With news coming that Jack Nicholson has announced his retirement for acting, we thought it was high time we look at why Jack Nicholson was, consistently, one of the greatest actors of our time. Wait 'til they get a load of this...

10. HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE L.A LAKERS

Basketball fans will know that Nicholson is an avid supporter for the LA Lakers. So much so, in fact, that he's been threatened with being banned from their matches. Nicholson, who is almost always seen court-side, has been known to hurl abuse at referees and opposing teams during matches.

9. HE'S HAD A MEN'S MAGAZINE NAMED AFTER HIM

For a brief period in 2002, there was a men's magazine in the UK named after him. It arose when the editors of the magazine met Jack Nicholson at a party. You know how it is. What's even more interesting is what they ended up talking about – firecrackers and the best explosions you can get from them. Hollywood legend and he talks about Halloween bangers. The editors knew he was the ultimate man they wanted to emulate there and then and named a MAGAZINE after him.

8. THE PEOPLE HE HAS WORKED WITH DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS

Roman Polanski. Martin Scorsese. Tim Burton. Roger Corman. Milos Forman. Warren Beatty. Rob Reiner. Mike Nichols. These are all huge directors and he's worked with them all. They've all sought him out to work him. No other actor can hold a candle to the people's he worked with over the course of his career.

7. HIS WEIRD FRIENDS

Jack Nicholson had a long-standing relationship with gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Their friendship lasted for many years and often involved weird-ass birthday presents. Hunter S. Thompson, however, took it WAY too far one birthday. He blared animal cries through a loudspeaker and shone a massive spotlight into Nicholson's house in the middle of the night. When nobody came to the door, Thompson then left a 'freshly-cut elk's heart' at the door and drove. Nicholson was being plagued with stalkers at the time and thought it was something along the lines of Charles Manson. He even contacted the FBI until he realised it was Thompson. Yeah. We know.

6. HIS ONE-LINERS FROM MOVIES

'Look at that. He fell funny.' If you've never seen The Departed, you really are missing out. Nicholson is incredible as the gleefully-evil Boston Irish mob boss, Frank Costello. That, of course, is just one many great one-liners he's done down through the years. His performance as The Joker in 1989's Batman is just a masterclass in wit. 'You're insane!' - 'I thought I was a Pisces.'

5. HIS OSCARS

He's tied with Daniel Day-Lewis for most Best Actor awards. What's more, he's been nominated or won an Oscar in EVERY decade since the 1960's.

4. THOSE GLASSES

There are only a small number of men alive who could pull off wearing sunglasses indoors. Robert Downey Jr. is one. The other is Jack Nicholson. He's made fun of it though, naturally. 'When I've got the sunglasses on, I'm Jack Nicholson. Without them, I'm fat and seventy.'

3. THAT TIME HE FLIRTED WITH JENNIFER LAWRENCE LIVE ON TELEVISION

You've got to have balls to approach an attractive woman and start flirting with her. Jennifer Lawrence, however, is in another league altogether. Jack Nicholson, who's 76, lays on 76 years of charm with Jennifer Lawrence and reduces her to a fangirling mess. Slick as hell, he leads off with 'You remind of an old gilfriend,' to which Lawrence replies, 'Oh, do I remind you of a new girlfriend, maybe?' Nicholson's response was pitch-perfect. 'I thought about it!' Goddamn, Jack. You so fly. 


2. HOW LONG HE'S BEEN WORKING

Jack Attack has been working since 1956. Let's put that into perspective. He has been working for half a century. He has seen everything from the first colour films to the first 3D films. The man's a institution. Simple as that.

1. THE FILMS HE'S DONE

Very few actors have a career as long and distinguished as Nicholson's. He's been an icon for over fifty years. From One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest to The Shining. From A Few Good Men to Batman and from As Good As It Gets to Anger Management, he's been nothing short of amazing in whatever he's done. Cinema is poorer now that he's decided to retire.