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He's most likely to be remembered for his convincingly maniacal role in the 1980s psychological horror film, The Shining, an adaptation of a 1977 novel written by Stephen King of the same name. Born in April 1937 in Neptune City, New Jersey, he almost forfeit his career as an actor for an earlier interest he had as an animator. He even worked in the office of the MGM cartoon under professional animators and would've been successful in that field also. But his desire for acting was too great, and Nicholson eventually chose to be the on-screen performer we have come to love and appreciate today. Not only has his decision brought him worldwide recognition and the experience of co-starring with celebrities such as Adam Sandler, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine for starters; it has also helped him grow a $400 million net worth. Here's how!
Early Entry In The Show-Biz
As you may know by now, Jack Nicholson isn't a young puppy. He's actually been acting professionally for more than five decades now! Performing and entertainment may be in his blood, the fact being that his mother, June Frances Nicholson, who worked as a showgirl, was only seventeen when Jack was born. Sources state that because of her age and unmarried status, June gave Jack to her parents to raise as their own child. A Time magazine research confirmed in 1974 that June, who was thought to be Jack's sister, was actually his mother. Now's that for a hard pill to swallow?!
However, remaining undaunted despite the shocking revelation of his life and family, he doggedly pursued his acting career. He honed his skills with a group called the Players Ring Theater, which prepared him for an appearance in an episode of Matinee Theater as an anonymous character, as well as for minor parts in TV soap operas.
His first role as a named character came in the 1958 teen film, The Cry Baby Killer, where he acted as Jimmy Wallace. It would be another two years before he would be cast regularly, working with Roger Corman on a variety of films, such as The Little Shop of Horror (1960); a horror film called The Raven; The Terror (1963) where Nicholson portrayed a French officer; The Wild Ride (1960), and the Andy Griffith Show. During the same time, he also starred in The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967) - a gangster film based on the murder of seven rival gang members ordered by Al Capone.
Even after a steady flow of acting gigs in a variety of different genres, The Bucket List actor was still not where he envisioned himself to be in his career. He would retreat from the stage to work behind the camera as a writer/director. His off-screen ability excelled after writing the screenplay for the 1967 counterculture film, The Trip, starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. On a budget of only $100,000, Nicholson's psychedelic film grossed $10 million, making it his most successful project at the time, despite not being on screen. Following the acclaimed triumph of The Trip, Jack would land his breakout role in 1969's Easy Rider. In this drama film, Nicholson's role is that of an alcoholic lawyer named George Hanson who befriends drug smugglers Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) while in jail. The film would mark Nicholson's highest-grossing film at the time, earning $60 million worldwide on a budget of no more than $400,000. He also won an Oscar Nomination for his efforts, which increased his value in the film industry, enabling him to negotiate for higher-priced movie deals and, by default, increase his net worth.
Becoming A Hollywood Legend
His subsequent films following the award nomination include On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, starring Barbra Streisand and Bob Newhart, which grossed $14 million, out of which he earned roughly $12,500. The same year, the independent biker film The Rebel Rousers was released, starring Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Also in the same year, he starred in Five Easy Pieces opposite Karen Black, for which he earned another Academy Award. The project was a major success, grossing $18.7 million against a $1 million budget. Jack was now officially becoming the "It" factor in Hollywood film, and he knew it!
As his renown and salary grew over the years, Jack's acting creativity and limitless talent quickly cemented him as America's new on-screen anti-hero - a description he embraced willingly. Such depictions are clearly seen in movies such as 1971's Carnal Knowledge, where he co-stars with Arthur Garfunkel, Rita Moreno, and Candice Bergen. The comedy-drama grossed over $12 million and Jack was again nominated a Golden Globe for Best Actor Award.
A few other movie highlights over this actor's exceptional career include The Last Detail (1973), co-starring with Randy Quaid which grossed $10 million; the neo-noir mystery crime thriller, Chinatown (1974), alongside Faye Dunaway, which was a favorable success grossing $29.2 million; and a minor role in a romance film starring Robert De Niro titled The Last Tycoon (1976).
Throughout the length of his career, his refinement as an actor only increased, as did his salary per role. According to JustRichest, he took away $1.25 million from The Shining (1980); $4 million from the romance-comedy, Heartburn (1986), co-starred in with Meryl Streep and Jeff Daniels; $5 million for Ironweed (1987); $10 million from Hoffa (1992) directed by Danny DeVito); $15 million for As Good As It Gets (1997) with Helen Hunt and Cuba Gooding Jr.; $20 million for Anger Management (2003) with comedian Adam Sandler; and over $60 million for his role as Joker in Batman (1989) which ended up grossing over $400 million.
Real Estate And Other Wise Investments
Nicholson's phenomenal $400 million net worth can be accredited to more than just his acting career. According to Celebrity Net Worth, his property ownership alone is well over $100 million. His primary residence is located on Mulholland Drive in Beverly Hills, but he owns an estimated 12 properties all over America. The property spans across 3 acres and seats an additional four other properties on the compound. One of the most recent addition was that of his good friend Marlon Brando, which Nicholson acquired for $5 million in 2005 after Brando's death.
He also owns a 70-acre mansion in Malibu worth $4.5 million as well as many other homes in Santa Monica and around Los Angeles. It has been reported that he also owns an oceanfront home in Kailua, Hawaii, and a few properties in Aspen, Colorado, one of which was sold for $11 million in 2016.
Aside from real estate investments, the Wolf actor is also a renowned art collector. Ever since the 1960s, Nicholson has been collecting timeless pieces of art from some of the finest names in the world of art and painting, such as Picasso, Rodin, Botero, Bouguereau, Modigliani, and Matisse. Unlike NFTs, these pieces of art are handcrafted creations of the finest quality and are estimated at around $150 million.
At 84-years old, Jack Nicholson has lived a full life with a legacy of at least 82 films he has acted in, written, or directed over his lifetime.