…But no one starts off their career as a giant. An icon. A legend. And sometimes when we see one’s beginning, we may not see the thing they will become.
April 17th, 1918 ~ November 12th, 1981
Stanwyck gave Holden his big break in 1939’s “Golden Boy” and he’s been grateful to her ever since for that opportunity. This was the start of his long career. Others in this blogathong will talk about his giant hits. But here’s a quiet little romantic comedy of his that I liked from way in his beginning. 
“MEET THE STEWARTS” is from 1942 and it shows the trials and tribulations of a newly married couple. Holden is the groom ( Mike ) and the beautiful Frances Dee is his wacky bride ( Candy ). Good luck to young Holden
holding down the fort with a gal who can lovingly wrap him around her finger. No…he doesn’t stand a chance. It’s interesting seeing him in a light comedy, doing all the takes and mugging familiar to classic film fans of films from the 40’s. He can’t carve a turkey, a misunderstanding leads to him brawling with another man. He can’t pay the country club bill. He can handy snappy patter. There’s not a lot I can say of this breezy comedy. Yeah, you’ll see the whole plot stretched out before you within the first five minutes. Either it’s predictable or you’re really just that smart a film fan. But it’s all good. It’s a nice little film.
Me…with not a lot to say? Yeah, this time, so consider yourself lucky. I just wanted in on this blogathon because I’m a fan of the actor.
Hosting this William Holden blogathon is Virginie at The Wonderful World of Cinema. You can see more serious in-depth entries on this fine actor by clicking on the banner to the left. If you want to rest on my couch a little more, you can read my write-ups on two of Holden’s OTHER classics: “NETWORK” and “SUNSET BOULEVARD.” I do some pretty heavy lifting with those two films. And I would recommend you see “Meet the Stewarts” as well.
What I really want to do now is just bask in his youth. Yeh.
Jeanne Crain Loretta Young Gloria Swanson
Audrey Grace
Capucine Nancy Kwan
Judy Holliday Jennifer Jones Kim Novak
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CineMaven's ESSAYS from the COUCH 
One of the few actors in those days (Bob Cummings was another one) who could have an affair with a married woman without losing audience sympathy.
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I didn’t know about Robert Cummings. Whoa! And you are soooooo right Dan. Holden didn’t really seem to be touched by much scandal in his career.
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Very moving in GOLDEN BOY; equally so, in very different ways, in THE COUNTERFEIT TRAITOR and THE WILD BUNCH.
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Dan, he makes me think of the Gregory Peck screen persona of integrity and gravitas. Count me a fan. Thanxxx.
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Ooh I want to see this film! It’s perfectly the type of film I love! Thanks for your lovely article and your participation to the blogathon! i love the pictures of William Holden and his actresses you chose! 😀
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Congratulations on pulling off another blogathon Virginnie with a great subject: WiLLIAM HOLDEN. When I re-visited one or two photos of him with his leading ladies…well… I just couldn’t stop. Thanks again for including me in this weekend’s blogathon.
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Been on a bit of a William Holden binge lately at our house. Watched The Key a couple of weeks ago and finally got around to Picnic last weekend. Always avoided Picnic because I thought it would be little too cheesy. It was cheesy in that predictable way a 50’s era melodrama can be but it was some very nice cheese indeed! Lots of great performances by the supporting cast, especially Rosalind Russell. And with Kim Novak at what had to have been her peak, and that dance she and Bill have down by the lake, Oh my!
I grew up watching Holden in the those great war films so seeing him in these romantic roles with one after another of the great leading ladies you have pictured here in your post has been a real treat. He’s a much better romantic lead than I would have thought.
Thanks for the post Theresa. I am going to keenly follow your other bloggers entries as well on this Holden blogathon. He is richly deserving of the honor!
