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It's a Wonderful Life
1947
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Harry Holman. Harry James Holman (March 15, 1862 [citation needed] – May 3, 1947) was an American actor. He appeared in approximately 130 films from 1923 to 1947. Biography. Holman in 1924. Born in Conway, Missouri, Holman dropped out of school in the ninth grade and began seeking work as an actor. [citation needed] .
- Overview
- Background
- Titanic
- After his death
Harry Holman was an Able Seaman on the Titanic.
Harry Holman came into this world as the first of six children conceived by William Edward Holman and Priscilla Mary Unwin. The two had stemmed from Portsmouth, where Harry made parents out of them in the warmer period of 1883. The family would live in Portsmouth for a good while while the siblings of Harry arrived, starting with Joseph Edward in 1884. Dismally, Harry would only know his brother as an infant. Joseph lived only from July 17 till September 7. They cremated him.
Following the death of Joseph was the birth of Alice Emma in 1887, who preceeded another girl, Nellie Louisa, an 1888-born daughter. The year 1890 saw two boys bless the family at the same time. They were Alfred John and Frederick James, emerging on the same day.
Father William was a sailor and with the Royal Navy. Regrettably, Mr. Holman had a problem with his sight in later years and was invalided out of the Royal Navy at quite an early age, but not before he had been awarded a medal for long service and good conduct in 1879.
He provided for his family by returning to the sea as to do a lower-ranked job, namely that of a trimmer.
One day, the family suffered a severe blow. In the Portsea region, father William was busy at port, helping to break up an old ship in the Chamber Dock, when he was severely injured in an accident involving a crane. He died several months later from his injuries in October 1897 aged 42. At the inquest, it was concluded that it was William’s own fault. The representative of the shipyard claimed that William failed to follow instructions. Unfortunately, William’s family had no money for a solicitor and therefore no one to fight for compensation for the Holman family. His wife Priscilla attended the inquest and must have been distraught when she was sent away empty handed.
Just as fresh as 13 years old, Harry had to help provide for the family along with his younger brother, Joseph. Harry’s first occupation, in 1901, would be a seller of seafruits, predominantly fish. He needed to get up very early in the morning to barter for the fresh fish being landed in Portsmouth Harbour at the fishmarket and with his basket full he would then walk the streets selling to the cooks and housekeepers of the more well-to-do families in Southsea. His earnings would have been meagre but every penny counted, as his mother was left a widow with six children to provide for, including Harry himself.
On April 6, 1912, Harry was in Southampton were the Able Seamen were mustered. He was 29 years of age.
RMS Titanic, on its inaugrual voyage, was guided away from the piers by tugboats and left Southampton on April 10, for her scheduled trip to New York. Her route would cross the Atlantic Oceans with two stops in France and Ireland.
was in a tight spot when she had a fatal encounter with an iceberg on the 14th of April. The lookouts had laid eyes on a mass that was soon identified as a large iceberg, taller than the Boat Deck. It was less than half a mile away. Lookout Frederick Fleet lunged towards the telephone after striking the bell three times, to draw attention of the bridge. The information was passed through and she had to turn to port side, around it, fast. Quartermaster Robert Hichens, who had also served on the SS Dongola like Harry, quickly made the wheel go round at the command of First Officer William McMaster Murdoch, who also relayed to the Engine Room to cut off the steam to slow down. The pivotal moment came when steel and ice met. There wasn’t enough time for the Titanic to swing out of the way with the short distance and the ice proved to be very sharp and rigid. It shaved along the starboard side hull over a great length, making interstices on crucial spots below the waterline. The sea could now enter the ship in at least 7 places, filling 6 compartments.
At midnight, April 15, Titanic’s designer was needed to advice her captain. Mr. Thomas Andrews knew the ship through and through and he and the captain had passed each compartment to have a look. With the gathered information, Andrews had worked out that the inflow of water was too much for Titanic. She would certainly founder now, no pumps could buy them enough time. Two hours were left, he calculated.
Knowing that the time would be ticking, the Able Seamen were gathered to receive instructions. They had to undo the fastenings of the lifeboats and level them with the Boat Deck, so passengers could board and taken off the ship.
It’s likely that Holman was among them, doing his bid to make the evacuation as succesful as possible. Many Seamen were rescued as they could man the boats. Holman however was not in one of the boats.
Louisa received £2 a week sometime after the disaster from the Mansion House Relief Fund. This was due to her being too sick to work. She picked up life after her grieving period and outlived all of her husbands. Since Harry, she had 3 new partners, but each time they were taken away from her by death. She had 90 years of life experience when she l...
Biography by AllMovie. Rotund, squeaky-voiced American actor Harry Holman forsook vaudeville and the legitimate stage for films in 1929. For the next 18 years, Holman played a vast array of mayors, justices of the peace, attorneys, millionaires and sugar daddies.
Harry Holman. Actor: Meet John Doe. Harry Holman was born on 15 March 1872 in Conway, Missouri, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Meet John Doe (1941), The Dark Horse (1932) and Oliver Twist (1933). He died on 3 May 1947 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- January 1, 1
- Conway, Missouri, USA
- January 1, 1
- Hollywood, California, USA
Harry James Holman (March 15, 1862 – May 3, 1947) was an American character actor. He appeared in over 130 movies. His best known roles were as Grimwig in Oliver Twist (1933), the mayor in Meet John Doe (1941) and as the high school teacher Mr. Partridge in It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
- Harold Holman
- 1923–1947
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(Harry James Holman) Died. 1947-05-03 (75) Los Angeles, CA. (Myocardial infarction) A favorite supporting actor of Frank Capra, Holman appeared in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934), MEET JOHN DOE (1941), and as the high school principal in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) Sometimes mis-credited in filmographies as Harry Holmes. Acting Credits (8)
Birthday: Mar 15, 1862. Birthplace: Conway, Missouri, USA. Harry Holman was an actor who had a successful Hollywood career. Holman began his acting career with roles in such films as the comedy...
