Clara Bow-Phillips Holmes in The Wild Party

Phillips Raymond Holmes (July 22, 1907 – August 12, 1942) was an American actor. For his contributions to the film industry, he was posthumously given a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

in 1960.

Early life, education and career

Born in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, the son of Edna Phillips and stage star

Taylor Holmes Taylor Holmes (May 16, 1878 – January 29, 1959) was an American actor who appeared in over 100 Broadway theatre, Broadway plays in his five-decade career. However, he is probably best remembered for his screen performances, which he began on ...

, Holmes enjoyed a privileged childhood and received his education at

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

in England, the

University of Grenoble The (, ''Grenoble Alps University'', abbr. UGA) is a Grands établissements, ''grand établissement'' in Grenoble, France. Founded in 1339, it is the third largest university in France with about 60,000 students and over 3,000 researchers. Es ...

in France, and a year at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

where he was spotted in the undergraduate crowd during the filming of

Frank Tuttle Frank Wright Tuttle (August 6, 1892 – January 6, 1963) was a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film director and writer who directed films from 1922 (''The Cradle Buster'') to 1959 (''Island of Lost Women''). Biography Frank Tuttle was ...

's ''Varsity'' in 1928 and offered a screen test. In the early 1930s, he became a popular leading man, playing leads in a few important productions, notably in

Josef von Sternberg Josef von Sternberg (; born Jonas Sternberg; May 29, 1894 – December 22, 1969) was an American filmmaker whose career successfully spanned the transition from the Silent film, silent to the Sound film, sound era, during which he worked with mos ...

's '' An American Tragedy'' (1931) and

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; ; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; a ...

's '' Broken Lullaby'' (1932). At

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

, he starred in melodrama and comedy. In 1933, his contract with Paramount ran out and he moved to

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

for one year. As the decade progressed, Holmes' career declined, and he appeared in a few box-office failures, including Sam Goldwyn's poorly received '' Nana'' (1934). His last American movie was '' General Spanky'' (1936). In 1938, he appeared in two UK movies. '' Housemaster'' was his last film, and he returned to acting on stage in the United States.

Scandal

In 1933, Holmes was driving with actress

Mae Clarke Mae Clarke (born Violet Mary Klotz; August 16, 1910 – April 29, 1992) was an American actress. She is widely remembered for playing Henry Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, who is chased by Boris Karloff in ''Frankenstein'', and for being o ...

when he crashed into a parked car. Clarke, who suffered a broken jaw and facial cuts, sued Holmes for , claiming that he had been driving while drunk. Clarke dropped the suit when Holmes agreed to pay her medical expenses. The changes in her face adversely affected her burgeoning career in the long run (in 1931, she had played both Henry Frankenstein's fiancee in ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...

'' and was the recipient of half a grapefruit in the face from

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...

in '' The Public Enemy'').

Military service and death

At the start of World War II, he joined the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

. He was killed, aged 35, in a mid-air collision in northwest Ontario, Canada. Recorded by the

Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations mil ...

under a younger age of 31, he was buried at the Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven,

Hawthorne, New York Hawthorne is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. Its population was 4,586 at the 2010 census. History The ...

Legacy

Holmes has a star on the

Filmography

*''Uneasy Money'' (1918) as Caddy (film debut, uncredited) *'' Her Market Value'' (1925) as Party Boy (uncredited) *'' Varsity'' (1928) as Middlebrook *'' His Private Life'' (1928) as Pierrot (uncredited) *'' The Wild Party'' (1929) as Phil *'' The Studio Murder Mystery'' (1929) as Young Actor (uncredited) *'' Stairs of Sand'' (1929) as Adam Wansfell *''

Illusion An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may ...

