Boyce Holleman
Encyclopedia
Jesse Boyce Holleman was an American war veteran
, attorney, politician
, and actor
.
Boyce Holleman was born in Fruitland Park, MS, to a family that made their living in timber and construction. As a Naval Aviator
in World War II
, he was shot down while making a bomb run during the invasion of Saipan
and spent 14 months recovering from severe injuries. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander
and was awarded the Purple Heart
.
Holleman attended Perkinston Junior College, now Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
, at Perkinston, MS and the University of Mississippi
at Oxford, MS. After graduating from the University of Mississippi School of Law
in 1950, Holleman established his legal practice in Wiggins, MS and moved his family to Gulfport, MS in 1967.
Holleman was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives
in 1947, at the age of 23, and served until 1953 when he was appointed to the position of District Attorney
for the Mississippi Gulf Coast
. As District Attorney, Holleman survived an assassination attempt by the Dixie Mafia
. During his tenure as District Attorney, Holleman fought to overturn a crooked election, taking this battle all the way to the State Supreme Court
. He was re-elected five times as District Attorney, retiring in 1972, to return to the private practice of law. When reflecting on his life, Holleman said that he wanted to be remembered, first and foremost, as a lawyer.
Holleman served as Attorney for the Harrison County
Board of Supervisors and School District
for 18 and 15 years, respectively. In 1969 and 1970, he was elected President of the State bar association
in Mississippi. In 1995, he received the Outstanding Achievement in Law Award from the Mississippi State Bar Association. An autobiographical video, titled Trailblazers of the Mississippi Legal Frontier, was produced to document his legal career.
In 1975, Holleman began an acting career, which led him to perform on stage, in movies, and in television series. Holleman had a starring role in The Ponder Heart, a movie based on a book by Eudora Welty
and was an active member of the Screen Actors Guild
. In 1976, Holleman was interviewed about his distinguished legal career as part of the Mississippi Oral History
Program.
Holleman is buried in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Gulfport, Mississippi.
War Veteran
War Veteran is a science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick. It was first published in If magazine in March 1955.-Plot summary:The plot concerns an old man who claims to have travelled back in time from a future in which Earth has lost a devastating war to its own Martian and Venusian colonies...
, attorney, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Boyce Holleman was born in Fruitland Park, MS, to a family that made their living in timber and construction. As a Naval Aviator
Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was shot down while making a bomb run during the invasion of Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
and spent 14 months recovering from severe injuries. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
and was awarded the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
.
Holleman attended Perkinston Junior College, now Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College consists of four campuses and four centers: the main campus, located in Perkinston, Mississippi; the Jackson County Campus, in Gautier; the Jefferson Davis Campus, in Gulfport; the Community Campus, a non-traditional campus without walls; the George County...
, at Perkinston, MS and the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
at Oxford, MS. After graduating from the University of Mississippi School of Law
University of Mississippi School of Law
The University of Mississippi School of Law, also known as Ole Miss Law, is an ABA-accredited law school located on the campus of the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. The School of Law opened in 1854 and is the fourth-oldest state-supported law school in the country...
in 1950, Holleman established his legal practice in Wiggins, MS and moved his family to Gulfport, MS in 1967.
Holleman was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives
Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi....
in 1947, at the age of 23, and served until 1953 when he was appointed to the position of District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
for the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Mississippi Gulf Coast
The Mississippi Gulf Coast refers to the three Mississippi counties which lie on the Gulf of Mexico: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.The region was severely damaged by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and again by Hurricane Katrina in 2005....
. As District Attorney, Holleman survived an assassination attempt by the Dixie Mafia
Dixie Mafia
The Dixie Mafia is a criminal organization based in Biloxi, Mississippi, and operated primarily in the Southern United States, in the 1970s. The group uses each member's talents in various crime categories to help move stolen merchandise, illegal alcohol, and illegal drugs...
. During his tenure as District Attorney, Holleman fought to overturn a crooked election, taking this battle all the way to the State Supreme Court
State supreme court
In the United States, the state supreme court is the highest state court in the state court system ....
. He was re-elected five times as District Attorney, retiring in 1972, to return to the private practice of law. When reflecting on his life, Holleman said that he wanted to be remembered, first and foremost, as a lawyer.
Holleman served as Attorney for the Harrison County
Harrison County, Mississippi
-National protected areas:* De Soto National Forest * Gulf Islands National Seashore - Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 189,601 people, 71,538 households, and 48,574 families residing in the county. The population density was 326 people per square mile . There were 79,636 housing...
Board of Supervisors and School District
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
for 18 and 15 years, respectively. In 1969 and 1970, he was elected President of the State bar association
State bar association
A state bar association is a bar association that represents or seeks to represent all of the attorneys in a specific U.S. state. Membership in such an association may be voluntary or mandatory for practitioners in that state. State bar associations may be tasked with the administration of the...
in Mississippi. In 1995, he received the Outstanding Achievement in Law Award from the Mississippi State Bar Association. An autobiographical video, titled Trailblazers of the Mississippi Legal Frontier, was produced to document his legal career.
In 1975, Holleman began an acting career, which led him to perform on stage, in movies, and in television series. Holleman had a starring role in The Ponder Heart, a movie based on a book by Eudora Welty
Eudora Welty
Eudora Alice Welty was an American author of short stories and novels about the American South. Her novel The Optimist's Daughter won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973. Welty was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among numerous awards. She was the first living author to have her works published...
and was an active member of the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
. In 1976, Holleman was interviewed about his distinguished legal career as part of the Mississippi Oral History
Oral history
Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews...
Program.
Holleman is buried in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Gulfport, Mississippi.