He was born on May 24, 1925, in Montreal, Quebec, and was the son of Udel Blank and Molly Zinman.
He attended college at McGill University and was admitted to the Bar of Quebec in 1950.
Even though the Liberal vote was divided between his supporters and those of incumbent Dave Rochon, he narrowly won the election.
Blank refused to retire from politics and ran as an Independent candidate.
He received 20% of the vote and finished third behind Chagnon, who won the election, and the Parti Québécois candidate.