Father and son
This is me at seven years old watching my father Hal Holbrook on stage playing Abe Lincoln in the play Abe Lincoln In Illinois, Off-Broadway in 1962. I was seven years old. I had a nonspeaking part as his son, Tad Lincoln. My mother Ruby Holbrook played Mary Todd. Most likely in this photo I am waiting to go on stage in the next scene, where I sit on Dad’s lap as he recites the Gettysburg Address. He always told me happily and proudly that I stole the scene from him. In fact, he taught me how to steal the scene from him!
One night after the curtain call, I wandered back onto the stage again in some kind of trance-like state. I just stood there in the middle of the stage watching the audience members get up out of their seats. They noticed me and they began to laugh and sit back down and clap. At that moment, my parents realized what was going on and frantically whisper-shouted to me to get off the stage! I went back into the wings.
A year later, my parents divorced.
I consider this photo to be the single most iconic photo of me. It’s just my silhouette watching my dad, waiting to go on stage with him. In some weird way, it summarizes my whole life.