Jack Nicholson

This article is about the American actor. For the footballer, seeJack Nicholson (footballer).

Jack Nicholson
Nicholson in 2001
Born	John Joseph Nicholson (1937-04-22)April 22, 1937 Neptune City, New Jersey,U.S.
Education	Manasquan High School
Occupations	Actor filmmaker
Years active	1955–2010
Works	Filmography
Spouse	Sandra Knight ​ ​ (m.1962;div.1968)​
Partners	Anjelica Huston(1973–1990) Rebecca Broussard(1989–1994) Lara Flynn Boyle(1999–2004)
Children	6, includingLorraineandRay
Awards	Full list

John Joseph Nicholson(born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker.Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century.Throughout his five-decade career he receivednumerous accolades,including threeAcademy Awards,threeBAFTA Film Awards,sixGolden Globe Awards,and aGrammy Award.He also received theAmerican Film Institute's Life Achievement Awardin 1994 and theKennedy Center Honorin 2001. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure.

Nicholson has won threeAcademy Awards,forBest ActorinOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest(1975) and inAs Good as It Gets(1997), and forBest Supporting ActorinTerms of Endearment(1983). He was Oscar-nominated forEasy Rider(1969),Five Easy Pieces(1970),The Last Detail(1974),Chinatown(1974),Reds(1981),Prizzi's Honor(1986),Ironweed(1987),A Few Good Men(1992) andAbout Schmidt(2002). Nicholson is also known for his notable roles inCarnal Knowledge(1971),The Shining(1980),Heartburn(1986),Broadcast News(1987),Batman(1989),Hoffa(1992),Mars Attacks!(1996),Something's Gotta Give(2003),The Departed(2006) andThe Bucket List(2007).

Nicholson has directed three films,Drive, He Said(1971),Goin' South(1978), andThe Two Jakes(1990). He is one of only threemale actors to win three Academy Awardsand one of only two actors to be nominated for an Academy Award for acting in films made in every decade from the 1960s to the 2000s (alongsideMichael Caine). His 12 Academy Award nominations make himthe most nominated male actor in the Academy's history.

Early life and education

John Joseph Nicholson was born on April 22, 1937, inNeptune City, New Jersey,the son of ashowgirl,June Frances Nicholson (stage name June Nilson; 1918–1963).Nicholson's mother was of Irish, English, German, andWelshdescent. Nicholson has identified as Irish, comparing himself to the playwrightEugene O'Neill,whom he played in the filmReds(1981): "I'm not saying I'm as dark as he was... but I am a writer, I am Irish, I have had problems with my family."His mother marriedItalian-Americanshowman Donald Furcillo (stage name Donald Rose; 1909–1997) in 1936, before realizing that he was already married.BiographerPatrick McGilliganstated in his bookJack's Lifethat Latvian-born Eddie King (originally Edgar A. Kirschfeld),June's manager, may have been Nicholson's biological father, rather than Furcillo. Other sources suggest June Nicholson was unsure of the father's identity.

As June was only 17 and unmarried, her parentsagreed to raise Nicholson as their own child without revealing his true parentage, with June acting as his sister.In 1974,Timemagazine researchers learned, and informed Nicholson, that his "sister", June, was actually his mother, and his other "sister", Lorraine, was really his aunt.By this time, both his mother and grandmother had died (in 1963 and 1970, respectively). On finding out, Nicholson said it was "a pretty dramatic event, but it wasn't what I'd call traumatizing... I was pretty well psychologically formed".

Nicholson grew up inNeptune City, New Jersey.Before starting high school, his family moved to an apartment inSpring Lake, New Jersey."Nick", as he was known to his high school friends, attended nearbyManasquan High School,where he was voted "Class Clown" by the Class of 1954. He was in detention every day for a whole school year.A theatre and a drama award at the school are named in his honor. In 2004, Nicholson attended his 50-yearhigh school reunionaccompanied by his aunt Lorraine.

Military service

In 1957, Nicholson joined theCalifornia Air National Guard,a move he sometimes characterized as an effort to "dodge the draft";theKorean Warera'sMilitary Selective Service Actwas still in force, and draftees were required to perform up to two years of active duty. After completing theAir Force'sbasic trainingatLackland Air Force Base,Nicholson performed weekend drills and two-week annual training as a firefighter assigned to the unit based at theVan Nuys Airport.During theBerlin Crisis of 1961,Nicholson was called up for several months of extended active duty,and he was discharged at the end of his enlistment in 1962.

