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Jack Nicholson made his debut in the 1950s when he joined an acting group and performed minor roles in soap operas. His debut role in cinema occurred in 1958 when he starred in The Cry Baby Killer, directed by Roger Corman. Over the next few years, Nicholson frequently collaborated with Corman for movies. His path to becoming an A-list actor began in 1967 when he starred in Easy Rider and received an Academy Award nomination for his role. The actor has appeared in over sixty movies and has been nominated for twelve Academy Awards to date, winning three, two for Best Lead Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor. Along with his accolades, he is one of the wealthiest actors in Hollywood, having a $400 million fortune.
With hefty movie salaries and back-end earnings, Jack Nicholson has made millions, and the actor likes to spend his fortune buying properties, automobiles, and an art collection worth millions.
Earns: Acting Career
Nicholson has gained big salaries over the years from his famous movie roles. He earned his first major paycheck of $500,000 in 1974 for Chinatown. He made $1.25 million for The Shining and $1 million for Terms Of Endearment, the latter earning him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Since the 1990s, the actor has charged between $10-$15 million per movie. As mentioned by Celebrity Net Worth, for his last two films, The Departed and The Bucket List, the actor made $10 million per movie before his retirement in 2010.
Spends: Real Estate
Making millions from his roles has undoubtedly assisted the actor owns several properties in America. Jack Nicholson is known to have properties worth more than $100 million. He purchased his first estate in 1969 in Los Angeles. He owns a compound in Beverly Hills that contains four properties covering a 3-acre land. He also possesses homes in Colorado, Hawaii, and Northern California. In 2005, the artist purchased a property for $5 million owned by his friend Marlon Brando.
Earns: Back-End Movie Profits
Being a successful actor, he firmly believed that his movies would impact the screen. Along with earning big paychecks from films, he also made deals with production companies to earn back-end movie profits from the box office earnings and merchandise. According to Screen Rant, the actor reportedly made $90 million from back-end profits for Tim Burton’s 1989 classic Batman, in which Nicholson starred as the villain Joker. Further notable back-end paychecks include earning $15 million and $14 million for One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and The Missouri Breaks, respectively.
Spends: Car Collection
The actor's love for cars dates back to the early 1960s when he purchased the 1967 White Convertible Beetle, one of the first family cars launched by Volkswagen. After driving the Mercedes 100 on The Witches of Eastwick, he purchased the car for himself, retailing for $9,000. He is also known to own a Mercedes 500 SL and a Mercedes R129 SL. From the newest cars in the 2000s, he has an upgraded 4x4 classic Range Rover in his garage.
Earns: Filmmaker
Jack has actively worked behind the camera from the beginning of his career. He learned the skill of working behind the scenes while working with the animation department at Hanna Barbera. The actor first became a producer in 1966 with the movie The Shooting that starred him. He has worked as a director and producer for several movies, including Drive, He Said, Goin’ South, and The Two Jakes.
Spends: Art Collection
Ranked as one of the top art collectors in Hollywood, Jack Nicholson has an art collection worth $100 million, as reported by CNBC. His staggering collection includes work by the best artists globally, such as Picasso, Botero, Modigliani, Matisse, Rodin, and Magritte. He collected these pieces since the beginning of his career, the value of these collectibles grew astronomically over the years.
Earns: Screenwriter
The actor dabbled in screenwriting between the 1960s and 1970s. He first co-wrote the movie Thunder Island in 1963 with Don Devlin, as stated by Britannica. The duo was paid $1,250 each for writing the script. The movie’s producer Robert L. Lippert was impressed with Nicholson’s work and hired him to write Flight To Fury, starring the actor himself. He is also the writer for Ride In The Whirlwind, The Trip, Head, and Drive, He Said.
Spends: Custom Golf Clubs
Nicholson is a passionate golfer, similar to many celebrities in Hollywood. Nicholson was usually photographed hitting the links with his friends and co-stars between his busy movie schedules. To add a custom touch to his game, the actor paid a whopping $75,000 to Honma, a Japanese luxury golf gear brand, to create golf clubs made from 14-carat gold, platinum, and carbon fabric.
From starring in movies of various genres to becoming a successful producer, Jack Nicholson has diversified his portfolio in Hollywood. His significant earnings have offered him a luxurious lifestyle that allows him to make lavish purchases on home, art, and real estate. As the actor retired in 2010, Jack Nicholson prefers to stay in his Mulholland Drive mansion in Beverly Hills and enjoy his spare time.
Sources: Celebrity Net Worth, Screen Rant, CNBC, Britannica