Palance, Jack (1919-2006), was a gaunt American movie actor best known for his roles as sinister villains in gangster movies and Westerns. He also starred in many films made outside the United States, especially in Italy. Palance won the 1991 Academy Award as best supporting actor for his performance in City Slickers.
Palance was born in Lattimer, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 18, 1919. His real name was Walter Jack Palahnuik. He performed on the stage for several years before making his film debut as a gangster infected with bubonic plague in Panic in the Streets (1950). He gained fame as a gunfighter in the Western film Shane (1953). His other notable movies include Sudden Fear (1952), The Big Knife (1955), The Professionals (1966), Young Guns (1988), and Batman (1989).
Palance starred in two television series, “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1963-1964) and “Bronk” (1975-1976). In addition, he was the host of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” (1982-1986). Palance won an Emmy for his performance as an aging boxer in the television drama Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956). He died on Nov. 10, 2006.
