10 Actors Who Did Not Take Credit For Big Movie Roles

James L. Brooks' look at ethics, character, integrity and other things about which television news stopped caring led to several major Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Brooks had worked in the field before becoming a director, and much of Broadcast News' humour and situations are inspired by his days behind the scenes of a news desk.

Jack Nicholson appears as the vain lead anchor in Washington in what initially seems like a brief cameo. However, after the cast experiences brutal layoffs, Nicholson appears again in person to send off the troops. Nicholson had become friends with Brooks on the set of Terms of Endearment and refused payment for his extended cameo here.

In America circa 1987, during one of the worst economic drops in American history (until recently), two things were certain: layoffs and Jack Nicholson.