William Holden

William Franklin Beedle Jr
1918 - 1982
American born O'Fallon, Illinois

Nickname The Golden Boy, Bill . Height 5' 11" (1.80 m) . William Holden came from a wealthy family (the Beedles) that moved to Pasadena, California, when he was three. His father was an industrial chemist and his mother a teacher. In 1937, while studying chemistry at Pasadena Junior College, he was signed to a film contract by Paramount. His first starring role was as a young man torn between the violin and boxing in Golden Boy (1939). From then on he was typecast as the boy-next-door.After returning from World War II military service, he got two very important roles: Joe Gillis, the gigolo, in Sunset Blvd. (1950), and the tutor in Born Yesterday (1950). These were followed by his Oscar-winning role as the cynical sergeant in Stalag 17 (1953). He stayed popular through the 1950s, appearing in such films as Picnic (1955). He spent much of his later time as co-owner of the Mount Kenya Safari Club, dividing his time between Africa and Switzerland. Spouse Brenda Marshall (12 July 1941 - 1971) (divorced) 2 children.

S.O.B. (1981) , The Earthling (1980) , When Time Ran Out... (1980) , Ashanti (1979) , Escape to Athena (1979) , Damien: Omen II (1978) , Fedora (1978) , Network (1976) , 21 Hours at Munich (1976) , The Towering Inferno (1974) , Open Season (1974) , Breezy (1973) , The Blue Knight (1973) , The Revengers (1972) , Wild Rovers (1971) , Arbre de Noël, L' (1969) , The Wild Bunch (1969) , The Devil's Brigade (1968) , Casino Royale (1967) , Alvarez Kelly (1966) , The 7th Dawn (1964) , Paris - When It Sizzles (1964) , The Lion (1962) , The Counterfeit Traitor (1962) , Satan Never Sleeps (1962) , The World of Suzie Wong (1960) , The Horse Soldiers (1959) , The Key (1958) , The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) , Toward the Unknown (1956) , The Proud and Profane (1956) , Picnic (1955) , Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955) , The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1955) , The Country Girl (1954) , Miyamoto Musashi (1954/I) , Sabrina (1954) , Executive Suite (1954) , Jungfrau auf dem Dach, Die (1953) , Escape from Fort Bravo (1953) , Forever Female (1953) , The Moon Is Blue (1953) , Stalag 17 (1953) , The Turning Point (1952) , Boots Malone (1952) , Submarine Command (1951) , 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) , The Dark Past (1948) , Apartment for Peggy (1948) , Rachel and the Stranger (1948) , The Man from Colorado (1948) , Dear Ruth (1947) , Blaze of Noon (1947) , Young and Willing (1943) , Meet the Stewarts (1942) , The Remarkable Andrew (1942) , The Fleet's In (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)