---
name: "William Holden"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/william-holden"
fi1m_id: "william-holden"
imdb_id: "nm0000034"
tmdb_id: 8252
wikidata_id: "Q95002"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 April 1918"
died: "12 November 1981"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 11
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-09-26T16:54:56.507470+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."
---

# William Holden

## Identity

William Holden

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/william-holden
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** william-holden
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000034
- **TMDB ID:** 8252
- **Wikidata ID:** Q95002
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Holden, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q95002, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000034/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8252

Actor. Born 17 April 1918 in O'Fallon, Illinois, USA. Died 12 November 1981.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 April 1918, O'Fallon, Illinois, USA
- **Died:** 12 November 1981
- **Active:** 1940–1976
- **Also known as:** William Franklin Beedle Jr., ویلیام هولدن
- **Frequently works with:** [Faye Dunaway](https://film.one/person/faye-dunaway.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 2 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 11 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 72 (1), 1950s 75 (6), 1960s 67 (2), 1970s 77 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 72 across 7 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 7 of 11 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 8, Romance 4, Action 2, Comedy 2, Adventure 1, History 1
- **Screen time:** 22 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $241m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Holden, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q95002, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000034/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8252

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*Born Yesterday*](https://film.one/film/born-yesterday.md) (76)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Our Town*](https://film.one/film/our-town.md) (72)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on William Holden

> William Holden makes cynicism sound like ordinary conversation, with little effort spent asking us to like the speaker. We rate him most highly when that dry delivery lets us recognise the decency, or the self-disgust, underneath.

In *Sunset Boulevard* (1950), William Holden's Joe Gillis talks as though conversation need not become a performance. Beside Gloria Swanson's theatrical manner, his everyday delivery makes a difference to the whole film: she can grow expansive without everyone having to follow. We felt grateful for Holden's calm, because it let us stay with Swanson's distress without feeling shouted at by the whole cast. His restraint gives us a way into Billy Wilder's film without making Gillis reassuring company.

He had begun with a leading role in *Golden Boy* (1939), then spent much of the 1940s in lighter, boy-next-door parts. *Sunset Boulevard* revived his career and gave that agreeable leading-man appearance a less comfortable use. The good looks could now belong to somebody cynical, opportunistic and conscious of his own failings. Wilder found an actor who could deliver hard-edged dialogue without announcing how hard it was.

There is a limit to what he can correct. The screenplay sometimes enjoys humiliating Swanson's faded star more than it should, and Holden's steadiness does not make that less uncomfortable. Yet the contrast between them keeps her expansive acting from exhausting the film. Erich von Stroheim makes quiet attentiveness feel troubling, so Holden is not simply the quiet member of the cast. His particular usefulness is that we recognise the way he talks.

In Wilder's *Stalag 17* (1953), the opportunistic prisoner J.J. Sefton gives his cynicism room to coexist with decency. David Lean's *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957) uses him as the pragmatic, anti-heroic Shears. Sam Peckinpah's *The Wild Bunch* (1969) takes the leading man towards the grizzled nihilism of Pike Bishop. By *Network* (1976), his weariness suits the character work of a principled television executive.

The later choices were uneven, so we would not recommend following the filmography indiscriminately. Start with *Sunset Boulevard*, where he has Swanson and Wilder to bring his restraint into focus. Then try *Stalag 17* for the decency he is so reluctant to advertise.

## Biography

William Holden, born William Franklin Beedle Jr., was an American actor. He played Joe Gillis in Billy Wilder's *Sunset Boulevard* (1950).

Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in *Stalag 17* (1953) and a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series in 1974. He was one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s and appeared in films including *Sabrina* (1954), *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), *The Wild Bunch* (1969), *The Towering Inferno* (1974) and *Network* (1976).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (11)

