Whether you knew him as Brett from Alien, Brain from Escape from New York, Travis Henderson from Paris, Texas, or Carl Rodd from Twin Peaks, Harry Dean Stanton has been a beloved fixture of cinema for decades. Stanton is one of the reasons why they say, "They don't make them like that anymore." In fact, I don't think they ever made them like him, which is why it is with especially heavy hearts that we share the news of Harry's passing at the age of 91.
The news of Stanton's passing comes from multiple sources, with Variety reporting that the actor died of "natural causes" in Los Angeles on Friday.
Stanton was a tremendous character actor, but he was ultimately a unique character unto himself. He had a no B.S. approach to his roles that made you completely invest in his characters because he was completely invested in his characters. He dove into each iconic performance without batting an eye, making the cinematic world he inhabited all the more real for whatever project was lucky enough to have him.
In addition to being one of Ripley's crew members on the Nostromo in Ridley Scott's Alien, the detective in John Carpenter's Christine, and Molly Ringwald's dad in Pretty in Pink, Stanton recently reprised his role as trailer park owner Carl Rodd in Twin Peaks, giving the third season of the series some of its most poignantly emotional and genuinely funny moments. Watching Stanton play "Red River Valley" on his guitar will forever be a TV moment that I'll treasure, and it's only one of many magical moments that Stanton gave viewers in an acting career that began back in 1954.
Our thoughts are with Stanton's family and friends during this difficult time. It's not hyperbole to say that the world of cinema will truly never be the same without Stanton, but there's no doubt that his awe-inspiring screen presence will live on to inspire, educate, and just plain dazzle viewers for years to come. Actors and directors have been sharing their condolences about Stanton's passing online, and we've collected several of them below:
A statement from @DAVID_LYNCH on the passing of the great Harry Dean Stanton. #RIPHarryDeanStanton #TwinPeaks #Showtime pic.twitter.com/EmsO1zotsk
— Twin Peaks (@SHO_TwinPeaks) September 15, 2017
Harry Dean Stanton had the best line in CHRISTINE: "I'm selling' this shithole and buyin' a condo." Rest in peace, HD. You were great.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 15, 2017
Harry Dean Stanton was a wonderful man, kind and full of humor. He was also a great actor. Goodbye, Harry Dean. Rest in peace.
— John Carpenter (@TheHorrorMaster) September 15, 2017
RIP to the legendary Harry Dean Stanton. Impossible to cover his legacy in brief but here's a few favs: 'Alien', 'Paris Texas', 'Repo Man'. pic.twitter.com/tKglu0Bemv
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) September 15, 2017
Rip Harry Dean Staton. Some guys just make every movie they're in better. A classic character… https://t.co/Vx4wXOGxiS
— Rob Zombie (@RobZombie) September 16, 2017
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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