Harry Dean Stanton got his start in show business in the 1950s, playing small, often uncredited parts in cheap westerns. By the mid-1970s, he had established himself as one of Hollywood’s finest character actors, someone who could be relied on to fill supporting roles or play opposite major stars (per The New York Times). Though he lacked the popularity to headline big-budget studio films, he elevated each and every picture he acted in, even when his screen time was limited to only a handful of scenes.
Across his six decades in Hollywood, Stanton served as a go-to casting choice for director David Lynch, and worked with many of the industry’s all-time great filmmakers, including Ridley Scott and John Carpenter. He continued acting until he passed away in 2017, at the age of 91. Stanton’s filmography — which includes over 100 roles — covers just about every genre imaginable, and shows him excelling at all of them. This list explores the veteran actor’s contribution to cinema by looking at seven of his best performances. Let’s get started.
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7 Escape from New York (1981)
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Escape from New York is a fun and frantic cult classic from master filmmaker John Carpenter. When the entire island of Manhattan is closed off and transformed into a maximum security prison, it becomes a crime-riddled dystopia where gangs of outlaws compete for territory and control. Stanton has a small but memorable role as Harold “Brain” Hellman, an engineering wizard who helps the film’s hero, “Snake” Plissken (played by Kurt Russell), save the President of the United States. You can think of Brain as a kind of gadget-wielding sidekick, one who blends technological ingenuity with comic relief; it’s a part that Stanton plays beautifully.
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6 The Straight Story (1999)
Buena Vista Pictures
In 1999, David Lynch released his heartwarming road movie The Straight Story. A more grounded and realistic work than one might expect from Lynch, it follows a man, Alvin Straight, on his journey from Iowa to Wisconsin atop a lawn mower. Harry Dean Stanton plays Alvin’s brother, Lyle, and his performance is incredibly moving. Though he doesn’t get much screen time, Stanton is the key to The Straight Story’s powerful conclusion, which shows the two Straight brothers reconciling after a ten-year-long quarrel.
5 Lucky (2017)
Magnolia Pictures
Lucky features Stanton in one of his final roles before his death in September 2017. Stanton — who was 90-years-old at the time of the film’s release — plays Lucky, an aging desert dweller struggling to come to terms with his mortality. Lucky drinks and smokes his way through routine days, finding meaning (or a lack of meaning) in rundown bars, cacti, and an old man’s search for his lost turtle. One gets the feeling that Stanton is playing a version of himself here, as he shares Lucky’s age and, perhaps, his outlook on life. But he’s wonderful in the part, which serves as a fitting end to his career as an actor.
4 Repo Man (1984)
Universal Pictures
Repo Man is yet another instance of Harry Dean Stanton starring in a cult classic. Here, he gets top billing as Bud, playing opposite Emilio Estevez. In this sleazy, satirical, punk-rock bender of a movie, Stanton is the glue holding its disparate parts together. His performance as the burnt-out repo man Bud is character acting at its best, with some of the greatest line deliveries of his career. Per Talk Film Society, he steals the show at “every conceivable moment.” Plus, thanks to its pairing of the veteran Stanton with a fresh-faced Emilio Estevez, the film maintains a dynamic energy throughout, reminiscent of earlier “buddy cop” flicks from the ’60s and ’70s.
3 Alien (1979)
20th Century Fox
Ridley Scott’s Alien is one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time, and Stanton plays one of its most iconic characters - Brett. With his famous patterned shirt and navy blue trucker cap, Brett has been a fan-favorite since the film’s release in 1979. Though disheveled in appearance and comically pessimistic, his engineering talents help keep the Nostromo spaceship running smoothly. Both before and after the titular alien finds its way onboard, Stanton’s skill as an actor shines through his every gesture, grunt, and line.
2 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me/The Return (1992, 2017)
Showtime Networks
As is typical of many of Stanton’s roles, his part in the Twin Peaks prequel film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, is small but unforgettable. He plays Carl Rodd, a no-nonsense trailer park manager who wants little more than to be left alone. After an FBI agent mysteriously disappears while searching the trailer park, Rodd must answer a follow-up investigator’s questions, and it seems like he knows more than he lets on. Stanton reprised the role some 25 years later in Twin Peaks: The Return, where he features in some of its finest scenes.
1 Paris, Texas (1984)
Despite having a long and successful career as an actor, it was generally rare for Stanton to be cast in leading roles. When he did, however, the results were always special. His performance as Travis Henderson in Paris, Texas is one such role. A road movie from German director Wim Wenders, Paris, Texas is a dreamy, lackadaisical love letter to America’s rural southwest. We follow Travis Henderson as he journeys across its desert landscapes, traveling from city to city on a quest to reclaim memories and reestablish bonds.
Stanton’s performance is phenomenal, as playing the main character affords him time and space to show the full breadth of his remarkable dramatic talents. Because the part is frequently light on dialogue, he expresses himself with his face and his eyes. If you want to see Stanton at his absolute best, look no further than Paris, Texas.
