His Mulholland Drive home once shared a driveway with his The Missouri Breaks (1976) co-star Marlon Brando's home.

Has owned a Mercedes-Benz 600 for 30 years which he considers the best touring car of all time. [2008]

He was considered for Sir Anthony Hopkins's role in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

He was considered for James Caan's role in Misery (1990).

The song "Santa Baby" in the film, Party Monster (1998) was recorded as a gift for the actor by the actress and recording artist, Cynthia Basinet, as were many other songs, including "Haunted Heart" and "Someone To Watch Over Me". She was later nominated for a shared Nobel in '05.

He was considered for Mickey Rourke's role in Angel Heart (1987).

Appears in Batman (1989) opposite Pat Hingle. Hingle appeared in "The Shining" (1997) (mini), a remake of The Shining (1980), in which Nicholson appeared.

He was considered for Jason Miller's role in The Exorcist (1973).

Nicholson has been nominated for a Razzie Award as Worst Actor twice, for his performances in Man Trouble (1992) and Hoffa (1992).

Each one of the films for which he has won an Oscar has also won Best Actress in a Leading Role (Louise Fletcher, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); Shirley MacLaine, Terms of Endearment (1983); Helen Hunt, As Good as It Gets (1997)).

He is tied with Walter Brennan for the most Oscar wins by any male actor.

Once described The Joker as a psychotic version of Bugs Bunny.

Most of Nicholson's performance in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) ended up on the cutting room floor, including a musical number sung by him.

With his win for As Good as It Gets (1997) in 1998, he became the first actor in 20 years to win both a Best Actor Golden Globe - Comedy and an Oscar for the same role.

The Best Lady at his wedding to Sandra Knight was Millie Perkins. The Best Man was Harry Dean Stanton. After their divorce, Nicholson lived, for a time, at Harry Dean Stanton's place.

His performance as "Badass" Buddusky in The Last Detail (1973) is ranked #12 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).

Turned down the role of Johnny Hooker in The Sting (1973) to play Billy "Bad Ass" Buddusky in The Last Detail (1973), which was written by his close friend Robert Towne, as he did not want to appear in a purely commercial picture just then. Robert Redford eventually played the part. Both Nicholson and Redford were nominated for Best Actor of 1973 at the Academy Awards, losing to Jack Lemmon for Save the Tiger (1973).

After presenting the Best Picture Oscar at the The 78th Annual Academy Awards (2006) (TV) to Crash (2004/I), he told the press he was surprised as he thought Brokeback Mountain (2005) would win. Nicholson then told the press that he himself had voted for Brokeback Mountain (2005).

His performance as Randle Patrick McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) is ranked #14 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

His performance as Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980) is ranked #25 on the American Film Institute's 100 Heroes & Villains.

Turned down the role of Willie in Bad Santa (2003).

Wants to one day induct Ric Flair into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

Premiere Magazine ranked him #16 on a list of The Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005).

Once said in an interview that if he can get Jim Carrey, Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp to be a part of it, he will start his own wrestling promotion.

Along with Marlon Brando, Nicholson eagerly sought the role of Dr Martin Dysart in Sidney Lumet's film adaptation of Sir Peter Shaffer's play Equus (1977). The part went instead to Richard Burton, who received his seventh and final Oscar nomination for his performance.

He had to stop promoting The Departed (2006) due to neck injury.

Is one of only a few actors to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar after winning a Best Actor Oscar.

He was considered for John Malkovich's role in In the Line of Fire (1993).

As he is a fan of professional wrestling, his all time favorites are Harley Race, Ric Flair and John Cena.

The character Shipwreck from the animated GI Joe series of the 1980s was partly based on him (and partly based on Popeye the Sailor Man).

Batman creator Bob Kane personally recommended him for the role of the Joker in Batman (1989).

An 12 time acting nominee (eight times as Best Actor, four times as Best Supporting Actor), he ties Katharine Hepburn's 12 nominations (all in the Best Actress category) and only Meryl Streep with 13 (10 in the Best Actress category) has more acting nominations. ('Bette Davis' was nominated 10 times for an Academy Award, all of them Best Actress nods.).

