But it was his next film, the iconic western "Shane," that gained him movie immortality. He played Jack Wilson, a laconic, sinister hired gun brought to a western frontier town to dispatch the virtuous title character, played by Alan Ladd. Though the character is on screen for only a short time, Mr. Palance's performance is what many people remember best about the film. Many still consider his portrayal the epitome of the ice-cold professional gunslinger. He won another Oscar nomination for his work.