R.I.P. Harry Dean Stanton

I've read that he had quite a life. To me, he'll always be Molly Ringwald's dad in Pretty in Pink.

My good friend Bernadett and I once had the pleasure of sitting with Harry Dean Stanton at a bar in LA. We told him we were both actresses, and he talked with us about acting and sang the song, "Oh, Danny Boy" to us. Bernadett is a singer, and she told him that his rendition had a haunting beauty she had never heard before with that song. It was one of my fondest memories of living in LA.

He has had so many great roles in mainstream movies and lesser known indie films. It is remarkable how many people have given their final performances in Twin Peaks.

Last year, Blondie guitarist Chris Stein posted a photo on the band's Facebook page of Stanton dancing with Debbie Harry. The fans (myself included) squeed in delight because one of her solo songs I Want That Man opens with the lyric "I wanna dance with Harry Dean/drive through Texas in a black limousine/I want a piece of heaven before I die." He posted the photo again earlier today in tribute.

"Jonesy."

He plays James Franco's stepfather in Sonny, the first and only movie directed by Nicholas Cage. I really enjoyed the acting in it. It also stars Brenda Blethyn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr2yb3Vzc1k

I also love this little seen indie film Twister, 1989:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hulpgpi80e4