[45] After his death, Powers set up the William Holden Wildlife Foundation at Holden's Mount Kenya Game Ranch. (A few months later, Hepburn met Mel Ferrer, whom she later married and with whom she had a son Sean Hepburn Ferrer. Husbands hiding things from wives, mothers from children, and generation from generation. Bill and Stefanie shared a love for Africa and hunting, although Holden's hunting days ended the day he shot an antelope in her presence. In 1950, Holdens luck took a turn for the better when director Billy Wilder asked him to take the lead role in Sunset Boulevard. The latter was shot in Africa and sparked Holden's fascination with the continent that was to last for the rest of his life. At the same time, the thought of failing to deliver a great performance terrified him. He followed that film up with a screen version of the movie of Our Town. When Stalag 17 was released in 1953, it was a resounding success, so much so that Holden finally won an Academy Award for his work the following year. It was a very meaningful time for both of us., The couple shared a respect for wildlife and traveled frequently to Africa. It wasnt until 1972 that Holden found his next conquest, an actress named Stefanie Powers. Birth: 1937: Relatives. 'Oh, my God', he exclaimed. Mr. Holden, who was 63 years old, was found by an apartment manager. [3] He made a sex comedy with David Niven for Otto Preminger, The Moon Is Blue (1953), which was a huge hit, in part due to controversy over its content. Paris When It Sizzles, which came out in 1964, was especially rife with problems caused by Holdens drinking. [14], Holden made a third film with Wilder, Sabrina (1954), billed beneath Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. It was a demand he would ignore, but the relationship would come to an end weeks later for a reason that would break Hepburn's heart - and leave her feeling utterly betrayed. At the time filming of Sabrina was due to start, Hepburn, who grew up in England, had recently broken off her engagement to James Hanson, the wealthy British industrialist and a member of the House of Lords, a parting which Epstein describes as 'unpleasant'. On January 4, 1944, Holden learned that enemy fire had downed his brothers plane in the South Pacific. No coincidence whatsoever. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. They were together for nine years. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. He was a trained gymnast and we used to do acrobatics together., The actor's relationship with Gaines's mother did, however, not last as the two decided to divorce by 1972. The police said he had apparently died of natural causes and had been dead for possibly two or three days. Thanks for your help! That same afternoon, his wife dropped by to visit him. [31] Holden made a Western with Ryan O'Neal and Blake Edwards, Wild Rovers (1971). His Mount Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki (founded 1959) was popular with the international jet set. Hepburn was the Belgian born, British-raised, Dutch baroness's daughter and Holden was the son of a teacher and a chemist and first teamed up with an ageing Humphrey Bogart for the love triangle . Holden was skeptical at first; he went to see the play himself and was so bored that he admitted to walking out during the first act. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. He was also one of many stars in Feldman's Casino Royale (1967). According to rumors, Hepburn wanted to have children of her own. That makes me laugh, and it certainly would have made him laugh, too, because he had a great sense of humor.. He adopted his wife's daughter, Virginia, from her first marriage with actor Richard Gaines . Bill Holden, her co-star in the 1954 romantic comedy Sabrina, had asked her round to meet Ardis as he had done with many of his previous mistresses. Finally, hed get the chance to take on a role that wasnt all about his good looks. 'Ardis' heart must have frozen at the sight of her here was this radiant creature, fifteen years younger than she, who wasn't merely beautiful but had unique qualities of class and an almost spiritual grace. Holden threw himself into the role, but it got him into some major trouble. 'I've just shot Audrey Hepburn.'. The adopted daughter of actor William Holden, Virginia married Legan's maternal grandfather, an Iranian-born economics professor. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. He and Marshall had two sons together, Peter Westfield "West" Holden (born November 17, 1943) and Scott Holden (Scott Porter Holden, born May 2, 1946). [43][citation needed]. William Holden, original name William Franklin Beedle, Jr., (born April 17, 1918, O'Fallon, Illinois, U.S.found dead November 16, 1981, Santa Monica, California), American film star who perfected the role of the cynic who acts heroically in spite of his scorn or pessimism. He never hunted again. [3] The film was made for Columbia, which negotiated a sharing agreement with Paramount for Holden's services. After three months of dreaming about Marshall, Holden finally asked her out. The "Stalag 17" star was not drawn to acting because of the fame that came alongside it but rather pursued acting to overcome his shyness. Adopted his stepdaughter, Virginia Holden (Virginia Gaines), from Ardis Ankerson (actress Brenda Marshall)'s first marriage. He often played men who didnt want to be heroes but couldnt help themselves. He was from a better background than Holden as well and his father was a well known Cuban American surgeon. [6], Back at Paramount, he starred with Bonita Granville in Those Were the Days! We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. The article caused some damage to his career, but it didnt stop him from taking