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."