William Holden

April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981 

So they were turning after all, those cameras. Life, which can be strangely merciful, had taken pity on Norma Desmond. The dream she had clung to so desperately had enfolded her.

 

William Holden
William Holden

 

 

Remember him in “Sunset Boulevard?”

 

 

Fantastic flick. Not many of the locations still exist, but his apartment at the beginning of the film still does. It’s still called the “Alto Nido” apartments.

 

 

Here’s his place, in the film.

 

 

Holden was living in Santa Monica, California, on Ocean Avenue.

 

 

He was partial owner of the building at #535. The Shorecliff Towers.

 

 

Holden’s apartment was on the fourth floor, number 43.

 

 

 

He was notoriously private. Even neighbors of many years only received a quick nod from the grump. He also had the habit of disappearing for many days, without notice. That’s why it took so long for someone to find him.

According to the autopsy report, courtesy of Celebrity Collectables, Holden was last known to be alive about one week beforehand, when he spoke to his girlfriend Stephanie Powers on the telephone. She indicated that he was drinking, but seemed his normal self and was without complaints.

On Monday, November 16, 1981, the building manager, Bill Martin, let curiosity get the best of him. He hadn’t seen Holden in many days, and became very concerned, so he let himself in, via the passkey. As we all know, curiosity killed the cat, and Mr. Martin was sure taught a lesson that day.

From the report: “All the lights were off, except for the television, so they used flashlights to get around. Holden was found in a robe and shirt, on the floor. The robe was folded back and beneath the body, with the right arm placed through the sleeve, and the left arm “wadded up” and beneath the body, suggesting that he may have been attempting to dress himself.

The body was in an advanced state of decomposition with maggots present and a large amount of putrefaction present as evidenced by the tissue separation and blisters with fluid present (nummy). Examination reveals an apparent laceration on his forehead approximately 3 inches in length. Holdens doctor showed up and theorized that he provably started vomiting blood, and possibly lacerated the lower portion of his esophagus.

They called Holden’s dentist, for records, to prove identification.

On the scene they found an empty vodka bottle in the trash can, along with 4 beer bottles and a partially full bottle of vodka on the kitchen sink. (Just in case.)

There was a large quantity of blood surrounding the body as well as all over the bedding and blankets.

From the condition of his body, it was decided that he had been dead for at least 4 days. Needless to say, Mr. Rigor Mortis had come to visit. Yuck.

Holden was 63 years old

Dr. Thomas Noguchi, my hero (he’s done everybody) conducted the autopsy. They found the alcohol level in his bloodstream was .22. Holden was no stranger to tipple, so there was plenty of liver damage.

The opinion of the Medical Examiner goes like this: “On the basis of the autopsy findings and the “at scene” investigation, it became clear that the decedent (Holden) accidentally fell due to tripping over the throw rug (fuck!) on the bedroom floor beside the bed, and fell into the sharp edge of the bedside table causing a deep cut on the right forehead followed by profuse hemorrhage. There is no evidence of vomiting blood as there is no evidence of hemorrhage in the Gastrointestinal Tract or gastric contents in the blood pool on the bed or on the floor. There is no evidence of foul play as the room is not disturbed and the room was well secured as well as presence of numerous blood soaked Kleenex (hows that for product placement?) beside the bed.”

In real terms, Holden had tripped on a throw rug (damn things) and hit his head on the nightstand. The really gross part is that he hit it so hard, that it jammed into the wall, and left an indentation of two or three inches into the plaster. There were 8 bloody Kleenex’s found next to his body, and a working telephone just inches away from him. Noguchi reckoned that Holden didn’t comprehend the seriousness of his injury, tried to stop the bleeding himself, and passed out from blood loss. He was probably dead within 15 minutes. The end. Full stop.

 

William Holden's Death Certificate

 

His girlfriend Stephanie Powers said of being notified, “I was on my way to work when I heard the news on the radio that Bill had died. I didn’t cope well at all. Robert Wagner was a comfort to me. Tremendous. But Bills’ death took a lot out of me. I was in mourning for ages afterwards. In any case, RJ could only comfort me for two weeks, because then his wife, Natalie Wood, drowned, and I was like, “Tell me this all isn’t true!”

Holden was cremated, and scattered at sea. “Neptuned” as the Hollywood Underground Elite have coined it!

Bill Holden left $250,000 in his will to girlfriend Stephanie Powers. She used the money to start an animal preservation fund, in Holden’s memory, The William Holden Wildlife Foundation. Aptly named, I think.

