We've lost Jack Palance

[The Elderly Kid]

One of the great ones died today. Jack Palance has died at the age of 87. He is famed for his western roles such as Shane and The Professionals, but he did much other good work including Rod Serling's "Requium for a Heavyweight," one of the first made-for-television dramas and what I consider his greatest role, the beleagured lieutenant in Robert Aldrich's "Attack." He was raised in a Ukrainian coalmining community, born of immigrant parents (his birth name was Vladimir Palankuik), but it wasn't just his classic Slavic bone structure that gave him that memorable face. He earned it the hard way. Boxing reshaped his nose, and during WWII the bomber he was piloting crashed and he was badly burned. The burns and subsequent skin grafts gave him that famous smooth, immobile, lipless face, aided by the most menacingly quiet voice in cinema. Let's raise one to Jack Palance, a fine actor and one hell of a man.

[Be-A-triss Bandit]

A fine actor who didn't get the recognition he deserved.  I'll miss his wry sense of humor and that look.  A look of someone of great wisdom mildly amused at the antics of those around him.  He was one of my favorites since I was a kid.  And one who could be looked up to.

[Slone Stranger]

He was always fun to watch. Jack Palance, dead at 87. Believe it, or not!

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[Goatlips]

One of my favorites also.  He seemed to enjoy his role in "Bagdad Cafe", the opposite of Shane's "Prove it"...  . Thanks for the background Kid, and I'll raise one with you. 

Goatlips

[Be-A-triss Bandit]

I didn't want to say that 'cause I thought it might sound flip.  But I'm glad you did.  You made me think of him with his daughter Holly and I chuckled.  I loved that show.  Heck, I liked him in the spaghetti western "Holy Gun" he made with Lee Van Cleef in the '70s.

[fourfingersofdeath]

huh! City Folk!

[Texas Trail Boss]

I always liked Mr. Palance in the old westerns.  I personally thought he was a fine actor.

[RattlesnakeJack]

huh! City Folk!

NOPE!  City Slickers!   (Don't forget Curly ....  )

Actually, my favorite of Jack Palance's many fine performances is from almost 40 years ago (1968 release date) in the title role in a Canadian-produced, made-for-televison version of Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde".  The Hyde side of his character wasn't achieved mainly via the usual "easy" approach of heavy makeup and such to turn him into a sub-human monster, physically.  Although there were certainly makeup differences between the two characters, the swing from gentle and gentlemanly man to vicious and evil brute was accomplished almost entirely through the actor's own efforts and ability.  Most reviews I've seen rate is as the best film version ever made of this classic tale.

An amazing performance - if you ever get the chance to see it, I most highly recommend it!  It is available on video, by the way, at least in DVD format, though the VHS version seems to be hard to come by ...

http://www.amazon.ca/Strange-Case-Jekyll-Michael-Lindsay-Hogg/dp/B000060MVE/ref=imdbpov_dvd_0/701-5802730-0612343

[litl rooster]

 One of my all time favorites

[Silver Creek Slim]

He sure was a good one. He will be missed.

Here is his page on IMDB. http://imdb.com/name/nm0001588/

Slim

[Silent Joe]

The first time I've seen Jack Palance was in the movie "City Slickers" as Curly. For me he was "The Cowboy".  I'll rais one to remember him.