William Holden, Hollywood's Golden Boy

William Holden (1930s)

After a couple of small parts in some mediocre films, William Holden was finally being cast in the lead role of a film that Harry Cohn, the head of Columbia Pictures, hoped would make his handsome acting acquisition a major star. The year was 1939 and the film was Golden Boy, which also starred Barbara Stanwyck and Adolphe Menjou. 

Unfortunately, the film's success was mild and it would be a few years before Holden would get such a major role again. This was the magical year 1939, the same year that Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Dark Victory, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Stagecoach and so many other memorable films were released, so Golden Boy had some tough competition at the box office. Nevertheless, Holden would always be known throughout the rest of his career as Golden Boy.

Holden was initially signed under contract to Paramount Pictures after being discovered by talent scout Milt Lewis. It was only by chance that Holden got the part in the Columbia film Golden Boy. Harry Cohn initially wanted John Garfield to star in Golden Boy, but Jack Warner at Warner Bros. refused to loan his star out. The producer of Golden Boy, William Perlberg, suggested they go after an unknown actor, how David O. Selznick did for casting the role of Scarlett O'Hara for Gone With the Wind.

Unknown actors auditioned for the part, including a young Alan Ladd. Other studios submitted screen tests of actors they had under contract. Paramount submitted a screen test with Margaret Young for another unfilled part in the film. In the screen test, reading opposite of Young, was Holden. When Perlberg and the film's director Rouben Mamoulian watched the test they were immediately drawn to Holden. Perlberg and Mamoulian convinced Cohn that Holden was the right guy for Golden Boy and to find out from Paramount who the young actor was.

Cohn phoned Y. Frank Freeman, the production chief at Paramount, to let him know he wanted not only to borrow Holden for his film, but that he also wanted to buy half his contract. Paramount was only paying Holden $50 a week, which meant Cohn could get a potential star for just $25! Freeman agreed and Holden went to work on Golden Boy.

Hollywood Athletic Club, where Holden stayed

during the filming of Golden Boy

To prepare for the part of Joe Bonaparte in Golden Boy, Holden needed to learn how to box, play the violin, and he also needed to take some acting lessons. This meant Holden needed to get up at 6 a.m. every day to drive the 14 miles from his home in South Pasadena to the Columbia studio lot. He often didn't get home to bed until after midnight.  Holden became exhausted and complained to Artie Jacobson, a talent exec at Paramount. Jacobson suggested that he stay at the Hollywood Athletic Club, which was less than a mile from the Columbia studio lot.

Holden was now closer to the studio, but after he received his first paycheck, he noticed that the studio had deducted $60 for rent. Holden complained to Cohn that he was only being paid $50 and now they were deducting $60 from his check - that wasn't right. Holden demanded that the studio pay his rent. Cohn yielded to Holden's request. 

Brown Derby Restaurant on Vine Street, Hollywood

A.C. Lyles, who at the time was working in Paramount's publicity department, helped Holden move into the Hollywood Athletic Club. The two became fast friends. To read another post on A.C. Lyles click here.

After the release of Golden Boy, Holden was loaned out to Warner Bros. to work on the film Invisible Stripes. One night, after Invisible Stripes was released in theaters, Lyles and Holden had dinner at the Brown Derby restaurant on Vine Street. Above is an image from my postcard collection of the Brown Derby as it would have looked at the time.  After dinner the two men drove down Hollywood Boulevard and as they came up to the Warner Theatre, Lyles noticed that the name "William Holden" appeared on the theatre's marquee. 

Former Warner Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard

According to Bob Thomas's biography, "Golden Boy: The Untold Story of William Holden," Lyles commented to Holden, "That must make you feel very proud."

"It doesn't mean a thing to me," Bill replied. "That's another fellow up there on that theater. I'm Bill Beedle [Holden's real name], who is somebody entirely different. I'm grateful that they changed my name. I want to keep myself separated from that other guy."

Your thoughts?

It's a "Wonderful" Swim Gym in Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills High School, Swim Gym (From It's a Wonderful Life)

The other day I was driving past my friend's old home in Beverly Hills and decided to take a side street past Beverly Hills High School. I figured while I was over here I should take some pictures of this school that has been featured several times on film and television, most notably for classic film fans for the appearance of the "Swim Gym" in Frank Capra's, It's a Wonderful Life.

Beverly Hills High School Swim Gym, 241 Moreno Drive

Do you remember the scene where Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed are doing the Charleston on the basketball court, when suddenly, the floor opens to reveal a swimming pool? Well, that scene was filmed inside the Beverly Hills High School Swim Gym which you can see in the above photos. This gym has a basketball court with a swimming pool underneath - the floor can open and turn into a pool! I still think that is pretty impressive now for a high school gym let alone for a high school gym back in 1947 when the film was released.

Here's a video of the "Bailey Kids" reunited in 1993 showing the Swim Gym as it appeared then. Also in the video is a clip from It's a Wonderful Life showing the Swim Gym as it appeared in the film.

