Jack Nicholson is both a charmer and a cliche. Passionate about truth in his art and a mendacious hypocrite in real life. Wildly generous, yet appallingly parsimonious. A pothead and a fine art collector. A priapic satyr and a romantic fool.
In 1954, he took his swaggering wit to Hollywood. He worked as a gofer in the MGM animation department, until — in a story that may be true, or may be a bit of mythology — he was "discovered" in an elevator by MGM producer Joe Pasternak. Nicholson threw himself into acting classes, local theater, a stint in the National Guard, some Beat/intellectual auto-didacting, bit parts in television, Reichian therapy, screenwriting, an early marriage, a lot of drugs and a lot of buddying up with other soon-to-be-famous actors, writers, directors and producers.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he kept feverishly busy with roles in B-horror films (learning from his early mentor Roger Corman the economy of budget and script). He also did Nouvelle Vague westerns, and recycled, "Wild One"-influenced biker flicks.
"Easy Rider" was followed by "Five Easy Pieces," "Carnal Knowledge" and, of course, "Chinatown."
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Year | Category | Work | |
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1969 | Best Supporting Actor | Easy Rider | Nomination |
1970 | Best Actor | Five Easy Pieces | Nomination |
1973 | Best Actor | The Last Detail | Nomination |
1974 | Best Actor | Chinatown | Nomination |
1975 | Best Actor | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Win |
1981 | Best Supporting Actor | Reds | Nomination |
1983 | Best Supporting Actor | Terms of Endearment | Win |
1985 | Best Actor | Prizzi's Honor | Nomination |
1987 | Best Actor | Ironweed | Nomination |
1992 | Best Supporting Actor | A Few Good Men | Nomination |
1997 | Best Actor | As Good As It Gets | Win |
2002 | Best Actor | About Schmidt | Nomination |
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