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Thank you Melk. I agree with all you say ( though I think Novak’s beauty in “VERTIGO” is beyond description. ) I like William Holden. I admit I sometimes forget about him amongst the Ryans and Mitchums and Gables and Douglases and Pecks…etc. I just went to the Loew’s Jersey a couple of months ago to see “NETWORK” and finally got it through my thick skull that Holden belongs up there with the rest of those guys. ( Hold on to your pants when TCM features Robert Ryan as Star of the Month for May. ) It’s good when we see their films back-to-back-to-back, we really get a sense of them. And I wanted to remind folks of his romantic side with those very lucky leading ladies.
Thank so much for stopping by, and thank you for taking an interest in my blog.
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I love the story about how he fell in love with Frances Dee during a scene in this film. It was like that movie magic really came to life for him in that moment. Happy to hear that about his youth, before the cynicism about acting began to settle in. 🙂
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I never heard that story about Holden falling in love with Dee during the movie. But can you blame him. She was absolutely beautiful. I sort of forgot about the young young very young William Holden. Doing this piece reminded me of that. I don’t know about the cynicism of acting…but I do think as one gets more successful, it becomes more about losing that success. Thanks for reading this blog post, Simoa.
FRANCES DEE:
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I missed this one when I was doing my journey through 1942. Maybe the next time around? I’ve had a crush on William Holden since forever. When he takes off his shirt in Sunset Blvd., you know why Gloria Swanson had to have him!
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L0L! Yes, the shirt comes off…the lust sets in. I especially liked his dance scene with Kim Novak in “Picnic.” “Meet the Stewarts” is not a movie that will set the world on fire. But it is a fun sweet film. I hope you get a chance to see it. Thanks for your comments, Stitch.
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I recently watched a new to me Holden film, 1941’s Texas, which paired Holden with Glenn Ford (who looks so young in this) and the woman they both fall for, Claire Trevor. I don’t know why, but to me, Holden in his early films, has such a babyface look about him. Then in the 1950s, when stardom finally arrived, his face looks more chiseled. In his much later films when he was much older, he doesn’t look so good; sadly that was probably due to the alchohol. Still, an excellent actor, no doubt about it.
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Hey there Jenni ~ I think I might’ve seen “Texas.” Nice cast. I agree with you on the different looks Holden had as he got older. I love that babyfaced look he had. And then as one gets older, wizened, more experience, the lines of life and maturity set in. Yes, the alcohol did take a toll making him look craggy. But I saw “Network” a couple of months ago, and he’s up against Faye Dunaway. I can see that he still had it. He had the acting chops, still. I wish he’d had a better end. He must have been very unhappy about something to turn to alcohol. But we still have him on film.
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Wow, this big black and white photo of a very young William took my breath away! I’m used to older Bill, and his young self is so, so handsome!
Thanks for this feist for the eyes!
Don’t forget to read my contribution to the blogathon! 🙂
Kisses!
Le
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Hahahaha!!! Catch your breath Lê! Holden was a hottie when he was a young man. And grew into a fine actor. Hope you’ll be interested in joining the next two blogathons I will be co-hosting. One is about courtroom movies ( “ORDER IN THE COURT” ) and one is on the Films of 1932
( “HOT & BOTHERED” ). Check ’em out and sign up!!!
I see you’ll be doing the courtroom movie “FURY”! Great. Hope you’re getting your piece ready for us. Look forward to reading it. 🙂
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As you’ve alluded to, Holden is one of those actors that sneaks up on you. In part I think it’s because he’s such a good actor! The man in Sabrina, Picnic and Born Yesterday hardly seem like the same handsome guy. You can see I prefer those light romantic pieces but I’m sure he’s even more diverse in his war roles. I surely remember him in Network and that was another performance again, altogether different. I’ll certainly have to keep an eye out for more of his work. He can be quite appealing!!
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You hit the nail on the head when you speak of Holden sneaking up on us because of his acting. He is as different in his darker work ( “Stalag 17” “The Wild Bunch” “The Dark Past” ) as he is from the more romantic fare that you mentioned. He makes me think of Gregory Peck…just quiet acting, under the radar. Yeh…keep your eye out for Holden. Thanks for commenting and look forward to you joining us during our ORDER IN THE COURT Blogathon in June with “State’s Attorney.”
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