You Don’t Know Jack About Nicholson

10. He Almost Played Napoleon

After seeing Nicholson on screen in Easy Rider, Stanley Kubrick approached the young actor about portraying Napoleon in a biopic. The film about the French dictator even got as far a production, however high-level politics at the film’s studio, MGM, derailed the film’s progress. Of course, Kubrick and Nicholson later worked together in 1980’s The Shining.

11. Breaking Through the Door

An irrepressible on-set improvisor, Nicholson has brought something of his own bounding energy to every single role he’s ever played. In fact, it was his chaotic improvisation that fostered one of his most famous lines. When he smashes through the door in The Shining, he shouts, “Here’s Johnny!” The line wasn’t in the script.

12. He Made a Killing as the Joker

Jack played the villain in 1989’s “Batman,” and actually got top billing over Michael Keaton as the caped crusader. He negotiated a deal to get a percentage of the merchandising from the film, so playing the Joker netted him somewhere in the neighborhood of $60 and $90 million. No wonder he was smiling throughout!