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Harold “Hal” Holbrook Papers

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Denison University

Edward "Ed" Wright

Gordon Condit

Career

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Title: Harold “Hal” Holbrook Papers, 1905-before 2021

ID: UA/RG-PP/ARCH-022

Primary Creator: Holbrook, Hal

Extent: 18.66 Cubic Feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The Harold “Hal” Holbrook Papers are arranged in four series: Series 1: Denison University Series 2: Edward “Ed” Wright Series 3: Gordon Condit Series 4: Career Series 3 (Gordon Condit ) and Series 4 (Career) are further arranged into subseries.

Subjects: Acting--United States--20th century, Acting--United States--21st century, Actors--United States--20th century, Actors--United States--21st century, Condit, Gordon, Denison Summer Theatre, Denison University. Department of Theatre, Holbrook, Hal, Holbrook, Ruby, 1630-, Summer theater--Ohio--Granville--20th century, Theater--United States--20th century, Theater--United States--21st century, Twain, Mark, 1835-1910, Wright, Edward, 1906-1995

Forms of Material: Academic costume, Achievement certificates, Award plaques, Black-and-white photographs, Correspondence, Costumes (character dress), Honors, Newspaper clippings, Plays (literary genre), Scripts (documents), Theater programs

Languages: English

Harold “Hal” Holbrook (1925-2021) was an American actor best known for his one-man show Mark Twain Tonight! which he developed from an honors project he completed as a student at Denison University. The Harold “Hal” Holbrook Papers, dated 1905-before 2021, contain materials that document Holbrook’s education and career as an actor. The collection contains photographs, programs, correspondence, published scripts, newspaper clippings, and awards. Also in the collection is the costume Holbrook wore during his Mark Twain Tonight! performances.

The Harold “Hal” Holbrook Papers, dated 1905-before 2021, contain materials that document Holbrook’s education and career as an actor. The materials cover his time as a student at Denison University, his involvement with Denison Summer Theatre, and his decades-long correspondence with Denison Theatre professor Ed Wright. This collection also includes materials related to Holbrook’s one-man show, Mark Twain Tonight! The collection contains photographs, programs, correspondence, published scripts, newspaper clippings, and awards. Also in the collection is the costume Holbrook wore during his Mark Twain Tonight! performances.

Harold Rowe “Hal” Holbrook Jr.  was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 7, 1925, to Harold and Aileen Holbrook. His parents abandoned him and his two elder sisters when they were still young children. The siblings were raised by their paternal grandparents, first in Weymouth, Massachusetts, and later in Lakewood, Ohio. Holbrook attended Culver Military Academy where he first became interested in theatre. He graduated in 1942 and entered Denison University that fall. Denison Theatre professor Ed Wright played a significant part in Holbrook’s decision to study at Denison, and a lifelong relationship developed between the two. After his freshman year at college, Holbrook temporarily set aside his education to serve in the United States Army during World War II. He served from 1943-1946, primarily in Newfoundland. It was during this time that he met Ruby Johnston, whom he married in 1945. Holbrook returned to Denison University, with Ruby (who also enrolled in Denison), in 1946 to continue his studies. Holbrook’s senior project, “Personality Portraits from Literature and Life”, was the creation of a two-person show of sketches featuring well-known characters and historical figures. One of these sketches featured Mark Twain and a reporter. Holbrook graduated from Denison University in 1948, and he and Ruby took the show he’d created on the road, traveling all across the United States for several years. Holbrook revised this show during the 1950s into a one-man performance titled Mark Twain Tonight! which debuted in 1954. The show played at the 41st Street Theatre off-Broadway in 1959 and at the Longacre Theatre on Broadway in 1966. Holbrook won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for his performance that year. Holbrook performed in this role over the course of six decades in various locations. In 2003, President George W. Bush awarded Holbrook with a National Humanities Medal. Not only a stage actor, Holbrook also performed in more than 50 television roles that earned him five Emmy Award and seven additional Emmy nominations. He starred in 35 films and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2008. Holbrook also received numerous awards and honors for his stage plays, which totaled nearly 70. Holbrook died on January 23, 2021, in Beverly Hills, California.

Repository: Denison University Archives

Alternate Extent Statement: (5) textile boxes; (4) artifact boxes; (4) oversize flat boxes; (4) 5” letter document boxes; (1) 5” legal document box; (1) 2.5” letter document box

Access Restrictions: This collection is available for research but may be used only in the Denison University Archives & Special Collections research room.

Use Restrictions: Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright and are made available for research and educational purposes. While Denison University holds the physical rights for this collection, we may not hold the copyright or reproduction rights. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Denison University Archives & Special Collections is not held liable.

Related Publications:

Hal Holbrook in the CBS Television network special Mark Twain tonight!

Harold: the boy who became Mark Twain

Mark Twain tonight; an actor’s portrait. Selections from Mark Twain

Personality portraits from literature and life

Preferred Citation: Harold “Hal” Holbrook Papers, University Archives & Special Collections, Denison University (Granville, Ohio)

Processing Information: Processed by: Tricia McEldowney (2025 December); Finding aid written by: Tricia McEldowney (2026 February)