Career

Further information:Jack Nicholson filmography

1958–1969: Early roles and breakthrough

Nicholson as Wilbur Force inThe Little Shop of Horrors(1960)

Nicholson first came to California in 1950, when he was 13, to visit his sister. He took a job as an office worker for animation directorsWilliam HannaandJoseph Barberaat theMGM cartoon studio.They offered him an entry-level job as an animator, but he declined, citing his desire to become an actor.While accepting theCecil B. DeMille Awardat the56th Golden Globe Awards,he recalled that his first day as a working actor (onTales of Wells Fargo) was May 5, 1955, which he considered lucky, as 5 was the jersey number of his boyhood idol,Joe DiMaggio.He trained to be an actor with a group called the Players Ring Theater, after which he found small parts performing on the stage and in TV soap operas.He made his film debut in a low-budget teen dramaThe Cry Baby Killer(1958), playing the title role. For the next decade, Nicholson frequently collaborated with the film's producer,Roger Corman.Corman directed Nicholson on several occasions, such as inThe Little Shop of Horrorsas undertaker (andmasochisticdental patient) Wilbur Force; inThe Raven;The Terror,where he plays a French officer seduced by an evil ghost; andThe St. Valentine's Day Massacre.Nicholson frequently worked with directorMonte Hellmanon low-budget westerns; two of them—Ride in the WhirlwindandThe Shooting—initially failed to interest U.S. film distributors but gained cult success on the French art-house circuit and were later sold to television. Nicholson also appeared in two episodes ofThe Andy Griffith Show,and starred as a rebellious dirt-track race driver in the 1960 filmThe Wild Ride.

With his acting career foundering, Nicholson seemed resigned to a career behind the camera as a writer/director. His first real taste of writing success was the screenplay for the 1967counterculturefilmThe Trip(directed by Corman), starringPeter FondaandDennis Hopper.After first reading the script, Fonda told Nicholson he was impressed by the writing and felt it could become a great film. But Fonda was disappointed with how the film turned out and blamed the editing for turning it into a "predictable" film and said so publicly. "I was livid", he recalls.Nicholson also co-wrote, withBob Rafelson,the movieHead,which starredThe Monkees,and arranged the movie's soundtrack.

Nicholson withMichelle Phillipsat the 1971Golden Globes

Nicholson's first big acting break came when a role opened up in Fonda and Hopper'sEasy Rider(1969). He played alcoholic lawyer George Hanson, for which he received his first Oscar nomination. The film cost only $400,000 to make, and became a blockbuster, grossing $40 million.BiographerJohn Parkerwrites that Nicholson's interpretation of his role placed him in the company of earlierantiheroactors, such asJames CagneyandHumphrey Bogart,while promoting him into an "overnight number-one hero of the counter-culture movement".The part was a lucky break for Nicholson. The role had been written forRip Torn,who withdrew from the project after an argument with Hopper.Nicholson later acknowledged the importance of being cast inEasy Rider:"All I could see in the early films, beforeEasy Rider,was this desperate young actor trying to vault out of the screen and create a movie career. "Stanley Kubrick,who was impressed by his performance inEasy Rider,cast Nicholson asNapoleonin a film about his life, and although production on the film commenced,the project fizzled out,partly due to a change in ownership at MGM.

1970–1989: Stardom and acclaim

In 1970, Nicholson starred inFive Easy PiecesalongsideKaren Blackin what became his persona-defining role. Nicholson and Black were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances. Nicholson played Bobby Dupea, an oil rig worker, and Black played his waitress girlfriend. Black noted that Nicholson's character in the film was very subdued and very different from Nicholson's real personality. She said that the now-infamous restaurant scene was partly improvised by Nicholson, and was out of character for Bobby, who would not have cared enough to argue with a waitress."I think that Jack really has very little in common with Bobby. I think Bobby has given up looking for love. But Jack hasn't, he's very interested in love, in finding out things. Jack is a very curious, alive human being. Always ready for a new idea."Nicholson himself said as much, telling an interviewer, "I like listening to everybody. This to me is the elixir of life."

There isJames Cagney,Spencer Tracy,Humphrey Bogart,andHenry Fonda.After that, who is there but Jack Nicholson?

—Mike Nichols,director

Black later admitted that she had a crush on Nicholson from the time they met, although they dated only briefly. "He was very beautiful. He just looked right at you... I liked him a lot... He really sort of wanted to date me but I didn't think of him that way because I was going withPeter Kastner... Then I went to doEasy Rider,but didn't see him because we didn't have any scenes together... At the premiere, I saw him out in the lobby afterward and I started crying... He didn't understand that, but what it was was that I really loved him a lot, and I didn't know it until I saw him again, because it all welled up. "

