Prodigies often appear in the most unusual of places, and the celebrity we’re focusing on in this post is no less than a prodigy. Having taken root in the humblest of beginnings, this actor always knew he was meant for bigger things. And his persistence yielded the best rewards.

We’re talking about the iconic actor, Jack Nicholson, and today, we’ll be shedding light on his childhood, his career, and other unseen aspects of his life. If you’re a fan, stick around until the end to discover some of the most interesting facts and latest celebrity news about him.

He Had a Rather Unusual Upbringing

The iconic actor, Jack Nicholson, was born John Joseph Nicholson on April 22, 1937, in New Jersey. His mother was June Nicholson, a showgirl who was only 17 when she had him. Although she married showman Donald Furcillo, a book on Jack’s life stated that June’s media manager was his biological father.

Furcillo left June before Jack was born, and since his mother was very young, her parents decided to raise him as their child without revealing his true parentage. He grew up believing that his mother was his older sister! He only found out the truth from a reporter who was working on a story about him, in 1970.

Before The Entertainment Industry, He Served The Military

Despite winning a scholarship to Delaware University, Nicholson moved to Hollywood in 1954 to try his luck at acting. He took his first steps towards his dream by training with a group called Players Ring Theatre. After his training, he landed a few small parts performing on stage and in television shows.

In 1957, he joined the California Air National Guard in an effort to “dodge the draft.” After he’d completed his basic Air Force training, Nicholson participated in weekend drills and a two-week annual training as a firefighter. He was officially discharged from his duties at the end of his enlistment in 1962.

At the Very Start, He Worked For Animators Hanna & Barbera

When he first moved to Los Angeles, he took up a job as an office worker for William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio. While at the job, Nicholson would often sketch, and according to sources, he was pretty good at it.

When Hanna and Barbera saw his sketches, they were so impressed that they offered him an entry-level job as an animator! But as luck would have it, he turned the offer down because he wanted to pursue his passion for acting. Imagine what The Flintstones would have looked like if Jack Nicholson created them!

He Debuted in Movies With 1958’s The Cry Baby Killer

His debut movie was The Cry Baby Killer, which was a low-budget film released in 1958. He played the title role in the movie and it marked the start of his collaboration with producer Roger Corman. Corman worked with Nicholson on a number of projects like The Raven and The Little Shop of Horrors.

Another director with whom Nicholson frequently worked with was Monte Hellman. Hellman too primarily directed low-budget western films, and two of his pieces, Ride in the Whirlwind, and The Shooting, gained cult success on the art-house circuit in France. Nicholson also made an appearance in two episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

He Experimented With Screen & Script Writing

Nicholson tried his hand at writing screenplays as well. He got his first breakthrough at writing scripts with the 1967 counterculture film The Trip, starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. Fonda praised Nicholson after the first script reading because he felt that the movie would be a great hit.

But when the film was actually brought forth to be put up in theatres, he was baffled and blamed the editing staff to have made it so predictable. Nicholson also co-wrote the movie Head starring the musical group Monkees, and he also arranged the soundtrack for the movie.

First Marriage & the Alleged Son From Another Relationship

Nicholson married only once in his life and it was to Sandra Knight. The marriage lasted for a good five years from June 1962 to August 1967. The couple separated two years preceding their divorce. They have a daughter together named Jennifer. But Nicholson was always surrounded by controversy.

In 1970, actress Susan Anspach accused Nicholson of fathering her son, Caleb Goddard. It was a tense patch for him. While in 1984, he claimed that he was not convinced of Caleb being his child, in 1996, Caleb stated that Nicholson had accepted him. Sometime between 1988 and 1994, Nicholson helped Caleb financially in going through college, too.

His Acting Career Set Straight in 1967

Things finally started heading his way when actor Rip Torn dropped out of Easy Rider and Nicholson was cast in his place. Nicholson played the role of a hard-drinking attorney, George Hanson, and for this role, he received an Oscar nomination. The film was a blockbuster and made 10 times the revenue of the production!

Nicholson always thought of Easy Rider as his breakthrough. He remarked that all he could see was the desperate young actor in him trying to create a movie career before his big hit came along. And thank God it did!

His Second Oscar Nomination Came Soon After

Nicholson was next cast in the movie Five Easy Pieces in 1970, where he acted alongside Karen Black. He played an oil-rig worker and Black was his waitress girlfriend. For their performances, the two were nominated for the Academy Awards. Nicholson was also responsible for the famous restaurant scene which Black claims was improvised by him.