Strangers When We Meet: Film Locations

So far most of my film location posts have involved places in Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles. Well, this time I decided to track down some of the film locations for the Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak film, Strangers When We Meet (1961), which took me to some new areas of Los Angeles: Brentwood, Malibu, and Beverly Hills.

Most of the locations below I know for certain are the correct locations. There are a couple that I may be off on but based on some landmarks I think I may be right on these as well.

100 N. Kenter Avenue, Los Angeles

The film starts at a bus stop located at 100 N. Kenter Avenue in the Brentwood neighborhood of LA. It's here that Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak's characters first meet and begin their affair. This is a primary location in the film that appears throughout the story.

The trees have grown up quite a bit since the film was shot in the early 1960s but otherwise the location looks almost the same.

100 N. Kenter Avenue, Brentwood


Looking Northwest at the bus stop location as seen in the film.

Looking Northwest at the bus stop location present.

Kirk Douglas dropping his son off at the bus stop at Kenter Avenue.

Present view of where Kirk Douglas drops son off at bus stop.

Kim Novak standing at bus stop.

Present view of bus stop location.

Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak are seen here leaving the bus stop. That's Sunset Boulevard in the background. Below is the same view today.

Kenter Avenue at Sunset Boulevard

Kim Novak & Kirk Douglas, Tigertail Rd in background.

View looking up Tigertail Road today.

The next location below was a little difficult to figure out. In the film the location is known as the Village Market, a red country barn themed grocery store. It's here that Walter Matthau's character works as a butcher. However, today the country barn look is long gone.

11725 Barrington Ct, Los Angeles, CA

11725 Barrington Ct, Los Angele, CA (Present)

To figure out this location the only thing I could match was the white pillars next to the stairs in the center of the photo. If you look in the below photo you can see the same white pillars and the stairs going up the building. If it wasn't for that detail I don't think I would have ever found this location!

Brentwood Village Market

Kim Novak getting into her car outside the Nosh Box.

All the shops that were at this little strip mall when Strangers When We Meet was being filmed are all gone. The above photo I believe is the same shot as the one where Kim Novak is seen getting into her car.

Kirk Douglas at Service Station @ Brentwood Village Market

Another location I'm not sure about is the scene where Kirk Douglas is walking through the round overhang of the service station. In the photo below is what I'm guessing to be the same location as it appears today. In the film Douglas is walking from the service station towards Kim Novak getting into her car. If the service station was next to the strip mall then the below location would have to be where the service station was.

Possibly the service station location.

Barrington Ct, Brentwood, CA

The above photo is another shot of Kirk Douglas near the Brentwood Village Market. In the background you can see a Chevron service station. This location was easy to locate because if you look at the below photo you can see that the Chevron station almost looks exactly the same.

Chevron Station, Barrington Ct, Brentwood, CA

Romanoff's Restaurant, 140 S. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills

The famous Romanoff restuarant can be seen in Strangers When We Meet. Above is a screenshot featuring the restaurant. Romanoff's opened in 1941 at the location 326 N. Rodeo Drive. It became an instant hit with Hollywood stars. The restaurant was one of Humphrey Bogart's main hangouts. In 1951 the restaurant moved to 140 S. Rodeo Drive and it's this location that appears in Strangers When We Meet.

140 S. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills

Unfortunately, Romanoff's is no longer. The building has been torn down and today an office building stands on the site.

Albatross Hotel Restaurant site. 21202 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu

Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak carry on their affair at the Albatross Hotel Restaurant. Back in the 1950s and 1960s business was good for the Albatross. Eventually, the business faded away and so to the building itself. The Albatross was torn down and today it is the empty lot you see above.

Kim Novak, leaving the Albatross Hotel Restaurant

Present day view of where Kim Novak is seen leaving the Albatross Hotel Restaurant

Kim Novak on PCH near Albatross Hotel

If you look at the above screenshot of Kim Novak driving down the Pacific Coast Highway you can see a sign to the right that says the Sea Lion. The Sea Lion restaurant no longer exists but their is a new restaurant at this location called Dukes. In the photo below you can see the sign for Dukes where the sign for Sea Lion used to stand.

21202 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu

Now, you all were probably hoping to see photos of that house that Kirk Douglas's character is building for Ernie Kovacs's character - the one located high atop the hills in Brentwood. Well, I searched and searched for that home but could not find it. However, in the process I found Conan O'Brien's new west coast home. But, if anyone does know where the house is located please share in the comments section. I thought it might be on Tigertail Road which is near the bus stop sight.

Special thanks to Zinnia for coming with and her help on this film location hunt!

*UPDATE* (07/12/09)

Many thanks to Dr. Bitz for these photos below which show the Kim Novak house as it appears today compared to the screenshots of the house in the film:

Kim Novak house as it appears in the film. 512 Tigertail Rd.

Kim Novak house as it appears today.

Kim Novak leaving her house as seen in the film.

Kim Novak's neighbor's house as it appears today.