What's After the Movie
Hal Holbrook
Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. (February 17, 1925 – January 23, 2021), widely known as Hal Holbrook, was a multi-faceted American actor with a career spanning over six decades. He carved his niche in the industry with a one-man stage show he developed - Mark Twain Tonight! during his study at Denison University in 1954. This portrayal of Twain won him the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1966 and set the stage for his film debut in Sidney Lumet's The Group in 1966. Holbrook garnered international acclaim for his role as Deep Throat in the 1976 film All the President's Men. His depiction of Abraham Lincoln in the television miniseries Lincoln (1974 and 1985) further cemented his legacy. He also had significant roles in Julia and Capricorn One (1977), The Fog (1980), Creepshow (1982), Wall Street (1987), The Firm (1993), Hercules (1997), and Men of Honor (2000). His role as Ron Franz in Sean Penn's Into the Wild (2007) fetched him Academy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. In 2003, Holbrook was honored with the National Humanities Medal by President George W. Bush.
Holbrook was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Aileen (née Davenport) Holbrook, a vaudeville dancer, and Harold Rowe Holbrook Sr. Abandoned by his parents at an early age, Holbrook and his two older sisters were raised by their paternal grandparents. He served in the United States Army during World War II from 1942 through 1946, during which he often performed in theater productions. His first solo performance as Twain was at Lock Haven State Teachers College in Pennsylvania in 1954, which gave him his first national exposure when Ed Sullivan featured him on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 12, 1956. His years working in the industry amount to over 2,100 performances spanning six decades, making him a stalwart in American entertainment.
Biography, Career & Filmography
Learn more about Hal Holbrook, including a detailed biography, career timeline, personal life insights, and complete filmography. Discover how Hal Holbrook rose to fame, their major roles, industry impact, and personal milestones in the world of film.
Given Name: Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr.
Born: Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Citizenship: United States
Birthday: February 17, 1925
Occupations: Actor
Years Active: 1948-2017
Children: 3
Spouses: Ruby Elaine Johnston, Carol Eve Rossen, Dixie Carter
External Links and Streaming Options
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Awards and Nominations Received by Hal Holbrook
Explore the awards, honors, and nominations Hal Holbrook has earned across their acting career. From prestigious wins to critical acclaim, see how their talent has been recognized by the film industry and major award bodies.
Movies Featuring Hal Holbrook
All the President's Men
Promised Land
Midway
Magnum Force
Creepshow
Fletch Lives
Julia
Capricorn One
The Great White Hope
The Star Chamber
Flying Lessons
Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story
Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey
Good Day for It
Dirty Harry: The Original
The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus
Mark Twain
Purpose
The Legend of the Three Trees
Out of the Shadows: The Man Who Was Deep Throat
Off the Minnesota Strip
The Killing of Randy Webster
Girls Nite Out
A Killing in a Small Town
The Three Wishes of Billy Grier
Under Siege
Superman’s 50th Anniversary: A Celebration of the Man of Steel
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Day One
Sorry, Wrong Number
The Kidnapping of the President
The Unholy
George Washington
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle
The Time of Your Life
The Glass Menagerie
The Awakening Land
Rituals
The Girl from Petrovka
Wild in the Streets
The Hero Cop: Yesterday and Today
The People Next Door
They Only Kill Their Masters
The Third Twin
Eye of God
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Operation Delta Force
Murder by Natural Causes
That Certain Summer
Our Town
Eastwood & Co.: Making ‘Unforgiven’
Stormchasers
Judas Kiss
My Own Country
The Group
Carried Away
Pueblo
A Moral Right: The Politics of Dirty Harry
The Florentine
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
Tartuffe
Pressure and the Press: The Making of ‘All the President’s Men’
Beauty
Rusty: A Dog’s Tale
Natural Enemies
The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry
Career Timeline
Track the complete movie timeline of Hal Holbrook, including all film releases, career breakthroughs, and notable roles. Follow their journey from early performances to recent blockbusters and upcoming projects.
2001
Dirty Harry: The Original
Self - Actor
Mark Twain
Self (uncredited)
The Legend of the Three Trees
Narrator
1998
Judas Kiss
Senator Rupert Hornbeck
My Own Country
Lloyd Flanders
Beauty
Alexander Miller
Rusty: A Dog’s Tale
Boyd Callahan
1994
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle
William McKenzie
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
Wild Bill McKenzie
1988
Superman’s 50th Anniversary: A Celebration of the Man of Steel
Self
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Joseph Bundy
The Unholy
Archbishop Mosely
1976
All the President's Men
Midway
The Time of Your Life
Self - Host
Pressure and the Press: The Making of ‘All the President’s Men’
Self (archive footage)
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