Was considered for the role of Allie Fox in The Mosquito Coast (1986). The part went to Harrison Ford instead.

Presented the Best Picture Oscar seven times (1972, 1977, 1978, 1990, 1993, 2006 and 2007), more than any other actor or actress. Though he was a relative new comer and lacked the status typically associated with Best Picture presenters, the then-two-time nominee took on the assignment in 1972 when many better-known celebrities balked at the job, worried that they would be tainted if Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971) won the top gong and they were seen by the public as linked to the controversial picture. Nicholson, who early on declared publicly that the loved the Oscar (when the sentiment wasn't chic), happily obliged. In addition to presenting the Best Actress trophy in 1999, he also presented the Thalberg Award to Warren Beatty in 2000 and an honorary award to Michelangelo Antonioni in 1995.

Turned down Gene Hackman's role in Hoosiers (1986).

Was the first choice to play Tank Sullivan in Space Cowboys (2000). The part went to James Garner.

His performance as Jake 'J.J.' Gittes in Chinatown (1974) is ranked #37 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

With his seventh Best Actor nomination for As Good as It Gets (1997) , he surpassed Laurence Olivier as the most nominated actor ever with 11 total nominations (Nicholson had four Best Supporting Actor nominations in 1970, 1982, 1984 and 1991; Olivier had nine Best Actor and one Best Supporting Actor nominations. He extended the lead with his eight Best Actor nod for 'About Schmidt' (2001)_, which tied him with Spencer Tracy and Paul Newman for second place in Best Actor nominations. (Newman also has one Supporting Actor nomination.).

Checked himself into Cedars Sinai Hospital with a salivary gland infection. (11 September 2006)

Turned down the role of Caligula in the infamous Bob Guccione film Caligola (1979). The role eventually went to Malcolm McDowell.

Turned down the lead role of Roy Neary in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), even though he knew the movie would be a hit as he felt that the special effects would overwhelm any actor in the movie.

William Friedkin tried to get Nicholson star in Sorcerer (1977), but Nicholson didn't want travel anywhere in that time.

In June 1954, he graduated from Manasquan High School in New Jersey and headed for California, where he went on to work in the MGM cartoon department and mail room.

He was considered for Harrison Ford's role in The Mosquito Coast (1986).

His performance as The Joker in Batman (1989) is ranked #45 on the American Film Institute's 100 Heroes & Villains.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) is ranked #17 on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time.

Rolling Stone magazine nicknamed him "The Great Seducer".

He was considered for Dustin Hoffman's role in Sam Peckinpah's controversial film Straw Dogs (1971).

He turned down the role of Richard Nixon in Nixon (1995).

Ranked #6 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]

The longest he has ever gone between Oscar nominations was six years, between One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and Reds (1981).

Dated Lara Flynn Boyle [1999-2001]

Was offered the role of Sy in One Hour Photo (2002) but turned in down. The part was given to Robin Williams instead.

Good friends with WWE Hall of Famer George "The Animal" Steele.

The last two Oscar-winning films in which Nicholson appeared have both featured songs by Van Morrison ("Day Like This" in As Good As It Gets and a cover of Pink Floyd`s "Comfortably Numb" in The Departed).

His famous trademark sunglasses have prescription lenses, since he is very short-sighted.

Is the only actor still living to have played the Joker in a (non fan-made) live action Batman production (Cesar Romero died in 1994; Heath Ledger died in 2008).

He is nominated for the 2008 New Jersey Hall of Fame for his services to Arts and Entertainment.

Publicly endorsed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as his choice for Democratic candidate in the 2008 presidential election, joking that she is "the best man for the job".

Is a lifelong devotee of Bob Dylan and Louis Armstrong.

Was born in Manhattan, New York City but a birth certificate was not issued for unknown reasons. It was not until he was 17 when his family requested a certificate stating Neptune, New Jersey as his birth place.

Good friends with Serbian NBA superstar Vlade Divac.

