Actress. Born in New York City, her mother was a portrait artist and her father was a businessman from Norway. She studied acting at the University of Chicago. Her stage debut occurred in 1936. She became a fixture in Broadway plays in the late 1930s, appearing in such classics as "The Women" and "Oklahoma!" In 1946, 20th Century-Fox Studios signed her to a contract. Her first film for the studio was "Three Little Girls in Blue." Her third film for the studio, "Gentleman's Agreement," garnered Holm an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1947. Through the late 1940s and early 1950s, she appeared in such classics as "The Snake Pit" (1948) opposite Olivia de Havilland, "Come to the Stable" (1949) opposite Loretta Young and "All About Eve" (1950) opposite Bette Davis and Anne Baxter. For the latter two films, Holm received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Preferring to work on the stage, she left Hollywood. She returned only twice for two musicals for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), "The Tender Trap" in 1955 and "High Society" in 1956. In the 1950s, she appeared in her own television series "Honestly Celeste." Over the next few decades, she appeared on several television programs and mini-series including "Archie Bunker's Place" and the role of First Lady Florence Harding in "Back Stairs at the White House" in 1979. In 1987, she took a brief role as Ted Danson's mother in the hit comedy "Three Men and a Baby." She was a regular player on the Soap Opera "Loving" and appeared as the family matriarch Hattie Green on the series "Promised Land," from 1996-1999. Her later years were plagued by scandal. Following the death of her fourth husband, Wesley Addy, she married a man more than forty years her junior in 2004. Her husband and Holm's two sons from previous relationships fought over the care and estate of the retired actress. In 2002, she began to show signs of dementia and, after years of failing health, Celeste Holm died at age 95. She had the distinction of being the last living Best Supporting Actress winner from the 1940s, and the last adult Oscar winner after Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine from that decade.
Actress. Born in New York City, her mother was a portrait artist and her father was a businessman from Norway. She studied acting at the University of Chicago. Her stage debut occurred in 1936. She became a fixture in Broadway plays in the late 1930s, appearing in such classics as "The Women" and "Oklahoma!" In 1946, 20th Century-Fox Studios signed her to a contract. Her first film for the studio was "Three Little Girls in Blue." Her third film for the studio, "Gentleman's Agreement," garnered Holm an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1947. Through the late 1940s and early 1950s, she appeared in such classics as "The Snake Pit" (1948) opposite Olivia de Havilland, "Come to the Stable" (1949) opposite Loretta Young and "All About Eve" (1950) opposite Bette Davis and Anne Baxter. For the latter two films, Holm received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Preferring to work on the stage, she left Hollywood. She returned only twice for two musicals for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), "The Tender Trap" in 1955 and "High Society" in 1956. In the 1950s, she appeared in her own television series "Honestly Celeste." Over the next few decades, she appeared on several television programs and mini-series including "Archie Bunker's Place" and the role of First Lady Florence Harding in "Back Stairs at the White House" in 1979. In 1987, she took a brief role as Ted Danson's mother in the hit comedy "Three Men and a Baby." She was a regular player on the Soap Opera "Loving" and appeared as the family matriarch Hattie Green on the series "Promised Land," from 1996-1999. Her later years were plagued by scandal. Following the death of her fourth husband, Wesley Addy, she married a man more than forty years her junior in 2004. Her husband and Holm's two sons from previous relationships fought over the care and estate of the retired actress. In 2002, she began to show signs of dementia and, after years of failing health, Celeste Holm died at age 95. She had the distinction of being the last living Best Supporting Actress winner from the 1940s, and the last adult Oscar winner after Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine from that decade.
Bio by: The Perplexed Historian
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