- Judd Holdren
Infobox actor
bgcolour = silver
name = Judd Holdren
imagesize = 200px
caption =
birthdate = birth date|1915|10|16|mf=y
location = Villisca,Iowa , U.S.
deathdate = death date and age|1974|3|11|1915|10|16|mf=y
deathplace = Los Angeles,California , U.S.
birthname =Judd Holdren (
October 16 ,1915 -March 11 ,1974 ) was an American film actor best known for his starring roles in the serials ', "Zombies of the Stratosphere ", "The Lost Planet " and the semi-serial ' during 1951 - 1953.Early life
He was born near
Villisca, Iowa , one of 10 children in a farming family, and showed early interest in an acting career. He dropped out of high school to travel toOmaha, Nebraska , where he studied at the Omaha Playhouse.During
World War II he served in theUnited States Coast Guard , then moved toHollywood . His first regular employment there was as a male model.Career
Most of his early film parts, beginning in 1949, were uncredited bits, but he got a lead role in "Purple Heart Diary" and the version of the adventures of
Captain Video (both 1951) becoming the third actor (afterRichard Coogan andAl Hodge ) to assume the role of the heroic Captain. After 1953's "The Lost Planet ", Holdren tried to maintain a foothold in film features and TV, with very limited success.He appeared in a number of ongoing TV series, such as "Dragnet" and "
The Lone Ranger ", but usually in bit parts, often uncredited. His last significant film appearances were in very minor roles in features such as "Jeanne Eagels ", "Ice Palace" and "The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond " (1957 - 1960). The rapidity of his descent is indicated by the fact that in "" (1953) he plays the lead role and Richard Crane plays his (semi-comical) sidekick, whereas in the TV series "Rocky Jones Space Ranger " (1953 - 54) Richard Crane plays the lead role and Holdren has only a walk-on part in two episodes as "Ranger Higgins."After 1960, Holdren became a full-time insurance salesman. During his Hollywood years, he was seen in public as the escort of many different Hollywood beauties, but never married.
Death
Holdren committed
suicide onMarch 11 ,1974 , by shooting himself in the head.He is buried at Valhalla Memorial Park in
North Hollywood .External links
*imdb name|id=0390372|name=Judd Holdren
* [http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/FAMOUSIOWANS/50111028 Des Moines Register article on Judd Holdren]
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