Hal Holbrook

Actor

View Full Interview

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In this three-hour interview, Hal Holbrook (1925-2021) talks about his early life, and deciding to become an actor while in college. He chronicles the creation of his classic one-man show Mark Twain Tonight! up until and beyond performing it on CBS in 1967 for producer David Susskind. He recalls appearing on the daytime drama The Brighter Day and portraying “Hays Stowe” on the legal drama The Bold Ones. Holbrook discusses playing Abraham Lincoln on stage many times, and twice for television in Sandburg’s Lincoln and North and South. He details working for producer Linda Bloodworth Thomason on the comedy series Evening Shade, and on Designing Women, which co-starred his wife Dixie Carter. He recalls guest appearances on Sons of Anarchy and Grey’s Anatomy, and well as some of his work in feature films, including All the President’s Men and Into the Wild. Amy Harrington conducted the interview on July 11, 2017 in Beverly Hills, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

“I’d never been in front of an audience in my life. And when I started to talk, I got a feeling I had never experienced before. I realized that people were listening to me. It tapped something inside of me. I walked off stage and there was an elderly lady who’d been in Vaudeville and theater for years. She took a look at me and she said quietly, ‘You’re hooked, sonny.’”

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Hal Holbrook on the creation of his one man show "Mark Twain Tonight!"

17:33

Hal Holbrook on meeting Ed Sullivan and appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show as "Mark Twain"

08:12

Hal Holbrook on positive public reaction of his playing a homosexual along with Martin Sheen in That Certain Summer

03:31

Hal Holbrook on playing "Reese Watson" on Designing Women, with his wife Dixie Carter

03:34

Hal Holbrook on being known as a character actor

03:13

Hal Holbrook on how he would like to be remembered

08:45

Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences

On attending Denison University, where he really became an actor and met his mentor; on going into the Army during World War II

On meeting his first wife, Ruby Johnston, and on traveling the country with a two-person show; on the creation of his one man show "Mark Twain Tonight!"

On performing Mark Twain Tonight! on CBS in 1967 for producer David Susskind; on how Mark Twain Tonight! changed from stage to television, and on how current events changed the show over time

Chapter 2

On being cast as "Grayling Dennis" on the daytime drama The Brighter Day; on meeting Ed Sullivan and appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show as "Mark Twain"; on his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show leading to "Mark Twain Tonight!" being performed off-Broadway

On playing "Hays Stowe" on The Bold Ones; on the presidency of Donald J. Trump

On appearing in the groundbreaking made-for-television movie That Certain Summer playing Martin Sheen's partner; on positive public reaction to his playing a homosexual along with Martin Sheen in That Certain Summer; on television and democracy

On rehearsing; on fame and celebrity, and on being part of an acting company; on being known as a character actor

On playing "Abraham Lincoln" in various projects, including North and South and Sandburg's Lincoln; on the consistency of his performances as "Abraham Lincoln"; on working with Beulah Bondi in Sandburg's Lincoln

Chapter 3

On playing "Reese Watson" on Designing Women, with his wife Dixie Carter; on directing some episodes of Designing Women, and on working with Linda Bloodworth Thomason; on working with the cast of the show

On playing "Evan Evans" on Evening Shade, starring Burt Reynolds; on guest-starring on Sons of Anarchy, and on working with Katey Sagal on the show

On guest-starring on Grey's Anatomy; on appearing in the feature films "Into the Wild" and "All the President's Men"

On his father

On advice to an aspiring actor; on how he would like to be remembered

Shows

Bold Ones, The

Hal Holbrook on playing "Hays Stowe" on The Bold Ones

07:37

Brighter Day, The

Hal Holbrook on being cast as "Grayling Dennis" on the daytime drama The Brighter Day

08:13

Designing Women

Hal Holbrook on playing "Reese Watson" on Designing Women, with his wife Dixie Carter

03:34

Hal Holbrook on directing some episodes of Designing Women, and on working with Linda Bloodworth Thomason

02:43

Hal Holbrook on working with Jean Smart, Delta Burke, and Dixie Carter on Designing Women

03:58

Hal Holbrook on having to be convinced to take a role on Designing Women

01:25

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

Hal Holbrook on meeting Ed Sullivan and appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show as "Mark Twain"

08:12

Hal Holbrook on his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show leading to "Mark Twain Tonight!" being performed off-Broadway

04:19

Evening Shade

Hal Holbrook on playing "Evan Evans" on Evening Shade, starring Burt Reynolds

06:32

Grey's Anatomy

Hal Holbrook on guest-starring on Grey's Anatomy

01:47

Mark Twain Tonight!