things a step further with his new lady love. Our friendship never waned. At the end of her acceptance speech, she paid him a personal tribute: "I loved him very much, and I miss him. Epstein writes how Hepburn's eyes 'searched his face' as he explained that he had undergone a vasectomy some years earlier at his wife's urging. Holden starred in some of Hollywood's most popular and critically acclaimed films, including Sunset Boulevard (1950), Sabrina (1954), Picnic (1955), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), The Wild Bunch (1969) and Network (1976). Later, he recalled, Before I even met her, I had a crush on her, and after I met her, just a day later, I felt as if we were old friends, and I was rather fiercely protective of her. Eventually, Holden got down on one knee and asked Hepburn to marry him, but in a surprise twist, Hepburn refused. With his dad bedridden, Holden became the head of the family. A second film with Seaton did not do as well, The Proud and Profane (1956), where Holden played the role with a moustache. The stress definitely didnt help him stay cool in front of the cameras either. By this time, Holden felt ready to look for a bigger house for his new family. William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 November 12, 1981) was an American actor and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. In both films, he worked with a beautiful actress named Grace Kelly and soon fell head-over-heels in love with her. "The only thing I'm ashamed of in the book is William Holden," she starts in, her raucous laughter cutting through the noise of a matinee luncheon crowd. As Holdens confidence grew, he relaxedso much so that he got a bit frisky on set. Gaines recalled the loving relationship that she shared with her father, telling how he used to play with her, relying on his background as a gymnast. Slowly, Holden gained his confidence back, and it showed; many reviewers noted how Holden gave his character a surprising amount of depth. Columbia put Holden in a Western with Jean Arthur, Arizona (1940), then at Paramount he was in a hugely popular war film, I Wanted Wings (1941) with Ray Milland and Veronica Lake. Instead, Holden concentrated on his career, which led to his next big blockbuster. After reading it, Holdens opinion did a complete 180. All the while, Holden couldnt let go of one heartbreaking truth: He lived out an incredibly charmed life while his brother was never coming back. For this story and more, pick up the latest issue of Closer magazine, on newsstands now. They rushed him to Lausanne hospital in a semiconscious state, where both his wife and Capucine watched over him. This time, his female co-star was a French actress named Capucine. His mother Mary Blanche Ball was a schoolteacher. Reluctant Facts About Jennifer Jones, The Unlikely Superstar, Lawyers Reveal Their Most Jaw-Dropping Court Cases, Stabbed In The Back: These Real-Life Betrayals Are Straight Up Brutal, Im Done: These People Quit Their Bad Jobs And Toxic Relationships In Epic Ways, Catherine The Great Was a Mighty EmpressUntil Her Brutal Downfall, Wild Facts About Howard Hughes, The Most Eccentric Man In Hollywood. When filming for The Lion finished, Holden buried his guilt in the worst possible way. However, while on set, he got a littletoo confident. Legan's mother is their daughter, which makes Legan the. Unfortunately, history repeated itself when Holdens wife, once again, insulted his success, causing Holden to get so angry that he ended up crashing his car on the way home. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. When she's not writing, Rebecca can be found buried under too many blankets with a hot cup of tea. [40][47] He dictated in his will that the Neptune Society cremate him and scatter his ashes in the Pacific Ocean. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. [41], Holden had a daughter born in 1937 from his relationship with actress Eva May Hoffman. [7] In 1941, Marshall married actor William Holden, who adopted Virginia Gaines (born November 17, 1937, New York City). Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. Around this time, WWII rocked the lives of everyone in the United States, and that included Holdens as well. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! [46], According to the Los Angeles County Coroner's autopsy report, Holden bled to death in his apartment in Santa Monica, California, on November 12, 1981, after lacerating his forehead from slipping on a rug while intoxicated and hitting a bedside table. Powers speaks just as highly of her former lover as his daughter does. That boredom suddenly broke when a family emergency changed his life forever. Holden made his start in radio plays fresh out of college and made his way onto the big screen, where he won a string of accolades that live on as his legacy beyond his tragic death. After his final film Blake Edwards' S.O.B., with Julie Andrews, Holden declined to star in Jason Miller's film That Championship Season.[38]. He followed it with Damien: Omen II (1978) and had a cameo in Escape to Athena (1978), which co-starred his real-life love interest Stefanie Powers. On February 7, 1955, Holden appeared as a guest star on I Love Lucy as himself. 