born April 22, 1937, Neptune, N.J., U.S.
U.S. film actor.
He acted in low-budget movies before earning acclaim for his role in Easy Rider (1969). He followed it with such successful films as Five Easy Pieces (1970), Carnal Knowledge (1971), Chinatown (1974), One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975, Academy Award), The Shining (1980), Terms of Endearment (1983, Academy Award), Prizzi's Honor (1985), Batman (1989), Hoffa (1992), and As Good As It Gets (1997, Academy Award). Noted for his devilish grin and his portrayals of unconventional outsiders, he has attained iconic status as one of the most popular and admired stars of his time.