David Holt
Holt at Paramount Pictures
Birth name	David Jack Holt
Born	August 14, 1927 Jacksonville, Florida
Died	November 15, 2003 San Juan Capistrano, California
Other name(s)	David Holt
Notable roles	▪ Sidney Sawyer in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) ▪ Billy (older) in The Pride of the Yankees (1942) ▪ Elizabeth Taylor's older brother in Courage of Lassie (1946)

David Jack Holt (mostly known as David Holt) (August 14, 1927 – November 15, 2003) was an American actor initially groomed at age seven to be the male Shirley Temple. After being letdown by Will Rogers, stress, polio, and resentment from his father characterized his downfall, which culminated in being reduced to starring at in the cheap drugs-scare melodrama "She Shoulda Said 'No'!" age twenty-two. By age twenty-five, no acting parts were available for Holt and he eventually turned to song writing, where he had some moderate success before his death in 2003 at age 76. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (593x717, 49 KB) Publicity photograph of David Jack Holt in Paramount Pictures from a press kit. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... Motto: Where Florida Begins Location in the state of Florida Coordinates: Country United States State Florida County Duval Mayor John Peyton (R) Area    - City 2,264. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Official website: http://www. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (published 1876) is a very well-known and popular story concerning American youth. ... The Pride of the Yankees is a 1942 biographical film directed by Sam Wood about the New York Yankees star first baseman, Lou Gehrig, who, near the end of his likely Hall-of-Fame career, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (informally referred to as Lou Gehrigs Disease). It... Shirley Jane Temple (born April 23, 1928), later known as Shirley Temple Black, is an American diplomat and former film child actress. ... Will Rogers. ... She Shoulda Said No!, also known as Wild Weed, Marijuana, the Devils Weed, and The Devils Weed is a 1949 exploitation film in the spirit of morality tales such as Reefer Madness and Marihuana. ...

Biography

David Holt was born on August 14, 1927 in Jacksonville, Florida. Four years later, his sister Betty was born, who also became an actor.^[1] At a young age, Holt's dancing skills so impressed the actor and wit Will Rogers that Rogers purportedly told Holt's mother that if ever they were in Hollywood they should contact him and he would get young David into pictures. In reliance on this understanding, Holt's father promptly quit his job with Ford Motors. Intent on holding Rogers to his promise, the Holt family drove to California. Despite their best efforts, Rogers refused even to see them.^[2] Motto: Where Florida Begins Location in the state of Florida Coordinates: Country United States State Florida County Duval Mayor John Peyton (R) Area    - City 2,264. ... Will Rogers. ... ... Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

With no income, Holt's father worked as a casual laborer. Holt's mother took Holt to auditions, sometimes sharing transport with Shirley Temple and her mother. Initially, Holt found it difficult to get acting jobs. He did, however, get a job as "body double" for Cheeta's chimpanzee predecessor in the 1933 film Tarzan the Fearless and had a small role in the 1933 Little Rascals' film Forgotten Babies. Shirley Jane Temple (born April 23, 1928), later known as Shirley Temple Black, is an American diplomat and former film child actress. ... Cheeta making his second appearance in a Tarzan film. ... The name The Little Rascals refers primarily to the television package of producer Hal Roachs Our Gang theatrical short film comedies, specifically those made between 1929 and 1938. ...

At age 7 in 1934, Holt got his acting break in the movie You Belong to Me, a melodrama in which his character's mother dies. Now a child star, Paramount Pictures put Holt under a long-term contract and promoted him as a male version of Shirley Temple. Over the next six years, Holt made twenty films, but did not come close the superstardom set by his friend, Shirley Temple. You Belong to Me is the title of: A 1934 movie starring Lee Tracy and Helen Morgan A 1941 movie starring Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck A 1952 popular song, popularized originally by Sue Thompson & Patti Page but with its most famous version by Jo Stafford. ... Poster for The Perils of Pauline (1914). ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ...

