Holbrook Blinn

Biography

Holbrook Blinn, a San Francisco native who studied at Stanford, first stepped onto the stage at six years old. After completing his university education he returned to the theatre, quickly rising to prominence on Broadway and often directing the very productions in which he performed. In 1914 he entered the silent‑film world, maintaining a dual career on screen and in the playhouse until his death. When the 1919 actors’ strike erupted, Blinn broke with most of his peers, aligning with producers and serving as president of the anti‑union Actors Fidelity League, a campaign that ultimately failed to halt the formation of Actors Equity. While vacationing at his Croton‑on‑Hudson estate, Journey’s End, he was thrown from a horse; an arm wound became infected, leading to respiratory failure. Holbrook Blinn died on 24 June 1928, aged 56.