Jack Nicholson was born on April 22, 1937 as the illegitimate child of a man named Donald Furcillo and a woman named June Nicholson. Jack’s father and his mother were never married and it is unknown if Jack’s father was present for Jack’s birth. In the time when he was born it was a huge source of shame for a woman to have a child out of wedlock so the truth on who his real parents were was hidden from Jack for many years and he never knew the truth until later in his life. After Jack became a star it was a reporter preparing a story about him for Time magazine that uncovered the truth about what Jack Nicholson thought was his family. The woman Jack Nicholson grew up thinking was his mother was actually his grandmother and the woman Jack Nicholson thought was his older sister was actually his mother. Being a very private person it is unknown how this truly affected Jack Nicholson but it is said that the truth devastated the star for many years and there are even rumors that he never forgave his mother and his grandmother for their lifetime of lies. Despite all of his trials and tribulations as a youth and then a young man gathering momentum as a Hollywood star, Jack Nicholson continued to prosper as the movie going public could not get enough of his wit, his charm, and the smile that he is so famous for.

Jack Nicholson has never been one to shy away from controversy or the spot light for any reason. It is said they he loves jokes made about him and he thrives on the attention that sort of parody brings. But Jack Nicholson also has a determined side to him that has driven him to do things no other stars would do but eventually wound up propelling him to super stardom. In 1972 Jack Nicholson was selected to present the Best Picture Oscar which was unusual because at that time he didn’t have the standing most presenters of the Best Picture Oscar have. By 1972 he had been nominated for two Oscars, and the best was yet to come from Jack Nicholson, but the Academy was upset that such a non-seasoned actor was presenting the award that year. But they gave Jack Nicholson the job because absolutely no one else wanted it. No one else wanted it because A Clockwork Orange was nominated for best picture that year and no one wanted to have their name associated with that controversial movie. So Jack Nicholson proudly offered to present the award. It turns out that The French Connection won the Best Picture Oscar for the 1972 entries and Jack Nicholson’s gamble had paid off. He stirred up controversy again in 1998 when he visited communist Cuba as a guest of dictator Fidel Castro. Jack Nicholson took in sights and sounds that many regular Cubans are not allowed to experience and came away with a famously controversial positive opinion on Castro and Cuba. Typical Jack.

For all he has done Jack Nicholson has been nominated for 12 Oscars and has won three of them. He is one of the few actors to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar after winning a Best Leading Actor Oscar but that is all just a regular day in the life of Jack Nicholson. He has that charisma that is hard to get away from and that look on his face that always makes you wonder if Jack Nicholson is laughing at you or not.