--- name: "Celeste Holm" canonical: "https://film.one/person/celeste-holm" fi1m_id: "celeste-holm" imdb_id: "nm0002141" tmdb_id: 10607 wikidata_id: "Q212957" roles: ["Actor"] born: "29 April 1917" died: "15 July 2012" reviewed_on_fi1m: 6 average_fi1m_score: 75 average_as: "actor" average_over: 5 updated: "2026-10-04T19:57:26.285396+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Celeste Holm ## Identity Celeste Holm - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/celeste-holm - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** celeste-holm - **IMDb ID:** nm0002141 - **TMDB ID:** 10607 - **Wikidata ID:** Q212957 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celeste_Holm, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q212957, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002141/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10607 Actor. Born 29 April 1917 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Died 15 July 2012. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 29 April 1917, Brooklyn, New York, USA - **Died:** 15 July 2012 - **Active:** 1947–1987 - **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 5 acting, 1 other - **Frequently works with:** [Darryl F. Zanuck](https://film.one/person/darryl-f-zanuck.md) - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 2 nominated) - **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 5 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 73 (3), 1950s 82 (2), 1980s 71 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 75 across 3 titles - **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 5 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 3, Comedy 2, Music 1, Mystery 1, Romance 1 - **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $267m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celeste_Holm, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q212957, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002141/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10607 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*All About Eve*](https://film.one/film/all-about-eve.md) (90) - **Disney+:** [*3 Men and a Baby*](https://film.one/film/3-men-and-a-baby.md) (71) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Celeste Holm > Celeste Holm's trick is to be handed the best line in a scene and decline to make a meal of it. It is why she survives in ensembles built around louder names, and why Hollywood never quite worked out what else to do with her. Watch what Celeste Holm does with a good line. Most actors, given the sharpest remark in a scene, lean into it and wait for the laugh. Holm says it on her way to something else, as though the wit were a by-product of being intelligent, and moves on. As Anne Dettrey in *Gentleman's Agreement* (1947), the fashion editor who says what she thinks, she has the best lines in the film and throws them away, and it is a large part of why her scenes breathe when so many around them do not. She came to films from the stage, where she had made her name as Ado Annie on Broadway in 1943, and the musical-comedy training shows in the timing: she hears the rhythm of a sentence and knows where the weight belongs. Fox signed her in 1946 and gave her a debut in *Three Little Girls in Blue* the same year; *Gentleman's Agreement*, *Come to the Stable* (1949) as Sister Scholastica and *All About Eve* (1950) followed inside four years. Then she went back to the stage, stepping into *The King and I*, and returned only now and then, for *The Tender Trap* (1955) and *High Society* (1956), before television took most of the rest. Her Karen Richards in *All About Eve* is the performance we would send a stranger to. Mankiewicz gives her the narration and the thankless part of the good friend, and Holm plays her as a decent woman who is a little too pleased with her own decency. Against Bette Davis at full volume and George Sanders at full purr, she gives the company a welcome sense of independent life; you believe she has a mind that goes on working when the camera leaves. We were moved by her more than we expected, in the later scenes where Karen's certainties start to slip and Holm lets the good humour drain out of her face without making a show of it. The limits were not hers so much as the studio's. Fox saw a musical-comedy performer and cast her as the witty friend, the observer, the woman who comments on the plot rather than driving it, and once *All About Eve* had fixed that picture the parts did not widen. Her Liz Imbrie in *High Society*, trading Cole Porter's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" with Frank Sinatra, is charming and is also more of the same. One can see why she kept going back to a stage that let her lead. If you know her only as the voice at the start of *All About Eve*, start there, then see what she does inside Kazan's lecture. Both films are better for her being in them, and both leave you wondering what a lead written for her might have looked like. ## Biography Celeste Holm was an American actress. Born on 29 April 1917 in New York City, she died on 15 July 2012. She studied at the University of Chicago and began her professional career on stage in the late 1930s. Holm originated the role of Ado Annie in the 1943 Broadway production of *Oklahoma!