Editing Hal Holbrook (section)

==Early life==
Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. was born on February 17, 1925, in [[Cleveland]], Ohio, the son of Aileen ([[née]] Davenport) Holbrook (1905–1987), a [[vaudeville]] dancer, and Harold Rowe Holbrook Sr. (1902–1982).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Berkvist|first=Robert|date=February 2, 2021|title=Hal Holbrook, Actor Who Channeled Mark Twain, Is Dead at 95|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/theater/hal-holbrook-dead.html|access-date=February 2, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202183539/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/theater/hal-holbrook-dead.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Holbrook and his two older sisters were abandoned by their parents when he was two years old.<ref name="Odyssey"/> The three children were raised by their paternal grandparents, first in [[Weymouth, Massachusetts]], and later in the Cleveland suburb of [[Lakewood, Ohio]].<ref name="Odyssey">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-laff-hal-holbrook-american-odyssey-20140614-story.html|title='American Odyssey' chronicles 60 years of Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=March 12, 2017|date=June 13, 2014|first=Susan|last=King|archive-date=May 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530130221/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-laff-hal-holbrook-american-odyssey-20140614-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He graduated from Culver Military Academy (now part of the [[Culver Academies]]) and then from [[Denison University]], where an honors project about [[Mark Twain]] led him to develop the [[one-man show]] for which he became best known, a series of performances called ''Mark Twain Tonight!''.<ref name="IBDB">{{cite web|title=Hal Holbrook: Awards | publisher= Internet Broadway Database| work= IBDB.com |url=http://www.ibdb.com/awardperson.asp?id=15128|url-status= dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081208112329/http://www.ibdb.com/awardperson.asp?id=15128|archive-date=December 8, 2008}}</ref> He also studied acting at [[HB Studio]] in New York City.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://hbstudio.org/about-hb-studio/alumni/| website= hbstudio.org| title= HB Studio Alumni| access-date= February 21, 2019| archive-date= May 29, 2019| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190529014852/https://hbstudio.org/about-hb-studio/alumni/| url-status= live}}</ref>

From 1942 through 1946, Holbrook served in the [[United States Army]] in [[World War II]], achieving the rank of [[Staff sergeant#United States|staff sergeant]]; he was stationed in [[Dominion of Newfoundland|Newfoundland]],<ref>{{cite web|url= http://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApps?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=344577|title= Holbrook, Harold Rowe, Jr., S/Sgt Assisted|website= TogetherWeServed.com|access-date= January 25, 2017|archive-date= February 2, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170202060641/http://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApps?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=344577|url-status= live}}</ref> where he performed in theater productions such as the play ''Lady Precious Stream''.<ref name="Odyssey"/>