Jack Nicholson

June 18, 12:58 AMCelebrity Profile ExaminerAndy Williamson

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JACK NICHOLSON - EARLY PUBLICITY SHOT

“Sell crazy some place else -- we’re all stocked up here.”  The actor who uttered these words in 1997’s As Good As It Gets might well have been referring to himself.  In his 50+ years as a film actor, he certainly has stocked up on nut job roles, while simultaneously (and miraculously) making them somehow likable and sympathetic.  Nobody plays crazy like Jack Nicholson.

John “Jack” Joseph Nicholson was born on April 22nd, 1937 in New York, New York.  He is the son of June Frances Nicholson, a showgirl whose stage name was June Nilson.  The identity of Jack’s father is unknown ... even to the actor himself.  To avoid scandal, and so that his mother could continue to pursue her stage career, Jack grew up believing that mother was actually his older sister, and that his grandparents, John Nicholson and Ethel Rhoads, were his parents.  Jack didn’t learn the truth of this matter until the beans were spilled in 1974 by a Time Magazine journalist doing an interview.  By then, his mother and grandmother had passed on.  Jack later said of the matter: "Only Ethel and June knew [who my real father was] and they never told anybody.”

Jack (or “Nick” as he was affectionately named by classmates) grew up in Neptune City, New Jersey and attended Manasquan High School.  In 1954, the funny and charismatic young man was voted Class Clown.  Half a century later, in 2004, Jack, never having forgotten where he came from, thrilled his old classmates by attending his 50 Year High School Reunion.

Jack got his start in show business in the late 1950s, when he moved to Hollywood and worked as a gofer for the Hanna-Barbera Animation Studio.  When his artistic talent was recognized, Jack was offered a position as an animation artist -- however, wanting rather to pursue an acting career, Jack declined.  He made his film debut in 1958, in the titular role of producer Roger Corman’s looooow-budget teen drama The Cry Baby Killer.  Many collaborations with Corman ensued, including The Little Shop of Horrors (1960 - where Jack played a sadomasochistic dental patient), The Raven (1963), The Terror (1963), and The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967).

JACK NICHOLSON

As none of these did much to further Jack’s dream of movie stardom, he turned his attention behind the camera, penning the screenplay for the Corman produced and directed The Trip (1967).  Starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, The Trip attempted to portray an LSD trip in a cinematic vernacular ... and actually succeeded pretty well.  The film was both ahead, and a time capsule of, its time.  Jack also co-wrote (with Bob Rafelson) the film Head -- the first and only movie featuring 60’s musical sensations The Monkees.  What these experiences lacked in box-office success, they certainly made up for in ... elbow rubbing.  Fonda, Hopper, and Rafelson would all figure greatly in Jack’s meteoric rise to fame, which was closer than he or anyone knew.

In 1969, when Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda were prepping their biker film Easy Rider (directed by Hopper), a chance argument changed history.  The part of alcoholic lawyer George Hansen had been written for actor Rip Torn, yet during preproduction, when Texan Torn took offense at Hopper’s defamatory remarks about rednecks, the two almost came to blows.  Torn left the picture soon after and, needing to fill the role quickly, Hopper called on Jack.  Though his character had precious little screen time, Jack nearly stole the picture -- especially in that infamous campfire scene.  The role earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and made him an overnight star.

The following year, director Bob Rafelson cast Jack in the lead of his film Five Easy Pieces, regarding an emotionally-stunted pianist who is estranged from everyone in his life ... including himself.  While the entire film is brilliant, the most iconic scene in the movie involves Jack’s dialogue with a waitress who refuses to bring him toast because it isn’t on the menu.  Jack received another Oscar nom for this performance, this time for Best Actor.  He lost again.

