Net Worth Ranker
What Is Jack Palance’s Net Worth
At the time of his death in 2006, Jack Palance, the multifaceted American actor, singer, and poet, had a net worth of approximately $10 million. This figure represents the culmination of a long and varied career that spanned several decades and encompassed numerous forms of entertainment, from Broadway to Hollywood, and even forays into music and literature. This impressive net worth reflected his talent, dedication, and enduring appeal to audiences worldwide.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Volodymyr Ivanovich Palahniuk, who later became known as Jack Palance, was born on February 18, 1919, in Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania. His parents, Anna Gramiak and Ivan Palahniuk, were Ukrainian immigrants. Before embarking on his acting career, Palance worked in coal mines and even pursued professional boxing under the name Jack Brazzo. He briefly attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a football scholarship, but he left due to his dissatisfaction with the commercialization of the sport. During World War II, Palance served in the U.S. Army Air Forces. After being honorably discharged in September 1945, he enrolled at Stanford University, although he didn’t complete his degree.
Palance’s first Broadway appearance was in “The Big Two” in 1947. Before landing his own roles, he understudied Marlon Brando in “A Streetcar Named Desire”.
Acting Career and Notable Roles
Jack Palance’s acting career was marked by a prolific output and a diverse range of roles. He accumulated over 125 acting credits throughout his career. In the early 1950s, he appeared in films such as “Panic in the Streets” (1950) and “Halls of Montezuma” (1951). He received Academy Award nominations for his performances in “Sudden Fear” (1952) and “Shane” (1953). He won a Primetime Emmy for his performance in “Requiem for a Heavyweight” episode of the “Playhouse 90” (1956).
During the 1960s, Palance starred in numerous films, including “Austerlitz” (1960), “The Barbarians” (1960), “Sword of the Conqueror” (1961), “Contempt” (1963), and “The Professionals” (1966). He also played Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde in the 1968 TV movie “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”.
In the 1970s, Palance appeared in films such as “God’s Gun” (1975), “Welcome to Blood City” (1977), and “Cocaine Cowboys” (1979). He also starred as Count Dracula in the 1974 TV movie “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and as Anderson ‘Devil Anse’ Hatfield in the 1975 TV movie “The Hatfields and the McCoys.” From 1975 to 1976, he starred in the CBS drama “Bronk,” playing the role of Lieutenant Alex ‘Bronk’ Bronkov.
The 1980s saw Palance in films such as “Without Warning” (1980), “Hawk the Slayer” (1980), “Alone in the Dark” (1982), “Young Guns” (1988), and “Tango & Cash” (1989), and he played a memorable role in Tim Burton’s “Batman” (1989). Hosting “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” from 1982 to 1986 also added to his visibility and income during this period.
His role as ‘Curly’ Washburn in the 1991 comedy “City Slickers” earned him an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Palance also starred in “City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold” (1994) and lent his voice to the animated film “The Swan Princess” (1994). He also appeared in the 1999 TV movie “Treasure Island,” and the 1998 TV movie “Ebenezer.” His final role was in the 2004 TV movie “Back When We Were Grownups.”
Awards, Nominations, and Other Ventures
Palance received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career, including three Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor, winning for “City Slickers” in 1992. He also won a Primetime Emmy for “Playhouse 90” in 1957 and a Golden Globe for “City Slickers” in 1992. He also won a Laurel Award for Top Character Performance for “Shane” in 1954, and in 1993, “Legends of the West” (which he hosted) earned a Western Heritage Award for Factual Narrative.
Beyond acting, Palance ventured into music, releasing the country music album “Palance” in 1969. He also published a book of poetry titled “The Forest of Love: A Love Story in Blank Verse” in 1996. These artistic pursuits likely contributed modestly to his overall income and net worth.
Real Estate and Personal Life
Palance owned a 150-acre property in Pennsylvania called Holly-Brooke Farm. In 2006, he sold the property and auctioned off over 3,000 items, including art, furniture, and musical instruments. In the 1950s, Jack bought a home in Beverly Hills for an undisclosed amount. The home has sold a number of times in the years since his passing.
Jack Palance was married twice. He married Virginia Baker on April 21, 1949, and they had three children, Holly, Cody, and Brooke. The couple divorced in June 1968. Cody Palance, Jack’s son, who co-starred in “Young Guns” and “God’s Gun,” died of malignant melanoma in 1988. Jack later hosted The Cody Palance Memorial Golf Classic in his honor. Palance married Elaine Rochelle Rogers on May 6, 1987, and they remained married until his death in 2006.
Late Life and Death
Jack Palance passed away on November 10, 2006, at the age of 87, due to natural causes. He was surrounded by family at his daughter Holly’s Montecito home. The net worth of $10 million at the time of his death was reflective of a long and successful career that spanned many different artistic avenues.
