You Don’t Know Jack About Nicholson

7. He Could Have Been Michael Corleone

Of all the iconic roles that Nicholson has delivered through the years, he may have had the opportunity to get in one more. Francis Ford Coppola originally offered Nicholson the lead role in The Godfather, but the actor turned it down. As intriguing as that would have been, the truth is that Al Pacino was probably a better choice from the get-go.

8. Nicholson and Brando Were BFFs

One of Jack Nicholson’s dearest friends in life was Marlon Brando, a man who was also his neighbor (they literally shared a driveway). After Brando’s death, Nicholson purchased Brando’s house next door and had it torn down so it might not act as a symbol of the iconic thespian’s demise.

9. He Dated Many Women but Only Married Once

The only woman he actually wed was Sandra Knight, from 1960 to 1968. They had one daughter together, but he has five children in total. He was most famously linked with actress Angelica Houston for 17 years, but he also dated Michelle Phillips, Susan Anspach, Rebecca Broussard, Lara Flynn Boyle and many others throughout the years.