Who is Jack Nicholson? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Nick Name: John Joseph

Also Known As: John Joseph Nicholson

Age: 85 Years, 85 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Sandra Knight (m. 1962–1968)

father: Donald Furcillo

mother: June Frances Nicholson

children: Caleb James Goddard, Honey Hollman, Jennifer Nicholson, Lorraine Nicholson, Ray Nicholson

Quotes By Jack Nicholson Actors

Height: 5'10" (178 cm), 5'10" Males

Ancestry: British American, Irish American, Italian American, German American

Personality: ESTP

U.S. State: New Jersey

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Childhood & Early Life

Jack Nicholson was born in Neptune City, New Jersey, United States, on 22 April, 1937 to June Frances Nicholson. Her mother worked as a show girl and was unaware of the identity of her father.

Nicholson grew up with his mother’s family; his grandparents brought him up as their own child and he was told that her mother was actually his elder sister. He learnt the truth many years later when he became a famous name and it only came about because of some background research carried out by a magazine.

Nicholson lived in Neptune City for some time in his childhood but a few years later the family moved to Spring Lake and he was enrolled in the local school ‘Manasquan High School’. Nicholson was often in trouble during his school time and in fact his school mates voted him the ‘Class Clown’ for their class which graduated in 1954.

Quotes: Me, Never

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Career

Jack Nicholson had always wanted to be an actor and his first assignment as an actor was with the Players Ring Theatre in the year 1957. Simultaneously, he managed to get some bit part roles for television and also acted in B-movies. A year after joining the Players Ring Theatre he got a leading role in the film ‘The Cry Baby Killer’. For the next few years he appeared in B-movies.

Following his work as a stage actor and appearances in low budget films; Nicholson thought that his career as an actor was finished which is why he took to screenplay writing. He wrote the screenplay for the Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper starrer ‘The Trip’ which released in 1967. Two years later Nicholson got his first big break when he was cast in the movie ‘Easy Rider’ also starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper.

The year 1970 proved to be a particularly fruitful one for Jack Nicholson. He starred in the film ‘Five Easy Pieces’ which proved to be a career turning role and he was instantly regarded as the new big thing in Hollywood. In the same year, he appeared in ‘On a Clear Day You Can See Forever’ and over the next few years he starred in films like ‘Carnal Knowledge’ and ‘The Last Detail’, which received critical appreciation.

It was in 1974 that Jack Nicholson was cast in Roman Polanski’s cult classic thriller ‘Chinatown’ and Nicholson’s role as the detective earned praise from critics and viewers alive. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for that role. The next year Nicholson delivered his greatest ever performance in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and followed it up with ‘The Passenger’ the same year.

In 1980, Jack Nicholson appeared in yet another landmark role and this time it was in ‘The Shining’ directed by Stanley Kubrick. The 1980s was a productive period for Nicholson as he starred in such films like ‘Reds’, ‘The Postman Always Rings Twice’ ‘Ironweed’ and ‘Terms of Endearment’ among others.

Nicholson portrayed the role of ‘The Joker’ in the movie ‘Batman’ released in 1989 and the film was a resounding success as it earned close to $100 million. Three years later he delivered another memorable performance in the film ‘A Few Good Men’.

After starring in films like ‘Mars Attacks’, ‘Hoffa’ and ‘Main Trouble’; Jack Nicholson delivered a blockbuster performance in the movie ‘As Good As it Gets’ in 1997 alongside Helen Hunt. Two years after the turn of the new millennium he starred in ‘About Schmidt’ and followed it up with ‘Anger Management’.

Jack Nicholson played the role of a deranged gang boss in the 2006 film ‘The Departed’ starring Matt Damon and Leonardo di Caprio. His portrayal of ‘Frank Costello’ earned him a Golden Globe nomination. The following year he starred in ‘The Bucket List’.

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Major Works

Jack Nicholson is a giant in the world of cinema and has delivered some performances that would go down in film history as some of the most iconic. However, if one has to choose then it is his performance in the 1975 film ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ that stands out. Nicholson won an Academy Award for Best Actor for that performance.

Awards & Achievements

Jack Nicholson won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ in 1976.

He won his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film ‘Terms of Endearment’.

Nicholson won his 3rd and record breaking Academy Award for Best Actor for his 1997 films ‘As Good As It Gets’.

Personal Life & Legacy

Jack Nicholson got married to Sandra Knight in the year 1962 but the marriage ended 6 years later. The couple had a daughter named Jennifer.

Throughout his life Jack Nicholson had a string of relationships and some of them include actress Susan Anspach, Anjelica Hutson and model Winnie Hollman. Nicholson had a daughter with Winnie Hollman.

Nicholson got into a romantic relationship with actress Rebecca Broussard in 1989 and during the 5 year relationship the couple had two children; a daughter named Lorraine and a son named Raymond. Later, Nicholson had a brief relationship with actress Lara Flynn Boyle.

1998	Best Actor in a Leading Role	As Good as It Gets (1997)
1984	Best Actor in a Supporting Role	Terms of Endearment (1983)
1976	Best Actor in a Leading Role	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

2003	Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama	About Schmidt (2002)
1998	Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical	As Good as It Gets (1997)
1986	Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical	Prizzi's Honor (1985)
1984	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture	Terms of Endearment (1983)
1976	Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
1975	Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama	Chinatown (1974)

1983	Best Supporting Actor	Reds (1981)
1977	Best Actor	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
1975	Best Actor	Chinatown (1974)
1975	Best Actor	The Last Detail (1973)

Jack Nicholson Biography

1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

2. The Shining (1980)

3. Chinatown (1974)

4. The Departed (2006)

5. A Few Good Men (1992)

6. As Good as It Gets (1997)

7. Five Easy Pieces (1970)

8. The Last Detail (1973)

9. The Bucket List (2007)

10. Terms of Endearment (1983)