Within a month after its release that September,Five Easy Piecesbecame a blockbuster, making Nicholson aleading manand the "new American anti-hero", according to McDougal.Critics began speculating as to whether he might become anotherMarlon BrandoorJames Dean.His career and income skyrocketed. He said, "I have [become] much sought after. Your name becomes a brand image like a product. You become Campbell's soup, with thirty-one different varieties of roles you can play."He told his new agent, Sandy Bresler, to find him unusual roles so he could stretch his acting skill: "I like to play people that haven't existed yet, a 'cusp character'",he said," I have that creative yearning. Much in the wayChagallflies figures into the air: once it becomes part of the conventional wisdom, it doesn't seem particularly adventurous or weird or wild. "

Nicholson andWarren BeattyfilmingThe Fortune(1975)

Also in 1970, Nicholson appeared in the film adaptation ofOn a Clear Day You Can See Forever,although most of his performance was left on thecutting room floor.His agent turned down a starring role inDeliverancewhen the film's producer and director,John Boorman,refused to pay what Nicholson's agent wanted.In 1971, Nicholson starred inCarnal Knowledge,a comedy-drama directed byMike Nicholsand co-starringArt Garfunkel,Ann-Margret,andCandice Bergen.He was nominated for aGolden Globe Award for Best Actor.Nichols felt few actors could handle the role, saying, "There is James Cagney, Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, and Henry Fonda. After that, who is there but Jack Nicholson?"During the filming, Nicholson struck up what became a lifelong friendship with Garfunkel. When he visited Los Angeles, Garfunkel stayed at Nicholson's home in a room Nicholson jokingly called "the Arthur Garfunkel Suite".

Other Nicholson roles includedHal Ashby'sThe Last Detail(1973), withRandy Quaid,for which Nicholson wonBest Actorat theCannes Film Festivaland was nominated for his third Oscar and a Golden Globe. Television journalistDavid Gilmourwrites that one of his favorite Nicholson scenes from all his films was the often censored one in this film, when Nicholson slaps his gun on the bar yelling hewasthe Shore Patrol.CriticRoger Ebertcalled it a very good movie, but credited Nicholson's acting as the main reason: "He creates a character so complete and so complex that we stop thinking about the movie and just watch to see what he'll do next."In 1974, Nicholson starred inRoman Polanski's noir thrillerChinatown,and was again nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Actorfor his role as Jake Gittes, a private detective. The film co-starredFaye DunawayandJohn Huston,and included a cameo role with Polanski. Ebert called Nicholson's portrayal sharp-edged, menacing, and aggressive, a character who knew "how to go over the top", as he did inOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.That edge keptChinatownfrom becoming a typical genre crime film.Ebert also notes the importance of the role for Nicholson's career, seeing it as a major transition from the exploitation films of the previous decade. "As Jake Gittes, he stepped into Bogart's shoes", says Ebert. "As a man attractive to audiences because he suggests both comfort and danger... From Gittes forward, Nicholson created the persona of a man who had seen it all and was still capable of being wickedly amused."

Nicholson had been friends with Polanski long before themurderof Polanski's wife,Sharon Tate,by theManson Family,and supported him in the days following her death.After Tate's death, Nicholson began sleeping with a hammer under his pillowand took breaks from work to attend Manson's trial.

In 1977, three years afterChinatown,Polanski was arrested at Nicholson's home for thesexual assaultof 13-year-old Samantha Geimer, who was modeling for Polanski during a magazine photo shoot around the pool. At the time, Nicholson was out of town making a film, but his steady girlfriend, actressAnjelica Huston,had dropped by unannounced to pick up some items. She heard Polanski in the other room say, "We'll be right out."Polanski then came out with Geimer and introduced her to Huston, and they chatted about Nicholson's two large dogs, which were sitting nearby. Huston recalled Geimer was wearing platform heels and appeared quite tall.After a few minutes of talking, Polanski had packed up his camera gear and Huston saw them drive off in his car. Huston told police the next day, after Polanski was arrested, that she "had witnessed nothing untoward" and never saw them together in the other room.

Geimer learned afterward that Huston herself was not supposed to be at Nicholson's house that day, since they had recently broken up, but stopped over to pick up some belongings. Geimer described Nicholson's house as "definitely" a guy's house, with lots of wood and shelves crowded with photos and mementos.

Saul Zaentz,Nicholson,Louise FletcherandMichael Douglasat the1976 Academy Awards

One of Nicholson's successes came in 1975, with his role asRandle P. McMurphyinOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.The movie was an adaptation ofKen Kesey's novel of thesame name,and was directed byMiloš Formanand co-produced byMichael Douglas.Nicholson plays an anti-authoritarian patient at a mental hospital where he becomes an inspiring leader for the other patients. Playing one of the patients wasDanny DeVitoin an early role. Nicholson learned afterward that DeVito grew up in the same area of New Jersey, and they knew many of the same people.The film received nine nominations at the Academy Awards, and won five, including Nicholson's first forBest Actor.The role seemed perfect for Nicholson, with biographer Ken Burke noting that his "smartass demeanor balances his genuine concern for the treatment of his fellow patients with his independent spirit too free to exist in a repressive social structure".Forman allowed Nicholson to improvise throughout the film, including most of the group therapy sequences.ReviewerMarie Brennernotes that his bravura performance "transcends the screen" and continually inspires the other actors by lightening their mental illnesses with his comic dialogue. She describes his performance:

