David Jack Holt

David Jack Holt

Infobox actor
bgcolour =
name = David Holt


imagesize = 300px
caption = Holt at Paramount Pictures
birthname = David Jack Holt
birthdate = birth date|1927|8|14|mf=y
location = Jacksonville, Florida
deathdate = death date and age|2003|11|15|1927|8|14|mf=y
deathplace = San Juan Capistrano, California
height =
othername = David Holt
homepage =
notable role = ▪ Sidney Sawyer in
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" (1938)
▪ Billy (older) in
"The Pride of the Yankees" (1942)
▪ Elizabeth Taylor's older brother in
"Courage of Lassie" (1946)
academyawards =
emmyawards =
spouse =

David Jack Holt (mostly known as David Holt) (August 14 1927 – November 15 2003) was an American actor initially groomed at the age of seven to be the male Shirley Temple. After being let down by Will Rogers, stress, polio, and resentment from his father precipitated his downfall, which culminated in being reduced to starring in the cheap drugs-scare melodrama ""She Shoulda Said 'No'!"", at the age of 22. By the time he was 25, no acting parts were available for him and he eventually turned to songwriting, where he had some moderate success before his death in 2003 at the age of 76.

Biography

Holt was born on August 14 1927 in Jacksonville, Florida. Four years later, his sister Betty was born, who also became an actor. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0392380/ Betty Holt biography.] Retrieved December 1 2006.] At a young age, Holt's dancing skills so impressed the actor and wit Will Rogers that Rogers purportedly told Holt's mother that if ever they were in Hollywood they should contact him and he would get young David into pictures. Relying on this understanding, Holt's father promptly quit his job with Ford Motors. Intent on holding Rogers to his promise, the Holt family drove to California. Despite their best efforts, Rogers refused even to see them. ["The Times". (November 26 2003). "David Holt; Lives in brief; Obituary; The Register." Page 36.]

With no income, Holt's father worked as a casual laborer. Holt's mother took Holt to auditions, sometimes sharing transport with Shirley Temple and her mother. Initially, Holt found it difficult to get acting jobs. He did, however, get a job as "body double" for Cheeta's chimpanzee predecessor in the 1933 film "Tarzan the Fearless" and had a small role in the 1933 "Our Gang" ("Little Rascals") comedy "Forgotten Babies".

At age seven, in 1934, Holt got his acting break in the movie "You Belong to Me", a melodrama in which his character's mother dies. He was now a child star, and Paramount Pictures put him under a long-term contract and promoted him as a male version of Shirley Temple. Over the next six years, Holt made 20 films, but did not come close the superstardom set by his friend, Shirley Temple.

Holt was initially cast in the title role in "David Copperfield", alongside W. C. Fields' character, Wilkins Micawber. However, producer David O. Selznick developed misgivings about having an American youngster portray a quintessentially British boy. When English child actor Freddie Bartholomew became available a couple of weeks into shooting, Holt was let go. Holt had a prominent role in the 1936 movie "Straight from the Shoulder" (also known as "Johnny Gets His Gun") alongside noted actor Ralph Bellamy. Holt eventually developed a reputation as a , [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0392403/bio Biography for David Holt (I).] Retrieved December 1 2006.] and found himself settling for supporting roles in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" (1939), "Beau Geste" (1939), and "Courage of Lassie" (1946) as Elizabeth Taylor's older brother. Holt may be best remembered as the older Billy in the 1942 critically and publicly acclaimed film, "The Pride of the Yankees", where 17-year old Billy attends Lou Gehrig Day and shows Lou Gehrig that Billy now can walk without a limp, implying that Gehrig's promised World Series home runs many years ago helped a young Billy overcome his childhood illness. Holt's stress may have been a source of his troublemaking and his restricted success as an actor. Holt made more money than his father, who openly expressed his resentment at making so much less income than his prepubescent son. The production line of movies in which Holt was cast compounded his household stress. Holt and his family's expenses soon exceeded Holt's income and the family eventually had to rely on soup kitchens. At one point Holt had polio, which he believed was a result of the stress he felt in the studios. Amidst all this, Holt's parents separated. ["The Times". (November 26 2003). "David Holt; Lives in brief; Obituary; The Register." Page 36.]

At age 14, Holt largely turned his back on acting in favor of songwriting and poetry. Attempting to return to acting in 1948, he found few parts available, and ended up starring in the 1949 cheap drugs-scare melodrama ""She Shoulda Said 'No'!"". By the early 1950s, the parts had dried up and Holt returned to song writing.

Later in life

Holt did have some success as a jazz pianist and composer, writing the music for numerous jazz albums, including several that featured Pete Jolley, and writing "The Christmas Blues" with Sammy Cahn, which was recorded by Dean Martin and eventually used on the 1997 soundtrack of "L.A. Confidential". In the 1990s, Holt was host of the television show "American Music Shop", which featured a different country artist each week. In 1997, Holt was a voice actor in "Soul Music", an animation based on a novel by Terry Pratchett of the same name.

Holt married, and had four children: Lamont, Janna, Hayley, and Tina. In the early 1960s, Holt went into the real estate business to take advantage of Southern California's booming real estate market, retiring in 1985 at age 58. [ [http://www2.dre.ca.gov/PublicASP/pplinfo.asp?License_id=00223237 California Department of Real Estate license information for David Jack Holt.] Retrieved December 1 2006.]

Holt died on November 15 2003 at age 76 of congestive heart failure in San Juan Capistrano, California, leaving his autobiography "The Holts of Hollywood" unfinished.

References


*Generally see "The Times". (November 26, 2003). "David Holt; Lives in brief; Obituary; The Register." Page 36.
*Generally see [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0392403/ David Holt (I)]

External links

*imdb name|id=0392403|name=David Holt
* [http://slick.org/deathwatch/mailarchive/msg01181.html (Deathwatch) David Holt, former child actor, 76]
* [http://www.classicmoviekids.com/holtdavid.htm Photos of Holt from Classic Movie Kids]
* [http://www.jb-agency.com/files/large/david%20holt2.jpgOdd/Telling Photo of Holt at age 68]
* [http://www.jb-agency.com/files/large/david%20holt.jpgPhoto of Holt at age 68]

Persondata
NAME=David Jack Holt
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= David Holt
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American actor
DATE OF BIRTH= August 14 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH=Jacksonville, Florida, United States
DATE OF DEATH=November 15 2003
PLACE OF DEATH=San Juan Capistrano, California, United States


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