At that point Mel Ferrer re-entered her life. Only one person kept Holden from falling apart completely. Soon, that opportunity came to him on a silver platter. 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. Adopted his stepdaughter, Virginia Holden (Virginia Gaines), from Ardis Ankerson (actress Brenda Marshall)'s first marriage. See 'Magnum P.I.' william holden grandchildren In 1973, Holden starred with Kay Lenz in a movie directed by Clint Eastwood called Breezy, which was considered a box-office flop. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. The film was a huge commercial success, and Holden made over $2.5 million from the film. Epstein writes that Hepburn 'ended their affair on the spot' she felt that she had no other choice. The Dramatic Ups and Downs of Actor William Holden 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. It was a very meaningful time for both of us., The couple shared a respect for wildlife and traveled frequently to Africa. WILLIAM HOLDEN DEAD AT 63; WON OSCAR FOR 'STALAG 17' - New York Times Lets just, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Hot Facts About Denise Richards, The Real Girl Next Door, Royal Facts About King Charles III, The Patient King, Larger-Than-Life Facts About Charles Stratton, General Tom Thumb, Soaring Facts About Margot Kidder, The One Who Dared To Fly. [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. We want our readers to trust us. Slowly, Holden gained his confidence back, and it showed; many reviewers noted how Holden gave his character a surprising amount of depth. Holden and Hepburn were reunited on screen in Paris When it Sizzles which was released in 1964 after spending years on the cutting room floor. I felt like I could confide in him, she says. Still, his method acting proved to be wildly effective and he turned in a great performance. , updated Of course, he took his entire family with him. 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. He was from a better background than Holden as well and his father was a well known Cuban American surgeon. The garden . Why did William Holden bleed to death? Inside Audrey Hepburn & William Holden's Smoldering Romance & Reason Lewis invited Holden to Paramount Studios for an audition. They reportedly began a two-year affair, which is alleged to have ended due to Holden's alcoholism. That's the true story. Winston was one of those who discovered the Golden Boy newcomer and who renamed himin honor of his former spouse!"[2]. He was clearly a man carrying a torch'. Cite this record . "[3], For his contribution to the film industry, Holden has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 1651 Vine Street. It is hard to believe that William Holden has been dead now for 30 years. We were close friends for many years. His next film, Born Yesterday, not only gave him another boost in popularity, but it also gave him the opportunity to befriend his co-stars, Judy Holliday and Broderick Crawford. William Holden - IMDb Being outdoors, sleeping under the sky, tracking animals, Stefanie recalls. That same year, Columbia Pictures was in desperate need of a leading man for their upcoming movie, Golden Boy. There was something that Hepburn wanted that Holden just couldnt give her. Not only did Holden have a voice that instantly captured everyones attention, but he learned the scripts for his school plays faster than anyone else. Luckily for him, his wife had no idea that hed cheated on her. That makes me laugh, and it certainly would have made him laugh, too, because he had a great sense of humor.. One day, Holden got a little too into character, and ended up yelling at the entire crew for being too noisy, shocking everyoneincluding himself! We had come back from location that Friday and he wasnt returning my phone calls, says Stefanie, who made several attempts to rouse him. Audrey and Bill: A Romantic Biography of Audrey Hepburn & William Holden can be pre-ordered on Amazon. The Lion (1962) - Turner Classic Movies Bill was now one of the hottest names in the business, and his career went into overdrive. Holden's first film back from the services was Blaze of Noon (1947), an aviator picture at Paramount directed by John Farrow. 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. Bogart disapproved of Audrey Hepburn (he wanted his wife Lauren Bacall in the role), while Holden fell in love with her. Even as Holden secured more starring roles, which included Invisible Stripes in the same year he filmed Golden Boy, Holden remained a nervous wreck before he got on movie sets. Thanks to his daily morning tirades, Holden gradually lost faith in his own abilities. Stefanie Powers 'Would Have Had a Child' with William Holden Inside Finally, hed get the chance to take on a role that wasnt all about his good looks. Holden saw Hepburn as his 'ultimate prima ballerina' she had studied the dance in her youth and her posture showed she had been classically trained. During these tough times, Holdens few escapes included the Boy Scouts, athletics, and, to his surprise, acting. Legan's mother is their daughter, which makes Legan the. Every woman was in love with him. Though without a child now, the veteran actress revealed that she would have had a child with Holden if he had been able to get her pregnant. Holdens rigorous