Nicholson is everywhere; his energy propels the ward of loonies and makes of them an ensemble, a chorus of people caught in a bummer with nowhere else to go, but still fighting for some frail sense of themselves.... There are scenes inCuckoo's Nestthat are as intimate—and in their language, twice as rough—as the best moments inThe Godfather... [and] far above the general run of Hollywood performances.

— Marie Brenner,Texas Monthly

Also in 1975, Nicholson starred inMichelangelo Antonioni'sThe Passenger(1975), which co-starredMaria Schneider.Nicholson plays a journalist, David Locke, who during an assignment in North Africa decides to quit journalism and disappear by taking on a new hidden identity. Unfortunately, the dead person whose identity he takes on turns out to have been a weapons smuggler on the run. Antonioni's unusual plot included convincing dialogue and fine acting, states film criticSeymour Chatman.It was shot in Algeria, Spain, Germany, and England. The film received good reviews and revived Antonioni's reputation as a great director.He said he wanted the film to have more of a "spy feeling [and] be more political".Nicholson began shooting the film from an unfinished script, notesJudith Crist,yet upon its completion he thought so highly of the film that he bought the world rights and recorded a reminiscence of working with Antonioni.

Critic and screenwriterPenelope Gilliattprovides an overview of Nicholson's role, "The Passengeris an unidealized portrait of a drained man whose one remaining stimulus is to push his luck. Again and again, in the movie, we watch him court danger. It interests him to walk the edge of risk. He does it with passivity as if he were taking part in an expressionless game of double-dare with life. Jack Nicholson's performance is a wonder of insight. How to animate a personality that is barely there.

Nicholson in 1976

Nicholson continued to take more unusual roles. He took a small role inThe Last TycoonoppositeRobert De Niro.He took a less sympathetic role inArthur Penn's westernThe Missouri Breaks(1976), specifically to work withMarlon Brando.Nicholson was especially inspired by Brando's acting ability, recalling that in his youth, as an assistant manager at a theater, he watchedOn the Waterfrontabout 40 times. He once stated, "Marlon Brando influenced me strongly. Today, it's hard for people who weren't there to realize the impact that Brando had on an audience.... He's always been the patron saint of actors"."I'm part of the first generation that idolized Marlon Brando", he said.

Nicholson has observed that while both De Niro and Brando were noted for their skill asmethod actors,he himself has seldom been described as one, a fact he sees as an accomplishment: "I'm still fooling them", he toldSean Penn."I consider it an accomplishment because there's probably no one who understands Method acting better academically than I do—or actually uses it more in his work. But it's funny, nobody really sees that. It's perception versus reality, I guess."

His work is always interesting, clearly conceived, and has the X-factor, magic. Jack is particularly suited for roles that require intelligence. He is an intelligent and literate man, and these are almost impossible to act. InThe Shiningyou believe he's a writer, failed or otherwise.

—Stanley Kubrick

Although he garnered noAcademy AwardforStanley Kubrick's adaptation ofStephen King'sThe Shining(1980), his role in the film as writerJack Torranceremains one of his more significant. He was Kubrick's first choice to play the role, although the book's author, Stephen King, wanted more of an "everyman". Kubrick won the argument and called Nicholson's acting "on a par with the greatest stars of the past, likeSpencer TracyandJimmy Cagney".In preparation for the role, Nicholson drew upon his own experiences as a writer and slept short hours to help remain in an agitated state during the shoot. His co-starShelley Duvallrecalled that she and Nicholson spent many hours discussing their characters, with Nicholson maintaining that his character be cold to her from the start.On the set, Nicholson always appeared in character and if Kubrick felt confident that Nicholson knew his lines well enough, he encouraged him to improvise beyond the script.For example, Nicholson improvised his now-famous "Here's Johnny!" line,along with a scene in which he unleashes his anger on his wife when she interrupts his work.There were also extensive takes of scenes, due to Kubrick's perfectionism. Nicholson shot a scene with the ghostly bartender 36 times.He said, "Stanley's demanding. He'll do a scene fifty times, and you have to be good to do that."

