Jack Nicholson
Biography
John Joseph Nicholson, known as Jack Nicholson, is a retired American actor, film director, producer, and writer. Born on April 22, 1937, in Manhattan, New York, he is widely recognized for his portrayals of neurotic characters, often within dark-themed narratives. Throughout his career, Nicholson has been nominated for Academy Awards 12 times. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his roles in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and As Good as It Gets, and the award for Best Supporting Actor for Terms of Endearment. With three total acting wins, he is tied with Walter Brennan for the most acting wins by a male actor and is one of only two actors nominated for an Academy Award in every decade from the 1960s to the 2000s.
Career overview
Jack Nicholson began his professional career working as a writer and part-time actor. Over the course of his career, he has accumulated 148 known credits in the film industry. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors in cinema history, having appeared in notable films such as Chinatown and As Good as It Gets. His body of work spans multiple decades, during which he established a reputation for his distinct acting style and ability to inhabit complex, often dark roles. In addition to his work as an actor, Nicholson has contributed to the industry as a director and producer. His professional achievements have been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Beyond his primary acting roles, he has collaborated with various performers throughout his career, including Faye Keaton and Leonardo DiCaprio. Nicholson is currently retired from the film industry.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- John Candy: I Like Me (2025) as Self - Actor (archive footage)
- Breakdown: 1975 (2025) as Self (archive footage)
- SNL50: The Homecoming Concert (2025) as Self
- Films to Die For (2025) as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Shine On: The Forgotten Shining Location (2024) as Self (archive footage)
- Jack of Three Trades: In Focus on Nicholson the Director (2024) as Self (archive footage)
- Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend (2022) as Self (archive footage)
- Morceaux de Cannes (2021)
- Untold: Deal with the Devil (2021) as Self (archive footage)
- Kubrick by Kubrick (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- Joker: Put on a Happy Face (2020) as Self
- Basketball: A Love Story (2018) as Self (archive footage)
- Mansfield 66/67 (2017) as Self - Actor(archive footage)
- Jack Nicholson - The Devilish Smile of Hollywood (2017) as Self
- The Rolling Stones: From the Vault - Sticky Fingers Live at the Fonda Theatre 2015 (2017) as Self - Audience Member
- I Am Divine (2014) as Self (archive)
- Close Up (2012) as Self (archive footage)
- Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir (2012) as Self (archive footage)
- Corman's World (2011) as Self - Actor
- How Do You Know (2010) as Charles
- I'm Still Here (2010) as Jack Nicholson
- Stardust (2010) as Self (uncredited)
- BBStory: An American Film Renaissance (2010) as Self
- Drive, He Said: A Cautionary Tale of Campus Revolution and Sexual Freedom (2010) as Self
- Soul Searching in 'Five Easy Pieces' (2010) as Self
- Mulholland Drive - Ein Hollywood-Mythos (2010) as Self
- America Lost and Found: The BBS Story (2010) as Self
- Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008) as Self / Jake Gittes (archive footage)
- Notes on an American Film Director at Work (2008) as Self
- Rob Reiner Interviews the Stars: Jack Nicholson (2008) as Self
- Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight (2008) as Self
- Into the Wild (2007) Thanks
- The Bucket List (2007) as Edward Periman Cole
- My Spy Family (2007)
- The Visions of Stanley Kubrick (2007) as Self
- Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick (2007) as Self
- View from the Overlook: Crafting 'The Shining' (2007) as Self
- The Departed (2006) as Costello
- Witness to 'Reds' (2006) as Self
- Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast (2005) as Self - Presenter
- Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild (2004) as Self(archive footage)
- Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild (2004) Producer
- Something's Gotta Give (2003) as Harry Sanborn
- Anger Management (2003) as Dr. Buddy Rydell
- Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003) as Self
- Celebrities Uncensored (2003) as Self
- Nudes in the News (2002) as Warren Schmidt (archive footage)
- About Schmidt (2002) as Warren Schmidt
- Paul McCartney: Back in the U.S. (2002) as Self
- The Pledge (2001) as Jerry Black
- America | A Tribute to Heroes (2001) as Self
- Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001) as Self
- Playboy: Playmate Pajama Party (1999)
- Velocity (1999) as Johnny Varron (young) (archive footage)
- Junket Whore (1998) as Self
- As Good as It Gets (1997) as Melvin Udall
