He was the "cool, crisp and clean" Uncola Man. Daily Dosage Subscribe Unsubscribe 1004. Upon winning the best-director Tony Award in 1975, he said in his acceptance speech, "Just try making that out of a cola nut!" One of four children, he was taught painting and dancing by his older brother Boscoe Holder, whose dance troupe, the Holder Dance Company, the young Geoffrey joined when he was seven years old. Publicity Listings Discover and Share the best GIFs on Tenor. Holder, a talented painter, sold a score of his paintings to raise the funds to bring the Holder Dance Company to New York City in 1954 (in 1957 Holder won a Guggenheim Fellowship to study painting). I can still here that voice saying those famous words: Crisp and clean, and no caffeine; never had it, never will. 6′ 7″ Holder is well known for playing the voodoo priest in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die (1973) and for being the spokesman in 7-Up commercials in the ’70s and ’80s. 7 Up, a drink that was first marketed in 1929 as Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda, faces still other hurdles as it tries to reinvigorate itself and recapture market share. His most famous role was as the heavy "Baron Samedi" in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die (1973), Roger Moore's first turn as 007.Holder won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his staging of the Broadway musical "The Wiz" (1975), the all-African American retelling of "The Wizard of Oz." Holder was 6 foot 6 inches tall so his ability to get down to the level of a child and interact with them, speaks to his abilities. His career started in 1955, but he is probably best known to American audiences for two roles. 0:14. Herbert Ross did the choreography but the "Banda Dance" was choreographed by Holder. 16 Apr 2019 3 499 935; Metal pedestrian crossing markers saying "Drink 7up Safety First" were installed in many U.S. cities in the 1930s. This commercial has the “never had it, never will” catchphrase as well as his signature laugh. In 1973, he played the villainous Baron Samedi in the Bond film Live and Let Die. In the 1970s and 1980s, he put his striking 6'6" presence and bass voice to good use hawking various products in TV commercials, including soft drinks. NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In the early 1970s, as part of its new "uncola" advertising strategy, the 7UP company had J. Walter Thompson produce a … I was one of those kids who loved a good catchphrase. And this time, I got to be the guy to fire the first song. He played Baron Samedi in Live and Let Die (1973) and Punjab in Annie (1982). Boscoe was 16; Geoffrey, 7. From 1969-1972, Holder hosted "Geoffrey Holder's Music," a show on New York’s WOR Radio. ", which he also directed and choreographed). Geoffery was born in in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, into a middle-class family. A multifaceted performer and creator, Geoffrey Holder died in Manhattan of complications from pneumonia on October 5, 2014, aged 84. I get up and paint. Sadly Holder is no longer with us. From 1955 through 1956 Holder was a principal dancer with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet.Holder played the role of Lucky in a revival of Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" directed by Herbert Berghof on Broadway in January 1957. The Trinidadian actor, director and … Geoffrey Holder, a versatile artist known for his ability as a dancer, actor and -- most famously to most of America -- pitchman for 7-Up, has died at 84. — Geoffrey Holder, the pitchman for 7UP during 70s and 80s, in a 1983 ad focusing on 7UP’s lack of caffeine as a selling point. We are too quick to put labels on things. Geoffrey assumed direction of the company in the late 1940s after Boscoe moved to London.Holder moved to the US in 1954, two years after being "discovered" by Agnes de Mille, the choreographer daughter of director-producer Cecil B. DeMille, after she saw the Holder Dance Company perform in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Holder was an established veteran actor, dancer, and choreographer by the time he began voicing 7UP ads. Before he played Punjab in "Annie," Geoffrey Holder became famous for starring in 7 Up commercials in the '70s and early '80s. Geoffrey Holder (the Cola Nut man from the 7-Up commercials, in addition to his acting work in Bond films) was hired as the imaging voice. Starting in the 1970s, 7 Up hired Trinidadian-American actor, Geoffrey Holder to be the voice of the uncola. The show ran for 165 total performances but, more importantly, Holder met and married fellow cast member 'Carmen DeLavallade', a dancer, and the two had a son together. He would later go on to direct and choreograph the musical, Timbuktu, starring the legendary, Eartha Kitt. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Shortly after the death of dancer, choreographer, actor, painter and director Geoffrey Holder, his son, Leo, composed and shared this letter about the end of his father's life. He also carried out advertising work as the pitchman for 7 Up. TV commercials for 7Up made a powerful impression on us in the 1970s and '80s in large part because of the pitchman: A handsome gentleman clad in an elegant white suit and hat, who spoke in stentorian tones infused with a Caribbean lilt. And there goes another part of my childhood – Geoffrey Holder… The all-black cast also included Geoff Searle as Vladimir, Rex Ingram as Pozzo and Mantan Moreland as Estragon. