R.I.P. Jack Palance

We've lost another great one - Jack Palance, a wonderful actor and lovable bad boy of the screen and stage, died Friday night. If you take a look at his filmography, it's mind-blowing.

One thing that upsets me is that he was never given a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Motion Pictures. I understand that giving one to someone like Dustin Hoffman is a great idea - Hoffman is one of the best actors of the last four decades - however, he's still young, he's still a pup. They should give older actors like Palance an award for all that they have contributed - because odds are they won't be around as long.


Although an actor that has been around for ages and has starred in films like Shane and Panic in the Streets (directed by Elia Kazan), he became endeared to a whole new generation when he won an Oscar for City Slickers.
Palance was simple in his work - as opposed to over-the-top - and he used himself and created characters that were so memorable and believable. He didn't buy into all the hollywood bullshit - he just did his thing and he did it with class.


Apparently, I met him when I was nearly four. My mother was guest-starring on the TV series Bronk (see the first picture, above) and she brought me onto the set. He picked me up and whirled me around. She says that he was a kind, sweet gentleman who was an amazing actor and whom she has a great deal of respect for.

He will be missed. I hope he's acting, boxing and doing one-handed pushups up yonder.