Origins & Early Life

Walter Jack Palance ( PAL-əns; born Volodymyr Palahniuk; February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his masculine portrayals of men in neo-noirs, crime dramas and westerns. He acted on stage and screen earning an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Born in Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania, the son of Ukrainian immigrants, Palance served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He attended Stanford University before pursuing a career in the theater, winning a Theatre World Award in 1951. He made his film acting debut in Elia Kazan's Panic in the Streets (1950). He was nominated for three Academy Awards, all for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for his roles in Sudden Fear (1952) and Shane (1953), and winning almost 40 years later for City Slickers (1991). Beginning in the late 1950s, he would work extensively in Europe, notably in a memorable turn as a charismatic-but-corrupting Hollywood mogul in Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt (1963).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Palance is also known for his roles in The Big Knife (1955), Attack (1956), Barabbas (1961), The Professionals (1966...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Akashi Motojiro — Contemporary (Died in 1919) (1919): General in the Imperial Japanese Army and Governor-General of Taiwan.
• Andrew Carnegie — Contemporary (Died in 1919) (1919): Scottish-American industrialist who pioneered the American steel industry and became a major philanthropist.
• Beate Uhse-Rotermund — Contemporary (Born in 1919) (1919): Pioneering German pilot and influential founder of the modern sex shop industry.
• Aaron Spelling — Contemporary (Died in 2006) (2006): Pioneering American producer of hit TV series like Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210.
• Alfredo Stroessner — Contemporary (Died in 2006) (2006): Paraguayan military dictator who ruled from 1954 to 1989, known for repression.
• Anthony Franciosa — Contemporary (Died in 2006) (2006): Versatile American actor known for stage breakthroughs and film success.
• Alessandro Volta — Shared historical date (02-18 · Born) (1745): Pioneering Italian physicist, credited with the electric battery and electrochemistry.
• Barbara Gittings — Shared historical date (02-18 · Died) (2007): Pioneering LGBTQ activist and librarian who fought for visibility and rights.
• Armand Duplantis — Shared historical date (11-10 · Born) (1999): Pole vaulter achieving multiple world records and Olympic glory.
• Arthur Rimbaud — Shared historical date (11-10 · Died) (1891): Transgressive French poet whose work profoundly influenced modern literature and surrealism.
• 1919 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1919
• February 18 (02-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 18
• 2006 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2006
• November 10 (11-10) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 10