Actor
Jack Nicholson
Born 22 April 1937 · Manhattan, New York, USA
Jack Nicholson (born 1937) is an American actor known for intense, charismatic and often unstable characters. A central figure of the New Hollywood era, he became one of cinema's most celebrated leading men. His three Academy Award wins for acting tie him with Walter Brennan for the most by a male actor.
Key films
Easy Rider (1969)
His breakout role as the alcoholic lawyer George Hanson earned his first Oscar nomination and launched his stardom.
Chinatown (1974)
As detective J.J. Gittes in Roman Polanski's noir classic, he gave one of his most celebrated lead performances.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
His rebellious R.P. McMurphy won him the first of two Best Actor Oscars.
The Shining (1980)
His unhinged Jack Torrance in Kubrick's horror film became one of cinema's most iconic performances.
As Good as It Gets (1997)
His portrayal of a obsessive, cantankerous novelist earned his second Best Actor Oscar.
Key awards
- 1976 Academy Award for Best Actor (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
- 1984 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Terms of Endearment)
- 1998 Academy Award for Best Actor (As Good as It Gets)
- 1994 AFI Life Achievement Award
- 2001 Kennedy Center Honors
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 130
- 1958Cry Baby Killer · as Jimmy WallaceActor
- 1960The Little Shop of Horrors · as Wilbur ForceActor
- 1960The Wild Ride · as Johnny VarronActor
- 1960Too Soon to Love · as BuddyActor
- 1960Studs Lonigan · as Weary ReillyActor
- 1962The Broken Land · as WillActor
- 1962Little Amy · as Jefferson City CoachActor
- 1962The Hour of St. Francis · as Jim EvansActor
- 1963The Raven · as Rexford BedloActor
- 1963The Terror · as Lt. Andre DuvalierActor
- 1964Ensign Pulver · as Yeoman DolanActor
- 1964Back Door to Hell · as BurnettActor
- 1964Flight to Fury · as Jay WickhamActor
- 1966The Shooting · as Billy SpearActor
- 1966Ride in the Whirlwind · as WesActor
- 1967The St. Valentine's Day Massacre · as Gino, Hit Man (uncredited)Actor
- 1967Hells Angels on Wheels · as PoetActor
- 1968Targets · as Lt. Andre Duvalier (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1968Head · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 1968Psych-Out · as StoneyActor
- 1968The Movie Orgy · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1969Easy Rider · as George HansonActor
- 1970Five Easy Pieces · as Robert Eroica DupeaActor
- 1970On a Clear Day You Can See Forever · as Tad PringleActor
- 1970Rebel Rousers · as BunnyActor
- 1971Carnal Knowledge · as JonathanActor
- 1971Drive, He SaidDirector
- 1971Drive, He Said · as Annoyed Bearded GuyActor
- 1971A Safe Place · as MitchActor
- 1971Walt Whitman: Poet for a New Age · as NarratorActor
- 1972The King of Marvin Gardens · as David StaeblerActor
- 1972Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here · as SelfActor
- 1973The Last Detail · as Billy L. 'Badass' BudduskyActor
- 1974Chinatown · as J.J. 'Jake' GittesActor
- 1975One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest · as Randle Patrick McMurphyActor
- 1975The Passenger · as David LockeActor
- 1975Tommy · as The SpecialistActor
- 1975The Fortune · as Oscar 'Dix' SullivanActor
- 1976The Missouri Breaks · as Tom LoganActor
- 1976The Last Tycoon · as BrimmerActor
- 1976TVTV Looks at the Oscars · as SelfActor
- 1978Goin' South · as Henry MoonActor
- 1978Goin' SouthDirector
- 1980The Shining · as Jack TorranceActor
- 1980Making 'The Shining' · as SelfActor
- 1981The Postman Always Rings Twice · as Frank ChambersActor
- 1981Reds · as Eugene O'NeillActor
- 1982The Border · as Charlie SmithActor
- 1983Terms of Endearment · as Garrett BreedloveActor
- 1985Prizzi's Honor · as Charley PartannaActor
- 1985Live Aid · as SelfActor
- 1986Heartburn · as MarkActor
- 1986Barbra Streisand: One Voice · as Self - Audience Member (uncredited)Actor
- 1986The Elephant's Child · as Narrator (voice)Actor
- 1987The Witches of Eastwick · as Daryl Van HorneActor
- 1987Broadcast News · as Bill RorichActor
- 1987Ironweed · as Francis PhelanActor
- 1987Creepy Classics · as Rexford Bedlo - (archive footage)Actor
- 1987Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories · as Narrator (voice)Actor