Black, in an interview, also stated that Jack was nowhere near his character Bobby in real life since Jack was interested in finding love just as much as Bobby had no care for it. The movie, within a month of its release, became a mega-hit, establishing Jack as the “new American anti-hero.”

Finally, He Bagged the Best Actor Award

Jack Nicholson won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and was also nominated for his third Oscar and a Golden Globe for his performance in the movie, The Last Detail. The film was appreciated by both, the public and the critics.

His next Academy Award nomination came with the role he played in the noir-thriller, Chinatown. The role was what helped the movie to not become the typical genre crime film. Jack’s next hit was the full movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest for which he took home the Best Actor Oscar.

He Made a Clean Sweep at the Oscars for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was one of Jack’s greatest successes, with his role of Randle McMurphy, a mental asylum inmate. Randle was an anti-authoritarian inmate who later became a leader to the other patients. Biographer Ken Burke said that the part seemed perfect for Nicholson since the smart attitude balanced out the concern for fellow mental health patients.

Reviewer Marie Brenner also stated that the role Jack had played continues to inspire actors by his delivery of comic dialogue. The film swept nine nominations at the Academy Awards and won the top five, out of which was Nicholson’s first for Best Actor.

He Forayed Into Direction Too

Jack has been a director, actor, producer, and writer. He has directed and starred in three films. Drive, He Said in 1971, had been his directorial debut. The film was released by Columbia Pictures and it starred many of Jack’s friends and his frequent screen collaborators- Bruce Dern, Robert Towne, and Henry Jaglom. The film was based on a book written in 1964, with the same title.

Meanwhile, Nicholson directed another film, Goin’ South, where he also appeared in alongside Mary Steenburgen, Christopher Lloyd, and John Belushi. The film came out in 1978. His third movie as actor-director, The Two Jakes, was an American neo-noir mystery which came out in 1990.

The Shining Showcased One of His Most Memorable Performances

For a larger part of the ‘70s, Nicholson made appearances in many top-rated films. He made it a point to enhance his portfolio by working with big-names even if his roles in such films were limited. He took on a small role on The Last Tycoon to work with Robert De Niro; similarly, The Missouri Breaks witnessed him acting alongside Marlon Brando.

One of his most memorable performances ever was on The Shining in 1980. Although he didn’t win any award for it, it was evident that he had given his portrayal more than his 100 percent. Major credit also goes to director Stanley Kubrick for getting that performance out of him at the time.

He Slapped Faye Dunaway to Deliver a Realistic Performance!

Chinatown was one of the greatest hits that Jack had ever done. The movie, however, was criticized to some extent because it’s violent and scandalous themes. In the film, there was a scene where Jack Gittes, portrayed by Jack Nicholson, had to slap his co-star Faye Dunaway’s character.

After a few failed attempts, Faye herself approached Jack and told him that the slaps didn’t feel real and that he should slap her like he meant it, to make it more convincing. Faye straight up told Jack to hit her, and eventually, he did! Perhaps Nicholson had initially felt some anxiety over hurting Dunaway.

He Got Involved with Meryl Streep

During the shoot of his 1978 movie Ironweed, Nicholson had an affair with Meryl Streep. They had worked together before and had a rather antagonistic relationship. But the two hit it off really well on the set of Ironweed and the romance instantly came into play.

The actors started disappearing a lot together. The crew thought they had retired to Jack’s trailer to rehearse their dialogues, but it soon became evident that they were involved with each other. While both actors tried to cover it up, the “trailer situation” got a little out of hand and embarrassing for the crew members over time.

Sometimes, He Just Went Overboard!

While getting too engrossed in character, Nicholson sometimes went a little too far. Some of his over-the-top performances include his role of the Devil in the movie The Witches of Eastwick, which came out in 1987 and was a dark fantasy-comedy directed by George Miller. Another commendable performance came with Batman, in 1989, where Jack played Joker.

Both films were box-office hits. His third hit was the full movie A Few Good Men in 1982, in which Jack played a marine colonel opposite Tom Cruise. For his performance, he later brought home his tenth Oscar nomination which was a record set for any male actor!

He Was in a Long-term Relationship With Anjelica Huston

In his younger years, from 1973 to 1990, Nicholson was in a long-term relationship with actress Anjelica Huston. Anjelica had just come to Los Angeles when a friend of hers who knew Jack invited her to tag along to a party at his place. The two hit it off and sometime later, Anjelica moved in with him, so it wasn’t some whirlwind affair.

The couple spent quite some time living happily and working together. Anjelica wrote about how Jack’s love for the sport of basketball seemed fascinating to her. She further revealed that though Jack acted all fun around people, in reality, he was quite emotional and was easily moved by acts of kindness.