The costumes Nicholson wore inBatman(1989) asThe Joker

In 1982, he starred as an immigration enforcement agent inThe Border,directed byTony Richardson.It co-starredWarren Oates,who played a corrupt border official.Richardson wanted Nicholson to play his role less expressively than he had in his earlier roles. "Less is more", he told him, and wanted him to wear reflecting sunglasses to portray what patrolmen wore.Richardson recalled that Nicholson worked hard on the set:

He's what the Thirties and Forties stars were like. He can come on the set and deliver, without any fuss, without taking a long time walking around getting into it. "What do you want? Okay." And he just does it straight off. And then if you want him to do it another way on the next take, he can adapt to that too.

Nicholson won his second Oscar, anAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor,for his role of retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove inTerms of Endearment(1983), directed byJames L. Brooks.It starredShirley MacLaineandDebra Winger.McGilligan claims it was one of Nicholson's most complex and unforgettable characters. He and MacLaine played many of their scenes in different ways, constantly testing and making adjustments. Their scenes together gave the film its "buoyant edge", states McGilligan, and describes Nicholson's acting as "Jack floating like a butterfly".

Nicholson continued to work prolifically in the 1980s, starring in such films as:The Postman Always Rings Twice(1981);Reds(1981), where Nicholson portrays the writerEugene O'Neillwith a quiet intensity;Prizzi's Honor(1985);Heartburn(1986);The Witches of Eastwick(1987);Broadcast News(1987); andIronweed(1987). Three Oscar nominations also followed (Reds,Prizzi's Honor,andIronweed).John Huston,who directedPrizzi's Honor,said of Nicholson's acting, "He just illuminates the book. He impressed me in one scene after another; the movie is composed largely of first takes with him."In the 1989Batmanmovie, Nicholson played the psychotic villain,the Joker.The film was an international smash hit, and a lucrative deal earned him a percentage of the box office gross estimated at $60 million to $90 million.Nicholson said that he was "particularly proud" of his performance as the Joker: "I considered it a piece ofpop art",he said.

1990–1999: Established actor

Nicholson (right) andDennis Hopperat the62nd Academy Awards,1990

For his role as hot-headed Col. Nathan R. Jessup inA Few Good Men(1992), a movie about a murder in aU.S. Marine Corpsunit, Nicholson received yet another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.One review describes his performance as "spellbinding", adding that he portrayed "the essence of the quintessential military mindset".Critic David Thomson notes that Nicholson's character "blazed and roared".The film's director,Rob Reiner,recalls how Nicholson's level of acting experience affected the other actors during rehearsals: "I had the luck of having Jack Nicholson there. He knows what he's doing, and he comes to play, every time out, full-out performance! And what it says to a lot of the other actors is, 'Oooooh, I better get on my game here because this guy's coming to play! So I can't hold back; I've got to come up to him.' He sets the tone."

In 1996, Nicholson collaborated once more withBatmandirectorTim BurtononMars Attacks!,pulling double duty as two contrasting characters, President James Dale andLas Vegasproperty developer Art Land. Not all of Nicholson's performances have been well received. He was nominated forRazzie Awardsas worst actor forMan Trouble(1992) andHoffa(1992). But his performance inHoffaalso earned him aGolden Globenomination.David Thomson states that the film was terribly neglected, since Nicholson portrayed one of his best screen characters, someone who is "snarly, dumb, smart, noble, rascally—all the parts of 'Jack'".Roger Ebertalso praised his performance writing, "Nicholson is an actor who can reflect almost anything in his face. One reason his performance is so good as Hoffa is that he reveals almost nothing."

Nicholson in 2002

Nicholson won his nextAcademy Award for Best Actorin the romantic comedyAs Good as It Gets(1997), his third film directed byJames L. Brooks.He played Melvin Udall, a "wickedly funny",mean-spirited novelist withobsessive-compulsive disorder."I'm a studioMethod actor",he said." So I was prone to give some kind of clinical presentation of the disorder. "His Oscar was matched by theAcademy Award for Best ActressforHelen Hunt,who played a Manhattan single mother drawn into a love/hate friendship with Udall, a frequent diner in the restaurant where she works as a waitress. The film was a box-office success, grossing $314 million, making it Nicholson's second-best-grossing film, afterBatman.The win was Nicholson's third Academy Award, tying him with six other actors,Walter Brennan,Ingrid Bergman,Meryl Streep,Daniel Day-Lewis,andFrances McDormandwho all have three acting Oscars.

Nicholson admits he initially disliked playing a middle-aged man alongside a much younger Hunt, seeing it as a movie cliché. "But Helen disarmed that at the first meeting", he says, "and I stopped thinking about it." They got along well during the filming, with Hunt saying that he "treated me like a queen", and they connected immediately: "It wasn't even what we said", she said. "It was just some frequency we both could tune into that was very, very compatible."Critic Jack Mathews ofNewsdaysaid Nicholson was "in rare form", adding, "it's one of those performances that make you aware how much fun the actor is having".Author and screenwriter Andrew Horton describes their on-screen relationship as being like "fire and ice, oil and water—seemingly complete opposites".