Trivia: Holden was convicted of manslaughter in Italy, in the 60s, following an automobile accident in which the driver of a small car was killed.

 

 

UPDATE January 2003, from Findadeath friend Harry:

Hi Scott,

Was just perusing FAD stories and re-read the William (“I hate that damn rug”) Holden one.

For Christmas, we got the DVD for “Sunset Boulevard” — too cool — with all these extra background stories, etc. One surprise for me was that Holden was not the first choice for the male lead. It was supposed to be Montgomery Clift! It even notes him in the first draft for the screen play. But for some reason (I think scheduling conflicts) they went with Holden (who had been down on his luck career-wise for several years).

Just thought I would pass it along.

Harry

Great stuff, Harry, thanks!

In my opinion, this is the greatest film ever made.

 

 

11 thoughts on “William Holden

  • October 25, 2022 at 8:12 pm
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    Your smartass comments aren’t needed. But I guess it’s because you’re so flamboyant. Idiot.

  • September 17, 2020 at 8:56 am
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    may you rest in peace william holden i saw you in i love lucy guest star in la at last

  • August 15, 2020 at 7:45 am
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    Though of other things I’d forgotten. In the early ’80s was working for Oasis Petroleum on Sepluveda Blvd directly across the street from the shopping mall in Culver City.

    Got to talking with the President of the company and relayed I’d been to Mr. Holden’s Mt. Kenya Safari Club (East Africa) which was a gorgeous, old school luxury resort. The Oasis president told me that, unlike the extensive plublicity at the time (& to this day), Mr. Holden did not in fact own the resort but was the front for some “bent nose boys”, if you get my drift… No clue as to the accuracy of this claim, but this was a guy (can’t remember his name) for whom I once made a $250k deposit for him to his check account… His brother was either the owner or president of USA Gasoline at the time… This guy knew his stuff and doubt he’d make such a claim to a peon like me if it weren’t true.

    Trivia: While I was at the Safari Club Sidney Poitier and Michael Cane were staying at the resort filming “The Wilby Conspiracy”. Kenya was substituting for the South Africa storyline location, then at the height of it’s murderous Apartheid oppression. Also saw Art Linkletter and his wife in the bar; looked like a most unpleasant fellow –

    Sunset Boulevard Trivia: Another filming location still exists – exactly as it was. When Max chauffeurs Norma and Joe for a drive in the hills, the street is the top of Angelo Drive in Beverly Hills Post Office & just below the Murdoch’s Misty Mountain estate. Easy to tell because the “guard rails” are white painted wood! Really scary because the drop is well over a hundred steep feet down.

    The house Norma occupies in the film was owned at the time by one of richie-rich J. Paul Getty’s ex-wives. No pool existed and the film company agreed to install one at their expense. Mrs. Getty was naturally thrilled to be getting a free pool. After the film company left she discovered they hadn’t installed any pool heating equipment!

    • December 11, 2020 at 9:43 pm
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      Sorry but this post is WAY too long and not all that interesting, quite frankly.

      • December 17, 2020 at 10:00 am
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        And, a big Poo on you, Ass (tor) Bad (er), for your short and uninteresting opinion!

        • January 24, 2021 at 6:20 pm
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          Virtually identical response to my Aaron Spelling post on this site. Always find comments like that interesting in that the posters never have anything to add… on any subject… other than their dismissive opinions of the information relayed. To each his own –

          • June 3, 2022 at 3:47 pm
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            Well I could understand your comments if they weren’t all about your brush with soooo many famous people. It’s exhausting Matt. I’m glad there isn’t a page for Abraham Lincoln or else you’d tell us all about how you saw him driving down Rodeo Drive in a Porsche a week before he was assassinated at Fords Theater.

  • August 14, 2020 at 11:26 am
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    Stef Powers was bff with cici , the Wife (during the 70s ) of John Huston. Can you immagine the level of alchool during those 4 dinners? ? ?

  • July 25, 2020 at 3:47 pm
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    Great info. Always assumed he’d passed out from drinking and bled to death over hours, not 15 minutes – Reportedly, Montgomery Clift declined the Sunset Boulevard role because it cut a little to close to home. He was living with chanteuse Libby Hollman, wealthy widow of Z. S. Reynolds, an heir of R.J. Reynolds tobacco fortune. Now there’s a death would be interested to hear your take on… Although don’t know if a dessolute heir qualifies as a celebrity.

  • May 26, 2020 at 1:02 pm
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    I figured Aston Kutcher would be the next one in the pool. He got out when the getting was good.
    Yes it was the greatest movie ever.

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