After 17 Years, They Split…

Anjelica and Jack shared 17 long years of a happy and cherished relationship, but the more she started growing familiar with him, the more she started growing exhausted of him, too. After a certain point, she could no longer let his infidelity slide; like the fact that she entered the house and found other girls there.

She hit rock bottom when she came to know that Jack had flirted with a girl, through an article on Playboy magazine. She was then done with him. She went to his office where they had a fight and she sat down and cried trying not to punch the life out of him!

He Has a Beautiful Daughter

Despite having a string of failed relationships in his life, there’s one area in which Nicholson hasn’t failed. And that’s at being a father. He shares a beautiful daughter named Lorraine with actress Rebecca Broussard. Born in 1990, Lorraine is already making a name for herself in the movies.

She first appeared in her famous father’s movie Something’s Gotta Give, as an extra. The year 2008 saw her lend her voice to Katie’s character in the movie Fly Me to the Moon. However, her most noticeable appearance so far was as Alana Blanchard in the movie, Soul Surfer.

82 & All Alone

For a man with as many former girlfriends as Jack Nicholson, it’s really hard to believe that he’s ended up alone. He’s had his fair share of relationships, but he has been unable to settle down with someone in his later years. Today, Nicholson prefers to stay away from the limelight and spends most of his time alone.

While one of the reasons for his retirement is believed to be the failure of his last movie, How Do You Know, speculations are rife that Nicholson is dealing with memory loss issues. Though he seems to have left movies for good, he has been quoted as saying that he’d like to find a companion.

He Was Planning a Comeback But Dropped the Idea

Probably one of the most welcoming celebrity news of recent times was that of Nicholson’s comeback. In 2017, it was rumored that he would be starring alongside Kristen Wiig in the remake of the German hit movie, Toni Edrmann. He was to play Wiig’s father, an old man who had a knack for practical jokes.

Had the project pushed through as planned, fans would’ve had a peek of the mega-star after a 7-year long hiatus. However, it was later reported that Nicholson had dropped out of the project due to unknown reasons. But like us, other fans shouldn’t abandon hopes of seeing their favorite celebrity back on the circuit.

This Was the Real Reason For the Split

Rebecca Broussard was the reason why Anjelica broke things off with Jack. Apparently, Jack got Rebecca pregnant and Anjelica found out about it. Sometime later when Jack was asked about it by Vanity Fair, he said that he trusted Rebecca and that she was a great person.

It wouldn’t be fair to say that all of Jack’s relationships were physical, because when he broke up with Rebecca, he said that he still loved her to pieces. In fact, every woman Jack had ever been with was of prime importance to him; he adored each one of them.

Meanwhile, the Oscars Kept Coming In

As Good as it Gets helped Jack along with his co-star Helen Hunt bag Oscars for their leading performances in the quirky comedy-drama. At the top of the industry for his generation, Nicholson was offered the lead in a lot of projects which helped him earn yet another nomination for his performance on About Schmidt.

His softer, more romantic side came out in the movie Something’s Gotta Give which was released in 2004, and produced and directed by Nancy Meyers. His next major work was in the Oscar-winning mob drama The Departed which came out in 2006.

The Big Divide in Hoffa’s Case

In 1992, Jack Nicholson delivered an almost-good performance in the film, Hoffa. The biographical drama shot mostly in flashbacks was directed by Danny DeVito and was based on real incidents that transpired in the life of Jimmy Hoffa. He is the leader of the labor union – International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The movie had quite a stellar cast and crew.

The film fared averagely in the box-office with lower earnings than its budget and Nicholson’s performance received mixed reviews from the critics. While he received the Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor on the one hand, on the other, he was also nominated for a Razzie for the Worst Actor.

A Romantic Tale Like No Other

Jack Nicholson’s relationships have always been fodder for the latest celebrity news. And one of the most talked about romances of his life was with actress Lara Flynn Boyle. The way in which the actors started dating was no less than dramatic. In 1999, Nicholson asked Boyle out while she was already dating David Spade.

And get this; he asked her out in front of Spade himself! While the “asking out” itself didn’t have much of an after-effect on Spade and Boyle, when a tabloid reported that Nicholson and Boyle were in a vehicle crash and Boyle exited quickly, things got lost between her and Spade.

He Paid the Best Tribute There Could Ever Be to Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando was Nicholson’s idol and dear friend. Understandably, Brando’s death in 2005 had a deep impact on Nicholson. He paid his respects to the legend by composing a 1,700-word tribute in the Rolling Stone, highlighting his feelings of admiration for Brando. But his tribute didn’t end there.

