William Holden came from a wealthy family (the Beedles) that moved to Pasadena, California, when he was three. His father was an industrial chemist and his mother a teacher. In 1937, while studying chemistry at Pasadena Junior College, he was signed to a film contract by Paramount. His first starring role was as a young man torn between the violin and boxing in Golden Boy (1939). From then on he was typecast as the boy-next-door.After returning from World War II military service, he got two ...[Read Story]