- Mars Attacks! (1996) as President Dale / Art Land
- Blood and Wine (1996) as Alex
- The Evening Star (1996) as Garrett Breedlove
- Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels (1996) as Self (archive footage)
- The Crossing Guard (1995) as Freddy Gale
- The Rolling Stones: Totally Stripped (1995) as Self
- The Rolling Stones: Stripped (1995) as Self
- Wolf (1994) as Will Randall
- A Few Good Men (1992) as Col. Nathan R. Jessep
- Hoffa (1992) as James R. 'Jimmy' Hoffa
- Man Trouble (1992) as Harry Bliss
- The Two Jakes (1990) as J.J. "Jake" Gittes
- The Two Jakes (1990) Director
- The Two Jakes (1990) Producer
- Batman (1989) as Joker / Jack Napier
- On the tracks of a filmmaker (1988) as Jack Nicholson
- The Witches of Eastwick (1987) as Daryl Van Horne
- Broadcast News (1987) as Bill Rorich
- Ironweed (1987) as Francis Phelan
- Creepy Classics (1987) as Rexford Bedlo - (archive footage)
- Rabbit Ears - How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin/How the Camel Got His Hump (1987) as Narrator (voice)
- Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories (1987) as Narrator (voice)
- Heartburn (1986) as Mark
- Barbra Streisand: One Voice (1986) as Self - Audience Member (uncredited)
- The Elephant's Child (1986) as Narrator (voice)
- Prizzi's Honor (1985) as Charley Partanna
- Live Aid (1985) as Self
- Goldene Kamera (1984) as Self
- Not Necessarily the News (1983) as Self (archive footage)
- Terms of Endearment (1983) as Garrett Breedlove
- The Border (1982) as Charlie Smith
- The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) as Frank Chambers
- Reds (1981) as Eugene O'Neill
- The Shining (1980) as Jack Torrance
- Making 'The Shining' (1980) as Self
- Ciné regards (1978) as Self
- The Kennedy Center Honors (1978) as Self
- Goin' South (1978) as Henry Moon
- Goin' South (1978) Director
- The Missouri Breaks (1976) as Tom Logan
- The Last Tycoon (1976) as Brimmer
- TVTV Looks at the Oscars (1976) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self (uncredited)
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) as Randle Patrick McMurphy
- Tommy (1975) as The Specialist
- The Passenger (1975) as David Locke
- The Fortune (1975) as Oscar 'Dix' Sullivan
- Chinatown (1974) as J.J. 'Jake' Gittes
- The Last Detail (1973) as Billy L. 'Badass' Buddusky
- The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) as David Staebler
- Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here (1972) as Self
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- Carnal Knowledge (1971) as Jonathan
- Drive, He Said (1971) as Annoyed Bearded Guy
- Drive, He Said (1971) Director
- Drive, He Said (1971) Screenplay
- Drive, He Said (1971) Producer
- A Safe Place (1971) as Mitch
- Walt Whitman: Poet for a New Age (1971) as Narrator
- Five Easy Pieces (1970) as Robert Eroica Dupea
- On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) as Tad Pringle
- Rebel Rousers (1970) as Bunny
- Easy Rider (1969) as George Hanson
- The Movie Orgy (1968) as Self (archive footage)
- Targets (1968) as Lt. Andre Duvalier (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Head (1968) as Self (uncredited)
- Head (1968) Writer
- Head (1968) Producer
- Head (1968) Songs
- Psych-Out (1968) as Stoney
- The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967) as Tom Murdock
- The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967) as Gino, Hit Man (uncredited)
- Hells Angels on Wheels (1967) as Poet
- The Trip (1967) Writer
- Ride in the Whirlwind (1966) as Wes
- Ride in the Whirlwind (1966) Writer
- Ride in the Whirlwind (1966) Producer
- The Shooting (1966) as Billy Spear
- The Shooting (1966) Producer
- Ensign Pulver (1964) as Yeoman Dolan
- Back Door to Hell (1964) as Burnett
- Flight to Fury (1964) as Jay Wickham
- Flight to Fury (1964) Writer
- Cordillera (1964) Screenplay
- The Terror (1963) as Lt. Andre Duvalier
- The Raven (1963) as Rexford Bedlo
- Thunder Island (1963) Screenplay
- Little Amy (1962) as Jefferson City Coach
- The Broken Land (1962) as Will
- The Hour of St. Francis (1962) as Jim Evans
- Little Amy (1962) as Jefferson City Coach
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Jaime Angel
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960) as Mr. Garland
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960) as Marvin Jenkins
- The Barbara Stanwyck Show (1960) as Bud
- The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) as Wilbur Force
- The Wild Ride (1960) as Johnny Varron
- Studs Lonigan (1960) as Weary Reilly
- Too Soon to Love (1960) as Buddy
- Hawaiian Eye (1959) as Tony Morgan
- Mr. Lucky (1959) as Martin
- Sea Hunt (1958) as John Stark
- Bronco (1958) as Bob Doolin
- Cry Baby Killer (1958) as Jimmy Wallace
- Matinee Theater (1955) as Musician's Son
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Cecil B. DeMille Award Recipient
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee / Presenter
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee