Roy Eugene Baker, a renowned American character actor, was born with a gaunt and emaciated appearance, often typecast as sinister and psychotic western gunslingers or henchmen. Initially billed as 'Roye Baker' in his film debut, he portrayed Lloyd Barker, a notorious member of Ma Barker's Killer Brood, the infamous Barker-Karpis Gang.
Despite hailing from Oklahoma, Holman's family relocated to southern California during the Great Depression. He attended Pierce Junior College in Woodland Hills and discovered his passion for acting through an acquaintance, initially performing in college and community theatre, as well as summer stock. Additionally, he worked for a Hollywood film editing company.
Throughout his career, spanning from 1960 to 1979, Holman made numerous guest appearances in TV westerns, consistently portraying vicious and snarky outlaws. His most notable credits include Gunsmoke, The Virginian, The Big Valley, Wagon Train, and Rawhide. Fans of Star Trek will remember him as Morgan Earp in the episode 'Spectre of the Gun' and as J'Onn, one of Sybok's disciples in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
Holman's forays into the science fiction genre include The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and Land of the Giants. In popular crime and espionage-themed series, he was often cast as callous or shifty characters with names like Tiger, Evil Face, Oregano, Snake, and Angel. Typically, his characters met a grizzly demise, usually succumbing to 'lead poisoning' by the end of the episode.
In his free time, Holman enjoyed playing the flamenco guitar and dancing. He eventually retired from acting in 1989, reportedly investing wisely in real estate.
