6. Robert Eroica Dupea in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Jack plays an angry, brilliantly articulate construction worker in Bob Rafelson's superb drama film
Five Easy Pieces. The best bit: Jack telling a difficult waitress to hold a chicken between her knees after trying to order a supplementary meal in this classic diner scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8
7. Most Quotable Character Parts
Whether it's the aforementioned chicken salad sandwich scene from
Five Easy Pieces, reciting the 'Fuck like a Chinaman' joke in
Chinatown or the simple, sharp, hard-hitting one-liners like "Heeeere's Johnny!" (
The Shining), "If you gotta go, go with a smile!" (
Batman) or "You Can't Handle The Truth!" (
A Few Good Men) there's no denying Jack's characters have provided some of the most quotable cinematic prose. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7JB68sLGY8
8. Has Worked With Some of the Best Directors
The impressive line-up, amongst others includes, Roman Polanski, Rob Rafelson, Arthur Penn, Monte Hellman, Hal Ashby, Tony Richardson, Michelangelo Antonioni, Milos Forman, Stanley Kubrick, Elia Kazan, Ken Russell, James L Brooks, Warren Beatty, John Huston, Rob Reiner, George Miller, Sean Penn, Tim Burton, Alexander Payne and Martin Scorsese.
9. Took Part in One of Cinema's Most Notorious Sex Scenes
Nicholson's kitchen table romp with Jessica Lange in Bob Raelson's remake of the 1946 classic
The Postman Always Rings Twice was so notorious at the time that it sparked debate as to whether the sex was real.
10. Stood His Own Ground Opposite John Huston
Nicholson's final tete a tete with John Huston in Chinatown is a masterstroke; the actor more than holds his own against the legendary filmmaker; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYMWkRrC7UY