Jack Palance is one of those actors who has been around for so long and has been seen in so many varied projects, that when he dies, every type of entertainment publication feels compelled to run his obituary.Palance died today of natural causes in his California home. He was 87. Palance is probably best known for his long career playing tough-guy roles in movies like Shane and City Slickers (for which he won an Oscar and did those one-handed pushups at the ceremony). On TV, played the lead role on Playhouse 90's landmark 1957 production of Requiem for a Heavyweight, which won a Peabody award. But younger TV fans will likely remember him as the host of the show Ripley's Believe It or Not, which ran from 1982-1986 on ABC.
God, was it creepy when he ended one of those segments about someone with two noses or some other equally freaky subject by slowly saying in his calm, low tone, "Believe it... (inhale) or not." Gave the teenaged me the willies. But I tuned in each and every week. Gonna miss the guy.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-10-2006 @ 8:22PM
Jay said...
There is no better on screen moment than the
inter-play between Jack Palance and Alan
Ladd in the movie Shane. The moments leading
up the brief gunfight are what movies are
all about. I've seen that movie 20 times and
I am always on the edge of my seat when I
know they are gonna shoot it out.
Jack Palance's character was just what that
movie needed. He was like the shark in "Jaws".
He was like "Darth Vader." He was the evil
incarnate at that moment. HIS best moment.
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11-10-2006 @ 8:56PM
Dwacon said...
Sorry to hear of the loss of this great actor.
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11-10-2006 @ 9:35PM
Akbar Fazil said...
I will always remember him as the glowing hand bad guy in Buck Rogers.
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11-10-2006 @ 9:38PM
Lisa said...
A class act all the way.. always I will remember his one hand push ups at the Oscars years ago :)
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11-10-2006 @ 10:56PM
Ron Fitzgerald said...
I remember when Jack was asked by Jerry Lewis to portray Mr.Muscular Distrophy. Jack didn't want to do it,but Jerry convinced him it was for the good of the "KIDS". Man was he scary!when he said " Don't donate to this program or MS and maybe someday soon I'll come visit you or maybe...a memeber of your family! God! what a moment!!!
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11-10-2006 @ 10:51PM
JOHN said...
A TRULY GREAT CLASSIC ACTOR.
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11-10-2006 @ 11:25PM
Jan said...
Jack Palance was such a memorable person from one project to the next. I will never forget his most distinct voice. I loved watching Believe It Or Not and he was what made City Slickers. God Bless and may you rest in peace. My condolences to his family and many many friends on his passing.
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11-11-2006 @ 12:03AM
Carl David Pflanzer said...
I was crushed to hear of Jack Palance's unexpected death. My heart goes out to his family and they are in my prayers...we have lost a great actor and his unforgetable characters that he played over many decades of his acting career. I remember when he won an Oscar for "City Slickers" Mr. Palance mentioned at that time that he waited 42 years to get an Academy Awards. He sure had paid his dues. I'll miss his one hand pushup that he did at the Oscars several years back. God bless Jack Palance!!!!
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11-11-2006 @ 12:41AM
erroneous_nick said...
Joel, you're absolutely right about his voicing the end of the Ripley's Believe It Or Not series. Jack Palance could say things and make them sound so sinister, so creepy, I think he could actually scare someone to death with that voice.
I guess he had to go sometime, but damn I'll miss him.
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11-11-2006 @ 2:17AM
Dennis said...
It wasn't only his voice at the end of Ripley's Believe It Or Not, but that almost devilishly evil arched eyebrow and crooked smile that he gave with it. I always wished that he had made a taping of horror stories...I'm sure the goosebumps would never go down. But, yes, he was a fine screen presence and took over whatever scene he was in just by BEING in it even if he had nothing to do or say. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him either personally, or on the screen.
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11-18-2006 @ 10:46AM
janice said...
Does anybody know, did Jack Palance do a frangrance/after shave commercial?
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