Wins Oscar

Nicholson wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a psychiatric patient who rallies his fellow inmates to rebel against the ward’s head nurse Ratchet (Louise Fletcher) in Milos Forman’s adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Art Carney presents the award. Nicholson:

Well, I guess this proves there are as many nuts in the Academy as anywhere else. But, since you gave me the chance, I’m really happy to get an opportunity to thank Saul and Michael and Louise and Brad and Lawrence and Bo, and all of the guys in the company, all of the feebs brigade . . . (And) last but not least, my agent, who about ten years ago advised me that I had no business being an actor. Thank you.