'' (1929) as Eric's Friend in Audience (uncredited) *'' The Return of Sherlock Holmes'' (1929) as Roger Longmore *'' Pointed Heels'' (1929) as Donald Ogden *'' Only the Brave'' (1930) as Capt. Robert Darrington *'' Paramount on Parade'' (1930) as Hunter - Episode 'Dream Girl' *'' The Devil's Holiday'' (1930) as David Stone *'' Grumpy'' (1930) as Ernest Heron *'' Her Man'' (1930) as Dan Keefe *'' The Dancers'' (1930) as Tony *'' Man to Man'' (1930) as Michael Bolton *''

The Criminal Code ''The Criminal Code'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code Romance film, romantic Crime film, crime Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Walter Huston and Phillips Holmes. The screenplay, base ...

'' (1931) as Robert Graham *'' Stolen Heaven'' (1931) as Joe Bartlett *'' Confessions of a Co-Ed'' (1931) as Dan Carter *'' An American Tragedy'' (1931) as Clyde Griffiths *'' Two Kinds of Women'' (1932) as Joseph Gresham Jr. *'' Broken Lullaby'' (1932) as Paul Renard *''

Night Court ''Night Court'' is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 4, 1984, and ended on May 31, 1992, after nine seasons consisting of List of Night Court episodes, 193 episodes. The show is set in the night shift of a Manhattan ...

'' (1932) as Mike Thomas *'' Make Me a Star'' (1932) as Phillips Holmes (uncredited) *'' 70,000 Witnesses'' (1932) as Buck Buchan *'' The Secret of Madame Blanche'' (1933) as Leonard St. John *''

Men Must Fight ''Men Must Fight'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code drama film starring Diana Wynyard, Lewis Stone and Phillips Holmes. It is based on the 1932 Broadway play of the same name by Reginald Lawrence and S. K. Lauren.Hall, Mordaunt"Dia ...

'' (1933) as Bob Seward *'' Looking Forward'' (1933) as Michael Service *'' Storm at Daybreak'' (1933) as Csaholyi *'' The Big Brain'' (1933) as Terry Van Sloan *'' Dinner at Eight'' (1933) as Ernest DeGraff *'' Beauty for Sale'' (1933) as Burt Barton *'' Penthouse'' (1933) as Tom Siddall *'' Stage Mother'' (1933) as Lord Aylesworth *'' Nana'' (1934) as Lieutenant George Muffat *''

Caravan Caravan or caravans may refer to: Transport and travel *Campervan, a type of vehicle also known as a motor caravan *Caravan (travellers), a group of travellers journeying together **Caravanserai, a place where a caravan could stop *Caravan (trail ...

'' (1934) as Lt. von Tokay *'' Private Scandal'' (1934) as Cliff Barry *'' Million Dollar Ransom'' (1934) as Stanton Casserly *'' No Ransom'' (1934) as Tom Wilson *''

Great Expectations ''Great Expectations'' is the thirteenth novel by English author Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. The novel is a bildungsroman and depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip. It is Dickens' second novel, after ''Dav ...

'' (1934) as Pip *'' Ten Minute Alibi'' (1935) as Colin Derwent *''

The Divine Spark ''The Divine Spark'' is a 1935 British musical film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Marta Eggerth, Phillips Holmes, Benita Hume and Donald Calthrop. An Italian-language version ''Casta Diva (1935 film), Casta Diva'' was shot simultaneou ...

'' (1935) as Vincenzo Bellini *'' Chatterbox'' (1936) as Philip 'Phil' Greene Jr *'' The House of a Thousand Candles'' (1936) as Tony Carleton *'' General Spanky'' (1936) as Marshall Valient *'' The Dominant Sex'' (1937) as Dick Shale *'' Housemaster'' (1938) - Philip de Pourville

References

External links

* *
Photographs of Phillips Holmes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Phillips 1907 births 1942 deaths 20th-century American male actors Accidental deaths in Ontario Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge American expatriate male actors in Canada American expatriate male actors in France American expatriates in the United Kingdom American expatriate male actors American expatriates in England American male film actors Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York) Canadian military personnel killed in World War II Male actors from Grand Rapids, Michigan Princeton University alumni Military personnel from Michigan Royal Canadian Air Force personnel of World War II Grenoble Alpes University alumni Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Canada Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1942 Royal Canadian Air Force airmen