Michael Douglas Shares a Great Jack Nicholson "Cuckoo's Nest" Story | The Rich Eisen Show

[@francinecorry633]

Nicholson makes any producer look like a genius.

[@I_Fight_Instacart]

Ah yes... The Golden Bear! 🐻

[@JustMe-vk4fn]

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest was an excellent book too. They created a great movie from it.

[@adrianpoesiat]

Great direction and actors. Especially the interplay between Louise Fletcher (nurse Ratched) and Jack Nicholson. Brilliant

[@michaelknapp8961]

In 1957 my dad was a 21 year old college student at Willamette University which was just down the street from the Oregon state mental hospital. He got a night job at the hospital as an orderly. If you remember the big day room where a lot of the scenes were shot, that’s the room my dad worked in most of the time. He got a kick seeing the hospital in the film.

[@matthewclay6535]

Very cool story about your Dad!! Nice!!

[@I_Fight_Instacart]

I was a paid extra in _Mrs. Winterbourne_ but that movie stinks.

[@df4196]

Michael Douglas doesn’t get enough credit for producing Cuckoo’s Nest. His father Kirk Douglas owned the rights to make the film for years with the intention of playing the McMurphy role. Kirk even sent the book to Milos Forman to get him to direct. But the Czech censors intercepted the book and Milos never knew it was coming. It was after Kirk became too old for the role that Michael Douglas asked to take a stab at getting the film made and the first director he asked was coincidentally Milos Forman. The stars were all aligned for this film. And Michael Douglas won an Oscar when the film got Best Picture.

[@HoldenNY22]

I am surprised they never remade the Movie. I think if they remade the Movie now- It would be Dr. Ratched, not Nurse Ratched. It was very unuusal back in the late 1950's or early 1960's to have a Female Pschiatrist- now not ususual at all. I also think they would accentualte the Gender themes or as I might call it- the MRA themes which are in both the Book and Movie. When Men have problems in Society and/or they are jsut "weak" for whatever reason- ythey are in real trouble. I also think MIchael Douglas might have made an interesting RPM.

[@spicesmuggler2452]

great summary, thank you

[@frogger1952]

Your story was more interesting than Michael's story.

[@ragheadand420roll]

Thx for summarizing the wikipedia page

[@rares_21]

A very interesting information that I didn.t now, appreciate it!

[@fluidjazz]

Wow! I never knew he produced this! One of my favorite films, I also went to a theatre production of the film back in the 80's.

[@iambiggus]

The one time you can say 'Everyone around me is crazy!' and it's true.

[@tomgio1]

For all the “he’s pickled” comments: he had medical operations/procedures for oral cancer, and it has affected his speech to some degree. Watch the great show he’s on now (with equally brilliant Alan Arkin), “The Kominsky Method,” and you can hear the same pattern occasionally. IMHO, it doesn’t take away from his performance at all.

[@Theomite]

Also doesn't change the fact that he got oral cancer from eating out Catherine Zeta-Jones. Regularly. Greatest cancer origin story ever.

[@djquinn11]

Theomite : He did. say that’s how he got it too...

[@toddgaak422]

@@Theomite Worth it!

[@killemall69]

@@Theomite norm McDonald said the same thing

[@zachgates7491]

@@killemall69 and Gilbert gottfried

[@brainscott8198]

"Don't squeeze the ball too hard, Chief. You'll crush all the air out of it..."

[@jackwilloughby239]

I've watched Cuckoo's Nest quite a few times over the years and every time it's been a "Wake Up Call". These people exist (Nurse Ratched, Billy & Mr. Martini for instance) and they keep entering my life at unexpected moments which I never see coming and still don't know how to deal with. They are all sort of Misfit Archetypes.

[@bcask61]

He looks more like his dad as he gets older.

[@williamdillard5060]

A chip off the great actor's block. Just like his Dad.

[@datatsushi2016]

Most people do actually. If you pay attention.

[@tenparab]

We all do.

[@buckeyechuck4064]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[@kimakotrotman6860]

What about late granddad?

[@SonnyGTA]

I never knew Michael had something to do with that movie!!

