Earl Holliman was an actor best known for his award-winning work in the 1956 western romance “The Rainmaker,” and starring opposite Angie Dickinson in the TV drama “Police Woman.”
- Died: November 25, 2024 (Who else died on November 25?)
- Details of death: Died in Studio City, California at the age of 96.
- We invite you to share condolences for Earl Holliman in our Guest Book.
Earl Holliman’s legacy
From the 1950s through the 1980s, Holliman was one of those actors who was in a dozen things you saw and enjoyed, even if you didn’t realize it, though he’s best known for his roles in 1956’s “The Rainmaker” and the 1970s television drama “Police Woman.”
After a brief unsuccessful attempt to get started in acting as a teen, Holliman lied about his age in order to enlist with the U.S. Navy during World War II. While serving at a Navy communications school in Los Angeles, he got to know people in the entertainment industry, so when he was discharged a year later after his real age was discovered, he knew the business a little better. He served in the Navy again – this time legally – and after leaving a second time headed to Hollywood to try again. This time, he succeeded.
Holliman made his screen debut with a small part in the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis-led 1953 comedy, “Scared Stiff.” The 1950s quickly kept him busy, listing dozens of credits to Holliman’s name, most notably his Golden Globe Award-winning turn in “The Rainmaker,” a western romance in which he played alongside Burt Lancaster and Katharine Hepburn.
In the years to come, he appeared on TV in the premiere episode of “The Twilight Zone,” on shows like “Wide Country,” “Bonanza,” and “The Fugitive,” and had roles in movies like the science fiction classic “Forbidden Planet,” the iconic western “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,” and other films.
Audiences arguably best got to know him during his four-year run as Sergeant William “Bill” Crowley in the Angie Dickinson-led “Police Woman,” on which he appeared for 90 episodes. He earned a Golden Globe nomination in 1993 for his supporting-actor work on the short-lived series “Delta.” Other Holliman television roles include appearances on “Murder, She Wrote,” “Gunsmoke,” “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “The Thorn Birds,” and voice work on “Captain Planet and the Planeteers,” among many shows.
When not acting, Holliman was involved in charitable work, including a time in the ‘70s when he was the national honorary chairman for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Tributes to Earl Holliman
I’m so heartbroken to see that the wonderful Earl Holliman has died at the age of 96.
— Hollywood Yesterday
He was brilliant in everything and was one of those actors who made every scene even better. In addition to Police Woman, his films include The Sons of Katie Elder, Giant, Gunfight at the O.K.… pic.twitter.com/gQZticWERv(@HollywoodYeste1) November 27, 2024
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