2000–present: Later roles and retirement

In 2001, Nicholson was the first actor to receive theStanislavsky Awardat the23rd Moscow International Film Festivalfor "conquering the heights of acting and faithfulness".That same year Nicholson starred inThe Pledge,amysterydrama where he portrays retired police detective Jerry Black, who vows to find a murderer of a young girl. Nicholson was praised for his performance; Bob Graham of theSan Francisco Chroniclecalled it "deeply felt" compared to some of Nicholson's other films.Nicholson acted inAlexander Payne's comedy-dramaAbout Schmidt(2002), playing a retiredOmaha,Nebraska,actuarywho questions his own life after his wife dies. His quietly restrained performance earned him nominations for anAcademy Award,BAFTA Award,Golden Globe AwardandScreen Actors Guild Awardfor Best Actor. InAnger Management(2003), he played an aggressive therapist assigned to help an overly pacifist man (Adam Sandler). In 2003, Nicholson also starred in theNancy Meyersdirected romantic comedySomething's Gotta Giveplaying an aging playboy who falls for the mother (Diane Keaton) of his young girlfriend. For his performance he was nominated for theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.In late 2006, Nicholson marked his return to the dark side inMartin Scorsese'sOscar-winning filmThe Departed,a remake ofAndrew Lau'sInfernal Affairs,playingFrank Costello,a nefariousBostonIrish Mobboss based onWhitey Bulger,who was still on the run at the time. The role earned Nicholson worldwide critical praise, along with various awards and nominations, including aGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picturenomination. In 2007, Nicholson co-starred withMorgan FreemaninRob Reiner'sThe Bucket List,in which Nicholson and Freeman portrayed dying men who fulfill their list of goals. In researching the role, Nicholson visited a Los Angeles hospital to see how cancer patients coped with their illnesses.

Nicholson is the Hollywood celebrity who is most like a character in some ongoing novel of our times. He is also the most beloved of stars—not even his huge wealth, his reckless aging, and the public disasters of his private life can detract from this... For he is still a touchstone, someone we value for the way he helps us see ourselves.

—David Thomson,a film critic.

Nicholson's next film role saw him reunite withJames L. Brooks,director ofTerms of Endearment,Broadcast NewsandAs Good as It Gets,for a supporting role for the 2010 filmHow Do You KnowstarringPaul Rudd,Reese Witherspoon,andOwen Wilson.The film was a financial and critical failure. In a September 2013Vanity Fairarticle, Nicholson said that he did not consider himself retired, but that he was now less driven to "be out there anymore".As of 2023,How Do You Knowremains Nicholson's last film role, and brings his filmography to 80 films.In 2013, Nicholson co-presented theAcademy Award for Best Picturewith First LadyMichelle Obama,the eighth time he presented the Academy Award for Best Picture (1972, 1977, 1978, 1990, 1993, 2006, 2007, and 2013).

On February 15, 2015, Nicholson made a special appearance as a presenter onSNL 40,the 40th anniversary special ofSaturday Night Live.After the death of boxerMuhammad Alion June 3, 2016, Nicholson appeared onHBO'sThe Fight Game withJim Lampleyfor an exclusive interview about his friendship with Ali.He was reported to be starring in an English-language remake ofToni Erdmannin 2017 oppositeKristen Wiig,his first feature film role sinceHow Do You Know,but the project was later abandoned.In October 2019, with the release ofThe ShiningsequelDoctor Sleep,directorMike Flanaganrevealed he approached Nicholson for acameo appearance,but Nicholson declined with best wishes.Flanagan also disclosed that Nicholson had previously been approached to appear inSteven Spielberg's science-fiction filmReady Player One(2018).

During an appearance in the November 2, 2023, episode ofMarc Maron's podcast,WTF with Marc Maron,record producerLou Adler,a longtime friend of Nicholson's, related an anecdote pertaining to the unofficial retirement of the actor, who had not done a film in the 13 years sinceHow Do You Know,saying, "A friend of mine wanted to put him in a movie. And he had a conversation with him. But Jack says, 'I don't want to do it.' He goes, 'You know what I did today? I sat under a tree and I read a book.' That sounds like Jack." Adler stated that Nicholson was "doing whatever he really wants to do," adding, "He wants to be quiet. He wants to eat what he wants. He wants to live the life he wants."

Influence

Nicholson has describedMarlon Brandoas a major influence on his career. He stated, "Actors don't normally discuss who the best actor in the world is, because it's obvious—Brando is the best.” He also namedJohn Ford,Akira Kurosawa,andOrson Wellesas his favorite directors.

Actors who have cited Nicholson as an influence includeLeonardo DiCaprio,Alden Ehrenreich,andMorgan Freeman.

