RIP Hal Holbrook
February 2, 2021 3:53 PM Subscribe
The actor who personified the paranoia of the Seventies on film while having a wide-ranging career on stage, is dead at 95. Holbrook is perhaps most famous for his role as Deep Throat, but those familiar with his career will remember him for his longest, that of Mark Twain, whom he played longer (58 years) than Samuel Clemens (47). Holbrook "eventually developed the role into a two-act, one-man show called “Mark Twain Tonight!,” taking it to schools, nightclubs and theaters. He took it to Broadway three times — 1966, 1977 and 2005 — and won a Tony Award as best dramatic actor for the 1966 version."
Weird; three Hal Holbrook movies have come up in the playlist I’ve been watching since last night.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:06 PM on February 2, 2021
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:06 PM on February 2, 2021
Holbrook is perhaps most famous for Deep Throat
... er, only if you've seen that movie (which I haven't, so didn't realize he had a connection with fellatio, until just now). I'd amend this to "Holbrook was famous for playing Deep Throat" -- but that was in just one film, when, as stated above, he played Mark Twain for 58 years. That's why his name is known to me (although I never caught his stage show, either).
posted by Rash at 4:14 PM on February 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
... er, only if you've seen that movie (which I haven't, so didn't realize he had a connection with fellatio, until just now). I'd amend this to "Holbrook was famous for playing Deep Throat" -- but that was in just one film, when, as stated above, he played Mark Twain for 58 years. That's why his name is known to me (although I never caught his stage show, either).
posted by Rash at 4:14 PM on February 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
Weirdly I just watched All the President's Men for the first time in 45 years two days ago and it's still a great film. Holbrook is terrific in it but he might have 3 minutes total screentime so it's weird that he's most famous for that.
posted by octothorpe at 4:21 PM on February 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 4:21 PM on February 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Mod note: Small, uh, disambiguating edit to the post at the poster's request.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:23 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:23 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
When I was in high school, we had a big convocation where some actor came and, basically, did an imitation of Hal Holbrook doing an imitation of Mark Twain. That’s as close as I ever came to seeing Holbrook’s show.
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posted by Thorzdad at 4:33 PM on February 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by Thorzdad at 4:33 PM on February 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
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and never the Twain will meet.
posted by someothercraig at 4:34 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
and never the Twain will meet.
posted by someothercraig at 4:34 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
jim in austin: "It's only oblivion, true: We had it before, but then it was going to end, And was all the time merging with a unique endeavour To bring to bloom the million-petalled flower Of being here. Next time you can't pretend There'll be anything else" -- Philip Larkin
posted by L.P. Hatecraft at 4:34 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by L.P. Hatecraft at 4:34 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Holbrook was one of the last of his generation of actors who could bring gravitas to a role within ten seconds of appearing onscreen. This is a great loss.
I'd amend this to "Holbrook was famous for playing Deep Throat" -- but that was in just one film,
It never occurred to me until just now, but if you are a gen-X TV sci-fi fan, there is a weird echo here. In the first season (1993-1994) of The X-Files, Mulder's confidential informant is referred to as Deep Throat, as a reference to Watergate. He is played by Jerry Hardin. Hardin also played Samuel Clemens in a 1992 two-parter of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:22 PM on February 2, 2021 [11 favorites]
I'd amend this to "Holbrook was famous for playing Deep Throat" -- but that was in just one film,
It never occurred to me until just now, but if you are a gen-X TV sci-fi fan, there is a weird echo here. In the first season (1993-1994) of The X-Files, Mulder's confidential informant is referred to as Deep Throat, as a reference to Watergate. He is played by Jerry Hardin. Hardin also played Samuel Clemens in a 1992 two-parter of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:22 PM on February 2, 2021 [11 favorites]
Lt. Briggs, "Magnum Force," 1973. Deep Throat, "All the President's Men," 1976. Dr. Kelloway, "Capricorn One," 1977. Judge Caulfield, "The Star Chamber," 1983. It wasn't just one role. For me, Hal is the face of Evil Authority, he played the part so well.
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posted by Stuka at 6:26 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by Stuka at 6:26 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Sorry to see him go. My favorite Holbrook Factoid:
Hal Holbrook played the persona/character of "Mark Twain" longer than Sam Clemens did.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 6:53 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Hal Holbrook played the persona/character of "Mark Twain" longer than Sam Clemens did.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 6:53 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Awww fuck
posted by Mister Moofoo at 7:07 PM on February 2, 2021
posted by Mister Moofoo at 7:07 PM on February 2, 2021
"The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand."
That line, delivered by Hal Holbrook, has served me well for many years, whether it comes to debunking JFK or QAnon conspiracies or simply maintaining my sense of humor during the Trump years.
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posted by jonp72 at 7:59 PM on February 2, 2021 [8 favorites]
That line, delivered by Hal Holbrook, has served me well for many years, whether it comes to debunking JFK or QAnon conspiracies or simply maintaining my sense of humor during the Trump years.