- *Network* (1976), Fi1m 86, as Max Schumacher — [page](https://film.one/film/network.md)
- *The Towering Inferno* (1974), Fi1m 68, as Jim Duncan — [page](https://film.one/film/the-towering-inferno.md)
- *The Wild Bunch* (1969), Fi1m 84, as Pike Bishop — [page](https://film.one/film/the-wild-bunch.md)
- *Casino Royale* (1967), Fi1m 50, as Ransome — [page](https://film.one/film/casino-royale-1967.md)
- *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), Fi1m 88, as Cmdr. Shears — [page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)
- *Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing* (1955), Fi1m 60, as Mark Elliott — [page](https://film.one/film/love-is-a-many-splendored-thing.md)
- *Picnic* (1955), Fi1m 63, as Hal Carter — [page](https://film.one/film/picnic.md)
- *The Country Girl* (1954), Fi1m 74, as Bernie Dodd — [page](https://film.one/film/the-country-girl.md)
- *Born Yesterday* (1950), Fi1m 76, as Paul Verrall — [page](https://film.one/film/born-yesterday.md)
- *Sunset Boulevard* (1950), Fi1m 91, as Joe Gillis — [page](https://film.one/film/sunset-boulevard.md)
- *Our Town* (1940), Fi1m 72, as Georges Gibbs — [page](https://film.one/film/our-town.md)

## Complete filmography (82)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Edith Head: The Paramount Years* (2002), as (archive footage)
- *Sad?* (1996), as (archive footage)
- *Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker* (1991), as Donald Gresham (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Sally's Beauty Spot* (1990), as Robert Lomax (archive footage)
- *S.O.B.* (1981), as Tim Culley
- *The Earthling* (1980), as Patrick Foley
- *When Time Ran Out...* (1980), as Shelby Gilmore
- *Escape to Athena* (1979), as POW (uncredited)
- *Ashanti* (1979), as Jim Sandell
- *Fedora* (1978), as Barry 'Dutch' Detweiler
- *Damien - Omen II* (1978), as Richard Thorn
- *21 Hours at Munich* (1976), as Manfred Schreiber
- *Network* (1976), as Max Schumacher — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/network.md)
- *The Towering Inferno* (1974), as Jim Duncan — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-towering-inferno.md)
- *Open Season* (1974), as Hal Wolkowski
- *Breezy* (1973), as Frank Harmon
- *The Blue Knight* (1973), as Bumper Morgan
- *The Blue Knight* (1973), series, as Bumper Morgan
- *The Revengers* (1972), as John Benedict
- *Wild Rovers* (1971), as Ross Bodine
- *The Christmas Tree* (1969), as Laurent Ségur
- *The Wild Bunch* (1969), as Pike Bishop — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-wild-bunch.md)
- *The Devil's Brigade* (1968), as Lt. Col. Robert T. Frederick
- *Casino Royale* (1967), as Ransome — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/casino-royale-1967.md)
- *Alvarez Kelly* (1966), as Alvarez Kelly
- *The 7th Dawn* (1964), as Major Ferris
- *Paris When It Sizzles* (1964), as Richard Benson
- *The Lion* (1962), as Robert Hayward
- *Lykke og krone* (1962), Actor
- *The Counterfeit Traitor* (1962), as Eric Erickson
- *Satan Never Sleeps* (1962), as Father O'Banion
- *The World of Suzie Wong* (1960), as Robert Lomax
- *The Horse Soldiers* (1959), as Major 'Hank' Kendall
- *The Key* (1958), as Capt. David Ross
- *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), as Cmdr. Shears — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)
- *Toward the Unknown* (1956), as Maj. Lincoln Bond
- *The Proud and Profane* (1956), as Lt. Col. Colin Black
- *Picnic* (1955), as Hal Carter — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/picnic.md)
- *Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing* (1955), as Mark Elliott — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/love-is-a-many-splendored-thing.md)
- *The Country Girl* (1954), as Bernie Dodd — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/the-country-girl.md)
- *The Bridges at Toko-Ri* (1954), as Lt. Harry Brubaker
- *Sabrina* (1954), as David Larrabee
- *Executive Suite* (1954), as McDonald Walling
- *The Girl on The Roof* (1953), as A tourist
- *Escape from Fort Bravo* (1953), as Captain Roper
- *Forever Female* (1953), as Stanley Krown
- *The Moon Is Blue* (1953), as Donald Gresham
- *Stalag 17* (1953), as J.J. Sefton
- *The Turning Point* (1952), as Jerry McKibbon
- *Boots Malone* (1952), as Boots Malone
- *Submarine Command* (1951), as Lt. Cmdr. Ken White
- *I Love Lucy* (1951), series, as William Holden
- *Force of Arms* (1951), as Sgt. Joe 'Pete' Peterson
- *Born Yesterday* (1950), as Paul Verrall — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/born-yesterday.md)
- *The Jack Benny Program* (1950), series, as William Holden
- *Union Station* (1950), as Lt. William Calhoun
- *Sunset Boulevard* (1950), as Joe Gillis — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/sunset-boulevard.md)
- *Father Is a Bachelor* (1950), as Johnny Rutledge
- *Dear Wife* (1949), as Bill Seacroft
- *Miss Grant Takes Richmond* (1949), as Dick Richmond
- *Streets of Laredo* (1949), as Jim Dawkins
- *The Dark Past* (1948), as Al Walker
- *Apartment for Peggy* (1948), as Jason Taylor
- *Rachel and the Stranger* (1948), as David “Big Davey" Harvey
- *The Man from Colorado* (1948), as Capt. Del Stewart
- *Variety Girl* (1947), as William Holden
- *Dear Ruth* (1947), as Lt. William Seacroft
- *Blaze of Noon* (1947), as Colin McDonald
- *Young and Willing* (1943), as Norman Reese
- *Reconnaissance Pilot* (1943), as Lt. Packard A. Cummings
- *Meet the Stewarts* (1942), as Michael "Mike" Stewart
- *The Remarkable Andrew* (1942), as Andrew Long
- *The Fleet's In* (1942), as Casey Kirby
- *Texas* (1941), as Dan Thomas
- *I Wanted Wings* (1941), as Al Ludlow
- *Arizona* (1940), as Peter Muncie
- *Those Were the Days!* (1940), as P. J. "Petey" Simmons
- *Our Town* (1940), as Georges Gibbs — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/our-town.md)
- *Invisible Stripes* (1939), as Tim Taylor
- *Golden Boy* (1939), as Joe Bonaparte
- *Million Dollar Legs* (1939), as Graduate Who Says 'Thank You' (uncredited)
- *Prison Farm* (1938), as Prisoner

