David Jack Holt (August 14, 1927 â€" November 15, 2003) was an
American actor initially groomed at the age of seven to be the male
Shirley Temple. After several supporting roles as a juvenile actor in
films during the 1930sâ€"1940s, he experienced family stress and left
acting by the time he was 25. He subsequently had success as a
songwriter, before his death in 2003 at the age of 76.Holt was born on
August 14, 1927 in Jacksonville, Florida. Four years later, his sister
Betty was born, who also became an actor. At a young age, Holt's
dancing skills so impressed the actor and wit Will Rogers that Rogers
purportedly told Holt's mother that if ever they were in Hollywood
they should contact him and he would get young David into pictures.
Relying on this understanding, Holt's father promptly quit his job
with Ford Motors. Intent on holding Rogers to his promise, the Holt
family drove to California. Despite their best efforts, Rogers refused
even to see them.With no income, Holt's father worked as a casual
laborer. Holt's mother took Holt to auditions, sometimes sharing
transport with Shirley Temple and her mother. Initially, Holt found it
difficult to get acting jobs. He did, however, get a job as "body
double" for Cheeta's chimpanzee predecessor in the 1933 film Tarzan
the Fearless and had a small role in the 1933 Our Gang (Little
Rascals) comedy Forgotten Babies.At age seven, in 1934, Holt got his
acting break in the movie You Belong to Me, a melodrama in which his
character's parents dies. He was now a child star, and Paramount
Pictures put him under a long-term contract and promoted him as a male
version of Shirley Temple. Over the next six years, Holt made 20
films, but did not come close to the superstar status set by his
friend, Shirley Temple.
American actor initially groomed at the age of seven to be the male
Shirley Temple. After several supporting roles as a juvenile actor in
films during the 1930sâ€"1940s, he experienced family stress and left
acting by the time he was 25. He subsequently had success as a
songwriter, before his death in 2003 at the age of 76.Holt was born on
August 14, 1927 in Jacksonville, Florida. Four years later, his sister
Betty was born, who also became an actor. At a young age, Holt's
dancing skills so impressed the actor and wit Will Rogers that Rogers
purportedly told Holt's mother that if ever they were in Hollywood
they should contact him and he would get young David into pictures.
Relying on this understanding, Holt's father promptly quit his job
with Ford Motors. Intent on holding Rogers to his promise, the Holt
family drove to California. Despite their best efforts, Rogers refused
even to see them.With no income, Holt's father worked as a casual
laborer. Holt's mother took Holt to auditions, sometimes sharing
transport with Shirley Temple and her mother. Initially, Holt found it
difficult to get acting jobs. He did, however, get a job as "body
double" for Cheeta's chimpanzee predecessor in the 1933 film Tarzan
the Fearless and had a small role in the 1933 Our Gang (Little
Rascals) comedy Forgotten Babies.At age seven, in 1934, Holt got his
acting break in the movie You Belong to Me, a melodrama in which his
character's parents dies. He was now a child star, and Paramount
Pictures put him under a long-term contract and promoted him as a male
version of Shirley Temple. Over the next six years, Holt made 20
films, but did not come close to the superstar status set by his
friend, Shirley Temple.
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