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Gloria Holden




Gloria Holden ( born September 5 , 1908 in London, EnglandMarch 22 , 1991 in Redlands, California ) was a film Actress of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s

Holden came to America as a child. She attended school in Wayne, Pennsylvania , and later studied at the American Academy Of Dramatic Arts in New York City .


THEATER


Holden succeeded Lilly Cahill as the feminine lead in ''As Husbands Go'' at the John Golden Theatre on Broadway (Manhattan) , in June 1931. Prior to this she had small parts in plays like ''The Royal Family'', in which she spoke four lines playing a nurse. She was an Understudy to Mary Ellis in ''Children of Darkness''. She had a bit part in ''The Ferguson Family''.

In August 1932 Holden was part of the cast of ''Manhattan Melody''. The play
was presented at the Longacre Theatre . The Lawrence Hazard play,
adapted by L. Lawrence Weber, also featured Helen Lowell, Minnie Dupree, and William Corbett as players. She was the Leading Lady in ''Survivor'' (1933), written by D.L. James. Holden was among the cast members in
''Memory'' (1933), a Myron Fagan play.

The western drama, ''The Long Frontier'' (1935), was presented at the
Westport Country Playhouse , Westport, Connecticut . Nance O'Neil headed a cast which included Holden, Alan Bunce, and Claire Carleton.


MOTION PICTURES


She may be best remembered for two roles in her long career. One is the character of Mme. Zola in '' The Life Of Emile Zola '' (1937), and the possibly Bi-sexual Vampire , in '' Dracula's Daughter '' (1936). ''Dracula's Daughter'' was released by Universal Pictures . The film starred Otto Kruger and
Marguerite Churchill . A newspaper review referred to Holden as ''an
exotic'' in her depiction of ''Countess Marya Zaleska'' (Dracula's Daughter).

In July 1937 Holden was assigned to play the character of ''Marian Morgan'' in ''The Man Without A Country'' (1937). The Technicolor
short co-starred John Litel . It was nominated for an Academy Award .

''Dodge City'' (1939) was filmed in Modesto, California . Holden played the part of the aunt of Olivia De Havilland , ''Mrs. Cole''.
Warner Brothers produced this western drama.

Secrets behind the sneak
attack made by Imperial Japan on Pearl Harbor are revealed in
''Behind The Rising Sun'' (1943). Holden portrays ''Sara Braden''
in a film which features Robert Ryan and Margo .

Holden's movie career endured until 1958. Her final screen work came in ''This Happy Feeling'' (1958) and an uncredited role in Auntie Mame (film) (1958). She accumulated film credits throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Some of the motion pictures she played
in during this time are ''The Hucksters'' (1947), ''Killer McCoy'' (1947), ''Precious Waters'' (1948), ''A Kiss For Corliss'' (1949), and ''The Eddie Duchin Story'' (1956).


PERSONAL LIFE


Holden had brown hair and eyes and an olive complexion. She was 5'5" tall
and weighed 124 pounds.

In 1931 Holden had a son who was six years of age.

In September 1937 she went to dinner accompanied by Rudy Sehr. The same evening she attended the Carthay Circle Theater
premiere of ''The Life of Emile Zola''. Sehr was a member of a Viennese banking family. He worked as a film cutter in Hollywood during the time he dated Holden.

Holden was enthusiastic about riding her bicycle.


REFERENCES


  • Los Angeles Times , ''New Film Productions Started In Last Week'' February 2, 1936, Page C1.

  • Los Angeles Times, ''The Pageant of The Film World'', July 14, 1937, Page 13.

  • Los Angeles Times, ''Around And About In Hollywood'', October 4, 1937, Page A9

  • Los Angeles Times, ''Town Called Hollywood'', August 21, 1938, Page C1.

  • Los Angeles Times, ''Troupe Treks To Modesto Location'', November 11, 1938, Page 10.

  • Los Angeles Times, '' Jap Treachery Background of Screen Drama'', September 11, 1943, Page 7.

  • New York Times , ''In The Summer Spotlight'', June 14, 1931, Page X3.

  • New York Times, ''Theatrical Notes'', August 27, 1932, Page 13.

  • New York Times, ''16 New Plays Open In Byways Tonight'', August 14, 1933, Page 18.

  • New York Times, ''Theatrical Notes'', January 27, 1934, Page 8.

  • New York Times, ''Listing The Week's New Shows'', July 21, 1935, Page X1.

  • Zanesville Signal, ''Liberty Horror Film'', June 23, 1936, Page 11.



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