Jack Nance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marvin John Nance (December 21, 1943 – December 30, 1996), known professionally as Jack Nance and sometimes credited as John Nance, was an American stage and screen actor in offbeat or avant-garde film and theatre. He is best known for his work with film director David Lynch and specialised in eccentric supporting roles.
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[edit] Early Career & Life
Nance was born in Boston, Massachusetts on December 21, 1943, but raised in Dallas, Texas. He worked for some time with the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. In the 1970s, Nance met David Lynch, who cast him as the lead in his student film Eraserhead.[1] Nance's performance as the neurotic, big-haired Henry Spencer is an iconic one in cult film. At the time, Nance was married to the actress Catherine E. Coulson (the future Log Lady in Twin Peaks), but they divorced in 1976.
Nance had an ongoing struggle with alcoholism, which affected his health and his work. On occasions during filming of Eraserhead, Lynch had to stop production and sent Nance to his dressing room to sober up. During the filming of Blue Velvet, Nance noted that Dennis Hopper had triumphed over similar problems with addiction, and asked his costar for help in coping with his own alcoholism. Hopper checked Nance into a Los Angeles-based rehab center called Studio 12, and following treatment Nance was sober for a number of years.[1]
During rehab, Nance befriended porn actress Kelly Jean Van Dyke. They married in May 1991. Kelly was the daughter of Coach star Jerry Van Dyke. Their marriage ended when Kelly committed suicide by hanging on November 17, 1991. Nance, who was at Yosemite filming Meatballs 4 at the time, was on the phone with her during a break in filming due to a storm. Nance was breaking up with her, because he felt her continued drug abuse was threatening his own sobriety. She told him that she would commit suicide if he hung up the phone, and immediately thereafter Nance's phone line went dead due to storm damage. Nance found out later from the police that she had subsequently committed suicide, presumably because she thought he had hung up on her.[1]
[edit] Later Life
In his later years, Nance grew a small white moustache and was a distinctive presence in many films with his peculiar twisted smile and bug eyes. After Eraserhead, Nance remained on good terms with Lynch, who cast him in nearly all of his projects:
- Dune: a small role as the Harkonnen Captain Nefud
- Blue Velvet: a supporting role as Paul, a friend of Dennis Hopper's villain character
- The Cowboy and the Frenchman: plays Pete, one of the cowboys
- Wild at Heart: a small role as '00 Spool'
- Twin Peaks: co-starring role as Pete Martell, the henpecked sawmill gaffer
- Lost Highway: a small role as a garage mechanic named Phil (and one of his final acting roles)
[edit] Death
Nance died in South Pasadena, California on December 30, 1996 under mysterious circumstances. The famously temperamental Nance claimed to have been involved in a brawl outside a Winchell's Donuts on the morning of December 28, in which he received serious head injuries which caused a subdural hematoma, resulting in his death two days later. However, acquaintances note that Nance was a notorious late sleeper and was rarely ever awake at the time he said he was at the donut shop, and that the circumstances of his death were most unusual. The IMDb lists his cause of death as homicide.
