The Tragic 1981 Death Of Sunset Boulevard Star William Holden
In the opening scene of the 1950 film "Sunset Boulevard," the cynical screenwriter turned gigolo Joe Gillis lies floating in a swimming pool, blood seeping from his lifeless body. Thirty-one years later, the actor who played Gillis, William Holden, met his end. But it wasn't a bullet from the gun of an aging movie queen that tragically ended his life, but rather, a rug, per The New York Times. The mundane accident that took the Hollywood actor's life was made even worse by the fact that nobody found his body for a week afterward, according to the Associated Press.
Holden, just 63 when he died, had most recently appeared in the Blake Edwards' film "S.O.B." and was "a loner," according to Edwards, who wasn't surprised that Holden's body went so long without being discovered. "Sometimes he'd just get in his car and drive," the director told the AP. "I'm not surprised that this could have happened."
Some, including Holden himself and one of his close confidants, could foresee the death (per The Huntsville Item). According to the Los Angeles Times, the actor long experienced alcoholism, and though he was able to avoid drinking when with lover Stefanie Powers, it ultimately helped pave the way for his death.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Bitterness and alcohol
The Academy Award-winning actor William Holden, born William Beedle Jr., on April 17, 1918, in O'Fallon, Illinois, began his career with 1939s "Golden Boy," per Britannica. And like the title, Holden seemed to have the looks and muscular build Hollywood craved. But like so many of the female actors of the era, Holden soon realized it was his physical attributes and not his acting ability that the studio cared about. He became bitter about the throwaway roles Hollywood kept giving him. In "The New Biographical Dictionary of Film," David Thomson wrote (per Slant Magazine), "For Holden, at the end, could look like the most 'used' person in Hollywood ... The look of pain sustained two fine films — 'The Wild Bunch' and 'Network' — so that we rubbed our eyes to recall the fresh-faced enthusiast from Golden Boy."
After serving with the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, he returned to Hollywood and in 1950 he got his first substantial role in Billy Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard," per Britannica. The next decade saw Holden's career flourish. He earned an Oscar nomination for "Sunset Boulevard" and won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1954 for his role in "Stalag 17," per IMDb. But along with the accolades came a dependence on alcohol that would play a major role in his tragic end. In fact, Bob Thomas, Holden's biographer, said that the actor's addiction counselor predicted his demise. Holden himself claimed that he, too, could picture his end. "I know how it's going to be," Holden said (per The Huntsville Item). "Lonely, alone, without dignity."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
A Night of drinking ends in tragedy
In the fall of 1981, the television actor Stefanie Powers, who was dating William Holden, was in Hawaii filming the ABC show "Hart to Hart" when Holden stopped answering his phone. "I knew he was off the wagon," she recalled in her memoir "One from the Hart." "I left countless messages but received no answer." When Powers returned to California, she went to his penthouse apartment in Santa Monica but couldn't get in. A week later she heard the news of Holden's death on her car radio. "No, don't let it be true. Please, don't let it be true, it must be some mistake," per her memoir. But it wasn't a mistake.
On the night of November 12, 1981, Holden consumed somewhere between eight and 10 drinks in a short amount of time, according to "William Holden: A Biography." He walked into his bedroom and tripped over a throw rug and slammed his head so hard into the corner of a teak nightstand, the piece of furniture flew into the wall causing an indentation, per "William Holden." The actor got up and tried to staunch the blood pouring from his forehead but never called 911, which might have saved his life, per the biography. About 10 minutes later, Holden passed out and died from blood loss. The building manager found the body of the legendary actor — who starred in 70 films and was a good friend of President Ronald Reagan — nearly a week later, per The Washington Post.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).