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Sure, it's Earth Day. It's Administrative Professionals Day too. But an event that probably isn't pre-printed into your planner (or handwritten, for that matter) is Jack Nicholson's 72nd birthday. Love the guy or hate him, you have to admit that he has led a fascinating life. Here's 10 of the things that make him so interesting.
2. He had some interesting jobs before he hit it big as an actor, including a go-fer in the MGM animation department and a writer for - get this - the Monkees' Head movie. I don't know about you guys, but I never would have associated Jack Nicholson with the Monkees. Jack actually showed some talent as an animator and was offered a job, but declined it because we wanted to pursue his acting career. I guess that worked out OK for him.
3. The statutory rape charges that have kept Roman Polanski out of the country for more than 30 years? The cause of those charges happened at Jack Nicholson's house. The two of them were and are very good friends.
4. Nicholson bought his swinging bachelor pad on Mulholland Drive more than 30 years ago - it cost him only $80,000. At one time, Warren Beatty and Marlon Brando lived in his neighborhood, which resulted in their section of Mulholland being nicknamed "Bad Boy Drive." Brando lived right next door and used to invite himself in even when Nicholson wasn't home, eating his food and leaving behind his underwear. Seriously.
6. A notorious womanizer, Jack has had relationships with actress Sandra Knight (the one and only time he got married), Michelle Phillips from The Mamas and the Papas, waitress Rebecca Broussard, Lara Flynn Boyle and Anjelica Huston. That last relationship lasted 17 years and ended when Broussard turned up pregnant. And all of those women make sense, really, but what he really lusts after are apparently women in power. He's mentioned that he has had fantasies about Eleanor Roosevelt and Rosalynn Carter; one of his rumored dalliances was Margaret Trudeau, the widow of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. He endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in the '08 election... I wouldn't be surprised if she made his fantasy list as well.
7. Jack has turned down (or just didn't get) roles just as prestigious as the ones he has played. Among them: Daddy Warbucks in Annie, Billy Bob Thornton's part in Bad Santa, Peter Dallow in The Bonfire of the Vanities, Ralphie's dad in A Christmas Story, Dick Tracy in the eponymous film, Michael Corleone in The Godfather, Paul Sheldon in Misery, Raymond in Rainman (yeah), Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, Gordon Gekko in Wall Street and Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
8. He has been at every Academy Awards since 1990. He's an active (and very passionate) member of the Academy who was very obviously stunned as he presented the 2005 Best Picture Oscar to the cast and crew of Crash. He had voted for Brokeback Mountain and was sure that it was going to win. Check it out:
9. He has made a lot of money not just for the roles he has taken, but for negotiating smaller salaries in exchange for a percentage of the film's gross. He did this for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1975 (his first Oscar-winning role) and for Batman in 1989, which reportedly netted him more than $60 million.
10. He has a pretty decent art collection, including a bunch of Picassos. His friends have joked that he lives in a $500,000 house (c'mon... you know it would go for a LOT more than that) with a $100 million art collection.
Do you have a favorite Nicholson flick or character? I think I have to go with the Joker, myself. I mean, I really loved Heath Ledger's Joker as well, but Jack's Joker is just so gleefully wicked, you gotta love it. At least, I do. Share your favorite in the comments!