*. She made her film debut in *Three Little Girls in Blue* (1946). Holm won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in *Gentleman's Agreement* (1947). She received Academy Award nominations for *Come to the Stable* (1949) and for her role as Karen Richards in *All About Eve* (1950). She is also known for her work in *The Snake Pit* (1948), *High Society* (1956) and later television appearances. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, latimes.com, rottentomatoes.com.* ## On Fi1m (6) ### Performed in (5) — the average rests on these - *3 Men and a Baby* (1987), Fi1m 71, as Jack's Mother — [page](https://film.one/film/3-men-and-a-baby.md) - *High Society* (1956), Fi1m 74, as Liz Imbrie — [page](https://film.one/film/high-society.md) - *All About Eve* (1950), Fi1m 90, as Karen Richards — [page](https://film.one/film/all-about-eve.md) - *The Snake Pit* (1948), Fi1m 76, as Grace — [page](https://film.one/film/the-snake-pit.md) - *Gentleman's Agreement* (1947), Fi1m 64, as Anne Dettrey — [page](https://film.one/film/gentlemans-agreement.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *A Letter to Three Wives* (1949), Fi1m 79, as Addie Ross (voice) (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/a-letter-to-three-wives.md) ## Complete filmography (80) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *College Debts* (2015), as Grandma GG - *Footsteps on the Ceiling* (2013), as Karen Richards (archive footage) - *Driving Me Crazy* (2012), as Mrs. Ginsberg - *Alchemy* (2005), as Iris - *Stories of Christmas* (2004), Actor - *Whoopi* (2003), series, as Diana - *The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story* (2000), Actor - *The Beat* (2000), series, as Frances Robinson - *Third Watch* (1999), series, as Florence - *Still Breathing* (1997), as Ida - *Once You Meet a Stranger* (1996), as Clara - *Promised Land* (1996), series, as Hattie Greene - *Talking With* (1995), as Lila (segment "Lamps") - *Touched by an Angel* (1994), series, as Hattie Greene - *Polly: Comin' Home!* (1990), as Miss Snow - *Polly* (1989), as Miss Snow - *Christine Cromwell* (1989), series, as Samantha Cromwell - *Nora's Christmas Gift* (1989), as Nora Richards - *3 Men and a Baby* (1987), as Jack's Mother — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/3-men-and-a-baby.md) - *Murder by the Book* (1987), as Claire - *Jessie* (1984), series, as Molly Hayden - *This Girl for Hire* (1983), as Zandra Stoneham - *Cheers* (1982), series, as Grandmother Gaines — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md) - *Matt Houston* (1982), series, as Katherine Hershey - *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as The Celebrity - *The Shady Hill Kidnapping* (1982), as The Celebrity - *Falcon Crest* (1981), series, as Anna Rossini - *Midnight Lace* (1981), as Sylvia Randall - *Magnum, P.I.* (1980), series, as Abigail Baldwin - *Backstairs at the White House* (1979), series, as Florence Harding - *Fantasy Island* (1978), series, as Mabel Jarvis - *The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover* (1977), as Florence Hollister - *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Estelle Castlewood, Florence Flanders - *The Bluegrass Special* (1977), as Deirdre Wainwright - *Love Boat II* (1977), as Eva McFarland - *Bittersweet Love* (1976), as Marian - *Captains and the Kings* (1976), series, as Sister Angela - *The American Woman: Portraits of Courage* (1976), as Elizabeth Cady Stanton - *Wonder Woman* (1975), series, as Dolly Tucker - *Death Cruise* (1974), as Elizabeth Mason - *The Underground Man* (1974), as Beatrice Broadhurst - *Tom Sawyer* (1973), as Tia Polly - *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), series, as Mrs. Shaninger - *The Delphi Bureau: The Merchant of Death Assignment* (1972), as Sybil Van Loween - *Columbo* (1971), series, as Phyllis Lytton Brandt — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md) - *Nancy* (1970), series, as Abigail 'Abby' Townsend - *Swing Out, Sweet Land* (1970), as Nancy Lincoln - *Medical Center* (1969), series, as Geraldine Stern - *The Name of the Game* (1968), series, as Irene Comdon - *Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding!