Name: Jack Palance
Date of Birth: 18 February 1919 Former father-in-law of Roger Spottiswoode. Father-in-law of Michael Wilding Jr.. American actor of Ukrainian ancestry. Father of Brooke Palance, Holly Palance and Cody Palance. Never watched any of his own movies. According to a website honoring movie celebrities that flew in B-24s, Palance burned his face severely while bailing out of a B-24 which was on fire during a training flight in Tucson in 1942 (that would probably have been the Davis-Monthan Army Air Corps base at that time) and after several surgeries was discharged in 1944. He is described as a "pilot in training". ... Attended the University of North Carolina. Spoke six languages: Ukrainian, Russian, Italian, Spanish, French and English. Once fell asleep in his square during a taping of "The Hollywood Squares" (1965). His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is in front of the display window of Fredericks of Hollywood, a seller of intimate apparel. Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1992. Graduate of Stanford University in 1949 with an AB in Drama. During the early phases of pre-production for The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), 20th Century-Fox studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck suggested Palance for the role of the robot Gort. The role was eventually filled by a much taller non-actor. During his struggling days, he worked as a short order cook, waiter, soda jerk, lifeguard at Jones Beach, and a photographer's model. While an understudy to Marlon Brando in the Broadway production of "A Streetcar Named Desire," Brando, who was into athletics, rigged up a punching bag in the theater's boiler room and invited Jack to work out with him. One night, Jack threw a hard punch that missed the bag and landed square on Brando's nose. The star had to be hospitalized and understudy Palance created his own big break by going on for Brando. Jack's reviews as Stanley Kowalski helped get him a 20th Century-Fox contract. Son of a coal miner. Was forced to decline the role of Gen. Chang in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) due to scheduling conflicts over his work on City Slickers (1991). He went on to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for City Slickers (1991). Christopher Plummer was eventually cast as Chang. Was infamous in Hollywood for his Method-style acting, in a time when Marlon Brando was one of its few practitioners. Once, while filming a fight scene with Burt Lancaster, Palance actually punched the unsuspecting Lancaster in the face. Tough guy Lancaster responded by socking Palance in the gut, causing him to vomit. Despite all of his film work, Palance will forever be remembered for turning an Oscar acceptance speech into an uproarious display of his physical agility. While accepting his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for City Slickers (1991) at the 64th Annual Academy Awards (1992) he commented on the casting directors thinking they can make a younger guy look older, while they wouldn't know that an old guy did this at nights: he then flopped down on the floor and began doing a series of one-handed push-ups, stood up, spoke calmly further, even adding a slightly risqu? joke. Afterwards when he was asked about the stunt he simply said, "I didn't know what the hell else to do". A year later when he provided the voice of Rothbart in the The Swan Princess (1994), his character is featured doing one-handed push-ups. Was an avid painter and poet. Brother of Ivan Palance, John Palance and Anne Palance. Studied acting with Michael Chekhov in Hollywood. Grandfather of Lily, Spencer and Tarquin. Was a vegetarian but maintained a 1000-acre cattle ranch in California's Tehachapi Mountains and a 500-acre farm in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. His ranch brand was an "H" with a "B" and a "C" woven around it, the initials of the first names of his children, Holly, Brooke and Cody. Father of Cody Palance (b. Dec. 1955, d. Jul. 15, 1998), with whom he starred in the film Young Guns (1988). Shortly before his death in 2006, he put his farm house near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and its contents up for sale. Thousands of items were auction off and more than $700,000 was raised. On a nationally televised talk show, Palance addressed the oft repeated story about how he supposedly had such damage done to his face that plastic surgery gave him the face we all know. He said, "I know I'm no beauty, but these are the Estonian features I was born with.". Was Stephen King's choice of preference for the (similarly named, coincidentally or not) role of Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980). Turned down Telly Savalas's role in The Dirty Dozen (1967) because he believed the film had too much unnecessary violence. Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Actors Branch). Was offered the role of Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). Received a special tribute as part of the Annual Memorial tribute at The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) (TV). Desperately wanted the role of Shaleen of the film Cat Ballou (1965) but was never offered it. The comic book villain, Phil Defer (Phil Wire in the English version) - from Lucky Luke contre Phil Defer (1956) - is based on Palance's famous evil gunslinger, Jack Wison from _Shane(1953)_. Director Elia Kazan promised to cast him as Marlon Brando's brother in Viva Zapata! (1952), but then changed his mind and cast Anthony Quinn instead. Quinn won a Best Supporting Oscar for the film and Palance never spoke to Kazan again. Read more Jack Palance movies (actor)User Comments |
