Biografie

For over 25 years, he was president of Actors and Others for Animals.

Although his role in Starr vor Angst (1953) was uncredited, Holliman stayed up for three nights straight to practice the perfect delivery of his only line which was less than a sentence long.

During World War II, he lied about his age and enlisted in the United States Navy at age 15. He was discharged a year later when his real age was discovered. Following his high school graduation, he rejoined the Navy at age 18 and was stationed in Norfolk, VA, where he became involved in the Norfolk Navy Theater and appeared in leading roles in several productions.

While riding on a train to Marfa, Texas, to begin filming Giganten (1956), Earl was sitting with the cast and crew in one of the passenger cars when it was announced by one of the conductors that Elizabeth Taylor's club car was up front. After hearing this, Earl went up to her cabin to introduce himself and when she answered she invited him in to sit and visit with her so she would be able to get to know him somewhat better before they were to begin work on the production. Not long after he was sitting with her, he happened to look out the window into the desert the train was riding through and remarked " Look at those flowers! Aren't they pretty?" When Elizabeth looked at the cactus flowers, Earl was speaking of she then looked at him and asked "Do you want one?" Before Earl could answer Elizabeth's question, she immediately stood up, pulled the emergency brake, after the train came to an immediate screeching halt, she then proceeded to run outside and pick the biggest cactus flower she could. While the engineers ran around trying to calm the rest of the cast and crew aboard and find out what happened, Elizabeth had promptly returned to her cabin with Earl still sitting there in amazement to find Ms. Taylor approaching him with a smile on her face, and still looking beautiful as ever with no broken sweat whatsoever, handing him a cactus flower simply saying "Here".

In a 2006 interview with actress Betty White, when asked of Actors and Others for Animals she praised Holliman for his work and dedication over the years and how if it had not been for him the organization would not have proved so successful. In 2010, Actors and Others for Animals established a fund entitled The E.A.R.L. (Emergency Animal Relief Lifeline) to carry out his vision to help animals in need. This fund provides larger subsidies for a select number of more serious medical requests.

It's like I've died and gone to Heaven. When I did 'Police Woman,' we worked 12- and 14-hour days. Sometimes I would get up at 3:30 a.m. to go to San Pedro and by the end of the day we'd end up in Chatsworth! With a sitcom, we have banker's hours. One day a week you work late in front of an audience. It's a whole different process and incorporates what it's like to be on the stage.

The adrenaline was really going. Sometimes, when they had a close-up on your face, your wardrobe was being changed. You'd be talking to someone who had long gone for their own costume change. I think all the actors who did that live television really miss that stuff.

I think Angie came up with that. I think her character's real name was Lee Ann.

Of course I would, if they asked. I had a good time doing that show. We had a wonderful relationship, a marvelous producer, and the four of us got along great.

Charlie Dierkop and I, who share the same birthday, September 11, stay in touch from time to time.