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posted by jonp72 at 7:59 PM on February 2, 2021 [8 favorites]
An absolute stage legend. We won't see the likes of him again.
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posted by Leeway at 8:01 PM on February 2, 2021
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posted by Leeway at 8:01 PM on February 2, 2021
You know, it's an odd experience. Holbrook feels so familiar to me, but looking at his IMDB page, I see that I really only know him directly from his one episode of The Sopranos. Everything else has been secondhand or glimpsed in passing, yet I still feel like I've been watching him for years.
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posted by Saxon Kane at 8:15 PM on February 2, 2021
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posted by Saxon Kane at 8:15 PM on February 2, 2021
I have seen him in a few other things, but they are films that I barely remember because of how long ago I saw them. I only really remember him in The Sopranos
posted by Saxon Kane at 8:20 PM on February 2, 2021
posted by Saxon Kane at 8:20 PM on February 2, 2021
That Evening Sun was one of the most astonishing films I've ever seen. Not least because they shot it in my home town.
posted by indexy at 8:40 PM on February 2, 2021
posted by indexy at 8:40 PM on February 2, 2021
I have a good quality copy of his Mark Twain show that gets a viewing once every couple of years, and it is one of my most treasured cultural possessions (possibly in part because I often watch it with my father, who loves it too).
I'd watch it more often, but don't want it to get stale through over familiarity.
RIP
posted by Pouteria at 8:56 PM on February 2, 2021
I'd watch it more often, but don't want it to get stale through over familiarity.
RIP
posted by Pouteria at 8:56 PM on February 2, 2021
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posted by double bubble at 9:17 PM on February 2, 2021
posted by double bubble at 9:17 PM on February 2, 2021
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posted by Halloween Jack at 9:34 PM on February 2, 2021
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:34 PM on February 2, 2021
You know, it's an odd experience. Holbrook feels so familiar to me, but looking at his IMDB page, I see that I really only know him directly from his one episode of The Sopranos. Everything else has been secondhand or glimpsed in passing, yet I still feel like I've been watching him for years.
I know what you mean. To me he is eternally Albee Duncan, the Asst. Secretary of State in two episodes of The West Wing, but I have seen him in maybe two dozen performances onscreen. He was always just... there , bringing it home every single time.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:08 PM on February 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
I know what you mean. To me he is eternally Albee Duncan, the Asst. Secretary of State in two episodes of The West Wing, but I have seen him in maybe two dozen performances onscreen. He was always just... there , bringing it home every single time.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:08 PM on February 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Our icons just keep getting old and dying...
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posted by Windopaene at 11:04 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by Windopaene at 11:04 PM on February 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Went with my Twain superfan dad to see him do Mark Twain, years ago :(
posted by johngoren at 3:09 AM on February 3, 2021
posted by johngoren at 3:09 AM on February 3, 2021
Man looks in the abyss, there's nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss. The main thing about money, Bud, is that it makes you do things you don't want to do.
posted by drstrangelove at 4:06 AM on February 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by drstrangelove at 4:06 AM on February 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
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I loved him in Into The Wild.
posted by Flock of Cynthiabirds at 4:50 AM on February 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
I loved him in Into The Wild.
posted by Flock of Cynthiabirds at 4:50 AM on February 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
Hal Holbrook 1967/Mark Twain Tonight! (YT, 10 videos); WP, interview.
posted by cenoxo at 7:39 AM on February 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by cenoxo at 7:39 AM on February 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
"The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand."
That line, delivered by Hal Holbrook, has served me well for many years, whether it comes to debunking JFK or QAnon conspiracies or simply maintaining my sense of humor during the Trump years.
That was the line running through my head the entire 40 days I obsessively followed - often in real-time dialogue, recordings and video - the siege and occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge which perfectly prefaced the entire Trump administration and its savage climax of January 6.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 8:08 AM on February 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
That line, delivered by Hal Holbrook, has served me well for many years, whether it comes to debunking JFK or QAnon conspiracies or simply maintaining my sense of humor during the Trump years.
That was the line running through my head the entire 40 days I obsessively followed - often in real-time dialogue, recordings and video - the siege and occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge which perfectly prefaced the entire Trump administration and its savage climax of January 6.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 8:08 AM on February 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
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posted by socialjusticeworrier at 9:38 AM on February 3, 2021
posted by socialjusticeworrier at 9:38 AM on February 3, 2021
my favorite role of his? into the wild. he absolutely radiates humanity
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posted by Caxton1476 at 10:28 AM on February 3, 2021
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posted by Caxton1476 at 10:28 AM on February 3, 2021
In a remembrance, an NPR reporter wondered who actually played Mark Twain better - Samuel Langhorne Clemens or Hal Holbrook. The answer is of course Holbrook, Clemens occasionally broke character.
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posted by dannyboybell at 1:53 PM on February 3, 2021
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posted by dannyboybell at 1:53 PM on February 3, 2021
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