Hal Holbrook - Mark Twain and More

Hal Holbrook, born Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. in Cleveland in 1925, is a versatile stage, screen, and television actor. Although he left Northeast Ohio as a boy, Holbrook has returned numerous times, starring in Cleveland Play House productions, among other projects. He is nominated for a 2008 Academy Award for his work in "Into the Wild," making him at 83 the oldest man ever nominated for an Academy Award.

Early Life:

Although born in Cleveland, Holbrook spent most of his childhood in South Weymouth, Massachusetts. He attended college in Ohio, however, graduating from Granville's Denison University.

Hal Holbrook's Acting Credits:

Holbrook's acting career has spanned over 60 years and scores of films, television movies and series, and theater productions. He is best known for portraying "Deep Throat" in the movie "All the President's Men," as Abraham Lincoln in the 1976 production of Carl Sandburg's "Lincoln" and for 48 years as Mark Twain in his one-man show, "Mark Twain Tonight." For a complete listing of Holbrook's film and television credits, see his profile on the IMDB.

Personal Life:

Holbrook has been married three times: in 1945, to Ruby Holbrook (they divorced in 1965); in 1966, to Carol Eve Rossen (they divorced in 1979); and in 1984 to Dixie Carter. Holbrook has three children, Victoria, David, and Eve.

Awards:

Holbrook, among other awards, is the recipient of a Tony Award (for "Mark Twain Tonight") and three Emmy Awards. He is nominated for a 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award and a 2008 Academy Award for his work in Sean Penn's "Into the Wild."

What's Next for Hal Holbrook:

The octogenarian actor shows no signs of retiring from acting. He continues in "Mark Twain Tonight" around the country and to appear in films and television movies and episodes.

^{(created 1-25-08)}