Jack Nicholson on TV

Today I was reading an interview with Jack Nicholson, oddly enough in a golf magazine about golf. He mentioned in the interview that he had never played in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am (formerly the Bing Crosby) despite repeated invitations because he doesn’t do TV, “they can’t afford me.”

He also stated that he had never appeared in any interviews on “Tonight” type shows even though he loved Johnny Carson who often asked him.

Surely before Jack became Jack he must have done the odd puff piece for a movie he was in. Anyone recall an average type movie star interview on TV?

I don’t remember him on talk shows, but I seem to remember him in an Andy Griffith episode.

I would have sworn I’d seen him on Letterman or Leno or Carson, but apparently not. According to his imdb page, the only talk show he’s ever done is David Frost, in 1971.

My Jack Nicholson story:
In 1984, while writing film reviews at the Berlin FilmFest, I went to see a movie at a late night screening. I knew Jack Nicholson was in town and, to my surprise, there he was, sitting in the lobby by himself when I walked in (there was a film being screened and I was early for the one to follow).
I had just picked up the Hollywood Reporter, hot off the presses that day, and it had the full list of Oscar nominations. He was nominated for Terms Of Endearment. I said, “Congrats on your nomination!”
He had not seen the complete list and asked if he could look at it. I gave him the copy and watched as he read who else was nominated.
We started talking and then my photographer showed up for the screening. I asked if he would mind if she took a photo and he said, “Sure, go ahead.”
I stepped back and he looked over and said, “Come here and stand next to me.”
I did. I still have that photo.
He had taken off his sunglasses and we chatted for about 10 minutes or so about films at that festival. Then the audience let out from the other film and suddenly, the sunglasses came back on and Jack was “Jack” again. He suddenly walked away from me and stood off in the corner until the people he had come with came out of the theater and they all left.
Was nice to know that, one on one, Jack is just a normal guy - but once those sunglasses go back on, he becomes the “Jack” everybody knows.

Two episodes. One as a falsely accused thief standing trial with Aunt Bee on the jury. Another as the father of a baby that he and the mother abandoned on the Mayberry courthouse steps.

Wow, what an ego. I would think that celebrities do something like this tournament because it’s fun, it’s at a beautiful golf course and you get to play with big-time pro golfers. Or perhaps it’s a charity event (although I checked and this one does not appear to be). Not because you’re getting paid an appearance fee.