filming schedule for Golden Boy began. Holden was best man at the wedding of his friend Ronald Reagan to actress Nancy Davis in 1952. Something needed to change before Holden really got himself into trouble. During The Seventh Dawn, Holdens onset shenanigans increased ten-fold. Unexpected: Britain's Got Talent fans have been left in shock after finding out what REALLY happens when the judges press the Golden Buzzer. Sabrina (1954) - Trivia - IMDb Holden was one of the greatest actors of our times. In September of 1945, Holden eagerly returned to his acting career. In the end, the bottle was his Achilles heel. In the early 1960s, Holden left for Africa to film The Lion. At Columbia, he starred in film noirs, The Dark Past (1948), The Man from Colorado (1949) and Father Is a Bachelor (1950). And although he hid his domestic troubles well from the public, his relationship with his wife was already crumbling. EXCLUSIVE: The real tragic love of Audrey Hepburn's life - how Hollywood star cried 'like a hurt child' when lover Bill Holden refused to have children then returned to his wife Hepburn and. Considering how badly they were getting along, Holden suspected that it was Jones' attempt to annoy him. Just as they were about to start their lives together, however, a huge problem arose. Shocked by Holdens talent, Lewis decided to offer him the opportunity of a lifetime. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. It wasnt until 1972 that Holden found his next conquest, an actress named Stefanie Powers. In the last years of his life, Bill was doing some of his best work. He began wooing a beautiful actress he was working with on Stalag 17and eventually invited her to his dressing room for an afternoon romance. For a number of years, exhibitors voted Holden among the most popular stars in the country: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor, Venice Film Festival Special Award for Ensemble Acting, Laurel Award for Top Male Dramatic Performance, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor, "William Holden Dead at 63; Won Oscar for 'Stalag 17', "Barbara Stanwyck's Honorary Award: 1982 Oscars", "The Screen Strand Shows 'Invisible Stripes', William Holden Academy Awards Acceptance Speech, "30 Days, 30 Classics Day 17: Sabrina (1954) starring Audrey Hepburn, William Holden and Humphrey Bogart", "Screen: Crosby Acts in 'Country Girl'; Film Based on Odets Drama Makes Bow", "The Screen in Review; 'Bridges at Toko-ri' Is Fine Film of War", "Han Suyin dies at 95; wrote 'Many-Splendored Thing', "13 Fascinating Facts About 'The Bridge on the River Kwai', "Columbia Earns as It Holds Coin Due Bill Holden on 10% of 'Kwai', "The Towering Inferno Movie Review (1974)", "Network Movie Review & Film Summary (1976)", "William Holden Gave His All Even "When Time Ran Out", "When Alcoholics drink themselves to death", "William Holden's Unscripted Fall From Grace", The William Holden Wildlife Education Center, "West Holden: More than just the son of William Holden", Image of William Holden and Brenda Marshall, Academy Awards, Los Angeles, 1951, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Holden&oldid=1149352151, episode: "William Holden/Frances Bergen Show", This page was last edited on 11 April 2023, at 17:56. William Holden Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family According to a new book about their affair, Hepburn was a 'wife's worst nightmare' a cultured beauty who was well spoken and had completely entranced her husband. On November 12, 1981, after years of recognition for his successful films and charity work, Holden lost his life in the most heartbreaking way imaginable. When Sunset Boulevard came out in theaters, it proved to the world that Holden wasnt just a pretty leading man; he was a true actor, who could take on complicated characters and bring them to life. 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. Soon, Holden wanted more and asked Kelly for her hand in marriage. His death certificate makes no mention of cancer. The one that finally captured his heart, however, was the beautiful actress, Brenda Marshall. Birth: 1937: Relatives. His acceptance speech at the 26th Academy Awards was one of the shortest in Oscar history: "Thank you thank you. He always wished that I would get an Oscar. "[12] Paramount reunited him with Nancy Olson, one of his Sunset Boulevard costars, in Union Station (1950). While intoxicated in his apartment, Holden slipped on a rug and hit his head on a bedside tablebut that wasnt the most disturbing part. After three months of dreaming about Marshall, Holden finally asked her out. [43][citation needed]. Bill shared a warm, nurturing relationship with his adopted daughter, traveled to Africa to help save endangered animals, and even became an informant for the CIA at a crucial time in history. Virginia Holden Gaines, William Holden's adopted daughter, shared a side of the famous "Sunset Boulevard" actor that those closest to him knew very well. In no uncertain terms she gave him an ultimatum and 'demanded that Bill stop seeing that woman'. 