* (1967), as Louise Halloran - *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Flo Clementi - *Run for Your Life* (1965), series, as Margot Horst - *Kilroy* (1965), as Mrs. Fuller - *Cinderella* (1965), as Fairy Godmother - *Burke's Law* (1963), series, as Helen Forsythe - *The Fugitive* (1963), series, as Flo Hagerman, Pearl Saunders — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fugitive-1963.md) - *Bachelor Flat* (1961), as Helen Bushmill - *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Nurse Jane Munson - *Checkmate* (1960), series, as Loraine Whitman - *The Yeomen of the Guard* (1957), as Phoebe Meryll - *Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre* (1956), series, as Sarah Kimball - *High Society* (1956), as Liz Imbrie — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/high-society.md) - *The Tender Trap* (1955), as Sylvia Crewes - *Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1955), series, as Hostess at Lawn Party (uncredited) - *The Wonderful World of Disney* (1954), series, as Mrs. Fuller, Deirdre Wainright, Miss Snow - *Studio 57* (1954), series, Actor - *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Lettie Morgan - *America Applauds: An Evening for Richard Rodgers* (1951), Actor - *All About Eve* (1950), as Karen Richards — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/all-about-eve.md) - *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as Eliza, Margaret West, Katherine Case, Miss Prynne - *Champagne for Caesar* (1950), as Flame O'Neill - *Everybody Does It* (1949), as Doris Blair Borland - *Come to the Stable* (1949), as Sister Scholastica - *A Letter to Three Wives* (1949), as Addie Ross (voice) (uncredited) — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/a-letter-to-three-wives.md) - *Chicken Every Sunday* (1949), as Emily Hefferen - *The Snake Pit* (1948), as Grace — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/the-snake-pit.md) - *Road House* (1948), as Susie Smith - *Gentleman's Agreement* (1947), as Anne Dettrey — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/gentlemans-agreement.md) - *Carnival in Costa Rica* (1947), as Celeste - *Three Little Girls in Blue* (1946), as Miriam Harrington ## Gallery - ![Original theatrical release poster for the 1950 film All About Eve.](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-7bcebdce1c6f.jpg) Original theatrical release poster for the 1950 film All About Eve. — "Copyright 1950 By Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.", Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/All_About_Eve_%281950_poster%29.jpg/1280px-All_About_Eve_%281950_poster%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Original theatrical release poster for the 1950 film All About Eve.](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-68596ec9712a.jpg) Original theatrical release poster for the 1950 film All About Eve. — "Copyright 1950 By Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.", Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/All_About_Eve_%281950_poster_-_retouch%29.jpg/1280px-All_About_Eve_%281950_poster_-_retouch%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Celeste Holm](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-343c70494f93.jpg) Celeste Holm — MGM studio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Celeste_Holm-1955.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Portrait of actress Celeste Holm, photographed by Mary Motley Kalergis in New York City in 1985 for The Guardian (UK). Copyright was retained by the photographe](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-6b824ff4f90a.jpg) Portrait of actress Celeste Holm, photographed by Mary Motley Kalergis in New York City in 1985 for The Guardian (UK). Copyright was retained by the photographe — MaryMotleyKalergisPhotography, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Celeste_Holm_1985_IPTC.jpg/1280px-Celeste_Holm_1985_IPTC.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Celeste Holm](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-74d45af1ffb5.jpg) Celeste Holm — Image via TMDB - ![Celeste Holm](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-41b615888dcd.jpg) Celeste Holm — Image via TMDB - ![Celeste Holm](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-465ad9d03bbb.jpg) Celeste Holm — Image via TMDB - ![Baltimore M.D. Senator theater October 26, 2000 (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-94e9940d5783.jpg) Baltimore M.D. Senator theater October 26, 2000 (2010) — John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Celeste_Holm_1999.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Celeste Holm](https://film.one/media/person/105017/gallery-51b6d7afcfd7.jpg) Celeste Holm — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 1 won, 2 nominated - 1951: Best Supporting Actress (nominated), for *All About Eve* - 1950: Best Supporting Actress (nominated), for *Come to the Stable* - 1948: Best Supporting Actress (won), for *Gentleman's Agreement* ### Golden Globes — 1 won - 1947: Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (won), for *Gentleman's Agreement* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/celeste-holm