Holt initially was cast in the title role in David Copperfield, alongside W. C. Fields' character, Wilkins Micawber. However, producer David O. Selznick developed misgivings about having an American youngster portray a quintessentially British boy. When English child actor Freddie Bartholomew became available a couple of weeks into shooting, Holt was let go. Holt had a prominent role in the 1936 movie Straight from the Shoulder (also known as Johnny Gets His Gun) along side noted actor Ralph Bellamy. Holt eventually developed a reputation as a troublemaker,^[3] and found himself settling for supporting roles in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1939), Beau Geste (1939), and Courage of Lassie (1946) as Elizabeth Taylor's older brother. Holt may be best remembered as the older Billy in the 1942 critically and publicly acclaimed film, "The Pride of the Yankees," where 17-year old Billy attends Lou Gehrig Day and shows Lou Gehrig that Billy now can walk without a limp, implying that Gehrig's promised World Series homeruns many years ago helped a young Billy overcome his childhood illness. The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger (aka David Copperfield) is a 1935 film based upon the Charles Dickens novel. ... W.C. Fields in a scene from The Bank Dick W. C. Fields W. C. Fields (April 9, 1879 – December 25, 1946) was an American comedian and actor. ... Wilkins Micawber is a fictional character from Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield. ... David O. Selznick David Oliver Selznick (May 10, 1902–June 22, 1965), was one of the icon Hollywood producers of the Golden Age. ... promotional photo for Captains Courageous (1937) Freddie Bartholomew (March 28, 1924 – January 23, 1992) was a British child actor, director and producer popular in 1930s Hollywood films. ... Ralph Bellamy Ralph Bellamy (June 17, 1904 - November 29, 1991) was an American actor. ... The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (published 1876) is a very well-known and popular story concerning American youth. ... Beau Geste is a 1939 film made by Paramount Pictures based on the novel by P. C. Wren. ... Dame Elizabeth Rosamund Taylor, DBE (born February 27, 1932) is an iconic two-time Academy Award-winning British actress. ... The Pride of the Yankees is a 1942 biographical film directed by Sam Wood about the New York Yankees star first baseman, Lou Gehrig, who, near the end of his likely Hall-of-Fame career, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (informally referred to as Lou Gehrigs Disease). It... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ...

Holt in action from 1936 film Straight from the Shoulder with Ralph Bellamy.

Holt's stress may have been a source of his trouble making and his restricted success as an actor. Holt made more money than his father, who openly expressed his resentment at making so much less income than his prepubescent son. The production line of movies in which Holt was cast additionally compounded his household stress. Holt and his family's expenses soon exceeded Holt's income and the family eventually had to rely on soup kitchens. At one point Holt had polio, which he believe was a result of the stress he felt in the studios. Among all this, Holt's parents separated.^[4] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (758x925, 136 KB) Image of actor David Jack Holt in movie poster for the 1936 film Straight from the Shoulder from site. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (758x925, 136 KB) Image of actor David Jack Holt in movie poster for the 1936 film Straight from the Shoulder from site. ... Ralph Bellamy Ralph Bellamy (June 17, 1904 - November 29, 1991) was an American actor. ...

At age 14, Holt largely turned his back on acting in favor of songwriting and poetry. Attempting to return to acting in 1948, Holt found few parts available. Holt ended up starring in the 1949 cheap drugs-scare melodrama "She Shoulda Said 'No'!". By the early 1950s, the parts had dried up and Holt returned to song writing. She Shoulda Said No!, also known as Wild Weed, Marijuana, the Devils Weed, and The Devils Weed is a 1949 exploitation film in the spirit of morality tales such as Reefer Madness and Marihuana. ...

Later in life

Holt did have some success as a jazz pianist and composer, writing the music for numerous jazz albums, including several that featured Pete Jolley, and writing The Christmas Blues with Sammy Cahn, which was recorded by Dean Martin and eventually used on the 1997 soundtrack of L.A. Confidential. In the 1990s, Holt was host of the television show American Music Shop, which featured a different country artist each week. In 1997, Holt was a voice actor in Soul Music, an animation based on a novel by Terry Pratchett of the same name. Sammy Cahn (June 18, 1913 - January 15, 1993) was a songwriter and musician, playing the piano and violin. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... L.A. Confidential is a crime novel by James Ellroy published in 1990 that was adapted into a 1997 feature film. ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) Country music, also known as country and western music or country-western, is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... Terence David John Pratchett OBE (born April 28, 1948, in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England[1]) is an English fantasy author, best known for his Discworld series. ...

Holt married and had four children: Lamont, Janna, Hayley, and Tina. In the early 1960s, Holt went into the real estate business to take advantage of Southern California's booming real estate market, retiring in 1985 at age 58.^[5] Southern California Downtown Los Angeles Skyline Southern California, sometimes abbreviated SoCal or colloquially, the Southland, is an informal name for the megalopolis and nearby desert that occupies the southern-most quarter of the U.S. state of California. ...

At age 76, Holt died of congestive heart failure on November 15, 2003 in San Juan Capistrano, California. His autobiography, "The Holts of Hollywood," remained unfinished at the time of his death. Congestive heart failure (CHF), also called congestive cardiac failure (CCF) or just heart failure, is a condition that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the heart to fill with or pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body. ... Official website: http://www. ...

References