RIP Hal Holbrook

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God, I can't believe it, they're dropping like flies. I think the first time I laid my eyes on this guy was in a 1970 anthology series called The Bold Ones where he was the star of "The Senator". Then I saw a television mounting of his one-man show Mark Twain Tonight. Then a complete 180, I saw him play a husband and father who confesses to being gay to his wife and son in a movie of the week called That Certain Summer. There was nothing this guy couldn't do. Loved him as Deep Throat in All the President's Men and I even loved when his offscreen romance with Dixie Carter got written onscreen on Designing Women...they were so funny together. A severely underrated actor who never phoned it in. RIP.



First I've heard of Holbrook's death. He had a helluva career, playing most any kind of role one could think of; and a long life--living to 95.

I first saw him in a live performance of solo show Mark Twain Tonight! in Pittsburgh in 1961, when he first toured with the show after its off Broadway run. I was knocked out, and the audience was bowled over. Whenever I saw him afterwards, he always reminded me of his Mark Twain character.



It's been over a week, and not a mention of him, so here it is.
Holbrook died on January 23rd but it was not announced publicly until yesterday.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra



Hal and Shirley Knight in The Group (1966)


Ed Begley and Hal in Wild in the Streets (1968)


Hal and Jane Alexander in The Great White Hope (1970)


Mia Farrow and Hal in "Goodbye, Raggedy Ann" (1971)


Hal and Martin Sheen in "That Certain Summer" (1972)


Hal in They Only Kill Their Masters (1972)


Hal and Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force (1973)


Hal in The Girl from Petrovka (1974)


Hal in All the President's Men (1976)


Charlot Heston and Hal in Midway (1976)



Hal in Rituals (1977)


Hal in Julia (1977)


Hal and James Brolin in Capricorn One (1977)


Hal in Natural Enemies (1979)


Janet Leigh and Hal in The Fog (1980)


Hal in The Kidnapping of the President (1980)


Hal in Creepshow (1981)


Hal in Girls Nite Out (1982)


Hal in The Star Chamber (1983)


James Read and Hal in "North & South" (1985)



Dixie Carter and Hal on "Designing Women" (1986-1989)


Hal and Charlie Sheen in Wall Street (1987)


Ben Cross and Hal in The Unholy (1988)


Chevy Chase and Hal in Fletch Lives (1989)


Linda Gehringer and Hal on "Evening Shade" (1990-1994)


Hal and Gene Hackman in The Firm (1993)


Dennis Hopper and Hal in Carried Away (1996)


Hal in Eye of God (1993) (1997)


Hal as the voice of Amphitryon in Hercules (1997)


Hal and Jessica Lange in Hush (1998)



Hal and Alan Rickman in Judas Kiss (1998)


Hal in The Florentine (1999)


Hal, Ed Asner, and Artie Lang in The Bachelor (1999)


Hal in Waking the Dead (2000)


Hal in Men of Honor (2000)


Hal in The Majestic (2001)


Allison Janney and Hal on "The West Wing" (2001-2002)


Hal in Shade (2003)


Hal on "The Sopranos" (2006)


Emile Hirsch and Hal in Into the Wild (2007)



Hal in Killshot (2008)


Hal in That Evening Sun (2009)


Hal and Katy Sagal on "The Sons of Anarchy" (2010)


Hal and Maggie Grace in Flying Lessons (2010)


Hal in Water for Elephants (2011)


Hal and Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln (2012)


Matt Damon and Hal in Promised Land (2012)


Hal in Savannah (2013)


Hal in Blackway (2015)



R.I.P. (1925-2021)



Ah, bless, only watched him as 'Deep Throat' again the other week.

Requiescat in pace Hal!



R.I.P Hal.

One of the first 'that guy' of my childhood. Magnum Force, The Fog and Creepshow all being early hits with me, before I found Capricorn One and All The President's Men in my teens. Always a reassuring presence when he appeared onscreen. Especially if not expected. A bit like Brian Dennehy in that way.
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5-time MoFo Award winner.



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R.I.P Hal.

One of the first 'that guy' of my childhood. Magnum Force, The Fog and Creepshow all being early hits with me, before I found Capricorn One and All The President's Men in my teens. Always a reassuring presence when he appeared onscreen. Especially if not expected. A bit like Brian Dennehy in that way.

You read my mind with "that guy" and Brian Dennehy. A third one just popped into my mind, William Devane.



Sorry to hear. One of my favorite actors and a blessing to any project he took on. After loving him in movies for so long, I loved seeing him in Evening Shade and he stole every scene he was in. Godspeed, Hal.
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