Personal life

Nicholson's children

• withSandra Knight
  • Jennifer Nicholson (born 1963)
• withSusan Anspach
  • Caleb Goddard (born 1970)
• with Winnie Hollman
  • Honey Hollman (born 1982)
• withRebecca Broussard
  • Lorraine Nicholson(born 1990)
  • Ray Nicholson(born 1992)
• with Jennine Gourin
  • Tessa Gourin (born 1994)

Relationships and children

In his personal life, Nicholson is notorious for his inability to "settle down";he has fathered six children by five women but married only once.Nicholson's marriage was toThe Terrorco-starSandra Knightfrom 1962 to 1968, though they separated in 1966.The couple had one daughter, Jennifer (born September 13, 1963).

Five Easy Piecesco-starSusan Anspachcontended that her son Caleb (born September 26, 1970), whose legal father wasMark Goddard,was actually Nicholson's biological son.In 1984, Nicholson said he was not convinced of this,but in 1996, Caleb said that Nicholson had recognized him as his son in private.By 1998, Nicholson publicly acknowledged Caleb as his son and said that they got along "beautifully now."

In 1971 and 1972, Nicholson was in a relationship with singerMichelle Phillips,the ex-wife of his best friendDennis Hopper,during which time she suffered a miscarriage.Nicholson's longest relationship was 17 years with actressAnjelica Huston,from 1973 until 1990. Their on-again, off-again romance included several periods of overlap with other women, notably former Bond girlJill St. Johnand Danish model Winnie Hollman, with whom Nicholson supposedly fathered a daughter, Honey (born January 26, 1982), though Nicholson has never publicly acknowledged the child.

The relationship with Huston ended amid actress/waitressRebecca Broussard's first pregnancy by Nicholson. He and Broussard had two children,Lorraine(born April 16, 1990) andRaymond(born February 20, 1992).The pair split up in 1994, and that same year, Nicholson supposedly had a daughter, Tessa (born August 15, 1994), with waitress Jeannine Gourin.Nicholson has never publicly acknowledged his paternity.

Beginning in the late 1990s, Nicholson was involved with actressLara Flynn Boyle.The two initially broke up in 2000, later reuniting before splitting permanently in 2004, after which Nicholson was linked to English supermodelKate Moss.In 2006, Nicholson dated actressPaz de la Huerta.

Nicholson has said that children "give your life a resonance that it can't have without them... As a father, I'm there all the time. I give unconditional love".He has also lamented that he "didn't see enough of my eldest daughter because I was trying to make a career".

Legal issues

In a criminalcomplaintfiled on February 8, 1994, Robert Blank stated that Nicholson, then 56, approached Blank'sMercedes-Benzwhile he was stopped at a red light inNorth Hollywood.After accusing Blank of cutting him off in traffic, Nicholson used a golf club to bash the roof and windshield of Blank's car. A witness confirmed Blank's account of the incident andmisdemeanorcharges of assault and vandalism were filed against Nicholson. Charges were dropped after Nicholson apologized to Blank, and the two reached an undisclosed settlement, which included a reported $500,000 check from Nicholson.

In 1996, a lawsuit was brought against him alleging that he promised a woman named Catherine Sheehan $1,000 for sex and then assaulted her when she asked for the money. Sheehan received a settlement of about $40,000, but filed another lawsuit against him, arguing that the settlement was insufficient to cover the injuries inflicted upon her, includingbrain trauma,which she said were "actually killing her."The case was dismissed.

Celebrity friendships

Nicholson lived next door toMarlon Brandofor a number of years onMulholland DriveinBeverly Hills, California.Warren Beattyalso lived nearby, earning the road the nickname "Bad Boy Drive". After Brando's death in 2004, Nicholson purchased his bungalow for $6.1 million, with the purpose of having it demolished. Nicholson said he did so out of respect for Brando's legacy, as it had become too expensive to renovate the "derelict" building, which was plagued by mold.

Nicholson's friendship with author-journalistHunter S. Thompsonis described in Thompson's autobiographyKingdom of Fear(2003).After Thompson died in 2005, Nicholson and fellow actorsJohnny Depp,John Cusack,andSean Pennattended his private memorial service in Colorado.Nicholson was also a close friend ofRobert Evans,the producer ofChinatown,and after Evans lost Woodland, his home, as the result of a 1980s drug bust, Nicholson and other friends of Evans bought Woodland to give it back to him.Nicholson is also friends with fellow New JerseyansDanny DeVitoandJoe Pesci.

