Actor Harry Dean Stanton had ‘it’

This is probably a good time to remind one another, especially young and aspiring actors, actresses and artists, that surviving in Hollywood for nearly a century is miraculous.

Great character actors like Harry Dean Stanton have got to have that something special; in other words, they have “it.” They are born actors and later they may polish themselves by acquiring formal acting skills, but first they have to have that certain charm.

Hollywood is no easy town and the movie business is, first and foremost, a very ruthless business. For Stanton to get juicy parts over and over for seven decades says that he knew himself well as an actor and as a person, that he was reliable and also that he made important friends easily. Unfortunately, it may also mean he was underutilized as an actor. I predict that his star will continue to rise and rise. Let’s hope so.

This story was originally published September 22, 2017 at 6:15 PM with the headline "Actor Harry Dean Stanton had ‘it’."