He bought Brando’s $5-million house and decided to demolish it, but with a noble intention. He knew Brando’s love for the Frangipani flower, and so, Nicholson had hundreds of Frangipani flowers planted in the area where Brando’s house once stood, in his honor. What a way to pay respect!

He’s a Great Fan of the Los Angeles Lakers

Jack has long been an ace golfer. However, golf is not the only sport that interests him. He loves basketball and is a strong supporter of the Los Angeles Lakers. Nicholson can often be spotted at Lakers’ home games, and he’s often accompanied by his daughter Lorraine.

It seems that watching Lakers’ matches gives Jack real pleasure. Several pictures of him expressing his true feelings during a game have surfaced in the celebrity news time and again. And if rumors are to be believed, Nicholson schedules his activities around Lakers’ matches. What a fan!

One Time, He Was Almost Ejected From a Lakers’ Game

It happens to the best of us. While watching our favorite sport, we often get carried away to the extent of yelling and throwing things. It’s only human nature; can’t really be helped now, can it? Something similar happened with Nicholson in May 2003 during the Lakers’ playoff game.

While the game was progressing normally, at one point, Nicholson got into a heated argument with game officials and even players. He went to the extent of walking onto the court and yelling at the game’s referee. He almost got thrown out of the game following the incident.

He Had Some Weird Stage Antics

Jack Nicholson had some off-beat stage tricks. Co-star Leonardo DiCaprio was introduced to them during the filming of The Departed. After the movie was completed, DiCaprio, in an interview, expressed his utter surprise at Jack’s antics. He claimed Nicholson was highly impulsive and no one could anticipate what he would do next.

According to DiCaprio, on one instance during the shooting of The Departed, a prop guy tipped him that Jack was keeping a fire extinguisher, a gun, and a bottle of alcohol with him and no one knew what he planned to do. Eventually, Nicholson pulled the gun on DiCaprio’s face and ignited the table.

What Diane Keaton Thinks About Him

Jack Nicholson ranks high in his co-stars’ book. Most people who have worked with him are left in awe of him. Diane Keaton, Jack’s co-actor from the movie Something’s Gotta Give, had a rather interesting thing to say about him. In an interview, she said that working with Nicholson felt like facing the Grand Canyon!

She didn’t find anything wrong in comparing Jack to one of the Seven Wonders of the World and said that Nicholson was a gigantic figure to her. According to her, the way Nicholson used language was the reason for his heavy screen persona. We don’t deny it!

He Shares a Great Friendship With Danny DeVito

During his time growing up and while in the movies, Jack Nicholson made some life-long friends in the business. In the early years that he spent in New Jersey, Nicholson was neighbors with Danny DeVito, and that formed the base of their long-lasting friendship. The two remain, close friends, even today.

Did you know that Nicholson and DeVito used to practice dialogues on each other to improve their acting? It’s true. We’d say the hard work had paid off since the two had been part of some of the most classic scenes in so many full movies.

He’s a Philanthropist

While several celebrities choose to spend their wealth and time on wasted causes, there are a few who believe in helping those in need. One such celebrity is Jack Nicholson. While he may seem like a rather reserved and eccentric person, Jack goes all out when it comes to charity and giving.

He has donated large amounts to Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, and several other reputed charities. He is also known to help raise funds for them by participating in events such as telethons for the September 11 attack victims and more.

He’s Been Awarded an Honorary Doctorate

Often, noted personalities in different fields of art are awarded honorary degrees from reputable schools to acknowledge their contribution to their field. Not everyone could easily make the cut, but for an actor of such high caliber like Jack Nicholson, obtaining the honor was only natural.

At its 243rd commencement exercises, Brown University conferred upon Nicholson, the Doctor of Fine Arts degree in 2011. While handing over the degree to Nicholson, Ruth Simmons, the university’s president, gave a speech dedicated to the actor, referring to him as the “most skilled actor” of recent times.

He’s An Avid Golfer

Jack Nicholson is one actor whose name is enough to draw people to the theatres. And that’s why directors and producers have always been eager to cast him in their projects. When you’re in such high demand, it’s only natural for you to have loads of money.

And like any other guy with deep pockets, Nicholson has a few high-profile hobbies. He loves playing golf, for one. He often makes time for it, and he ensures he looks and plays his best. That’s why he spends lavishly on his golfing accessories. He even owns a $75K-worth set of custom-made Honma golf-clubs.