Following the war, Holt returned to films and went back to RKO. According to his biographer David Rothel, "No more was he the callow, youthful Cowboy with big, silly grin on his face. Now he exuded a steady, serious no-nonsense type of mature Cowboy who was less impulsive, more contemporary, and somewhat ‘world weary." Tom Stempel argues that "While Holt had lost his baby fat during the war, he still had a wonderful grin and cute dimples. He used the mixture of charm and seriousness very well."