Earl Holliman’s journey to Hollywood is a story of unwavering determination and big dreams. In 1943, at just 14 years old, Holliman set his sights on becoming a movie star.
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Contrary to popular belief, Holliman grew up in Oil City and Mooringsport, not Shreveport. His adventure began with a series of stops, starting with a trip to visit relatives in Camden, Arkansas. From there, he took a bus to Texarkana, Texas, and then hitchhiked his way to Hollywood.
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Holliman had saved some money from working as a theater usher and during the night shift at a cafe near Barksdale Air Force Base. He even had a lead on a place to stay from a serviceman he met at the cafe, though it turned out to be in El Monte, California, quite far from Hollywood. Looking back, Holliman acknowledges it was a risky move, one that wouldn’t be advisable today.
![](https://i0.wp.com/thefarsidecomic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/DIVIDE-GRID-or-Post-2024-05-20T205933.665-1536x1229-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C819&ssl=1)
Contrary to popular belief, Holliman grew up in Oil City and Mooringsport, not Shreveport. His adventure began with a series of stops, starting with a trip to visit relatives in Camden, Arkansas. From there, he took a bus to Texarkana, Texas, and then hitchhiked his way to Hollywood.
Contrary to popular belief, Holliman grew up in Oil City and Mooringsport, not Shreveport. His adventure began with a series of stops, starting with a trip to visit relatives in Camden, Arkansas. From there, he took a bus to Texarkana, Texas, and then hitchhiked his way to Hollywood.
![](https://i0.wp.com/supergrate.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Story-Actors-30.jpg?w=1160&ssl=1)
Holliman had saved some money from working as a theater usher and during the night shift at a cafe near Barksdale Air Force Base. He even had a lead on a place to stay from a serviceman he met at the cafe, though it turned out to be in El Monte, California, quite far from Hollywood. Looking back, Holliman acknowledges it was a risky move, one that wouldn’t be advisable today.
![](https://i0.wp.com/supergrate.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Story-Actors-30.jpg?w=1160&ssl=1)
Life in Hollywood
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Holliman’s first attempt at making it in Hollywood didn’t pan out, leading him to return home briefly before enlisting in the Navy. However, his dream of becoming a movie star never waned. He later returned to Los Angeles, studying at the Pasadena Playhouse and the University of California, Los Angeles.
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His persistence paid off. Holliman built an impressive career, with notable roles in films like “Giant” (1956), “Forbidden Planet,” “The Rainmaker,” and “The Sons of Katie Elder.” He also became a familiar face on television, starring alongside Angie Dickinson in “Police Woman” and appearing with Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward in “The Thorn Birds.”
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Holliman fondly remembers his early days in Hollywood, particularly his first morning in El Monte. Wearing a short-sleeved silk shirt and dark glasses, he walked in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, wondering if people mistook him for a star. It was a moment filled with the innocent dreams of youth.
To see how Earl Holliman looks today at 95, check below:
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