Jack Palance
Jack Palance – Jack Palance Photo Shoot – Palm Beach Polo & Country Club – Wellington, FL. – Keywords: Jack Palance – Exclusive – – Photo Credit: Jay Kravetz / PR Photos
Birth Name: Volodymyr Palahniuk
Date of Birth: February 18, 1919
Place of Birth: Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of Death: November 10, 2006
Place of Death: Montecito, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: Ukrainian, possibly some Polish
Jack Palance was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for City Slickers (1991).
He was the son of Anna/Fannie (Gramiak) and John/Ivan Palahnuik. His father was born in Ternopil’s’ka, Ukraine. His mother was born in L’viv, Ukraine, and may have had some Polish ancestry. He was said to be distantly related to author Chuck Palahniuk.
Jack was married to Elaine Rogers, until his death. He had three children with his former wife Virginia Baker.
Jack’s maternal grandfather was named Sanarko Gramiak.
Jack’s maternal grandmother was named Justina Buczynksi.
Sources: Jack Palance on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Jack Palance on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituaries of Jack’s parents – http://www.findagrave.com
@bablah
Rhutenian?
I don’t know. He was very vocal about being Ukrainian. But anything is possible.
Chuck Palahniuk is said to be related to him.
Yes. He stated: “Jack Palance was my distant uncle—that’s the family gossip. Growing up, my family knew everything about his face getting burned and scarred in the military and how that mutilation led him to become such a famous “heavy” in films. I prayed for good scars of my own. Not just acne scars.”
http://www.avclub.com/chuck-palahniuk-answers-your-questions-about-everything-1798211591
Jack’s parents, Ivan/Evan “John” Palahniuk and Anna “Fannie” Gramiak on 1930 and 1940 U.S. Census. Jack is called “Walter” on these records.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHQY-P9Z
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQD2-3M7
His father was John Palahnuik and his mother was Anna Gramiak (the daughter of Sanarko Gramiak and Justina Buczynksi).
I think both of Anna’s parents were of Polish ancestry.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=118077742