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Few actors are as acclaimed as Jack Nicholson. A legendary star with countless iconic roles in his filmography, Nicholson was active in Hollywood from the late 1950s until 2010. The actor’s biggest payday reportedly came from his iconic performance as the Joker in director Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman. But nearly a decade later, Nicholson dedicated an Oscar to a surprising star.
Jack Nicholson is among Hollywood’s most celebrated stars
Nicholson started out working in B-movies from filmmaker Roger Corman, such as 1960’s Little Shop of Horrors. But by the end of the decade, he was well on his way to the A list. Films like Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, and The Last Detail further established his big-screen charisma. And he won his first Academy Award for 1975’s Best Picture-winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Less than a decade later, Nicholson returned to the podium for a second Oscar win, this time for Best Supporting Actor in Terms of Endearment. The actor still wasn’t finished, however.
In 1998, he won his third and final Academy Award for his performance in As Good As It Gets. But those in attendance that night were surprised by what Nicholson said in his speech.
Jack Nicholson dedicated his third Oscar to a surprising star
Excitedly, Nicholson took to the stage. After recognizing fellow nominees Dustin Hoffman, Peter Fonda, Robert Duvall, and Matt Damon, Nicholson shouted out many of the cast and crew of As Good As It Gets and even made a crack about how long his speech was going. Then after thanking everybody “for looking so good,” he made a dedication regarding his award.
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“I’d like to dedicate this to Miles Davis, Robert Mitchum, Shorty Smith, Joe Vetrano, Ray Cramer, Rupert Cross, J.T. Walsh, and Luana Anders. They’re not here anymore, but they’re in my heart. And I thank you very much.”
As Nicholson mentioned, the aforementioned artists, athletes, and performers all died in the years before the Oscar ceremony. In particular, Luana Anders gets a special mention at the end of that list. Anders and Nicholson reportedly met in an acting class and later worked together in several films. Nicholson even directed her in Goin’ South and The Two Jakes.
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Anders is perhaps best known for her work on TV, where she appeared in such series as The Rifleman, Sugarfoot, Rawhide, The Andy Griffith Show, One Step Beyond, Dragnet, The Outer Limits, Adam-12, and Hunter. Nicholson, meanwhile, continued working in Hollywood for decades.
However, the actor has since retired from the industry. After his third Oscar win, he appeared in the critically acclaimed drama About Schmidt – for which he received his final Academy Award nomination – hit comedy Anger Management with Adam Sandler, Something’s Gotta Give with Diane Keaton, and Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. His final movie was 2010’s How Do You Know.
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