Tim Holt

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional, all-around book about the great cowboy star.
Review: "I was five years old...I tried to sit up straight in the saddle as (my father) did, and every once in awhile I'd look down at my new cowboy boots...and I made up my mind that I'd never wear regular shoes again as long as I lived. I was going to be a cowboy for the rest of my life." Those are the words of Tim Holt later in his career, quoted in this magnificent book by author David Rothel. Tim Holt was a great "B" western movie cowboy star of the 1930's-1950's. His post-WWII western movie series that ran up until 1952 has to rate as the best series of "B" westerns ever made, with good acting, directing & production values, a lot of action, and great on-location photography. In many cases the RKO films made from 1947-52 should be more accurately referred to as "A-" westerns. The stories are always enjoyable and pleasing, and you can tell the good guys from the bad guys. Tim Holt was a fine actor and also appeared in several first class films such as Orson Welles' "The Magnificent Amersons," and with Humphrey Bogart in "Treasure of Sierra Madre." In his westerns he presents himself as a warm, easygoing & friendly cowboy with a good sense of right and wrong, a real hero. He is often drifting between jobs when the stories begin. This book is the first and only book about his life and films. I was born after his last westerns were filmed, and happened to discover the movies in the mid-1970's, after Tim Holt had already passed away (at age 54). I took an immediate liking to him as he presented himself in the movies, and when I later went to libraries and book stores to try to find information about him, found nothing except a few brief sections in several western film books. One paperback I found, "Great Western Heroes," published in the 1970's, gave more information than the other books, but not enough. Tim Holt has been a western hero to me since I saw the first movie, and it was a real joy to discover that this book existed when I found it on amazon.com. It's well worth the price. The book is well-written and is solidly bound with excellent print & photographic reproduction, has a great color cover of a more recent painting of Tim Holt, and is just loaded with a treasure trove of information on him. Childhood photos, reviews of all his films with accompanying pictures, copies of newspaper articles and his obituary, interviews and commentaries with his co-stars and fellow actors and family members, even copies of articles and interviews from western film magazines of the 1940's-50's. And some mysteries about his family life, his work after he walked away from acting (at age 33!) and did the rodeo circuit and shows, and the cancer that killed him are revealed here too. It's impossible to really express what a great book this is, and the author David Rothel deserves all the credit for the extensive research and effort he put into this magnificent volume. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Tribute To A Great Man
Review: Being the granddaughter of Tim Holt, I know a lot about him. But for someone who doesn't, this is the best book to read and learn about him. My favorite part of the whole book are all the wonderful pictures! David Rothel is a great writer, and he did a wonderful job writing this book! If anyone has any questions that aren't answeredby the book, e-mail me. Thanks! Happy Reading!