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Gloria Holden

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Gloria Holden
Holden inDracula's Daughter(1936)
Born
Gloria Anna Holden

(1903-09-05)September 5, 1903
London,UK
DiedMarch 22, 1991(1991-03-22)(aged 87)
Redlands, California,U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1934–1958
Spouse(s)Harry Dawson Reynolds (m. 1921–19??; divorced); 1 son
Harold A. Winston(1932–1937; divorced)
William Hoyt (1944–1991; her death); 1 son
Children2

Gloria Anna Holden(September 5, 1903 – March 22, 1991) was a British-born American film actress, best known for her role asDracula's Daughter.She often portrayed cold society women.[1]

Early life

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Holden was born in London, England.[2]She emigrated to the United States as a child with her parents, Charles Laurence Sutherland and Eska (née Bergmann). Her mother wasGerman.[3][better source needed]She attended school inWayne, Pennsylvania,and later studied at New York'sAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts.Before she became an actress, she modeled for artists, was a shopper for a store, and worked in a beauty salon.[4]In her early teens, living in suburban Philadelphia (Gladwyne), she took voice lessons from Philip Warren Cook and was a church chorister in Ardmore and, later, Overbrook.[5]

Theatre

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Holden's early stage work included small parts in plays such asThe Royal Family,in which she spoke four lines playing a nurse. She was anunderstudytoMary EllisinChildren of Darkness,and had a minor role inThat Ferguson Family.[6]She was an understudy forBrass Ankle(1931), had a bit part inThe Desert Song(1926),[4]and succeeded Lilly Cahill inAs Husbands Goat theJohn Golden TheatreonBroadway,in June 1931. In August 1932, Holden was part of the cast ofManhattan Melodyat theLongacre Theatre.The Lawrence Hazard play, adapted byL. Lawrence Weber,also featured Helen Lowell,Minnie Dupreeand William Corbett as players. She was theleading ladyinSurvivor(1933), written by D.L. James. Holden was among the cast members inMemory(1933), aMyron Faganplay.[citation needed]

Holden was active instock theaterin Cincinnati, Ohio; Princeton, New Jersey; and Scarborough, New York.[4]

Films

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She may be best remembered for two roles in her long career, that of Mme. Zola inThe Life of Emile Zola(1937), and her "exotic" depiction of the title role inDracula's Daughter(1936).[7]Her performance in the latter influenced the writings of horror novelistAnne Rice,andDracula's Daughteris directly mentioned in Rice's novelThe Queen of the Damned.[citation needed]In July 1937, Holden was assigned to play the character of Marian Morgan inThe Man Without a Country(1937). TheTechnicolorshort co-starredJohn Liteland was nominated for a Short Subject (Color)Academy Award.[8]Her film career ended withThis Happy Feeling(1958).[1]

Radio

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Holden performed onEddie Cantor'sradio program for 26 weeks[4]: 352 and played a non-singingJulie La Verneon the 1940Lux Radio Theatreadaptation ofShow Boat,based onthe 1936 film version.[9]

Personal life

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Holden married Harry Dawson Reynolds in 1921. The following year, she gave birth to a son, Lawrence Reynolds, who became actorGlen Corbett,whose children,Laurieand Christopher Holden, adopted their paternal grandmother's maiden name professionally. The marriage between Holden and Reynolds ended in divorce.

She married, secondly, toHarold A. Winstonon December 17, 1932. This union also ended in divorce, on December 2, 1937.

In 1944, she married her third husband, William Hoyt, to whom she remained married until her death. They had one son, William Christopher Hoyt, who was born in 1948 and killed by a boulder rolled onto his car in 1970, listed as a homicide.[10]

Holden died at Redlands hospital[4]: 361 of amyocardial infarctionin 1991, aged 87.[11]

Legacy

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Harold Winston,Gloria Holden's second husband, was credited with helping discover actorWilliam Holden.An account of how William Holden obtained his stage name is based on a statement by George Ross ofBillboardmagazine:"William Holden, the lad just signed for the coveted lead in 'Golden Boy', used to be Bill Beadle. And here is how he obtained his new movie tag. On the Columbia lot is an assistant director and scout named Harold Winston. Not long ago he was divorced from the actress, Gloria Holden, but carried the torch after the marital rift. Winston was one of those who discovered the" Golden Boy "newcomer and who renamed him — in honor of his former spouse!..."[12]

Partial filmography

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References

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  1. ^abErickson, Hal."Gloria Holden".AllMovie.Archived fromthe originalon January 3, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 3,2020.
  2. ^Wagner, Laura (November 2019). "Gloria Holden".Classic Images(533): 6, 8–9.
  3. ^"Genealogy".Familysearch.org.RetrievedDecember 28,2014.
  4. ^abcdeMank, Gregory William (2015).Women in Horror Films, 1930s.McFarland. pp. 349–361.ISBN978-1-4766-0954-6.RetrievedJanuary 3,2020.
  5. ^"Began as Chorister." Buffalo (NY) Evening News, 12 March 1932.
  6. ^""House Unguarded at Little" - New Play of the Panama Canal Zone Will Open on Broadway on Jan. 15 - Gossip of the Players ".The Brooklyn Daily Eagle:12A. January 4, 1929.
  7. ^"Gloria Holden - Biographical Summaries of Notable People".MyHeritage.1903-09-05.Retrieved2017-07-07.
  8. ^"The 10th Academy Awards".Oscars.org.RetrievedJuly 4,2017.
  9. ^"Lux Radio Theater at OTR.Network (Old Time Radio)".Otr.net.Retrieved2017-07-07.
  10. ^"Boulder dropped on his car - Chris Hoyt, 22, dies from head injuries".Redlands Daily Facts:3. October 23, 1970.
  11. ^"Gloria Holden obituary".The New York Times.Associated Press. March 27, 1991.
  12. ^Ross, George (April 12, 1939)."Broadway: 'Golden Boy'".The Pittsburgh Press:23.

Sources

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  • The New York Times,"In The Summer Spotlight", June 14, 1931, p. X3.
  • New York Times,"Theatrical Notes", August 27, 1932, p. 13.
  • New York Times,"16 New Plays Open In Byways Tonight", August 14, 1933, p. 18.
  • New York Times,"Theatrical Notes", January 27, 1934, p. 8.
  • New York Times,"Listing The Week's New Shows", July 21, 1935, p. X1.
  • Zanesville Signal,"Liberty Horror Film", June 23, 1936, p. 11.
  • Los Angeles Times,"New Film Productions Started In Last Week". February 2, 1936, p. C1.
  • Los Angeles Times,"The Pageant of The Film World", July 14, 1937, p. 13.
  • Los Angeles Times,"Around And About In Hollywood", October 4, 1937, p. A9
  • Los Angeles Times,"Town Called Hollywood", August 21, 1938, p. C1.
  • Los Angeles Times,"Troupe Treks To Modesto Location", November 11, 1938, p. 10.
  • Los Angeles Times,"Jap Treachery Background of Screen Drama", September 11, 1943, p. 7.
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