Legendary character actor Harry Dean Stanton passes away at the age of 91

Image from CNN

By Darian Scalamoni

            It fills us with a heavy heart here at Cinema Wave to report that legendary character actor, Harry Dean Stanton passed away last night. He was 91 years old.

            Harry Dean Stanton has been acting for decades with his last performance being a spectacular one in the indie film, Lucky which was just released a few weeks ago but had been acting since the late 1950s. Stanton appeared on television at the beginning of his career appearing in classic shows such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Andy Griffith Show and Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, just to name a few.

            It was the 70s, however, where Stanton began to get more steady film work appearing in Kelly’s Heroes and Two-Lane Blacktop. At the end of the decade though, Stanton received his most recognizable role as Brett in Ridley Scott’s Alien. After the success of that film, Stanton found himself in tons of roles throughout the 1980s including Escape from New York, Repo Man, Red Dawn, The Last Temptation of Christ, Pretty in Pink and Paris, Texas.

            As time went along, many had Stanton pegged as one of the greatest character actors of all time. Not only because of stoic presence on screen but his longevity as a talent. He later had roles in The Green Mile, The Pledge, Alpha Dog, Rango, The Avengers and the TV series, Big Love and Twin Peaks.

            Harry Dean Stanton was one of the most respected actors in the world and he will truly be missed for his talents and ability to have eyes glued on the screen whenever he would grace us with his presence. Our thoughts go out to his family during this tragic time.