Jack Nicholson is a performer.
John Joseph `` Jack '' Nicholson ( born April 22 , 1937 ) is an American actor and filmmaker , who has performed for over 60 years . In 1994 , he became one of the youngest actors to be awarded the American Film Institute 's Life Achievement Award . Other films in which he has starred include the road movie Easy Rider ( 1969 ) , the drama Five Easy Pieces ( 1970 ) , the comedy-drama film The Last Detail ( 1973 ) , the neo-noir mystery film Chinatown ( 1974 ) , the drama The Passenger ( 1975 ) , and the epic film Reds ( 1981 ) .