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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...

Hal Holbrook, who carved out a substantial acting career in television and film but who achieved his widest acclaim onstage, embodying Mark Twain in all his craggy splendor and vinegary wit in a one-man show seen around the world, died Jan. 23 at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He was 95. His death was confirmed by his assistant, Joyce Cohen, on Monday night. Holbrook had a long and fruitful run as an actor. He was the shadowy patriot Deep Throat in “All the President’s Men” (1976); an achingly grandfatherly character in “Into the Wild” (2007), for which he received...

I watched Into the Wild (2007) last night on NetFlix for the first time. I am familiar with the story, and even have the book. I have had the book for many years, but have yet to read it. Hal Holbrook's character, Ron Franz, comes in toward the end of the film. His on screen time is not that much, but the acting, to me, is so good and real. His character really made me cry. I felt so much compassion for him.I have seen Holbrook in TV movies and feature films over the decades, and have always thought he...

Pierce Flanigan, Jr. died this week, aged 93. But this is about his hat, not his death. And it is about the absurd series of questions asked of Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice by Tim Russert on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Russert’s effort to pin her down on whether she is running for President in 2008 spanned five straight questions. Pierce, III has been my good friend since we went to school together, and later were college roommates. Along the way, Dr. Carl Zapfee of Troop 35 made us both Senior Patrol leaders in the troop. He assumed, correctly, that...