Jack Palance was a terrible actor

For him, this was a neutral expression.

This had to have been over thirty years ago. There was an article, probably in TV Guide, rating child actors. The author had a very simple formula. Child actors are cute. They know, at least unconsciously, that adults react positively when they smile. So, as actors, when they don't know what to do, they smile. The less they smile, the better they are as actors.

At the time, Wesley from Mr Belvedere, never smiled at all and was the best actor. The worst was, maybe that kid on Tony Danza's show that I never watched. I don't remember. 

But what about adults?

I'm sitting here with an old Israeli-made western on TV. Jack Palance is the villain. He smiles constantly. In every scene. Lief Garrett, who must have been twelve or thirteen, acts circles around him, smiling only when appropriate, which isn't very often.

As I write this, Lief walks into a place after stumbling through the desert. He might have gotten away with smiling when they give him water. But even then, he has the good sense to keep a straight face. 

There's Jack Palance again, giving some simple instructions to his henchmen. Nothing for him to be happy about. Nothing he needs to look evil for. But he's smiling.