Marvin John Nance (December 21, 1943 – December 30, 1996), known professionally as Jack Nance, was an American actor. A longtime collaborator of filmmaker David Lynch, Nance portrayed the lead in Lynch's directorial debut Eraserhead (1977). He continued to work with Lynch throughout his career which included a recurring role as Pete Martell on Twin Peaks (1990–1991).

Jack Nance
Nance on the poster for Eraserhead (1977)
Born
Marvin John Nance

(1943-12-21)December 21, 1943
DiedDecember 30, 1996(1996-12-30) (aged 53)
Other namesJohn Nance
OccupationActor
Years active1970–1996
Spouses
(m. 1968; div. 1976)
[1]
(m. 1991; died 1991)

Early life edit

Marvin John Nance was born in Boston to Hoyt and Agnes Nance; he grew up in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas.[2][3] Hoyt Nance was a Neiman Marcus executive.[4] In early childhood, Nance was struck by a car, injuring his back.[5] He graduated from South Oak Cliff High School and attended the North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) studying journalism. He took up acting at university and later left to concentrate on acting; he joined the Dallas Theater Center. He was a student of Paul Baker, the theater's founder.[3]

In 1964, Nance headed for California and worked for some time with the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He had success and landed the lead role in a play based on the life of Thomas Paine which was directed by David Lindemann.[5]

Career edit

Nance was considered for the role of Benjamin in The Graduate (1967), a role which went to Dustin Hoffman[5] and for Robert Blake in Richard Brooks' neo-noir crime film In Cold Blood (1967).[6] He played twin brothers Benny and Tony Rebozo in the Doo Dah Gang, a performance group that staged 1920s-style gang fights at nontraditional venues. When one of his characters died, Nance spent three days lying in a coffin at the staged wake.[6]

Nance met David Lynch in 1972 after an introduction by Lindemann. Lynch was a fellow at the American Film Institute and creating a $10,000, 20 minute short film in Beverly Hills. Lindemann had recommended Nance for the role of Henry Spencer in Eraserhead (1977).[5][7] Filming took five years due to a lack of funding.[8]

Eraserhead was deemed a failure with low attendance rates in the theaters. However, the film became a midnight movie, leading to its cult classic status.[9] Nance's performance has since been praised for its theatrics. The New York Times wrote in 1980, "[Nance's] minimalist features, unchanging expression, tight dark suit, and short, almost crippled steps suggest many silent-film comedians."[10] The film became a favorite of Stanley Kubrick, and he required the cast of The Shining to watch it before filming.[8]

After Eraserhead, he remained on good terms with Lynch, who cast him in almost all of his subsequent projects during Nance's lifetime: Dune (1984), Blue Velvet (1986), The Cowboy and the Frenchman (1988), Wild at Heart (1990), Twin Peaks (1990–91), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), and Lost Highway (1997). While none of Nance's scenes in Fire Walk with Me appeared in the film's theatrical cut, they were later compiled in the feature-length Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (2014).[11]

Nance appeared with actress Mary Woronov in Suicidal Tendencies' music video for "Institutionalized".[12] After gaining sobriety in 1986 and in need of more than an actor's salary, he took courses in hotel management. He began working as a clerk at Hotel Hollywood. While there, Nance refused a role in Miracle Mile (1988), due to it conflicting with his job schedule.[5][7]

Dennis Hopper, who Nance had worked alongside in Blue Velvet, hired him to appear in Colors (1988). He also had a brief appearance as the doctor in Chuck Russell's 1988 sci-fi horror film, The Blob.[13] In 1990, Nance was offered the role of Pete Martell in Lynch's Twin Peaks, appearing throughout the show's original run.[14][15]

After a relapse in 1993, Nance's life took another turn. He had smaller roles in films that did not perform as successfully. He lived in a hotel and was kicked out for firing a gun at the television.[4] He guest-starred on a 1995 episode of My So-Called Life entitled "Weekend", in which he played an innkeeper. Nance continued in smaller roles until his death in 1996.

