Are you all familiar with the recording made by the actor William Gillette as Twain? He knew Twain as a 
young man and recorded a brief bit of “The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” imitating Twain. You can
find it on YouTube as “Twain’s Voice.” There used to be a disk recording of it on display in the Museum in
Hannibal, but I didn’t see it the last time I was there. I have a copy, though, I got in the 1970s.

I cannot imagine that Holbrook didn’t listen to it many times.

Stephen M. Archer


> On Nov 30, 2015, at 8:05 AM, Terry Ballard <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> I had read that Holbrook was vetted not only by Clara, but by Isabel Lyons.
> If true, that means that Holbrook's voice is the nearest thing we will ever
> have to a recording of Twain. PS, Happy birthday, Mark Twain. You are 180
> and your words are as inspiring as ever to people living in this troubled
> world.
> 
> On Mon, Nov 30, 2015 at 12:38 AM, Susan Bailey <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> 
>> Carl, when I saw him last year at Hartford I was so engrossed in his
>> performance that I thought I was seeing Twain on the stage.  He is a
>> magnificent actor. In the scene where he falls asleep in the chair, I was
>> just hoping one of the stage hands would wake him up!
>> 
>> I know he met with Clara once and I believe she was ill at the time.  I
>> think her second husband, Jacques Samossoud set it up.
>> 
>> In the fall of 1965, a few months before she died in January 1966, Nina saw
>> his show at least once when he was playing in the desert near Los Angeles.
>> 
>> Susan Bailey
>> Co author
>> The Twain Shall Meet
>> <
>> http://www.amazon.com/Twain-Shall-Meet-Granddaughter-Gabrilowitsch/dp/1499799497/ref=sr_1_1/191-7847938-3534132?ie=UTF8&qid=1415889321&sr=8-1&keywords=the+twain+shall+meet+susan+bailey
>>> 
>> Twain Page <https://www.facebook.com/marktwainsgranddaughter>
>> www.marktwainonline.com
>> Greenville, SC
>> 
>> On Sun, Nov 29, 2015 at 7:43 PM, Carl J. Chimi <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> 
>>> Folks,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The other day I watched an old Dirty Harry movie, Magnum Force, wherein
>> Hal
>>> Holbrook plays a crooked cop. That made me realize that I haven't ever
>> seen
>>> his 1967 taped production of Mark Twain Tonight.  I saw him perform it
>> live
>>> in Boston when I was young, in 1973 and maybe 1979.  I remember being
>>> mesmerized and thrilled to see a live representation of my hero on a
>> stage.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I downloaded and watched the 1967 Mark Twain Tonight just now.  I was
>> blown
>>> away with how good Hal Holbrook was.  The makeup was amazing for 1967;
>>> although he doesn't look exactly like the 70-year-old Mark Twain, his own
>>> Hal Holbrook look seems to nearly disappear within the Mark Twain
>> persona.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Even when he was recreating well known stories such as The Golden Arm, he
>>> still managed to completely hold my short little span of attention by his
>>> use of unexpected sounds and voices, and with his impeccable timing.  His
>>> take on Jim Blaine was just hilarious, and somehow made me feel it is a
>>> quintessential American story.  His more serious remarks were well chosen
>>> for 1967 and for any time after that, too.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> In short, a true masterpiece of acting.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Does anyone know if Clara or her daughter ever saw Holbrook perform Mark
>>> Twain?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Regards,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Carl
>>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> 
> Terry Ballard
> Author and Leisure Studies Manager
> http://www.terryballard.org
> Author of the book "Google this" http://googlethis.com
> <http://googlethisforlibraries.com/>
> 
> "My memory has a mind of its own."