William Holden
Biography
William Holden was an American actor who became one of the top box-office attractions of the 1950s. Born in O'Fallon, Illinois, and raised in South Pasadena, he got his start in local radio plays before appearing in films in the late 1930s. His first starring part came in Golden Boy (1939), as a violinist who turns to prizefighting, and he spent the following decade as a dependable leading man. Billy Wilder cast him as the struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard (1950), which brought his first Oscar nomination, and he won the Best Actor Academy Award for Stalag 17 (1953). Later hits included Sabrina (1954), Executive Suite (1954), Picnic (1955), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), The World of Suzie Wong (1960), The Wild Bunch (1969) and Network (1976), the last earning him another Oscar nomination. He also took a Primetime Emmy for the television film The Blue Knight (1973).
63years old at death
- Born O'Fallon
- Died Santa Monica
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- William Franklin Beedle (birth name)Also credited as William Franklin Holden, William Beedle Jr. and William Beedle
Movie Career
- Films
- 47
- Career span
- 65 years1939 to 2004
Genres
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Behind the award
Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Stalag 17 with one of the shortest acceptance speeches in Oscar history: "Thank you ... thank you."
First role
In Golden Boy (1939), Holden took his first starring part, costarring with Barbara Stanwyck as a violinist-turned-boxer. Columbia made the film and worked out a sharing deal with Paramount for his services.
A change of course
During World War II, Holden was a second lieutenant and later a first lieutenant in the United States Army Air Force. He appeared in training films for the First Motion Picture Unit, among them Reconnaissance Pilot in 1943.
William Holden movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Billy Wilder directed four of these films, Richard Quine two and George Seaton two. Ernest Borgnine appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Ernest Borgnine's page
Edgar Buchanan's page
Audrey Hepburn's page
Tom Tully's page
Humphrey Bogart's page
Barbara Stanwyck's page
All films by Billy Wilder
All films by Richard Quine
George SeatonDirector, 2 films, 1954 to 1962
All films by George Seaton
Also two films together39 more actors
- Paul NewmanWhen Time Ran Out... (1980) and The Towering Inferno (1974)
- Glenn FordThe Man from Colorado (1948) and Texas (1941)
- Harry Carey Jr.The Devil's Brigade (1968) and Alvarez Kelly (1966)
- Chet BrandenburgEscape from Fort Bravo (1953) and Born Yesterday (1950)
- Ray TealThe Turning Point (1952) and The Man from Colorado (1948)
- Faye DunawayNetwork (1976) and The Towering Inferno (1974)
- Shelley WintersS.O.B. (1981) and Executive Suite (1954)
- Ellen CorbySabrina (1954) and The Dark Past (1948)
- David NivenCasino Royale (1967) and The Moon Is Blue (1953)
- Jacqueline BissetZ Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) and When Time Ran Out... (1980)
- Fred AstaireAudrey Hepburn: Remembered (1993) and The Towering Inferno (1974)
- Robert VaughnS.O.B. (1981) and The Towering Inferno (1974)
- Lee J. CobbThe Dark Past (1948) and Golden Boy (1939)
- Denver PyleThe Horse Soldiers (1959) and The Man from Colorado (1948)
- Stanley AndrewsThe Man from Colorado (1948) and Golden Boy (1939)
- Strother MartinThe Wild Bunch (1969) and The Horse Soldiers (1959)
- Alec GuinnessAudrey Hepburn: Remembered (1993) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- Don BeddoeTexas (1941) and Golden Boy (1939)
- Edmond O'BrienThe Wild Bunch (1969) and The Turning Point (1952)
- Walter BaldwinRachel and the Stranger (1948) and The Man from Colorado (1948)
- Willis BoucheyThe Horse Soldiers (1959) and The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954)
- Fredric MarchExecutive Suite (1954) and The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954)
- Neville BrandStalag 17 (1953) and The Turning Point (1952)
- Cliff RobertsonThe Devil's Brigade (1968) and Picnic (1955)
- Mel FerrerAudrey Hepburn: Remembered (1993) and Paris When It Sizzles (1964)
- Nina FochExecutive Suite (1954) and The Dark Past (1948)
- George RaftCasino Royale (1967) and Invisible Stripes (1939)
- Charles CaneBorn Yesterday (1950) and The Dark Past (1948)
- Jennifer JonesThe Towering Inferno (1974) and Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)
- Robert StraussThe Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954) and Stalag 17 (1953)
- Grace KellyThe Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954) and The Country Girl (1954)
- Herbert HeyesLove Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955) and Union Station (1950)
- Nancy OlsonSunset Boulevard (1950) and Union Station (1950)
- Roger C. CarmelBreezy (1973) and Alvarez Kelly (1966)
- Sheila AllenWhen Time Ran Out... (1980) and The Towering Inferno (1974)
- Jacqueline FontaineAlvarez Kelly (1966) and The Country Girl (1954)
- Michel ThomassThe Christmas Tree (1969) and Paris When It Sizzles (1964)
- Pat MoriarityTexas (1941) and Arizona (1940)
- Scott HoldenBreezy (1973) and The Revengers (1972)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What William Holden's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$302 million
14 of the 47 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 47 films: 14 worldwide figure; 7 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 22 figure not found.
- 14Worldwide figure
- 7US gross only
- 4Never in cinemas
- 22Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 93% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$116M38.4% of the total
- 2$45M14.9% of the total
- 3$42M13.8% of the total
- 4$27M8.8% of the total
- 5$24M7.8% of the total
- 6$10M3.3% of the total
- 7$10M3.3% of the total
- 8$9.0M3.0% of the total
$20.1 millionfrom the other 6 films with a worldwide figure, 7% of the total
Awards
Three awards and honors from 1954 to 1974, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1954 | Best Actor | Stalag 17 | Won |
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1974 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | The Blue Knight | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.