Harry Dean Stanton, Paris, Texas, and Big Love

TVC 703.1: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Joseph Atkins, author of Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood’s Zen Rebel, a deep dive into the life and times of the angular-faced character actor who became a leading man in the 1980s (most notably, with Paris, Texas and Repo Man). Topics this segment include how the success of Paris, Texas paved the way for Stanton’s singing career (even though his music background stemmed from his upbringing in Kentucky); the back story of how Stanton came to play Roman Grant in Big Love; how Sam Shepard was instrumental in director Wim Wenders casting Stanton in Paris, Texas; and how the word “Zen” came to be associated with Stanton. Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood’s Zen Rebel is available through University Press of Kentucky as well as Amazon.com.