Howard Johns > Quotes

“photographed at the Burroughs Wellcome building, where AZT, the first antiretroviral drug approved to treat patients with HIV, was developed.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“One day earlier, Holden’s Will was filed for probate. His total worth from film earnings and real estate investments was around $20 million – that’s more than $58 million in 2021. Holden left $250,000 to Powers and the bulk of his estate to his ex-wife and two sons. He also bequeathed $50,000 to his ex-girlfriend Capucine, and the same amount to Pat Stauffer.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Filming took place at Research Triangle Park, which was home to three major research universities. Important scenes between Christopher Walken, Natalie Wood, Louise Fletcher and Cliff Robertson were photographed at the Burroughs Wellcome building, where AZT, the first antiretroviral drug approved to treat patients with HIV, was developed.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“There is an old Arabian saying,” mentioned Khashoggi. “Every sun has to set.” At Holden’s invitation, the Saudi billionaire and his family spent the 1977 New Year’s holiday at the club, which he purchased the next year. After Khashoggi bought the club, he invited Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Hollywood teenage star Brooke Shields to visit him. Clearly, some of Holden’s influence had rubbed off on him.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Much of that hostility, which emanated from the entertainment industry, was racially motivated. There were many Americans, then and later, that resented Japanese people, such as Noguchi, who occupied positions of authority. “I am a coroner,” he said. “It is a noble profession.” Like a mortician, who embalms dead bodies, Noguchi was proud of his job. “I consider myself an artist.” Despite ongoing criticism, Noguchi was totally dedicated to his work. He believed in the public’s right to know the truth and for telling it like it is – not as someone might have imagined it.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“In 1973, the Kenyan government banned elephant hunting and the club fell on hard times. Holden brought in two minority partners, Don Hunt and Julian McKeand. Together they created the Mount Kenya Game Ranch with captive breeding programs for thirty-seven African species, and an orphanage for rescued animals. There were fifty types of exotic birds, including sacred ibises, marabou storks, peacocks and Egyptian geese. One of the rarest species at the game ranch was the East African Bongo – a critically endangered red and white-striped antelope, which became the ranch’s mascot. Holden showed Powers the club’s first-class amenities. They visited the Arabian horse stables, and walked down a garden path to the guest cottages, dubbed Millionaire’s Row.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“The concept was perfectly suited for Wagner’s cool image as a self-made adventurer and gave Powers the chance to portray a flirtatious writer with a superior mind and a gorgeous body.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“HOLLYWOOD CAN NEVER BE ACCUSED of originality. If a movie is successful at the box office, it will be cloned in the form of sequels, remakes, even unauthorized rip-offs. When a producer, writer or director commits plagiarism it is affectionately called homage.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Hollywood and espionage are both immoral businesses – a volatile combination which is hardly conducive to a normal person’s psychological wellbeing. Holden knew his life would have been far less complicated if he had taken his father’s advice and become an industrialist chemist. But that realization came too late. Stefanie Powers recently confirmed that Holden was definitely involved in undercover surveillance. “The CIA asked him that if he came across any interesting observations to contact them,” she said. However, it is unlikely that the details of his covert activities will be revealed any time soon. Holden’s CIA file is subject to the agency’s “sources and methods” protections and its contents are classified.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Police quickly arrested the shooter, who was identified as John Hinckley Jr., a 25-years-old university dropout. He was obsessed with the actress Jodie Foster in the movie Taxi Driver, which had motivated him to kill the President. Luckily, his efforts failed.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Carl Hirschmann – Holden’s investment partner in the Mount Kenya Safari Club – was more than a Swiss banker as he was described in social registers. His diversified portfolio included machine tools, hotel industry, tourism, transportation, agriculture and real estate.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“That afternoon, Noguchi announced his verdict in the tragic demise of America’s much beloved star, whose inspiring performances had been enjoyed by millions of moviegoers. The next morning, newspapers printed the sensational headline: HOLDEN BLED TO DEATH AFTER A DRUNKEN FALL – and all hell broke loose. People were outraged, not that Holden had been drinking, but that Noguchi felt compelled to tell everybody about it. The sense of rage was compounded by the revelation of personal details about Holden that his family and friends believed should have been kept private. Noguchi disagreed.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“The Safari Club’s secret alliance achieved successful military intervention in Zaire in response to two invasions from Angola, and provided weapons to Somalia during the Ethiopian conflict. An estimated twenty percent of the international arms sales to non-Communist countries were negotiated by Khashoggi, who amassed a fortune from brokering billion-dollar defense deals. Khashoggi had close ties with the Central Intelligence Agency, whose associate deputy director Theodore Shackley was in charge of spy missions in Germany, Laos and Vietnam – countries where Holden had also traveled.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Despite ongoing criticism, Noguchi was totally dedicated to his work. He believed in the public’s right to know the truth and for telling it like it is – not as someone might have imagined it.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Prior to his military service, Holden studied chemistry at Pasadena Junior College. He worked with his father, William Beedle, a chemical analyst, who was head of George W. Gooch Laboratories in Los Angeles. In the summertime, Holden made deliveries and picked up supplies on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Holden’s knowledge of chemistry proved useful when he moved to Switzerland at the height of the Cold War in 1959. Although the Swiss government observed strict neutrality, they favored the West in economic, political and cultural matters.