Born in
Delhi,
Louisiana on
September 11 (really!), 1928, Earl
Holliman is one of those guys that someone might recognize had they ever seen
Police Woman. Or
MST3K. Or knew way too many facts about the
Twilight Zone.
Holliman studied drama at the University of Southern California and the Pasadena Playhouse before breaking into feature films with a one-liner in the Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis film comedy "Scared Stiff." His performance in "The Rainmaker" opposite Katharine Hepburn and Burt Lancaster earned him a Hollywood Foreign Press Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Holliman moved on to star in Rod Serling's classic Twilight Zone pilot, a one-man show entitled "Where is Everybody?"
Earl also starred in the pilot episodes of "The Six Million Dollar Man," "Cannon" and "Alias Smith & Jones."
Other series in which he starred are "Hotel De Paree," "Wide Country," "P.S. I LUV U" with Connie Sellecca, and "Delta" with Delta Burke.
His name was celebrated on Mystery Science Theater 3000 in the episode, "Attack of The Eye Creatures."
Transcript as follows, obtained from www.msties.com:
Joel: There was
Forbidden Planet.
Crow: Then there was
Police Woman.
Servo: And of course who can ever forget... uh, some of the other movies he did.
Joel: Right. These are just a few of the many reasons to celebrate Earl Holliman.
Crow: Earl Hollimania.
Servo: Yes, Earl Hollimania. As Earl Holliman prepares to take the most demanding role of his career, co starring with Delta Burke in a new situation comedy Delta, well what better time to salute Earl Holliman.
Joel: Earl Holliman.
Servo: Earl Holliman. Considered by many to be the poor man's Martin Milner.
Crow: Yes, beloved Earl Holliman. Earl Holliman! Whose promising film career, really didn't work out that good.
Joel: Earl Holliman! Earl Holliman. Who embraced the role of Sgt. Bill Crowley and flourished on the television drama Police Woman... Earl Holliman.
Servo: Earl Holliman! Whose immortal words: "Pepper you're going undercover," became the anthem of a disenfranchised generation who until that moment had nothing to believe in but their own unbeing.
Crow: Earl Holliman! Who may very well have...
Servo: In all likelihood...
Joel: All evidence points to him having been...
Crow: Was probably a guest star in Lancer at one time.
Joel: And indisputably one of the major forces in seventies television was uh, Aaron Spelling.
Joel, Crow and Servo: Earl Holliman!
Servo: Who seems like he should have had a part in The Big Valley but who will always be remember for Police Woman.
Crow: Because who can forget Earl Holliman's groundbreaking role in Police Woman.
Servo: Earl Holliman! Whose legacy of averageness infused many a movie; why even "Attack of the Eye Creatures", where a certain character when filmed at just the right angles vaguely resembles uh, Earl Holliman.
Joel, Crow and Servo: Earl Holliman!
Joel: Earl Holliman! Whose endearing friendship with Monte Markem is chronicled in the bestseller Soul Mates published pre-posthumously.
Crow: To review, Earl Holliman will forever be remembered for his timeless work in Police Woman.
Servo: Earl Holliman! Who was undeniably, unquestionably, in Police Woman and you can't take that away from him, doggonnit.
Joel, Crow and Servo: Earl Holliman!
Joel: Who would have been William Shatner, had there not already been one.
Servo: Watch for Earl Hollimania coming to your town soon.
Joel: Oh, we got Movie Sign!