Posted on 02/02/2021 10:14:14 AM PST by BenLurkin
Holbrook, raised in Cleveland, was 29 when he first performed as Twain (who was portrayed as 70) and eventually developed the role into a two-act, one-man show called “Mark Twain Tonight!,” taking it to schools, nightclubs and theaters. He took it to Broadway three times — 1966, 1977 and 2005 — and won a Tony Award as best dramatic actor for the 1966 version.
In 1959, after years of honing his material in small towns, Holbrook debuted his Twain at an off-Broadway theater in New York to high critical praise. “Mr. Holbrook’s material is uproarious, his ability to hold an audience by acting is brilliant,” said The New York Times. The New Yorker called it a “dazzling display of virtuosity.”
Holbrook would tour as Twain — with the writer’s familiar white suit and white hair — whenever he wasn’t busy with other acting jobs. He would update the show to fit the times and performed the role by his account some 2,200 times. He hung up the white suit in 2017.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
He was like Abe Vigoda, looked like he was 80 when he was in hiis 40s
Dirty Harry didn’t like him much....
RIP to a very fine actor.
I ran into Hal Holbrook at the Laredo airport some years ago, about a year after “Lincoln”. I have a picture, somewhere.
Anyway, I was going through their really small security area in the middle of the summer (102 degrees, just about) and I noticed an elderly man in front of me in a full length camel-hair coat. Crazy.
As he got to the immigration guys, I heard him exclaim, “Of course I’m American! What else would I be?” I immediately recognized that voice. Then, at the x-ray belt, he said, “Now, who ELSE would have packed my bags?!”
As I came up beside him, he looked at me and said, “Can you believe this?” as he stripped off his belt.
Wryly, I responded, “It’s best not to anger them. After all ... A man’s got to know his limitations.”
I waited for a smile and a response. Nothing. Apparently, 40 years was just too long. My moment had come and passed, unrecognized.
A great actor in so many movies...
Midway (the 1976 version)
The Firm
Magnum Force
Capricorn One
The Star Chamber
Have to admit I would never have guessed Hal Holbrook was still alive.
R. I. P.
RIP
Lots of N-words in "Tom Sawyer" as I recall.
Captain Garth: “One word in ten? For Christ sake, Joe, you’re guessing!”
Joe: “We prefer to call it analysis.”
Was thinking the same. Part of that generation like Jason Robards and Jack Lemmon that mostly passed on ~20 years ago, so if you asked me a week ago, “Hal Holbrook, dead or alive?” I’d have put money on the former. R.I.P.
I thought he had passed over ten years ago. Nevertheless he was good in the Chevy Chase movie ‘Fletch’ back in the 80’s.
As I recall, he was married to one of the Designing Women actresses.
Regards,
In the 1960s, my brother flew stand by out of O'Hare, and they seated him in First Class.
He sat next to Colonel Sanders. White suit. Black string tie. The whole act. Sanders told him to tell everyone he knew that chicken wings are always the best piece to eat.
I always enjoyed his work. RIP.
Yes, and played the husband of one of them on the leftist show.
I also liked him as John Adams on the “George Washington” mini-series. Not as great as William Daniels, but good.
Fletch II
Thanks for the correction.
Captain Garth:
Can I ask you something personal? Very personal?
Commander Rochefort:
Sure.
Captain Garth:
You know, it really stinks down here. How often do some of your people take a bath?
Commander Rochefort:
Bath? Hell, I don’t know. What *day* is it?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.