Harry Dean Stanton, 'Godfather II' and 'Alien' actor, dead at 91

Harry Dean Stanton, a prolific actor with memorable roles in The Godfather: Part II, Alien, and Pretty in Pink, has died at age 91.

Stanton most recently starred as Carl Rodd in the 2017 mystery drama series Twin Peaks. He is also known for his television role as an evil polygamist patriarch in Big Love.

Stanton's film career spanned over six decades, and he has received acting credits in over 100 movies. Stanton began his career as a character actor in films including Escape from New York and Cool Hand Luke, working for years until he broke into a leading role in Paris, Texas in 1984.

In a review of the film, Roger Ebert said Stanton's performance creates "a sad poetry," coming from an actor who "has long inhabited the darker corners of American noir, with his lean face and hungry eyes."

Hollywood has started paying tribute to the actor on social media after hearing the news.

Stanton was born on July 14, 1926 in West Irvine, Kentucky. He served in the Navy during World War II as a cook on an ammunitions ship. Most notably, the actor was on board a Navy ship during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stanton was a talented singer and musician who played weekly gigs with his Tex-Mex band at The Mint in Los Angeles.

Stanton's final film Lucky is set to premiere in two weeks. The film's team released a statement on Twitter following Stanton's passing, saying they "had always hoped to celebrate this film and Harry's beautiful performance with Harry himself."

His agent said Stanton died Friday afternoon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of natural causes and that he is "survived by family and friends who loved him."