Nance appeared in Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) in footage featuring Pete Martell from the pilot episode of the original series. "Part 17" of The Return was dedicated in his memory.[16]

His final film, Michael Moriarty's Of Things Past, was released in 2023. The original filming took place in 1985 and includes additional footage shot in 2022.[17]

Personal life edit

Nance married Catherine E. Coulson in 1968; they divorced in 1976.[1]

Nance met his second wife, Kelly Jean Van Dyke, the daughter of Jerry Van Dyke and niece of Dick Van Dyke, in 1982 while in rehab. They married in May 1991.

Alcoholism edit

It is unknown when Nance's alcoholism began, but Lynch recalled that during the filming of Eraserhead, he would send Nance "back to his dressing room to sleep off the booze. He'd get drunk and sometimes end up sleeping in vacant lots."[4] Lynch would also later claim that he once had to drive Nance to the emergency room for a distended abdomen.[6]

Due to his drinking, Lynch gave Nance the minor role of Nefud in Dune (1984). While filming in Mexico City, his alcoholism became worse due to having extra time given his small role.[7]

In 1986, while filming Blue Velvet, Nance told the newly sober Dennis Hopper that if he did not help him, he would jump from the window. Hopper traveled back to Los Angeles with Nance, tempting him with alcohol and drugs. When the two arrived, Hopper checked Nance into a rehabilitation centre, where Nance went cold turkey. Nance met Van Dyke here and the two began a relationship, with Nance believing he could help her become clean.[7][18]

Nance started drinking again in 1993, after a depressive episode following Van Dyke's death, and suffered two strokes from 1995 to 1996.[4] He was cast in the film Joyride (1997) but sent home after one day of filming due to drunkenness on set.[18]

Van Dyke's suicide edit

Van Dyke died by suicide on November 17, 1991. Nance, who was in Bass Lake, California, filming Meatballs 4 at the time, called her to tell her that he was thinking of leaving her due to her drinking and drug-taking and she threatened suicide. He attempted to console her but a lightning storm knocked out the phone line in Bass Lake. Nance and the director, Bobby Logan, found a deputy sheriff who contacted the Los Angeles Police Department. They broke in and found that she had hanged herself. Nance claimed she was four months pregnant.[18]

Death edit

On December 29, 1996, Nance lunched with friends Leo Bulgarini and Catherine Case. Nance had a visible "crescent-shaped bruise" under his eye; and, when asked about it, he relayed to them a story about a brawl outside a Winchell's Donuts store that morning.[1][18] He went home, complaining of a headache.

Nance had developed a subdural hematoma, resulting in his death the following morning. Bulgarini found his body on the bathroom floor of his apartment in South Pasadena, California, later that day. An autopsy revealed that his blood alcohol content was 0.24% at the time of his death. His death was initially ruled as resulting from blunt force trauma.[7][18][14]

After an investigation, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office could not find evidence of the fight and therefore could not list the death as accidental or a homicide. The case is still open.[4][needs update]

Legacy edit

The song "I Gotta Move" by Frank Black and the Catholics, from their 1997 eponymous debut album, refers to the circumstances of Nance's death and the murder of Peter Ivers, who composed and performed the song "In Heaven" from Eraserhead (which Black's previous band Pixies had covered).[19]

