Person in history
Hal Holbrook
Hal Holbrook, American actor and director (born 1925)
Life at a glance
- Died
- 2021 · January 23
- Known as
- character actor, stage actor, film actor, television actor, and screenwriter. Citizenship: United States
Their story
Who they were
Personal life Holbrook was married three times and had three children. He married a Newfoundlander, Ruby Elaine Johnston, in 1945 and they had two children. [ 1 ] They divorced in 1965. In 1966, he married Carol Eve Rossen. [ 2 ] They had one child and they divorced in 1983. [ 1 ] Holbrook, 64 and Carter, 50 at the 41st Primetime Emmy Awards , September 17,
Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. was an American actor. He first received critical acclaim in 1954 for a one-man stage show, titled Mark Twain Tonight!, that he developed while studying at Denison University. He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1966 for his portrayal of Twain. He continued to perform his signature role for more than 60 years, retiring the show in 2017 due to his failing health. Throughout his career,
Early life
Educated at: Denison University, Culver Academies, and HB Studio.
Early life and education Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. was born on February 17, 1925, in Cleveland , Ohio, the son of Aileen ( née Davenport) Holbrook (1905–1987), a vaudeville dancer, and Harold Rowe Holbrook Sr. (1902–1982). [ 1 ] Holbrook and his two elder sisters were abandoned by their parents when he was two years old. [ 2 ] The three children were raised by their paternal grandparents, first in Weymouth, Massachusetts , and later in the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood, Ohio . [ 2 ]
Path and career
Awards / honours: National Humanities Medal, Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.
Career Mark Twain Tonight! Main article: Mark Twain Tonight! Holbrook's first solo performance as Twain was at Lock Haven State Teachers College in Pennsylvania in 1954. Ed Sullivan saw him and gave 30-year-old Holbrook his first national exposure on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 12, 1956, five days before his 31st birthday. [ 1 ] Holbrook was also a member of the Valley Players (1941–1962), a summer-stock theater company based in Holyoke, Massachusetts ,
Death Holbrook died at his home in Beverly Hills on January 23, 2021, at age 95; no cause was made public. [ 1 ] He was buried in McLemoresville Cemetery in McLemoresville, Tennessee, alongside his wife, Dixie Carter. [ 2 ] ^ Cite error: The named reference nytimes 2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page ). ^ "Holbrook Remembered" . McKenzie Banner . Retrieved July 29, 2021 .
Why this date
Hal Holbrook appears on our January 23 calendar for 2021 as a death entry.
Sources
Cite this page
“Hal Holbrook”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/people/hal-holbrook, accessed October 25, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about Hal Holbrook
When did Hal Holbrook die?
January 23 2021.
Who else was born on this day?
The date page lists everyone we hold for that calendar day.
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