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Centennial Souvenir Program, 1954 O'Fallon is proud of its native son, Bill Holden, winner of the best actor award at the 26th Academy Award ceremonies held on March 25, 1954 in Hollywood. He received the "Oscar" as the best actor in 1953 for his work in Stalag 17. Bill, a son of William Franklin and Mary Ball Beedle, was born in O'Fallon on April 17, 1918 at 319 North Cherry Street. At that time the home was owned by his grandfather, Walter Beedle, and is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Victor Logan. Bill Holden's father, William Franklin Beedle (quite an athlete in his school days and a 1910 graduate of O'Fallon High School) is a retired chemist, and his mother, the former Mary Ball of Litchfield, is a former school teacher. His parents met while both were students at McKendree College and were married in the Walter Beedle family residence here. They presently are living in Los Angeles, California. His grandfather, Walter Beedle, was a mining engineer at Taylor Mine. Bill Holden is a direct descendant of the late Captain Joseph Ogle, pioneer St. Clair County settler, who came to the area in the early 1800s and acquired a large tract of land in the Ridge Prairie area. Bill is the oldest of the Beedle children. A brother, Bobby, also was born in O'Fallon. The family moved to California when Bill was about four years old. Bobby was killed during World War II while serving as a Navy Pilot. Another brother, Richard, resides in California. Bill Holden has two sons by his wife, Brenda Marshall, who has a daughter by a previous marriage. They are Scott Porter and Peter Wakefield--both named after prominent O'Fallon pioneer families. Bill made his debut 16 years ago when he was just 20 years old. Fresh from a job as a parking lot attendant, a talent scout spotted him in a small production at the Pasadena Playhouse. He was playing the part of an 80-year-old man. Paramount promptly signed him and because his name, William Beedle, wasn't glamorous enough, it was changed to William Holden. Loaned out to Columbia Studios, Bill made his big splash as the prize fighter in, Golden Boy, his first major film. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Bill has had only one wife. He married actress Brenda Marshall and she is now retired from the movies. Today Bill, his wife, and their three children live in a fine home in San Fernando Valley. ---69-70---
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