- 1987Rabbit Ears - How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin/How the Camel Got His Hump · as Narrator (voice)Actor
- 1988On the tracks of a filmmaker · as Jack NicholsonActor
- 1989Batman · as Joker / Jack NapierActor
- 1990The Two JakesDirector
- 1990The Two Jakes · as J.J. "Jake" GittesActor
- 1992A Few Good Men · as Col. Nathan R. JessepActor
- 1992Hoffa · as James R. 'Jimmy' HoffaActor
- 1992Man Trouble · as Harry BlissActor
- 1994Wolf · as Will RandallActor
- 1995The Crossing Guard · as Freddy GaleActor
- 1995The Rolling Stones: Totally Stripped · as SelfActor
- 1995The Rolling Stones: Stripped · as SelfActor
- 1996Mars Attacks! · as President Dale / Art LandActor
- 1996Blood and Wine · as AlexActor
- 1996The Evening Star · as Garrett BreedloveActor
- 1996Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1997As Good as It Gets · as Melvin UdallActor
- 1997Completely CuckooActor
- 1998Junket Whore · as SelfActor
- 1999Playmate Pajama Party · as selfActor
- 1999Velocity · as Johnny Varron (young) (archive footage)Actor
- 1999Playboy: Playmate Pajama PartyActor
- 2001The Pledge · as Jerry BlackActor
- 2001Stanley Kubrick - Ein Leben für den Film · as SelfActor
- 2001America | A Tribute to Heroes · as SelfActor
- 2002About Schmidt · as Warren SchmidtActor
- 2002Paul McCartney: Back in the U.S. · as SelfActor
- 2003Anger Management · as Dr. Buddy RydellActor
- 2003Something's Gotta Give · as Harry SanbornActor
- 2003Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood · as SelfActor
- 2004Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2005Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast · as Self - PresenterActor
- 2006The Departed · as CostelloActor
- 2006Witness to 'Reds' · as SelfActor
- 2007The Bucket List · as Edward Periman ColeActor
- 2007Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick · as SelfActor
- 2007The Visions of Stanley Kubrick · as SelfActor
- 2007View from the Overlook: Crafting 'The Shining' · as SelfActor
- 2007Making of ChinatownActor
- 2008Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired · as Self / Jake Gittes (archive footage)Actor
- 2008Notes on an American Film Director at Work · as SelfActor
- 2008Rob Reiner Interviews the Stars: Jack Nicholson · as SelfActor
- 2008Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight · as SelfActor
- 2010How Do You Know · as CharlesActor
- 2010I'm Still Here · as Jack NicholsonActor
- 2010Mulholland Drive - Ein Hollywood-Mythos · as SelfActor
- 2010Stardust · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 2010America Lost and Found: The BBS Story · as SelfActor
- 2010Soul Searching in 'Five Easy Pieces' · as SelfActor
- 2010BBStory: An American Film Renaissance · as SelfActor
- 2010Drive, He Said: A Cautionary Tale of Campus Revolution and Sexual Freedom · as SelfActor
- 2011Corman's World · as Self - ActorActor
- 2012Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2012Close Up · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2014I Am Divine · as Self (archive)Actor
- 2017Mansfield 66/67 · as Self - Actor(archive footage)Actor
- 2017The Rolling Stones: From the Vault - Sticky Fingers Live at the Fonda Theatre 2015 · as Self - Audience MemberActor
- 2017Jack Nicholson - The Devilish Smile of Hollywood · as SelfActor
- 2020Kubrick by Kubrick · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 202040 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2020Joker: Put on a Happy Face · as SelfActor
- 2021Untold: Deal with the Devil · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2021Morceaux de Cannes · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2022Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2024Shine On: The Forgotten Shining Location · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2024Jack of Three Trades: In Focus on Nicholson the Director · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2025John Candy: I Like Me · as Self - Actor (archive footage)Actor
- 2025Breakdown: 1975 · as Self (The Passenger-archive footage)Actor
- 2025SNL50: The Homecoming Concert · as SelfActor
- 2025Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror · as Self (archive photo)Actor
- 2025Films to Die For · as (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.