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“It was rumored that some of the guests who frequented the Mount Kenya Safari Club were more dangerous than the wild animals.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“After the couple kissed and made up, they were all smiles again. But Wagner was left with a nagging feeling of inadequacy; especially after his wife’s sensational performance earned rave reviews, sparking rumors of Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“The same day that Reagan gave his inaugural address, the Iranian government released the American hostages that had been held captive in Tehran for a total of 444 days. The group were flown to Algiers and returned to the United States, where they were given a hero’s welcome.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“RONALD REAGAN WAS ELECTED THE 40th president of the United States in a landslide victory on November 4, 1980. He received the highest number of votes ever won by a non-incumbent presidential candidate. William Holden was thrilled for Reagan, whose victory represented the pinnacle of his longtime devotion to public service. They first became pals while serving in the US Army Air Force, where Reagan was promoted to the rank of Captain.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Conspiracy theorists thought Holden was murdered, citing his CIA connections and the “locked-room” theory, while movie fans the world over were shocked and amazed that a man with his fame and wealth had died in such a horrific manner.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“When Holden learned about Ryan’s dilemma, he was deeply perturbed. “You can’t let the Mob push you around,” Holden told him. “They’ll destroy you.” “It’s my own fault,” admitted Ryan. “I should never have got involved with them.” “Damn it, you need to go to the police,” said Holden. Ryan reported the extortion attempt to the FBI, saying he refused to be shaken down by a bunch of crooks. Ryan’s only option, the Bureau informed him, was to press charges in federal court. The FBI gave Ryan round-the-clock protection, and he hired an armed bodyguard who followed him everywhere. Nothing deterred him, not even warnings from Johnny Roselli and Sam Giancana that, if he persisted in his court action, they would alert the IRS to go after him. During the ensuing trial, Ryan testified that he believed he was the victim of a setup. He had been the object of shakedowns in the past, Ryan told the court, but he had never paid anyone a penny. The judge believed him. Caifano received a ten year sentence and Delmonico got five years. The two men went to prison in 1966.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Klassman realized that Holden had a love-hate relationship with his public fame that carried over to his private life. He was so bothered by the constant recognition that it made him fearful. For Holden, stardom wasn’t a blessing, it was a curse. Back at the house, Holden confided to Klassman that he owned a gun and showed him a Colt snub-nose revolver that he kept in a shoulder holster. He often carried the concealed weapon in public. He was becoming more paranoid and felt increasingly guilty about the way he had treated his wife and family.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“But, in his heart, Holden knew he could not go to the ceremony for fear of embarrassing the President-elect and other VIPs because he was unable to abstain from drinking. So he graciously declined.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Apparently, the man had come to Peking with the intention of killing a foreigner. Ten days later, he was tried and executed for his crime. Talmadge recovered from his injuries and left the hospital after one week.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“The Mount Kenya Safari Club was a popular meeting place for representatives from Saudi Arabia and other members of OPEC, whom Holden greeted like long lost friends. How many times had those guests inadvertently revealed secrets to Holden that he traded with the West? His involvement as a potential spy obviously weighed heavily on his conscience.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“That night, they were drinking at the bar with the big game hunter and novelist Robert Ruark, whose recent book about the Mau Mau uprising, titled Something of Value, was an international bestseller. In high spirits, Holden proposed buying the outmoded hotel, which was listed for sale. “Put up or shut up,” said Ruark. “Well, that did it for me,” Holden told Stefanie Powers, as their car bounced along the dusty road. “If I was sober I would not have bought the hotel,” he yelled over the noise of the car’s engine. “But I’m glad I did.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“As Powers shortly learned, one of Holden’s high-ranking friends was Malcolm MacDonald, the last British Governor of Kenya, which he helped to gain independence in 1963. Previously, MacDonald was the High Commissioner of India, and, prior to that, the Commissioner-General for Southeast Asia, where Holden spent much of his time. The likelihood that the movie star might have been a CIA informant was a distinct possibility – if not an absolute certainty. Whatever the answer, he never confided the truth to Powers.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Asked how it felt to be reunited with Wagner after so many years apart, Wood was revealingly honest. “Well, hopefully, we are more mature now and more solid in terms of what we want out of life. We appreciate the good times more now, having lived through some rough times,” she said in a breathless voice.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“In 1968, Shackley moved to Saigon as station chief, the CIA’s top field post during the war in Southeast Asia.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal

“Like the club’s third investor Ray Ryan, who had met Holden through game hunting, Hirschmann was a wily entrepreneur with a Saint Bernard’s nose for sniffing out profitable business opportunities. It was not coincidence that their paths converged; it was causal, meaning that the three men initiated a specific plan of action, which had deliberate consequences. Like all success stories, the club’s efforts to recruit affluent members from around the world were the result of expert planning and timing.”
― Howard Johns, Drowning Sorrows: A True Story of Love, Passion and Betrayal