Jack Palance
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Jack Palance (born Vladimir Palanuik) (born February 18, 1919) is an American actor. He is best known as both the characters of Curly and Duke in the City Slickers movies.
Of Ukrainian descent, Palance was born in Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1991 for City Slickers.
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During World War II, Palance, a bomber pilot, crashed and received severe burns that led to extensive facial surgery, resulting in his gaunt, pinched face.
In the 1980s, Palance, along with his daughter Holly Palance, hosted the Ripley's Believe It or Not! television series.
There is an urban legend that Palance liked Marisa Tomei so much that in 1992 he announced her as an Oscar winner for her part in My Cousin Vinny while there actually was another name on his note. According to the legend, this mistake was considered too embarrassing to correct.
For his contribution to the television industry, Jack Palance has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6608 Hollywood Blvd. In 1992, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
He currently resides in Tehachapi, California in retirement.