Legendary ‘Rainmaker’ Actor Passes Away At 96

Veteran actor Earl Holliman was reported dead this week at 96, according to the New York Post.

Holliman, best known for playing supporting roles in “Rainmaker” and “Police Woman,” died while in hospice at a Studio City, California location, his partner Craig Curtis confirmed on Tuesday. The actor’s chops were cut in the 1950s and 60s where he took notable roles during Hollywood’s fascination with Westerns and period dramas.

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At 25, Holliman earned his first on-screen line in the 1953 Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis comedy “Scared Stiff.” He got his big break in 1956’s “The Rainmaker,” beating out Elvis Pressley for the part of Jim Curry, the brother of Katharine Hepburn’s character. Together, their small Depression-era town confronts a con man who promises to deliver rain to break their drought. Holliman won a Golden Globe for his performance, catapulting the handsome actor to numerous other Westerns and big-budget productions like “Giant” and “Forbidden Planet,” according to Variety.

Other credits to Holliman include “Broken Lance,” “The Bridges at Toko-Ri,” “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,” “Don’t Go Near the Water,” “Last Train from Gun Hill,” “The Sons of Katie Elder” and “Sharky’s Machine.” Other notable roles include “Broken Lance,” “Hot Spell,” and “Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.”

Born 1928 in Delhi, Louisiana, Holliman got his first taste of fame after enlisting in the U.S. military at just 15 years old. He and other active duty members awaiting deployment during WWII mingled with actors and production team members at the famous Hollywood Canteen. Shortly after enlisting, the Navy discovered Holliman’s age and discharged him, but the incorrigible young man reenlisted after graduating high school two year later. After moving to Los Angeles, Holliman trained at Pasadena Playhouse and UCLA while working during the day at North American Aviation. He snuck into Paramount to meet with Paul Nathan, the associate producer for Hall Wallis, which landed him his virgin role in “Scared Stiff.”

Long after retiring in 2000, Holliman remained a dedicated animal rights activist. He led the organization Actors and Others for Animals for 34 years where he partnered with Dian Fossey to focus on protecting endangered gorillas. He described his proudest moment in that time, “Going up the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda with Dian to help raise awareness for the plight of her gorillas.”

In a statement to Variety, Curtis remembered his partner as “a gracious, kind confidant, a consummate host, a man whose indefatigable positivity was evergreen and powered by a 1000-watt smile, an easy charm and infectious goodwill. A joy and a privilege to spend time with, he was even-keeled and compassionate, possessing a deep sensitivity and mischievous sense of humor which were belied by his stoically handsome countenance.”

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