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And here is how he obtained his new movie tag. Holden felt guilty; he wanted to put his life on the line, like his brother. The two starred in the films The Lion (1962) and The 7th Dawn (1964). Due to his filming schedule and his desire to keep his wedding plans hush-hush, Holden ended up missing his own wedding! That persons name was Nina Foch, a fellow cast member. Holdens next few films struggled at the box office. But critics dubbed it 'Paris when it fizzles' because by then the magic between the two of them was gone even on the silver screen. She was the daughter of European nobility, a symbol of fashion who had beaten Elizabeth Taylor for her role in Roman Holiday, which earned her the Best Actress Oscar. Thanks to this, Holden felt ready for another big change, but it led him down a ruinous path. After taking on two small roles in 1939, Holden was desperate to push his acting career forward. Audrey and Bill: A Romantic Biography of Audrey Hepburn & William Holden can be pre-ordered on Amazon. A Western at MGM, Escape from Fort Bravo (1953) did much better, and the all-star Executive Suite (1954) was a notable success. Actor William Holden, 63, who overcame the handicap of extreme good looks and went on to play tough, cynical and enormously appealing versions of the All-American male, was . For Holden, who usually acted in Westerns and romantic comedies, this was a huge challengeone that he almost couldnt overcome. Simply put, Holden had become incredibly successfula worthy investment. Holden grew up surrounded by his close-knit family and grew to be a lively young boy that was constantly on the move. Holden's first film back from the services was Blaze of Noon (1947), an aviator picture at Paramount directed by John Farrow. Holden had his most widely recognized role as "Commander" Shears in David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) with Alec Guinness,[25] a huge commercial success. Despite the differences in our ages, we shared many of the same curiosities about life, Stefanie tells Closer. Holden and Marshall had to beg the minister to carry out the ceremony in their tiny hotel room. His standard breakfast before leaving for the studio in the morning was a glass of vodka mixed with orange juice, she says, noting that he joined AA in 1962 and sought sobriety on and off for the rest of his life. Neither did Toward the Unknown (1957), the one film Holden produced himself. )[19], He took third billing for The Country Girl (1954) with Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly, directed by George Seaton from a play by Clifford Odets. Now richer and more famous than ever, Holden began taking more and more film roles abroad. Only one person kept Holden from falling apart completely. Beedle grew up in South Pasadena, California. Holden appeared uncredited in Prison Farm (1939) and Million Dollar Legs (1939) at Paramount. Suggest an alternative. In Hepburn's eyes Ardis was 'beautiful; the role of injured wife did not suit her.'. Holden's career took off again in 1950 when Billy Wilder tapped him to play a down-at-heel screenwriter taken in by a faded silent film actress (Gloria Swanson) in Sunset Boulevard. Audrey and Bill: A Romantic Biography of Audrey Hepburn and William Holden: Edward Z. Epstein: 9780762455973: Amazon.com: Books. The script excited Holden. He spent the next several years concentrating on his other interestsstraightening out his health and reviving his film career. By 1972, Bill and Brenda had parted and he began dating Hart to Hart actress Stefanie Powers, who wrote about their romance in her 2011 memoir One From the Hart. william holden grandchildrennicole alexander bio. As she arrived at the Georgian-style villa in Hollywood designed by noted architect Paul Williams, Audrey Hepburn had good reason to be nervous. In private, Holden and Kelly carried on with their affair, while publicly denying having a relationship with one another. [1] He had two younger brothers, Robert Westfield Beedle and Richard Porter Beedle. Holden was still an unknown actor when he made Golden Boy, while Stanwyck was already a film star. Of course, Holdens infidelity, along with what happened next, did nothing to keep their relationship afloat. Why did William Holden bleed to death? Copy to clipboard. Advertisement Audrey Hepburn and William Holden get into character as the ugly duckling-turned-beauty queen Sabrina Fairchild and charming millionaire playboy Linus Larrabee, respectively in "Sabrina" circa 1954 . We were close friends for many years. While Holdens relationship hit some major road bumps, his career moved along much more smoothly. I am positive Stefanie Powers is involved in the death of actor William Holden and have known this for around 5 or 6 months now. 18:24 BST 26 Feb 2015 How many children did William Holden have with Audrey Hepburn? Fame did not interest him, the actors daughter, Virginia Holden Gaines, exclusively tells Closer in the latest issue, on newsstands now, adding that her father initially tried acting to cure his shyness. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. Neither was The Revengers (1972), another Western. Hepburn had a son with Ferrer, her first of her two husbands. When Holden awoke, he had devastating news for his wife. Thanks to Stanwycks patience, Holden improved, and his efforts were not in vain. Considering how badly they were getting along, Holden suspected that it was Jones' attempt to annoy him. "Fame did not interest him," the actor's daughter, Virginia Holden Gaines, exclusively tells Closer in the latest issue, on newsstands now, adding that her father initially tried acting to. Closer Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. He. At the time, this was one of the best deals ever for an actor to score. The film was a huge commercial success, and Holden made over $2.5 million from the film. There was one major problem with this: His wife made five times more than him! Even a studio worker admitted that Columbia was really taking advantage of him.. Dec. 2, 1981 The late actor William Holden left $250,000 to his. After that, the happy couple went on to have two more sons. