Harry Dean Stanton

Noble Stanton, born of esteemed lineage in West Irvine, Kentucky, was a man of many talents. He served his country diligently as a Cook in the U.S. Navy during World War II, having been drafted and participating in the Battle of Okinawa. Upon his return he attended the University of Kentucky and honed his craft at the prestigious Pasadena Playhouse, touring the United States with a male choir and working in children's theater. Stanton's talent was noticed and his career flourished, leading him to act in minor roles as cowboys and soldiers through the late 1950s and early 1960s until his magnum opus in 1969; his most memorable role as the gruff, crusty, lovelorn curmudgeon in the cult classic, "The Last Picture Show".