A documentary about Nance funded by Lynch, titled I Don't Know Jack, was released in 2002.[5]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1970 Fools Hippie
1971 Jump Ace
Bushman Felix
1977 Eraserhead Henry Spencer
Breaker! Breaker! Burton
1982 Hammett Gary Salt
1984 Ghoulies Wolfgang
Dune Nefud
City Heat Aram Strossell
Johnny Dangerously Priest
1986 Blue Velvet Paul
1987 Barfly Detective
1988 Colors Officer Samuels
The Blob Doctor
1990 Wild at Heart 00 Spool
The Hot Spot Julian Ward
1991 Whore Man who helps Liz
Motorama Motel Clerk
1992 Meatballs 4 Neil Peterson
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me Pete Martell Deleted scenes
1994 Love and a .45 Justice Thurman
Across the Moon Old Cowboy
1995 The Demollitionist Father McKenzie
Voodoo Lewis
1996 The Secret Agent Club Doc
Little Witches Father Michael
1997 Lost Highway Phil Posthumous release
2014 Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces Pete Martell Posthumous release; deleted scenes of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
2023 Of Things Past Earl Delaney Posthumous release; filmed in 1985

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1984 The Bet TV film
1987 Crime Story Charlie Green Episode: "Little Girl Lost"
1988 The French as Seen by... Pete Episode: "The Cowboy and the Frenchman"
Tricks of the Trade Al TV film
1990 - 1991 Twin Peaks Pete Martell 30 episodes
1994 Another Midnight Run Reilly TV film
1995 My So-Called Life Warren Episode: "Weekend"
Fallen Angels Sheriff Episode: "Tomorrow I Die"
1996 Assault on Dome 4 Mellow / Dome 4 Oldtime TV film
2017 Twin Peaks Pete Martell Posthumous release; unused footage from Twin Peaks (1990)

Music videos edit

Year Title Artist Role Notes
1983 Institutionalized Suicidal Tendencies Father

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Kyle Smith; Lorenzo Benet (February 10, 1997). "The Death of Twins Peak actor Jack Nance was as strange as the characters he played". People. Archived from the original on 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  2. ^ "Jack Nance, 53, An Actor Known For 'Eraserhead'". The New York Times. January 11, 1997.
  3. ^ a b "Obituary: Jack Nance". The Independent. 1997-01-08. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Erased". Pasadena Weekly. 2016-05-01. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Khan, Palvasha (2021-12-11). "You don't know Jack". The Strand. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  6. ^ a b c "'I Don't Know Jack': Fascinating documentary about 'Eraserhead' star Jack Nance". DangerousMinds. 2014-11-05. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  7. ^ a b c d e "The Quietus | Film | Film Features | Lost Highway: Jack Nance Remembered By David Lynch & Others". The Quietus. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  8. ^ a b Dee, Jake (2020-09-19). "Eraserhead: 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About David Lynch's Surreal Masterpiece". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  9. ^ "JACK NANCE HAS TEAMED WITH THE DIRECTOR, FROM 'ERASERHEAD' TO 'TWIN PEAKS'". Los Angeles Times. 1990-05-06. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  10. ^ "TimesMachine: Friday October 17, 1980 - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  11. ^ Lacob, Jace (July 17, 2014). ""Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces" Makes You See "Fire Walk With Me" In A Different Way". Buzzfeed. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  12. ^ "Mary Woronov Interview" by Cynthia Rose
  13. ^ Pegg, Robert (Dec 1990). "Jack Nance Interview". Starlog Magazine. Retrieved 28 Feb 2024.
  14. ^ a b Ellingwood, Ken (1997-01-04). "Star of 'Eraserhead' Found Dead After Fight". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  15. ^ Myers, Brian (2022-12-14). "The Tragic 1996 Death Of Jack Nance". Grunge. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  16. ^ Lynch, David (2017-09-03), Part 17, Twin Peaks, Kyle MacLachlan, Jay Aaseng, Dana Ashbrook, retrieved 2024-02-28
  17. ^ Brew, Caroline (2023-09-21). "1980s Drama 'Of Things Past' With Michael Moriarty Gets VOD Release With New Footage Featuring Tara Reid (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  18. ^ a b c d e Potter, Maximillian (August 1997). "Erased – Jack Nance". Premiere. p. 92. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  19. ^ "The incredible life and mysterious death of Peter Ivers". Entertainment Weekly.

External links edit