'Hart to Hart' star Stefanie Powers says she and Robert Wagner 'held Virginia Holden Gaines, William Holden's adopted daughter, shared a side of the famous "Sunset Boulevard" actor that those closest to him knew very well. In accordance with his wishes, no funeral or memorial services were conducted. Jennifer Jones reportedly chewed garlic cloves before her love scenes with William Holden, which may have been an effort to deter her notoriously womanizing co-star. Prince William and Kate have been in Wales for a second day to visit the Aberfan Memorial Garden as they pay their respects to those who lost their lives during the Aberfan disaster. The mother of his three children, Ardis had long learned to look the other way so long as Holden came home to her each night. [44] Capucine and Holden remained friends until his death in 1981. [40][47] He dictated in his will that the Neptune Society cremate him and scatter his ashes in the Pacific Ocean. There were simply no roles for him. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. In 1938, Holdens life changed when he caught the eye of Milt Lewis, a talent scout for Paramount. Caught up in the patriotic fervor of the nation, Holden enlisted, leaving his new wife behind and putting his acting career on hold. (A few months later, Hepburn met Mel Ferrer, whom she later married and with whom she had a son Sean Hepburn Ferrer. He explains how they fell in love despite disapproval from Hepburn's mother and having come from completely different backgrounds. JUDY GARLAND'S DAUGHTER LORNA LUFT SAYS SHE ISN'T WATCHING NEW BIOPIC: 'I HAVE TO PROTECT HER LEGACY' . Thanks to this, Holden felt ready for another big change, but it led him down a ruinous path. He adopted his wife's daughter, Virginia, from her first marriage with actor Richard Gaines . Things only got worse from here on out. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. William Holden was born William Franklin Beedle, Jr. on April 17, 1918 in O'Fallon, Illinois, USA to William Franklin Beedle, Sr. who worked as an industrial chemist. While Holden was on a publicity trip in New York City, Wilder, the same director that worked with Holden on Sunset Boulevard, invited him to work on a film adaptation of a Broadway play called Stalag 17. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! The rest of his career wouldnt go this smoothly, however. Eventually, he moved his entire family to Switzerland. Mr. Holden, who was 63 years old, was found by an apartment manager. Still, I feel in my . The 1950s were filled with Cold War intrigue, and Bill was a part of it.. Holden couldnt get her out of his head after first laying eyes on her, though, and three months later, he finally cracked. Both his daughter and girlfriend recall his bad drinking habit with Gaines thinking back to her childhood saying: His standard breakfast before leaving for the studio in the morning was a glass of vodka mixed with orange juice.. They had two sons, Peter Westfield "West" Holden (1943-2014) and Scott Porter Holden (1946-2005). We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. He once again starred alongside Capucine, and this time, he didnt bother hiding his affair. The tiny town of OFallon, Illinois welcomed the birth of William Franklin Beedle Jr.known to us as William Holdenon April 17, 1918. Unfortunately for Holden, this plan fell through. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. 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 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. American actor William Holden circa 1965.| Getty Images. The stress definitely didnt help him stay cool in front of the cameras either. Holden and Crawford got particularly close, due to one thing they had in common: their hatred for Paramounts president, Harry Cohn. In an attempt to stay in character, Holden spent most of his time being withdrawn and dour. The family, who moved to Pasadena, California when he was three, was of English descent; Holden's paternal great-grandmother, Rebecca Westfield, was . When Cohn asked Holden if he could act, Holden answered, Im not sure. Luckily, his endearing honesty and good looks won Cohn over. It was only by some miracle that Holden walked away from the fall alivebut he wasnt quite so lucky for his next film. In both films, he worked with a beautiful actress named Grace Kelly and soon fell head-over-heels in love with her. He was the son of a schoolteacher and an industrial chemist from small town Illinois who had only just found fame a few years earlier with his roles in Sunset Boulevard and Stalag 17. Hepburn's reaction was one of shock. [4][5], Next he starred with George Raft and Humphrey Bogart in the Warner Bros. gangster epic Invisible Stripes (1939), billed below Raft and above Bogart. 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Holden's films continued to struggle at the box office, however: Paris When It Sizzles (1964) with Hepburn was shot in 1962 but given a much delayed release, The 7th Dawn (1964) with Capucine and Susannah York, a romantic adventure set during the Malayan Emergency produced by Charles K. Feldman, Alvarez Kelly (1966), a Western, and The Devil's Brigade (1968). In 1954, Holden appeared in The Country Girl and The Bridges at Toko-Ri. Audrey's eyes avoided Bill's. With an Oscar under his belt, Holden began earning a pretty penny from his acting jobs. "[13], His success in Stalag 17 ushered in the peak years of Holden's stardom. The CIA asked him that if he came across any interesting observations to contact them.