The early 20th century actor Jack Holt, who at one time had been a resident of Klamath County, was known for his Westerns. Movies were silent with musical accompaniment before sound movies arrived.
Holt acted in both silent and sound motion pictures, his films scanning the years 1914-1951. His dapper moustache and rugged looks helped him become Columbia Picture’s most reliable leading man. In 1930, he starred in a film called “Vengeance” about a young man who works in the Congo in West Africa and has a conflict with a difficult man.
Columbia Pictures was planning a world premiere of “Vengeance,” in Hollywood, when Granville MacPherson, owner of the new Vox Theater in Klamath Falls, learned that Holt had once lived in the Southern Oregon town.
MacPherson persuaded Columbia Pictures to hold the premiere of “Vengeance” in Klamath Falls, allowing the residents to see Holt’s latest production before it was released to the rest of the world.
It was the first time Columbia Pictures had held a world premiere outside of Hollywood.
Sources: "Jack Holt (actor)." Wikipedia., 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Holt_(actor); Rainey, Buck. The Strong, Silent Type: Over 100 Screen Cowboys, 1903-1930. Google, 2004, books.google.com/books?isbn=0786412860; Tomlinson, Anders. "1930-1939 Anders Tomlinson." Upper Klamath Basin Timeline, 2014, anderstomlinson.com/tule-lake/towns/history-timelines/1930-1939/.
