"To Wander, To Learn, To Dream, To Build"
“Training–training is everything; training is all there is to a person. We speak of nature; it is folly; there is no such thing as nature; what we call by that misleading name is merely heredity and training. We have no thoughts of our own, no opinions of our own; they are transmitted to us, trained into us.” Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court, 1889
“Behold, the fool saith, “Put not all thine eggs in the one basket” – which is but a matter of saying, “Scatter your money and your attention”; but the wise man saith, “Pull all your eggs in the one basket and – WATCH THAT BASKET.” Mark Twain, Pudd’nhead Wilson, 1893
“There are two times in a man’s life when he should not speculate: when he can’t afford it, and when he can.” Mark Twain, Following the Equator, 1894
Right is right, and wrong is wrong, and a body ain’t got no business doing wrong when he ain’t ignorant and knows better.” Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1885
“To do something, say something, see something, before anybody else — these are the things that confer a pleasure compared with other pleasures are tame and commonplace, other ecstasies cheap and trivial. Lifetimes of ecstasy crowded into a single moment.” Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad, 1869
The Great Actor Hal Holbrook died at 95 years old today after an amazing career and 40+ year run playing Mark Twain on stages across America and the world.
Hal Holbrook, Emmy and Tony-Winning Actor Who Portrayed Mark Twain, Dies at 95, Variety
Below is a clip from Hal Holbrook’s Mark Twain Tonight show >
Here’s Hal Holbrook talking about creating the show Mark Twain Tonight >
Here’s An Evening with Hal Holbrook program from 2004 >
In the below video former CEO and Chairman of Walt Disney Company Michael Eisner talks with Hal Holbrook about Mark Twain Tonight >
In 2014 a documentary was released that details Hal Holbrook and him playing Mark Twain on stage for 40+ years: Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey >
The Mark Twain Trail sends our condolences and prayers to the family of Hal Holbrook and much thanks to Mr. Holbrook’s great work over the years playing Mark Twain to millions of people both in America and around the world.
RIP Hal Holbrook – 1925 – 2021
“Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.” Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, 1876
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, 1869
“Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our hardnesses yield, all our irritations and resentments flit away and a sunny spirit takes their place.” Mark Twain
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” Mark Twain