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. Holden began acting out for attentionand some of the stunts he pulled were downright outrageous: He walked along a telephone line that was 12 feet off the ground, and even walked along the railing of Suicide Bridgeon his hands! Forensic evidence recovered at the scene suggested that he was conscious for at least half an hour after the fall. As Holdens acting career took off, he grew more and more wary of Cohns attempts to control his career. [50], His death was noted by singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, whose 1987 song "Tom's Diner", about a sequence of events one morning in 1981, included a mention of reading a newspaper article about "an actor who had died while he was drinking". Over the next four years, he'd make six great films: " Executive Suite ," " Sabrina ," " The Country Girl ," " The Bridges at Toko-Ri ," " Picnic ," and " The Bridge on the River Kwai .". She had moved to Los Angeles where she became the toast of the dinner party circuit where media mogul Jules Stein threw a party for her at his mansion, an unheard of honor for a newcomer. Needless to say, the move didnt improve his relationship with his wife. His . What do you say about a longtime friend a sense of personal loss, a fine man. His body was found four days later. Holdens rigorous filming schedule for Golden Boy began. In no uncertain terms she gave him an ultimatum and 'demanded that Bill stop seeing that woman'. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? He took a lot of pride in being a family man, eventually adopting his wifes daughter from her first marriage. The two Hollywood stars had a significant age gap, but it was overcome by all that they shared and had in common. Few famous actors are as all-American as William Holden. After filming three more movies between 1941 and 1942The Fleets In, Meet the Stewarts, and Young and WillingHolden left for the airbase near Fort Worth, Texas. 59 of 60 found this interesting | Share this He also saw tragedy too and killed another driver with Ferrari in Tuscany, a scandal for which he was given an eight month suspended prison sentence. In September of 1945, Holden eagerly returned to his acting career. But with Hepburn, Ardis sensed something different and she was scared. Holden was one of the greatest actors of our times. Girls, in particular, flocked to him, and happily accompanied him everywhere he wanted to gowhich, of course, included the bedroom. And although he hid his domestic troubles well from the public, his relationship with his wife was already crumbling. But before the wedding she faced one final indignity. The tiny town of OFallon, Illinois welcomed the birth of William Franklin Beedle Jr.known to us as William Holdenon April 17, 1918. Underneath his pretty face, however, was a man with a troubled life, who constantly struggled with the demons of addiction. While intoxicated in his apartment, Holden slipped on a rug and hit his head on a bedside tablebut that wasnt the most disturbing part. Over his six-decade career, with starring roles in Stalag 17, The Wild Bunch, Picnic and The Bridge on the River Kwai, William Holden became famous for characters who represented the best an American man could be. His boyish charm and good looks made him the perfect leading man. His deal was considered one of the best ever for an actor at the time, with him receiving 10% of the gross, which earned him over $2.5 million, however, Holden stipulated that he should only receive a maximum of $50,000 per year from the film ($482,405 in 2021 dollars [26]). AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Unfortunately for Holden, this plan fell through. But beyond his acting endeavors, Holden is also remembered by his loved ones with fondness. Needless to say, Hollywoods golden boy hid many dark secrets beneath his perfect exterior. During production, a very tipsy Holden attempted to climb into Audrey Hepburns second-floor dressing room, but lost his grip and fell when he reached her window. He and Marshall had two sons together, Peter Westfield "West" Holden (born November 17, 1943) and Scott Holden (Scott Porter Holden, born May 2, 1946). Holden's daughter knew her father as caring and loving. Born William Franklin Beedle, Jr. in O'Fallon, Illinois on April 17, 1918, he was the eldest of three sons of William Franklin Beedle, Sr., an industrial chemist, and Mary Blanche Ball, a teacher. Holdens dad, after years of working in a lab that exposed him to a concoction of dangerous chemicals, contracted pneumosilicosis. Less popular was Satan Never Sleeps (1961), the last film of Clifton Webb and Leo McCarey; The Counterfeit Traitor (1962), his third film with Seaton; or The Lion (1962), with Trevor Howard and Capucine. She liked Holden and went out of her way to help him succeed, devoting her personal time to coaching and encouraging him, which made them into lifelong friends. But his career wasnt all nerves and booze. The garden . He was named one of the "Top 10 Stars of the Year" six times (19541958, 1961), and appeared as 25th on the American Film Institute's list of 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema. They spent their time together finding various ways to annoy Cohn, which usually consisted of getting sloshed on Paramounts dime. [47] Rumors existed that he was suffering from lung cancer, which Holden had denied at a 1980 press conference. This turned out to be a mistake. Holden and Crawford got particularly close, due to one thing they had in common: their hatred for Paramounts president, Harry Cohn. She returns to romance with the Larrabee brothers, played by Holden and Humphrey Bogart. Hepburn's reaction was one of shock. While in Italy in 1966, Holden was responsible for the death of another driver in a drunk-driving incident near Pisa.
