John “Jack” Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, internationally renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals of neurotic characters.
Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award 12 times, and has won three: two for Best Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor.
He is tied with Walter Brennan for most acting wins by a male actor (three), and second to Katharine Hepburn for most acting wins overall (four). He is also one of only two actors nominated for an Academy Award for acting (either lead or supporting) in every decade since the 1960s; the other is Michael Caine. He has won seven Golden Globe Awards, and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2001. In 1994, he became one of the youngest actors to be awarded the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award. Notable films that he starred in include, in chronological order, Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Passenger, The Shining, Terms of Endearment, Batman, A Few Good Men, As Good as It Gets, About Schmidt, Something’s Gotta Give, and The Departed.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1958 The Cry Baby Killer Jimmy Wallace
1960 Too Soon to Love Buddy
The Wild Ride Johnny Varron
The Little Shop of Horrors Wilbur Force
Studs Lonigan Weary Reilly
1962 The Broken Land Will Brocious
1963 The Terror French soldier uncredited – director
The Raven Rexford Bedlo
1964 Flight to Fury Jay Wickham
Ensign Pulver Dolan
Back Door to Hell Burnett
1965 Ride in the Whirlwind Wes
1966 The Shooting Billy Spear
1967 The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Gino, Hit Man uncredited
Hells Angels on Wheels Poet
1968 Psych-Out Stoney
1969 Easy Rider George Hanson Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1970 On A Clear Day You Can See Forever Tad Pringle
The Rebel Rousers Bunny
Five Easy Pieces Robert Eroica Dupea Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
1971 Carnal Knowledge Jonathan Fuerst Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
A Safe Place Mitch
Drive, He Said Director
1972 The King of Marvin Gardens David Staebler
1973 The Last Detail Billy “Bad Ass” Buddusky BAFTA Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
1974 Chinatown J.J. ‘Jake’ Gittes BAFTA Award for Best Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
1975 The Fortune Oscar Sullivan aka Oscar Dix
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Randle Patrick McMurphy Academy Award for Best Actor
BAFTA Award for Best Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
The Passenger David Locke
Tommy The Specialist
1976 The Missouri Breaks Tom Logan
The Last Tycoon Brimmer
1978 Goin’ South Henry Lloyd Moon Also director
1980 The Shining Jack Torrance
1981 The Postman Always Rings Twice Frank Chambers
Ragtime Pirate at beach uncredited
Reds Eugene O’Neill BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1982 The Border Charlie Smith
1983 Terms of Endearment Garrett Breedlove Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1985 Prizzi’s Honor Charley Partanna Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1986 Heartburn Mark Forman
1987 The Witches of Eastwick Daryl Van Horne
Broadcast News Bill Rorich
Ironweed Francis Phelan Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
1989 Batman Joker / Jack Napier Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1990 The Two Jakes J.J. ‘Jake’ Gittes Also director
1992 Man Trouble Eugene Earl Axline, aka Harry Bliss
A Few Good Men Col. Nathan R. Jessep Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Hoffa James R. ‘Jimmy’ Hoffa Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
1994 Wolf Will Randall
1995 The Crossing Guard Freddy Gale
1996 Blood and Wine Alex Gates
The Evening Star Garrett Breedlove
Mars Attacks! President James Dale / Art Land
1997 As Good as it Gets Melvin Udall Academy Award for Best Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1999 Golden Globe – Cecil B. DeMille Award
2001 The Pledge Jerry Black
2002 About Schmidt Warren R. Schmidt Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2003 Anger Management Dr. Buddy Rydell
Something’s Gotta Give Harry Sanborn Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2006 The Departed Francis ‘Frank’ Costello Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
2007 The Bucket List Edward Cole
