Jack Nance
Biography
Jack Nance was an American actor who grew up in Dallas, Texas, and worked often with filmmaker David Lynch. He studied journalism at North Texas State University, began acting there, left school, and joined the Dallas Theater Center before moving to California in 1964 to work with the American Conservatory Theater. After meeting Lynch in 1972, Nance starred as Henry Spencer in Eraserhead (1977), a film shot over five years that initially struggled and later became a cult classic; his performance later drew praise. He went on to appear in Lynch's Dune (1984), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild at Heart (1990), and Lost Highway (1997), and played Pete Martell throughout the original run of Twin Peaks (1990 to 1991). He also had roles in Colors (1988) and a 1995 episode of My So-Called Life.
53years old at death
- Born Boston
- Died South Pasadena
- Star sign: SagittariusLast day of the sign, on the Capricorn cusp
- Also credited as Marvin John Nance
Movie Career
- Films
- 17
- Career span
- 20 years1977 to 1997
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Big break
Lindemann introduced Nance to David Lynch in 1972, and recommended him for the part of Henry Spencer in Eraserhead, a film shot sporadically across five years because of Lynch's funding problems.
A role that slipped away
For the part of Benjamin in The Graduate, Nance was among those considered, though Dustin Hoffman was cast. He was also considered for Perry Smith in In Cold Blood, a role that went to Robert Blake.
A first
Nance gave his last performance in Michael Moriarty's Of Things Past. The film was shot in 1985, but audiences did not get to see it until 2023.
Jack Nance movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
David Lynch directed four of these films. Dean Stockwell appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Dean Stockwell's page
Brad Dourif's page
Laura Dern's page
Virginia Madsen's page
Pruitt Taylor Vince's page
Isabella Rossellini's page
All films by David Lynch
Also two films together8 more actors
- Kyle MacLachlanBlue Velvet (1986) and Dune (1984)
- Freddie JonesWild at Heart (1990) and Dune (1984)
- David Patrick KellyWild at Heart (1990) and Hammett (1982)
- Susan TyrrellThe Demolitionist (1995) and Motorama (1991)
- Sarah DouglasThe Demolitionist (1995) and Meatballs 4 (1992)
- Jennifer LynchPretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch (1997) and Eraserhead (1977)
- Jack FiskPretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch (1997) and Eraserhead (1977)
- Jennifer Chambers LynchPretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch (1997) and Eraserhead (1977)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Jack Nance's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$152 million
10 of the 17 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 17 films: 10 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 2 never in cinemas; 3 figure not found.
- 10Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 2Never in cinemas
- 3Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$38M25.3% of the total
- 2$35M23.1% of the total
- 3$32M20.8% of the total
- 4$15M9.6% of the total
- 5$12M7.9% of the total
- 6$8.6M5.7% of the total
- 7$7.1M4.7% of the total
- 8$3.2M2.1% of the total
$1.3 millionfrom the other 2 films with a worldwide figure, 1% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.