Harry Holman
Harry James Holman was an American actor. He appeared in approximately 130 films from 1923 to 1947.
Biography
Born in Conway, Missouri, Holman dropped out of school in the ninth grade and began seeking work as an actor. In films from at least 1930, he played "a vast array of mayors, justices of the peace, attorneys, millionaires and sugar daddies". He is best known to modern audiences as the desperate Professor Richmond who tries to transform the uncouth Three Stooges into gentlemen in the film Hoi Polloi. He also played frequently in the films of director Frank Capra, for example as the mayor in Meet John Doe and as the befuddled high school teacher Mr. Partridge in It's a Wonderful Life.
On Broadway, Holman portrayed Wilson Prewitt in The County Chairman and Caesar Augustus Miggs in Ruled Off the Turf.
Holman performed in vaudeville, heading the Harry Holman Comedy Company, which presented skits including "The Merchant Price". In 1929 or 1932, Holman left vaudeville, where he "was nationally known" for his "Hard-Boiled Hampton" comedy sketch.
On May 3, 1947, Holman died of a heart attack in Hollywood, California.
Selected filmography
The Hunchback of Notre Dame as Fat Man Sporting Blood as B.H. 'Jerry' Hartwick Her Majesty, Love as ReisenfeldPeach O'Reno as Counselor Jackson #2 Forbidden as Advice-to-the-Lovelorn Columnist The Final Edition as Harry, Newspaperman Murders in the Rue Morgue as Victor Albert Adolph Jules Hugo Louis Dupont, the Landlord The Wet Parade as Wilson Supporter Beauty and the Boss as Hotel Manager Symphony of Six Million as Mr. Holman, Hospital Patient So Big as Country Doctor The Dark Horse as Mr. JonesThe Final Edition as HarryDoctor X as Mike, Waterfront PolicemanAmerican Madness as Loan-Seeker The Conquerors as StubbyUptown New York as Pappy, Bartender Silver Dollar as AdamsCentral Park as Police Captain Bachelor Mother as Judge YatesFrisco Jenny as Old Man Whose Pocket is Picked State Fair as Professor Tyler Cramp, Hog Judge Hard to Handle as Colonel's Associate The Woman Accused as Judge OsgoodOliver Twist as GrimwigPhantom Thunderbolt as Tobias Wingate The Circus Queen Murder as Jim DuganLucky Dog as The Business ManSong of the Eagle as 'Here's How!' Drinking Man Man Hunt as Hotel Clerk She Had to Say Yes as Mr. Hoopnagle The Stranger's Return as Dr. Spaulding Devil's Mate as McGeeTurn Back the Clock as 1929 Spokesman One Year Later as Fat ManStage Mother as Mr. Rumley The Solitaire Man as Mr. Elmer Hopkins My Woman as LouRoman Scandals as Mayor of West Rome East of Fifth Avenue as Sam CroninLady Killer as J.B. Roland The Meanest Gal in Town as Brookville's Mayor It Happened One Night as the Auto Camp Manager at the end of the film Jimmy the Gent as Joe Cuney The Lost Jungle as Maitland, Circus Owner The Line-Up as Jacob A Very Honorable Guy as Fat Man Born to Be Bad as Man at Bar with Letty The Personality Kid as Diner Counterman Fugitive Road as BurgomasterDames as Third Druggist The Captain Hates the Sea as Passenger I'll Fix It as Mayor Short Men of the Night as Fat Man at Pig-Stand Jealousy as Man with Dog Broadway Bill as Racetrack Rube Fugitive Lady as Mr. Young Night Alarm as Mayor WilsonMillion Dollar Baby as J.D. PembertonThe Best Man Wins as Uncle Ed Calling All Cars as Judge MarloweFolies Bergère de Paris as Cafe Waiter Living on Velvet as Bartender It Happened in New York as Dockman Traveling Saleslady as Pat O'Connor's UncleIn Caliente as BiggsDante's Inferno as Jolly Fat Man Every Night at Eight as Col. Ratchfield Cheers of the Crowd as Honest John BradyWelcome Home as FlinkJalna as Mr. Cory, the Publisher Manhattan Butterfly Hoi Polloi as Prof. Richmond Here Comes Cookie as StuffyThe Public Menace as Self-Made Man Barbary Coast as Mayor Bad Boy as Mr. Klink To Beat the Band as Chubby Diner Your Uncle Dudley as Banker The Lone Wolf Returns as Masquerade Party Nero Murder at Glen Athol as Campbell SnowdenHitch Hike to Heaven as Philmore TubbsGentle Julia as Grandpa AtwaterSinner Take All as Sgt. Berkovitch When You're in Love as a Babbitt Brother She's No Lady as Colonel Broadway Melody of 1938 as Boardinghouse Resident Nation Aflame as Roland AdamsProfessor Beware as Man Shaving on Boat The Arkansas Traveler as TelegrapherI Demand Payment as Justice of the PeaceWestern Jamboree as Doc TrimbleJesse James as Engineer I Was a Convict as Martin HarrisonLet Us Live as J.B., Businessman Juror Hotel Imperial as Burgomeister When Tomorrow Comes as Mr. Brown Slightly Tempted as Mayor AmmersonMeet John Doe as Mayor HawkinsLady from Louisiana as Mayor of New Orleans The Bride Came C.O.D. as Judge SoblerManpower as Justice of the Peace Public Enemies as Fat ReporterI Killed That Man as LanningsCall Out the Marines as Man in wheelchair Too Many Women as John CartwrightMexican Spitfire at Sea as Mr. Joshua BaldwinThe Bashful Bachelor as Knute Inside the Law as Judge Mortimer GibbsThe Silver Bullet as Doc Winslow Shadows on the Sage as LippySeven Days' Leave as Percy Gildersleeve, Justice of the PeaceTennessee Johnson as Morley Keep 'Em Slugging as Fat Man Idaho as Man leaving church Captive Wild Woman as Dock Ticket Office Clerk Hers to Hold as Doctor Young Ideas as Harry, Court Clerk What a Man! as Harold D. PrewittThe Adventures of Mark Twain as Drunken Guest Allergic to Love as Club Member Swing Hostess as FralickAnd Now Tomorrow as Santa Claus Where Do We Go from Here? as Dutch Councilman Badman's Territory as HodgeWithout Reservations as Gas Station Attendant My Dog Shep as The JudgeIt's a Wonderful Life as high school principal Mr. Partridge Magic Town as Mayor