Hal Holbrook on his one-man show Mark Twain Tonight, and how he came to perform it on CBS in 1967 for producer David Susskind

06:05

Hal Holbrook on how Mark Twain Tonight! changed from stage to television, and on how current events changed the show over time

06:28

North and South

Hal Holbrook on playing "Abraham Lincoln" in various projects, including North and South and Sandburg's Lincoln

07:33

Hal Holbrook on the consistency of his performance as "Abraham Lincoln" in various projects, including North and South and on Sandburg's Lincoln

03:49

Hal Holbrook on what he enjoyed about playing "Abraham Lincoln" in various projects, including North and South, and on working with Beulah Bondi in Sandburg's Lincoln

04:53

Sandburg's Lincoln

Hal Holbrook on playing "Abraham Lincoln" in various projects, including North and South and Sandburg's Lincoln

07:33

Hal Holbrook on the consistency of his performance as "Abraham Lincoln" in various projects, including North and South and on Sandburg's Lincoln

03:49

Hal Holbrook on what he enjoyed about playing "Abraham Lincoln" in various projects, including North and South, and on working with Beulah Bondi in Sandburg's Lincoln

04:53

Sons of Anarchy

Hal Holbrook on guest-starring on Sons of Anarchy, and on working with Katey Sagal on the show

03:05

That Certain Summer

Hal Holbrook on appearing in the groundbreaking made-for-television movie That Certain Summer playing Martin Sheen's partner

07:08

Hal Holbrook on positive public reaction to his playing a homosexual along with Martin Sheen in That Certain Summer

03:31

Topics

Advice

Hal Holbrook on advice to an aspiring actor

04:59

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Hal Holbrook on attending Denison University, where he really became an actor and met his mentor

03:32

Donald J. Trump

Hal Holbrook on the presidency of Donald J. Trump

03:11

Emmy Awards

Hal Holbrook on performing Mark Twain Tonight! on CBS in 1967 and being nominated for an Emmy for his performance

02:22

Fame and Celebrity

Hal Holbrook on fame and celebrity, and on being part of an acting company

02:33

Historic Events and Social Change

Hal Holbrook on going into the Army during World War II

09:39

Hal Holbrook on appearing in the groundbreaking made-for-television movie That Certain Summer

10:39

LGBTQIA+

Hal Holbrook on appearing in the groundbreaking made-for-television movie That Certain Summer

10:39

Pivotal Career Moments

Hal Holbrook on attending Denison University, where he really became an actor and met his mentor

03:32

Hal Holbrook on the creation of his one-man show "Mark Twain Tonight!"

17:33

Pop Culture

Hal Holbrook on fame and celebrity, and on being part of an acting company

02:33

Representation on Television

Hal Holbrook on appearing in the groundbreaking made-for-television movie That Certain Summer

10:39

Television Industry

Hal Holbrook on advice to an aspiring actor

04:59

Television and the Presidency

Hal Holbrook on the presidency of Donald J. Trump

03:11

War

Hal Holbrook on going into the Army during World War II

09:39

World War II

Hal Holbrook on going into the Army during World War II

09:39

Professions

Actor

View Profession

Hal Holbrook on what he likes about acting

02:38

Hal Holbrook on rehearsing

03:13

Hal Holbrook on fame and celebrity, and on being part of an acting company

02:33

Hal Holbrook on being known as a character actor

03:13

Hal Holbrook on advice to an aspiring actor

05:23

Performers

View Profession

Hal Holbrook on what he likes about acting

02:38

Hal Holbrook on rehearsing

03:13

Hal Holbrook on fame and celebrity, and on being part of an acting company

02:33

Hal Holbrook on being known as a character actor

03:13

Hal Holbrook on advice to an aspiring actor

05:23

Genres

Comedy Series

Hal Holbrook on playing "Reese Watson" on Designing Women, with his wife Dixie Carter

11:43

Hal Holbrook on playing "Evan Evans" on Evening Shade, starring Burt Reynolds

06:54

Daytime/Primetime Serials

Hal Holbrook on being cast as "Grayling Dennis" on the daytime drama The Brighter Day

08:13

Drama Series

Hal Holbrook on guest-starring on Sons of Anarchy

03:21

Legal Dramas

Hal Holbrook on playing "Hays Stowe" on The Bold Ones

07:37

Medical Dramas

Hal Holbrook on guest-starring on Grey's Anatomy

01:47

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

Hal Holbrook on his one-man show Mark Twain Tonight, which he performed on CBS in 1967, produced by David Susskind

12:36

Hal Holbrook on meeting Ed Sullivan and appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show as "Mark Twain"

12:38

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Hal Holbrook on appearing in the groundbreaking made-for-television movie That Certain Summer

10:39

Hal Holbrook on playing "Abraham Lincoln" in various projects, including North and South and Sandburg's Lincoln

16:36

People

Burt Reynolds

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on playing "Evan Evans" on Evening Shade, starring Burt Reynolds

06:32

David Susskind

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook and performing Mark Twain Tonight! on CBS in 1967 for producer David Susskind

06:05

Delta Burke

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on working with Delta Burke on Designing Women

02:33

Dixie Carter

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on playing "Reese Watson" on Designing Women, with his wife Dixie Carter

03:34

Hal Holbrook on working with Dixie Carter on Designing Women

01:00

Donald J. Trump

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on the presidency of Donald J. Trump

03:11

Jean Smart

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on working with Jean Smart on Designing Women

00:25

Katey Sagal

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on guest-starring on Sons of Anarchy, and on working with Katey Sagal on the show

03:05

Linda Bloodworth Thomason

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on directing some episodes of Designing Women, and on working with Linda Bloodworth Thomason

02:43

Martin Sheen

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on appearing in the groundbreaking made-for-television movie That Certain Summer playing Martin Sheen's partner

06:09

Robert Redford

View Person Page

Hal Holbrook on appearing in "All the President's Men" and how Robert Redford convinced him to take the part in the film

01:41

Hal Holbrook on his friendship with Robert Redford

03:16