This picture of the actor Harry Moore Holden turned up recently in an album belonging to Julia Smethurst Foster, granddaughter of James S. Wallace. Although Holden appears older in this 1886 photo, he was actually quite young at the time. On the back of the photo it says "to Julia from Harry, Harry M Holden as Cy Primmer in Josh Whitcomb, Graham Earle Co. Season 86-87"
Harry was born on 15 May 1867 in Franklin, Ohio to William and Angeline (Lyons) Holden. A notice of his death was published in the Rochester Sentinel (Rochester, Indiana) which is duplicated below.
This is provided as a matter of genealogical interest. I am not related to anyone identified here; nor do I have any additional information about them.
HOLDEN, HARRY M.
Rochester Sentinel 1944
Mrs. Ona RAVENCROFT, of this city, recently received word of the death of her brother, Harry M. HOLDEN, 77, well known stage and screen actor, who passed away at his home in Hollywood, Calif. Mr. Holden had been in ill health for the past several years. Holden and his brother, the late Charles HOLDEN of this city, owned the Holden Stock Comedy Co. which toured the nation for a long number of years. The brothers came to Rochester where additional stock troupes were formed under the firm name of Holden and such well known plays as "The Denver Express," "Nobody's Claim" and "Ten Nights in a Barroom" were presented. About 30 years ago Mr. Holden went to California where he played prominent roles in "Miracle Man," "Falstaff," "Cimarron" and other prominent film stories. The deceased was born in Franklin, Ohio, May 16th, 1886. [1867] His parents were Mr. and Mrs. William W. HOLDEN. Survivors are his sister, Mrs. Ravencroft; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Maude HOLDEN, and two nephews, Edward RAVENCROFT of Rochester and John RAVENCROFT of Chicago. The body will be cremated at Hollywood and the ashes will then be returned to Rochester for burial in the I.O.O.F. cemetery.
His Death Certificate Information
Los Angeles County, California Death Certificate Transcription: #C2210
Harry Moore Holden d. 2/4/1944 10:30 am Male Cauc. b. 5/15/1867 Franklin, OH
Age = 76yrs 8mos 19dys
f. {unknown} Holden
m. unknown
Residence/Deathplace: Motion Picture County Home, Los Angeles
Lived in hospital 1 year and coummunity/state 30 years
Occupation: Actor, Stage & Screen
Single
Informant: Motion Picture Relief, Los Angeles
Cremation: 2/7/1944 Pierce Bros. Crematory
Funeral Director: Pierce Bros., 5959 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood
Harry Holden moved to California to try his luck as a movie actor. According to the list available at the Internet Movie Database he was in the following films. They are listed in reverse chronological order.
He has been traced genealogically back to Dennis Holdren and Mariah Andress of New Jersey.
Effort has been made to eliminate errors, but their absence is not guaranteed. This document is copyright 2018 by Charles Hartley. Permission is hereby granted to individuals seeking family history information to copy the contents of this document for their personal use. It may not be sold, either separately or as part of a collection, without the written permission of the copyright holder; nor may it be placed at any other location on the internet without said written permission.