribute to Barbara at the Oscars. One of those memorable Oscar moments... good ones, that is!<br />And yes, sad that Bill went the way he did, but we're lucky we had him for awhile.<br />Cheers, Rick <br />http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-83616068991527303722022-04-16T15:05:40.257-04:002022-04-16T15:05:40.257-04:00Hi, K.E.,
I like Monty a lot, but preferred that B...Hi, K.E.,<br />I like Monty a lot, but preferred that Bill played the role, so we'll just have to agree to disagree.<br />Cheers,<br />Rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-75422548304220858872022-04-16T14:00:54.931-04:002022-04-16T14:00:54.931-04:00Thanks, Rick, for a lovely essay on a true Golden ...Thanks, Rick, for a lovely essay on a true Golden Era star. I shall never forget the spontaneous and heartfelt tribute he payed to his co-presenter (and co-star in Golden Boy), the great Barbara Stanwyck, at the Fiftieth Annual Academy Awards. It was so sad when she accepted her long overdue Honorary Oscar a few years later in 1982 that he was gone, but she still remembered and thanked her "Golden Boy." And thanks to you, Rick, we won't forget his towering talent and charm in such wonderful films as Sunset Blvd. and Born Yesterday. Cheers~VictorGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10434725510841591143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-68657121988245044882022-04-16T13:31:48.080-04:002022-04-16T13:31:48.080-04:00Sorry to disagree, but Wilder wrote the part with ...Sorry to disagree, but Wilder wrote the part with Clift in mind, and his particular sensitive approach. Holden was just a bit too macho to be totally believable as a guy who let himself be manipulated by a wealthy older woman. He was still excellent in the role, however. K. E. Dowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04910146844140175209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-92078735494995803452022-04-16T13:22:10.250-04:002022-04-16T13:22:10.250-04:00Bill really had to work hard to reach the pinnacle...Bill really had to work hard to reach the pinnacle of his success, but I think even when he had it- he didn't let fame change who he was as a person. I think part of the charm of Bill was he never believed in his own hype, being a no BS type of guy- and today that quality is resonated with the public, even more so than back then. Yet at the same time, you see the honesty, the charisma he naturally possessed and that added in with his pull no punches attitude makes him enduring today. So many people out there can be good looking blokes- but what you can't change is personality- and Bill had both! It's so sad the way Bill went out in real life, and while I wasn't alive when he passed away, reading the manner in which he died crushed me! He was a brilliant person, actor, conservationist, world traveler- yes with demons- but don't we all have them? IN Sunset- I think you really feel Joe's frustrations play of Bill's real life frustrations within the industry. Yet at the same time you can separate Bill from the character- its a real testament to professionalism and his acting. In Born Yesterday- I fell in love with the elevator scene- Love in an elevator- when he kisses Judy Holliday- I JUST LOVE IT- PLUS BILL IN GLASSES: SWOON!<br /> Thank you so very for paying tribute to Bill's golden year!!! -EmilyFlapper Dame 16https://www.blogger.com/profile/15029380899754847292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-26453647596692845812022-04-16T11:20:02.084-04:002022-04-16T11:20:02.084-04:00That was a great and very informative artice, Rick...That was a great and very informative artice, Rick! Many parts in your text prove why Holden was a valuable actor. Coincidentally, yesterday I gave another shot at Born Yesterday which I had only seen once before and a long time ago. While it's not a masterpiece like Sunset Boulevard, I liked it much better than the first time and I would even say that Holden's performance has become one of my favourites. Thanks so much for taking part in our blogathon! Virginie Pronovosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12690434044034618183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-74031935872213443462022-04-16T06:32:58.842-04:002022-04-16T06:32:58.842-04:00Hi Jeanne,
Yes, Bill came from a rather typical mi...Hi Jeanne,<br />Yes, Bill came from a rather typical middle class family of the era: strict and with the father expecting him to go into the family business. And even then, Holden was a free spirit. And while he went into show business, Bill turned around and married a woman who was just as rigid as his parents. <br />What must have been frustrating was also how routinely Paramount and Columbia cast him after Golden Boy and Our Town, when his talent was so evident. Paramount did the same thing around the same time with the gorgeous and brilliant Frances Farmer and she too turned to the bottle.<br />But as you say, Bill finally got a chance to show how good he was in more than 70 movies, a great legacy.<br />Cheers, Rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-88795351810741022672022-04-15T22:05:59.719-04:002022-04-15T22:05:59.719-04:00Yours is a wonderful essay about our Golden Boy. T...Yours is a wonderful essay about our Golden Boy. Thank you for the me and insight and research you put into this analysis. You are right: Holden was naturally, supremely talented, yet deeply ambivalent about his gifts. Would you say that his insecurity stemmed partly from his father's insistence that acting was "disgraceful," "undignified," and an "unworthy" career? This possibility breaks my heart! Holden was so good, even in his earliest movies, and that knowledge should have bolstered his confidence and kept him from drinking. Whatever personal demons he faced, on screen he always showed an intelligent and exciting interpretation of his characters, and for that I am grateful. He left 70 memorable movies that confirms it and allow us to witness it over and over.Jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01168945539079402537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-67982411388688413322022-04-15T21:10:02.427-04:002022-04-15T21:10:02.427-04:00Hi Mike, amazing that he did "Golden Boy"...Hi Mike, amazing that he did "Golden Boy" at around 20 with little prior experience. Just lots of hard work! A natural, I thought. Holden's an actor I've really come to appreciate. Thanks for the kind words, too... put a lot of thought into this one!<br />Cheers, Rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-47372965578524563742022-04-15T21:05:47.010-04:002022-04-15T21:05:47.010-04:00Excellent essay, Rick! I saw Golden Boy for the fi...Excellent essay, Rick! I saw Golden Boy for the first time fairly recently and was so impressed with Mr. Holden's energy and sensitivity. But it was hard to recognize him as the same actor in Sunset Blvd. and Picnic. But at every stage of his career, he was brilliant. My favorite role of his will always be Hal in Picnic. That movie is filled with heartbreaking characterizations, and his is one of them.Mike's Movie Roomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15839320118431543221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-45867563921189815162022-04-15T16:46:03.553-04:002022-04-15T16:46:03.553-04:00Hi Kristy, thanks for the kind words! I wanted to ...Hi Kristy, thanks for the kind words! I wanted to be even-handed about Bill, so did some reading up on him, which I really enjoyed. Like so many greats, if drinking hadn't taken control, one can only imagine how much more Holden could have accomplished. <br />And as much as I admire Monty and tho he was sort of living his own Sunset Blvd with singer Libby Holman, Holden was better casting, I think.<br />I put a lot of thought and work into this one, so glad that you appreciate it!<br />Cheers, Rick http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2473857081653339896.post-39613906424391731662022-04-15T15:06:57.819-04:002022-04-15T15:06:57.819-04:00This is a GREAT piece of writing, Rick - every poi...This is a GREAT piece of writing, Rick - every point is SPOT ON. Excellent analysis of his career, his history, his "ambivalence" you describe so well...<br /><br />And while it's tempting to think about Monty in SUNSET BOULEVARD, I think Joe Gillis is his best work, right down to the voiceovers. LOVE that photo you used at the top - perfect ambivalence, for sure (and SO great looking-)<br /><br />BIG TIME KUDOs for this piece - a fitting tribute to Holden on his birthday!! Kristy Wehrlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07417232287101747503noreply@blogger.com