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Classic Bad Boy
Background:
"A star on a movie set is like a time bomb. That bomb has got to be defused so
people can approach it without fear." Jack Nicholson
Academy Award three-time-winner Jack Nicholson, the most Academy Award nominated
actor in film history, achieved over-generation acclaim for his acting works in
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Terms of Endearment (1984) and As Good
As It Gets (1997). Nicholson, famous for his shark's grin and sunglasses, has
drifting in the movie scene since the 1950s and continues to thrive in later
films such as About Schmidt (2002), Anger Management (2003) and Something's
Gotta Give (2003).
Jack Nicholson, nicknamed classic bad boy, has been involved with several
actresses, notably his 17-year-relationship with actress Anjelica Huston (born
on July 8, 1951) and Susan Anspach (born on November 23, 1942). Also noticed for
his on-off relationship with model Rebecca Broussard, Nicholson surprised the
public by dating The Practice fame, Lara Flynn Boyle (born on March 24, 1970)
and arguably with his Something's Gotta Give fellow actress Diane Keaton.
Class Clown
Childhood and Family:
Raised in an ill-fated family by his alcoholic grandfather John and beautician
grandmother Ethel May Nicholson, Jack Nicholson was raised believing that his
mother June was his older sister. Given the name John Joseph Nicholson, Jack
Nicholson was born on April 22, 1937 in Neptune, New Jersey, where he attended
Manasquan High School and became the 1954's Class Clown.
On June 17, 1962, he married actress Sandra Knight but they divorced four years
later, on August 8, 1968. Nicholson has one daughter from Sandra, Jennifer (born
in 1964), who gave him his first grandson Sean (born on February 20, 1996). He
has two children from his relationship with Rebecca Broussard, daughter Lorraine
Broussard (born on April 16, 1990) and son Raymond (born on February 20, 1992).
He also has one alleged son, Caleb (born September 26, 1970), from Susan Anspach.
Cuckoo's Nest
Career:
An office boy for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) film studio at age 17, Jack
Nicholson learned to act with the Players Ring Theater and appeared in both
television and on stage. Spotted by Roger Corman, he then debuted his film work
playing a small role in The Cry Baby Killer (1958). Nicholson continued to play
characters for follow-up B-movies including Little Shop of Horrors (1960), The
Raven (1963), The Terror (1963, alongside Francis Ford Coppola), Ensign Pulver
(1964) and The Shooting (1967). Meanwhile, Nicholson tried his hand in
screenwriting, which produced the thriller Thunder Island (1963), Flight to Fury
(1964) and Ride The Whirlwind (1966). He also helped Bob Rafelson in writing and
producing the comedy Head (1968), penned the drama film The Trip (1967) as well
as helping write, produce and direct Mike Nichols' hit Carnal Knowledge.
Nicholson achieved his first break costarring with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda
in the film Easy Rider (1969), for which he was nominated for his first Oscar
for Best Supporting Actor. Another nomination followed in Rafelson's Five Easy
Pieces (1970). Throughout the 1970s, Nicholson was included in Hollywood's
A-list actors and gained many roles including films like Carnal Knowledge (1972,
opposite Candice Bergen), Henry Jaglom's A Safe Place (1972), The King of Marvin
Gardens (1972) and Hal Ashby's critically acclaimed The Last Detail (1973).
Nicholson earned another breakthrough when starring in Roman Polanski's classic
film, Chinatown (1974, worked with Faye Dunaway and John Huston).
After being nominated several times, Nicholson eventually received his first
Academy Award for best Actor for portraying Randle McMurphy in Milos Forman's
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). His renowned acting skills scored him
roles in Michelangelo Antonioni's The Passenger (1975), Ken Russell's Tommy
(1975) and in several low-received films like Western The Missouri Breaks (1976,
co-starring Marlon Brando) and F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel adaptation film The
Last Tycoon (1976, Robert De Niro). Nicholson went back to the limelight by
playing in Stanley Kubrick's The Shinning (1980) and in the remake of The
Postman Always Rings Twice (1981).
Following his appearances in Warren Beatty's Reds (1981, teamed with Diane
Keaton) and The Border (1982), Nicholson garnered an Oscar for his supporting
role in James L. Brooks' comedy-drama Terms of Endearment (1983, joined with
Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger) and was nominated for Best Actor in John
Huston's comedy Prizzi's Honor (1985, with then-girlfriend Anjelica Huston). He
also achieved rave reviews for playing characters in Hector Babenco's Ironweed
(1987, opposite Meryl Streep) and in 1987's The Witches of Eastwick, shared the
screen with Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer.
Jack's limelight seems to never dim. With his role like the Joker in Tom
Burton's blockbuster Batman (1989, costarred with Michael Keaton and Kim
Basinger), from which he earned multimillion dollars for both the film and the
merchandise, he stays on top. In the following year, he both directed and
starred with Harvey Keitel and Meg Tilly in The Two Jakes (1990), a sequel to
Chinatown.
Cast as Col. Nathan R. Jessep in A Few Good Men (1992, Tom Cruise and Demi
Moore) he received another Oscar nomination. Subsequently, he played the title
role in Danny DeVito's Hoffa and joined Michelle Pfeiffer in Mike Nichols' Wolf
(1994) as well as costarring with Anjelica Huston in Sean Penn's The Crossing
Guard (1995). Following in 1996, he acted in Tim Burton's Mars Attacks and took
home an Oscar for portraying Melvin Udall in the acclaimed James L. Brooks' As
Good As It Gets (1997, opposite Helen Hunt).
After four years of hiatus, Nicholson reunited with Sean Penn in The Pledge
(2001) and set a record by being nominated for a 12th Oscar for playing Warren
R. Schmidt in Alexander Payne's About Schmidt (2002, costarring Kathy Bates). In
the following year, he was cast as Dr. Buddy Rydell (costarring Adam Sandler) in
the popular comedy Anger Management. In 2006, Nicholson is scheduled to star in
the remake of gangster clash Internal Affairs (a.k.a. Wu Jian Dao), The
Departed. He will portray an Irish gang boss and star with actors Leonardo
DiCaprio and Matt Damon.
"The average celebrity meets, in one year, ten times the amount of people that
the average person meets in his entire life." Jack Nicholson.
Awards:
