They say only the good die young, but they must have not been thinking about Jack Palance. This great Academy award-winning actor died Friday, November 10th. Associate press records who his age as 85, however, his family gave his age as 87.
Either way, Jack lived a long, productive life. He played many roles in his 40 years in show business. While even he felt many of his movies were “garbage,” the audience always loved him. His debut film was 1950’s “Panic in the Streets” in which he played a murderer. He earned his first Academy Award nomination for the 1952 film “Sudden Fear” in which he stalked Joan Crawford. In 1953, he saw his second nomination for playing the swaggering gunslinger in the western “Shane.” It was this role as a bully that would set the pace for many of his roles to come – as that of a bad guy.
Born Volodymyr Palanyuk in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, Jack began a career as a professional boxer in the late 1930s. As Jack Brazzo, he saw 15 consecutive wins with 12 knockouts, but World War II put a stop to his boxing career. In the military, he was disfigured while climbing out of a burning B-24. The plastic surgery left him with his trademark chiseled gaunt looking face.
Jack received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame in 1992. A whole new generation came to know Jack when he portrayed Curly Washburn in “City Slickers.”
One of the greatest moments I remember of Jack was when he accepted his 1992 Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Even though he had to be close to 70 at the time, he dropped to the stage and started doing one-armed push-ups. I am only 43 and I cannot even do those now!
Read Michele’s blog about the auction at Jack’s Holly-Brooke Farm this past October.