JACK IN ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST

In 1971, Jack made his directorial debut with Drive, He Said, starring Karen Black and Bruce Dern.  The movie tanked.  Yet over the next few years, Jack went on to appear in increasingly prestigious films, and work with increasingly prestigious directors.  They include Carnal Knowledge (1971 - directed by Mike Nichols), The King of Marvin Gardens (1972 - directed by Bob Rafelson), The Last Detail (1973 - directed by Hal Ashby), Chinatown (1974 - directed by Roman Polanski), Tommy (1975 - directed by Ken Russell), and The Passenger (1975 - directed by Michelanglo Antonioni).  But it wasn’t until 1975 when Jack starred as Randall Patrick McMurphy in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest that he finally snagged that elusive Oscar.  (Cuckoo’s Nest also held the distinction of being only the second film in Oscar history to win all top five awards: Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay.  The only film prior to pull this off was Frank Capra’s 1934 comedy It Happened One Night.  The only picture since to achieve this honor was 1990’s Silence of the Lambs ... by the by.)

After this coup, there was really no place to go but down.  And for the next few years, Jack did struggle to find his cinematic footing again.  In 1976 Jack costarred with Marlon Brando in Arthur Penn’s The Missouri Breaks.  Despite his  legendary costar and director, the film was a critical and commercial flop.  As was 1976’s The Last Tycoon costarring Robert DeNiro and directed by Elia Kazan.  Not one to be deterred by these failures, Jack tried his hand at directing again for 1978’s western comedy Goin’ South, in which he also starred alongside Mary Steenburgen, John Belushi, and (two Cuckoo’s Nest alumni) Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito.  Again, the film was a critical and commercial disappointment ... although there are those (including me) who champion this as a very funny movie.

Just when things were looking pretty dire ... enter Stanley Kubrick,.  The iconic director cast Jack as an emotionally-conflicted (again), alcoholic playwright who takes the job of winter caretaker at a secluded hotel in the Colorado Rockies.  While The Shining (based on Stephen King’s bestseller) did not win Jack any awards (he was, in fact, harshly criticized at the time for his over-the-top performance), it has since become one of THE classic roles of Nicholson’s entire oeuvre.

AS JACK TORRANCE IN THE SHINING - 1980

Next came Bob Rafelson’s remake of the classic The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981 - costarring Jessica Lange)), Reds (1981 - directed by and costarring Jack’s partner in carousing Warren Beatty), The Border (1982), and James L. Brooks’ Terms of Endearment (1983), for which Jack won his second Oscar.  More great work followed with John Huston’s penultimate film Prizzi’s Honor (1985), Heartburn (1986 - directed by Mike Nichols), The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Broadcast News (1987), and Ironweed (1987).  While all were received well critically, and most did well financially, it wasn’t until Tim Burton came calling in 1988 that Jack would have his greatest global success.

Released in 1989, Batman, starring Michael Keaton as The Caped Crusader, was the biggest blockbuster of that year, eventually grossing over $411 million.  Jack was cast as The Joker -- a brilliant-if-obvious choice -- and readily stole the picture from his cowled nemesis.  Smarter yet, was Jack’s prescience in taking a “back-end deal” which reportedly garnered him over $60 million ... looks like The Joker cackled all the way to the bank.

As it was with Cuckoo’s Nest, after this wild success, a letdown was inevitable.  His third directorial effort, the Chinatown sequel The Two Jakes (1990), was not well received by critics or moviegoers.  Man Trouble (1992), which despite being directed by Jack’s old pal Bob Rafelson, was a mess.  Who should come to Jack’s rescue but rising director (and former Meathead) Rob Reiner, who cast Jack as Col. Nathan Jessup in A Few Good Men, based on Aaron Sorkin’s play.  Starring Tom Cruise, the film put Jack back on top ... and added one more catchphrase to his growing lexicon: “You can’t handle the truth!”

JACK NICHOLSON AS THE JOKER - 1989

After more mixed fare like Hoffa (1992 - directed by old pal Danny DeVito), Wolf (1994 - ditto, Mike Nichols), The Crossing Guard (1995 - directed by Sean Penn), Blood and Wine (1996 - costarring Michael Caine), and Mars Attacks! (1996 - reuniting him with Tim Burton), Jack made his third film with writer/director James L. Brooks.  As it was with the first, Terms of Endearment, this film would also win Jack another Oscar, and give him yet another iconic role: that of obsessive compulsive writer Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets (1997).  Only Jack could make a character this despicable so ... lovable.

