Golden Boy is a 1939 black-and-white Columbia Pictures drama film based on the Clifford Odets play of the same name. It features William Holden in his film debut and the role that made him a star: a promising violinist who wants to be a boxer. Barbara Stanwyck plays his love interest. The supporting cast included Lee J. Cobb (in an unusual role as the bewhiskered Italian immigrant father of Holden's character) and Adolphe Menjou.
The producers were initially unhappy with Holden's work, and tried to dismiss him, but Stanwyck insisted that he be retained. Thirty-nine years later, when Holden and Stanwyck were joint presenters at the 1977 Academy Awards, he interrupted their reading of a nominee list to publicly thank her for saving his career.
Victor Young was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score.
On 7 January 1940, Stanwyck performed a parody of Golden Boy on The Jack Benny Program.
Famous quotes containing the words golden and/or boy:
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