Jack Palance
Jack Palance acted in many types of movies, though film noir fans will remember his striking presence in several of the genre.He was six feet four inches tall, but what really stood out was his starkly chiseled features combined with a smooth, soft voice. Always a great athlete, he actually was a successful professional boxer until World War II started and he joined the military. While training to fly a B-24 Liberator, he was in a bad accident, which disfigured his face. Luckily, this didn't stop him from going on to be a star, often playing menacing characters. The following are some of the film noir classics which Jack Palance was in:
Panic in the Streets (1950)
See him as Blackie, a plague infected killer.
"Panic in the Streets" on DVD Sudden Fear (1952)
Palance plays Lester Blaine, a man who romances Myra (Joan Crawford) in the creepiest way possible.
"Sudden Fear" on DVD Second Chance (1953)
Here he plays Cappy Gordon, a mobster who threatens to kill a prize witness unless she gives in to his seduction and joins him.
"Second Chance" on VHS The Big Knife (1955)
Here he's Charles Castle, a failing actor whose marriage is also tanking. Things go from bad to worse when a blackmailer comes after him.
"The Big Knife" on DVD I Died a Thousand Times (1955)
Palance plays Roy Earle, a vicious killer who goes all soft on a crippled (Shelley Winters). This is a remake of High Sierra (1941).
"I Died A Thousand Times" on DVD House of Numbers (1957)
In this one, he plays both Arnie Judlow and Bill Judlow. Arnie is imprisoned at San Quentin for murder. He plots an escape plan with his brother and wife, but the plan goes awry when his two helpers start falling for each other.
Find other old movie stars of film noir...
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