Shaved his head for The Bucket List (2007).

Was originally signed to play Daddy Warbucks in John Huston`s Annie (1982) but dropped out after the original producer departed the project.

He was considered for Jon Voight`s role in Coming Home (1978).

Had a relationship to Anjelica Huston from 1973 to 1989.

His mother June died from cancer in 1963.

Demolished his neighbor Marlon Brando`s bungalow, which he bought for £3.4 million following the actor`s death in 2004.

He is a fan of professional wrestling

His performance as Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980) is ranked #82 on Premiere Magazine`s 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

Was in attendance at Chris Penn`s funeral

His performance as Randle Patrick McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo`s Nest (1975) is ranked #47 on Premiere Magazine`s 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).

Claims his personal favorite performances are his works in One Flew Over the Cuckoo`s Nest (1975), Batman (1989), Hoffa (1992) and As Good as It Gets (1997).

In 2004, he attended his 50th high school reunion at Manasquan High School in Manasquan, New Jersey. Needless to say, his classmates were surprised and delighted that he attended.

Has been nominated for an acting Oscar in five different decades (1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s).

Appeared in One Flew Over the Cuckoo`s Nest (1975) and Tommy (1975). Both of those films were nominated for Best Actress Oscars. "Cuckoo" star Louise Fletcher won.

His mother, June Nicholson, was of Irish and Dutch descent. He never knew his father and was raised by his grandparents. He was led to believe that June was his older sister and his grandparents were his parents. It was not until 1974 when a Time magazine reporter researched his life that he learned the truth. An Italian immigrant named Donald Furcillo who was married briefly to June claimed to be his father. But Nicholson chose not to investigate further.

Owns a large art collection including works by Pablo Picasso and Tamara de Lempicka

Graduate of Manasquan High School, Manasquan, New Jersey, where he was voted "Class Clown" by the Class of 1954.

Boyhood friend of Danny DeVito. Nicholson`s relatives and DeVito`s relatives ran a hair salon together.

Has a second home in Aspen, Colorado.

Flew to Cuba and met with Fidel Castro in June 1998. While there, he also met with leaders of the Cuban film industry, enjoyed local restaurants, jazz clubs and visited a famous cigar factory. He left greatly impressed with the country and its Communist dictator, who he described as "a genius", though the luxuries he was treated to on the island are off-limits to most Cuban citizens.

Long refused to do any televised interviews except for press conferences. But in recent years, he has occasionally agreed to speak briefly when approached by reporters. He has not appeared on a talk show since 1971.

Was asked, along with Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty, to play the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972).

Avid Los Angeles Lakers fan and is often seated next to his good friend Lou Adler. He never misses a Lakers home game. Because of this, producers on his films must work the shooting schedule around the Lakers` schedule. Nicholson is also a life-long fan of the New York Yankees.

Lives on famed "Bad Boy Drive" a.k.a. Mulholland Drive in Beverly Hills, California. It`s nicknamed so because its residents have included former Hollywood bad boys Warren Beatty, and the late Marlon Brando.

Loves jokes at his expense so much that he showed up at every Academy Awards hosted by Billy Crystal, who in turn would incorporate Nicholson somehow in the telecast.

In 1994, in an apparent bout of rage, he smashed a man`s car window in with a golf club. He expressed remorse for the incident in an interview with US Magazine.

Dedicated his Oscar for As Good as It Gets (1997) to J.T. Walsh, his co-star in A Few Good Men (1992) who had died shortly before the Academy Awards in 1998.

He was the 2001 John F. Kennedy Center Honors recipient.

Children: Jennifer Nicholson (b. 1963) with Sandra Knight; Caleb (b. 1970) with Susan Anspach; Honey Hollman (b. 1981) with Danish supermodel, Winnie Hollman; Lorraine Nicholson (b. 1990) and Raymond (b. 1992) with Rebecca Broussard.

Used to be a messenger boy for MGM`s cartoon department.

Recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. [1994]

Spouse: Sandra Knight (17 June 1962 - 8 August 1968) (divorced) 1 child