Contents
Jack Nicholson
Playing memorable outsiders in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Chinatown and The Shining.
Chinatown · One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
- Born
- 22 April 1937
- Birthplace
- Neptune City, New Jersey, United States
More people
Jack Nicholson
An American actor whose expressive face and unpredictable energy became signatures of New Hollywood. His work ranges from rebellious leads to comedy and unsettling authority figures.
Early life
New Jersey childhood
Grew up in New Jersey before moving to California.
Early industry work
Worked around film studios and low-budget productions before major acting success.
Career
- 1958
Film debut
Starred in The Cry Baby Killer.
- 1969
Easy Rider
A supporting role brought wider recognition.
- 1970s
New Hollywood
Took leading roles in Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown and Cuckoo’s Nest.
- 1980s–1990s
Further recognition
Won additional Oscars for Terms of Endearment and As Good as It Gets.
Selected work
Chinatown
Played a detective drawn into corruption and family secrets.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Played a patient challenging institutional authority.
The Shining
Played Jack Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s horror film.
Beyond acting
Basketball
Became a familiar courtside supporter of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Filmmaking
Also worked as a screenwriter and director.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Academy Awards ceremony ↗Photo: Georges Biard. CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