Of late, Jack has made The Pledge (2001), About Schmidt (2002 - wonderfully subdued), Anger Management (2003), Something’s Gotta Give (2003 - I love this movie!), The Departed (2006 - Scorsese finally wins Oscar!), and The Bucket List (2007 - costarring Morgan Freeman).

Over the decades, Jack was quite the lothario, with rumored trysts and flings with the likes of Michelle Phillips, Bebe Buell, and Lara Flynn Boyle.  Jack’s longest relationship, 16 years, 1973 - 1989, was with Angelica Huston.  Their relationship crumbled when the media reported that actress and model Rebecca Broussard was pregnant with Jack’s child.  Jack and Rebecca had two children together, daughter Lorraine (born 1990), and son Raymond (born 1992).  Jack has two other children, daughter Jennifer Nicholson (born in 1963 while he was married to Sandra Knight from 1962 to 1968), and daughter Honey Holman (born 1981, with Winnie Holman).

Jack is an avid fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and is regularly seen at ALL home games.  Having held season tickets for over a quarter century, Jack is a darkly-bespectacled, courtside staple.  He has been known to storm the court and argue with game officials and opposing players.  Even in his off time, Jack is part of the show.

JACK IN AS GOOD AS IT GETS - 1997

Whatever lies ahead for this sweetly subversive superstar, two things are certain: he has already left behind a bountiful legacy of iconic performances, and he is greatly loved around the world.  Go get ‘em, Jack -- we can’t wait to see what you do next.

Up next for Jack: an Untitled James L. Brooks Project (Jack’s fourth).  Will it be Oscar time again?

Jack Nicholson Quotes:

“The average celebrity meets, in one year, ten times the amount of people that the average person meets in his entire life.”

“If you get an impulse in a scene, no matter how wrong it seems, follow the impulse.  It might be something and if it ain't -- take two!”

“When I come up against a director who has a concept that I don't agree with, or maybe I just haven't thought of it or whatever, I'd be more prone to go with them than my own because I want to be out of control as an actor, I want them to have the control, otherwise it's going to become predictably my work, and that's not fun.”

“I was particularly proud of my performance as the Joker.  I considered it a piece of pop art.”

“There's a period just before you start a movie when you start thinking, I don't know what in the world I'm going to do.  It's free-floating anxiety.  In my case, though, this is over by lunch the first day of shooting.”

JACK NICHOLSON

“So I mean it when I say that if you can't appreciate Brando, I wouldn't know how to talk to you.  If there's anything obvious in life, this is it.  Other actors don't go around discussing who is the best actor in the world, because it's obvious -- Marlon Brando is.”

“I don't want people to know what I'm actually like.  It's not good for an actor.”

“I'm very contra my constituency in terms of abortion because I'm positively against it.  I don't have the right to any other view.  My only emotion is gratitude, literally, for my life.”

“With my sunglasses on, I'm Jack Nicholson.  Without them, I'm fat and seventy.”

Regarding controversial remarks on the death of Heath Ledger: "What I actually said was, 'I warned them.'  I had a bad experience with those sleeping pills that Ledger apparently took.  I took one of these pills and had just gone to sleep when I had a phone call to go to an emergency at a friend's house.  I jumped up, went outside and some time later woke up on the driveway.  It sounds amusing but I live in the mountains and it could've been worse.  I didn't know Heath Ledger, but I know those pills.”

“It's not so nice when you are 71 and looking for some action.  I feel uncomfortable doing it in the limelight -- so from now on I'll do it when it's right.  Happily, when it comes to girls hitting on me, I'm not undernourished.”

"For a long time, I was afraid to be alone.  I had to learn how to be alone.  And there are still times when I think, Uh-oh! I gotta talk to somebody here or I'm gonna go crazy!  But I like to be alone now.  I do. I really do.  There's a big luxury in solitude.”