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Earl Holliman, Star of the Very First Twilight Zone Episode, Dies at 96
Holliman kicked off Rod Serling's groundbreaking anthology with the 1959 broadcast of "Where Is Everybody?"
Golden Globe-winner Earl Holliman, star of the very first episode of The Twilight Zone, has died at the age of 96.
The prolific and ruggedly handsome actor known for roles across film and television passed away Monday in Studio City, California, his spouse — Craig Curtis — confirmed to Variety. Holliman's niece, Theresa Mullins Harris, corroborated the unfortunate news on Facebook, writing that her uncle's death was the result of "a short illness."
"He had a long wonderful life," she continued. "His dream at 5-years-old of becoming a movie star came true, more than he ever could have imagined. He loved hearing all the good things his fans had to say about him. He will be missed by all. I'm so glad that I was able to go out and spend time with him one last time this week."
Who did Earl Holliman play on the first The Twilight Zone episode, "Where Is Everybody"?
Holliman helped kick off Rod Serling's groundbreaking anthology series on October 2, 1959 with the debut broadcast of "Where Is Everybody?" The actor portrayed a jump-suited amnesiac who slowly loses his sanity after wandering into a town devoid of any human presence. The twist? He's really an Air Force astronaut locked inside an experimental box, training for the crushing isolation he'll experience on a forthcoming trip to the Moon.
Like so many classic episodes of The Twilight Zone, "Where Is Everybody?" unfolds in the fashion of a one-person stage play, with the whole endeavor resting on the shoulders of one immensely talented actor. Holliman — who was in his early 30s at the time — proved himself to be more than up to the task, believably going from mild bemusement to full-on panic mode. "Your performance was outstanding, full of dimension, shading and a fantastic believability," Serling wrote in a letter to the actor (via Variety). "In short, Holliman, you’re one hell of an actor!” Holliman, however, had no idea just how much was riding on him.
"I didn't realize yet what was happening," he confessed during a 2020 appearance on The Twilight Zone Podcast. "I didn't realize what trauma there was behind doing this whole thing, how hard it was, and how much depended on it being terrific; how much it depended on being something [Rod] could go back to New York and sell to the sponsors. Thank God nobody kept saying, 'We gotta get this right! You gotta be wonderful!' Nobody did anything like that and I didn't realize just how important [it really was]. To me, it was just another show ... I didn't realize that he had not yet sold it; that it could have gone right to the shelf if it was not something they wanted to put on the air."
A short biography of actor Earl Holliman
Born September 11, 1928 in Delhi, Louisiana, Holliman harbored an ambition to become an actor from an early age. So fierce was this desire, that he hitchhiked all the way to Hollywood as a teenager, though the experience was unsuccessful and the thespian hopeful returned home to the town of Shreveport where he worked odd jobs at a local movie theater, magic shop, and restaurant.
Holliman joined the Navy during World War II — after lying about his age — and found himself back in Los Angeles for communications-related training. Following the war, he rejoined the Navy and led a number of productions at the Norfolk Navy Theatre while stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. Once his service was up, he relocated to Los Angeles to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse and receive a college degree from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles (USC).
His first credited role came in the 1953 Western Devil's Canyon — soon followed by screen opportunities in The Big Combo, Forbidden Planet, The Rainmaker (for which he received a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in 1956), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Hotel de Paree (which premiered the same night as The Twilight Zone), Bonanza, The Fugitive, and Marcus Welby, M.D. Holliman's most steady character was Bill Crowley in the TV series Police Woman, which ran from 1974 to 1978.
Holliman is survived by his spouse, Craig Curtis, and niece Theresa Mullins Harris.