## Gallery

- ![Crown Prince Akihito of Japan sitting on a camera dolly at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios in Culver City. Actor Bill Holden is explain the camera to him. (1953)](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-732de0aae2af.jpg) Crown Prince Akihito of Japan sitting on a camera dolly at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios in Culver City. Actor Bill Holden is explain the camera to him. (1953) — Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Akihito_and_Bill_Holden_at_MGM_studios.jpg/1280px-Akihito_and_Bill_Holden_at_MGM_studios.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Audrey Hepburn and William Holden in Sabrina (1954).](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-a1f4709395b5.jpg) Audrey Hepburn and William Holden in Sabrina (1954). — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Audrey_Hepburn_and_William_Holden.jpg/1280px-Audrey_Hepburn_and_William_Holden.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Theatrical release poster for the 1950 film Born Yesterday.](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-ee9642bce890.jpg) Theatrical release poster for the 1950 film Born Yesterday. — Distributed by Columbia Pictures., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Born_Yesterday_%281950_poster%29.jpg/1280px-Born_Yesterday_%281950_poster%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Brenda Marshall and William Holden, 1955](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-2362f9aaac00.jpg) Brenda Marshall and William Holden, 1955 — Photographer not credited, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Brenda_and_Willliam_Holden%2C_1955.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![William Holden](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-c9ba93beb033.jpg) William Holden — Image via TMDB
- ![William Holden](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-5b619443a829.jpg) William Holden — Image via TMDB
- ![William Holden](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-2f8764fa67cb.jpg) William Holden — Image via TMDB
- ![Co-Ed Drive-In theater advertisement for the drama film The Country Girl (1954). From the 17 April 1955 Denton Record-Chronicle.](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-3a38c6090554.jpg) Co-Ed Drive-In theater advertisement for the drama film The Country Girl (1954). From the 17 April 1955 Denton Record-Chronicle. — Paramount Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Co-Ed_Drive-In_Ad_-_17_April_1955%2C_Denton%2C_TX.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Montage of Golden Hollywood (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-5b7e585282c7.png) Montage of Golden Hollywood (2010) — Self made based upon work by the authors shown above, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Golden_Age_of_Hollywood.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![William Holden](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-7b7b7b68ccfc.jpg) William Holden — Image via TMDB
- ![William Holden](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-42fce427a4a8.jpg) William Holden — Image via TMDB
- ![William Holden](https://film.one/media/person/59253/gallery-4edff40a2822.jpg) William Holden — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 2 nominated

- 1977: Best Actor (nominated), for *Network*
- 1954: Best Actor (won), for *Stalag 17*
- 1951: Best Actor (nominated), for *Sunset Boulevard*

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won

- 1974: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (won), for *The Blue Knight*

*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/william-holden