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), https://archive.org/download/retroist-laser-disc-podcast/retroist-laser-disc-podcast.mp3. Tuesday Oct 7, 2014 at 12:01 AM Oct 7, 2014 at 2:07 PM. The cast included Pearl Bailey and Alvin Ailey, and the show was directed by Peter Brook. The campaign was a wild success. These commercials were all over TV back in the day and were both enjoyable and effective. Because more people wanted to drink Coke and Pepsi. Geoffrey Holder, Bond villain and 7-Up spokesman, is dead at 84. He was a principal dancer for the Metropolitan Opera Ballet before his film career began in 1957 with an appearance in Carib Gold. Dancer, choreographer and actor Geoffrey Holder was born on August 1, 1930, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, into a middle-class family. Geoffrey Holder and 7 UP Throughout the seventies and eighties, we were driven to the lemon lime sweetness by the even sweeter voice of one person, Geoffrey Holder. The show only lasted six performances, but it established Holder as an actor, and he made his film debut four years later in All Night Long (1962), a modern gloss on William Shakespeare's "Othello". A year later, he played the role of Baron Samedi in the James Bond film Live and Let Die (1973). I had initially intended this post for August 1, the birthday of Geoffrey Holder (1930-2014). MOST POPULAR. Holder is probably best known for his role as the charismatic spokesperson for … Dancer, choreographer and actor Geoffrey Holder was born on August 1, 1930, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, into a middle-class family. VIDEOS GALLERIES. Dancer, choreographer and actor Geoffrey Holder was born on August 1, 1930, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, into a middle-class family. Jon C. Hopwood, Other Works During the 70's, 7Up had a successful ad campaign with Tony Award winning director and actor Geoffrey Holder. Holder was not only a great soda spokesperson, but a talented actor and artist. Holder’s deep accented voice could stop you in your tracks and his natural charisma worked perfectly in short commercials. Seven up changes spokespeople strategy. Geoffrey Holder as the un-cola man Never put it together that he was Punjab in Annie. Throughout the seventies and eighties, we were driven to the lemon lime sweetness by the even sweeter voice of one person, Geoffrey Holder. Passed away within 1 1/2 months after two other actors who also played 007 Villian henchmen: IIRC, Holder also did ads for Star Market in the Boston area in the 70s, imploring viewers to "eat their vegetables", ending with his trademark laugh. Even if I had no use for the product or didn’t even like it, if it had a decent catchphrase, odds are you could find me parroting it to no end. Created a 30 ft mural for the Trinidad Hilton Hotel and exhibited at New York's Sindin Gallery on Broadway. A Fun Waste Of Champagne. In the 80's, Geoffrey Holder of "Live and Let Die" fame made a bunch of 7up commercials. Everyone wants to put a label on it, but I am a free spirit, so I fight against that. Outside of being a long term beverage spokesperson, Holder was an award-winning choreographer and actor. He portrayed the henchmanBaron Samedi in Live and Let Die. 7-Up was selling much less than the leading cola brands, Coke and Pepsi. He was a principal dancer for the Metropolitan Opera Ballet before his film career began in 1957 with an appearance in Carib Gold. Geoffrey Holder goes (7-) Up to pitchman heaven at 84 . Official Sites. Guess what he looks like now! Other acting credits in the 1970s and 1980s include Punjab in Annie (1982) and several Clio award-winning commercials for 7-up. One of four children, he was taught painting and dancing by his older brother Boscoe Holder, whose dance troupe, the Holder Dance Company. - IMDb Mini Biography By: He also carried out advertising work as the pitchman for 7 Up. Geoffrey Lamont Holder (August 1, 1930 – October 5, 2014) was a Trinidadian-American actor, dancer, musician, and artist. Why? As a choreographer he has created dance pieces for many companies, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.Holder has written two books, one on folklore and one on Caribbean cuisine. Both as a well-respected painter and actor. He once harassed Roger Moore as a voodoo villain in the 1973 James Bond film "Live … KYOT became successful. You can't blame the school for not putting into your child what you don't put into him. One of four children, he was taught painting and dancing by his older brother Boscoe Holder, whose dance troupe, the Holder Dance Company, the young Geoffrey joined when he was seven years old. Port of Spain, Trinidad, British West Indies [now Trinidad and Tobago], View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Geoffrey Holder died on Sunday from pneumonia at the age of 84. He picked up a Tony Award for both efforts, becoming the first Black man to win in those categories. Education begins at home. The Fresh Up Family Drink (1952) Fresh up with 7 Up (1957) Nothing does it like 7 Up! Geoffrey Holder, Actor: Annie. In 1975, won two Tony Awards for "The Wiz": as Best Director (Musical) and Best Costume Designer. I wonder how the caffeine cola crazy of the 90s affected 7up. Throughout the 70s and early 80s, 7-Up commercials featured actor Geoffrey Holder espousing the pleasures of drinking the product, noting it's refreshing, crisp taste as opposed to the supposed sludge of cola drinks. Most famously narrating Tim Burton’s version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005. Holder was not only a great soda spokesperson, but a talented actor and artist. Geoffrey Holder dies at 84; Tony-winning director and 7-Up pitchman Actor Geoffrey Holder poses for a portrait in New York in 1980. Geoffrey Lamont Holder (August 1, 1930 – October 5, 2014) was a Trinidadian-American actor, dancer, choreographer, singer, director, costume designer, voice actor and painter. As the eighties came to an end, so did Holder’s relationship with the beverage. In 1973, he played the villainous Baron Samedi in the Bond film Live and Let Die. |  This was a reference to his television commercial for 7-Up, which ended with the same words. 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