Hobbies

Nicholson is a fan of theNew York YankeesandLos Angeles Lakers.He became a Lakers season ticket holder in1970,and held courtside seats next to the opponent's benches both atThe ForumandStaples Center.He was described as a "fixture" at the games, though his regular attendance had stopped by 2021, as he withdrew from public appearances.Nicholson occasionally argued with game officials and opposing players, and even walked onto the court.He was almost ejected from a Lakers playoff game in May 2003 after yelling at a referee.After the death of former Lakers starKobe Bryantin ahelicopter crashin January 2020, Nicholson gave a rare phone interview to Los Angeles stationKCBS-TVexpressing his grief.He attended a2023 playoff game,which media outlets noted was his first appearance at a Lakers game in nearly two years.

Nicholson is a collector of 20th-century and contemporary paintings, including those ofHenri Matisse,Tamara de Lempicka,Andy WarholandJack Vettriano.In 1995, artistEdward Ruschasaid that Nicholson has "one of the best collections out here".

Political views

Nicholson has called himself a "lifelongIrishDemocrat.He supportedGeorge McGovernin the 1972 presidential election,Michael Dukakisin 1988,Hillary Clintonin 2008, andBernie Sandersin 2020.

Nicholson supportssolar energy,decriminalizing drugs,monopoly laws,and raising teachers' pay.Although personally againstabortion,he ispro-choice.He has said, "I'm pro-choice but against abortion because I'm an illegitimate child myself, and it would be hypocritical to take any other position. I'd be dead. I wouldn't exist." He has also said that he has "nothing but total admiration, gratitude, and respect for the strength of the women who made the decision they made in my individual case".

Religious beliefs

Nicholson was raisedRoman Catholicand has expressed admiration for the religion, calling it "the only officialdogmatraining I've had. I liked it. It's a smart religion. "It has been asserted that some of Nicholson's 1970s movie roles were influenced by Catholicism.In a 1992Vanity Fairinterview, Nicholson said, "I don't believe in God now. I can still work up an envy for someone who has faith. I can see how that could be a deeply soothing experience."

Acting credits and accolades

Main articles:Jack Nicholson filmographyandList of awards and nominations received by Jack Nicholson

During his career Nicholson has appeared in 80 films.Among some of Nicholson's films are:

• Easy Rider(1969)
• Five Easy Pieces(1970)
• Carnal Knowledge(1971)
• The Last Detail(1973)
• Chinatown(1974)
• The Passenger(1975)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest(1975)
• The Shining(1980)
• Reds(1981)
• Terms of Endearment(1983)
• Prizzi's Honor(1985)
• Batman(1989)
• A Few Good Men(1992)
• As Good as It Gets(1997)
• About Schmidt(2002)
• The Departed(2006)

With 12Academy Awardnominations (eight for Best Actor and four for Best Supporting Actor), Nicholson is the most nominated male actor in Academy Awards history. Only Nicholson (1960s–2000s),Michael Caine(1960s–2000s),Meryl Streep(1970s–2010s),Paul Newman(1950s–1960s, 1980s–2000s),Katharine Hepburn(1930s–1960s, 1980s),Frances McDormand(1980s–2020s),Denzel Washington(1980s–2020s), andLaurence Olivier(1930s–1970s) have been nominated for an acting (lead or supporting) Academy Award in five different decades. With three Oscar wins, he also ties withWalter Brennan,Daniel Day-Lewis,Ingrid Bergman,Frances McDormandandMeryl Streepfor the second-most Oscar wins in acting categories.

OnlyKatharine Hepburn,with four Oscars, won more. Nicholson is an active and voting member of the Academy. In May 2008, then-California GovernorArnold Schwarzeneggerand First LadyMaria Shriverannounced that Nicholson would be inducted into theCalifornia Hall of Fame,located atThe California MuseuminSacramento.The induction ceremony took place on December 15, 2008, where he was inducted alongside 11 other Californians.In 2010, Nicholson was inducted into theNew Jersey Hall of Fame.In 2011, Nicholson received an honoraryDoctor of Fine Artsdegree fromBrown Universityat its 243rd commencement. At the ceremony,Ruth Simmons,Brown University's president, called him "the most skilled actor of our lifetime".

General bibliography

• Duncan, Paul (2003).Stanley Kubrick: The Complete Films.Taschen GmbH.ISBN978-3-8365-2775-0.

External links

• Jack Nicholsonat theAmerican Film Institute Catalog
• Jack NicholsonatIMDb
• Jack Nicholsonat theTCM Movie Database
• Jack NicholsonatAllMovie
• Jack Nicholsonin the Hollywood Walk of Fame Directory
• AppearancesonC-SPAN
• Jack Nicholsondiscography atDiscogs
• "Jack Nicholson: A Singular Guy"–Rolling Stoneinterview with Jack Nicholson, September 20, 2006
• Jack Nicholson Online- Fan site: pictures, interviews, latest news on Jack Nicholson