[@num1sooner]

He produced a won an Oscar, he bought the play off Broadway

[@tenparab]

Producer

[@Xiaolongbaokid16]

He produced it.

[@deanpd3402]

Hid Dad was involved with the play which introduced Michael to the whole idea of film producing it.

[@ericjohn8466]

His Dad actually bought the rights to the script. Kesey wasn't happy with the movie. Or what he had heard of it; claiming he never seen it but disliked what he knew of it.

[@kiki13121984]

It's crazy how he looks more and more like his father as the years go by...

[@Lora-G]

Had the exact same thought😅

[@Acarrdi]

Whats crazy about it?

[@tomsinsky5548]

Cockoo's Nest is one of the best American movies ever made.

[@jacomans9078]

Always liked him as an actor, great acting family, the slur may be from surgery, ....talented family, loved his Dad in Spartacus, one of his best roles.

[@ferdtothefuture3307]

I never knew this. Michael Douglas is also a legend. The Game, and Falling Down are some of my all time favorites.

[@I_Fight_Instacart]

I just saw The Game for the first time the other night. I didn't like it. Falling Down is a different story.

[@davidevans3175]

His half-brother Eric was in an institution in Hartford, CT at the time the film was being made. The Institute of Living. Eric was released the day the film was released.

[@geekay1349]

love the stories behind the great films

[@commanderkeen3787]

Kirk Douglas wrote in his autobiography that he was extremely angry that Michael wanted to Jack Nicholson to play the lead. Because Kirk had bought the script for himself to star in, as a comeback. He had been in the lead in the off Broadway play, which flopped

[@sas6561]

The man still has leading man looks!!!

[@txmetalhead82xk]

Kirk Douglas and I share the same birthday! Something I am very honored by. May He Forever Rest in Peace.

[@hyena131]

txmetalhead82xk Magnificent lame to fame!!

[@gadaffi1000]

Shared possibly with 10 million others. Well done! You must have achieved a lot in life is this is what you got.

[@michellerosejacksoncomedy]

Still my favorite movies ever.

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

Michael looks great...Rich has a great voice...take care of those pipes Rich 😎

[@SohamShivoham]

One of the best Hollywood movies ever made

[@davidevans3175]

And, his half brother Eric was in the Institute of Living, a psych hospital in Hartford, CT at the time the film was being made. Eric was released the day the film opened. I know because I was there and Eric was a friend. Kirk would visit now and then, but not Michael as far as I know. But I always wondered if there wasn't at least some feedback that got to Michael about life at a psych hospital, or, that Eric was there purely on a research mission for Michael though that's unlikely since they didn't get along at all.

[@jer1er]

I wonder if you knew my uncle too because he was also a patient there in the mid-70s and then lived in Hartford until about 1980. His name was Martin Malter. Or, Marty.

[@justinofeldt1515]

One flew over the cuckoos nest is one of my favorite movies 😃

[@mctube44]

,......with Danny DeVito playing black jack in the movie saying....."hit me. hit me" to a dealing Nicholson when he shows 21....hilarious!

[@peterpiper831]

@@mctube44 Love DeVito's expressions when Mac shows him the girlie playing cards.

[@yenomeerf]

Michael Douglas looks incredible.

[@jothegreek]

He is not that old

[@PharaoahMonk]

so are you!:)

[@KB-yf3wt]

@@jothegreek I mean, 75 is pretty old.

[@ErikBreivik]

I think he is now the real Jewel of the Nile.

[@themadafaka6839]

The fact that he & Jack NEVER once acted in a movie together after cuckoo's nest, especially in the 80's, once Michael's become more established as a movie actor himself is just crazy...

[@brianb2210]

Michael Douglas didn't act in this movie. He produced it.

[@seanjoyce7039]

Interestingly enough, Danny DeVito is sort of the linchpin here, doing 3 movies each with both guys...and it all started here.

[@Starkardur]

This basiclaly debunks the myth that Jack went full method in his performance (which is usually done by fans who don't have clue).

[@wanabiyu8380]

Being a method actor doesn't mean you don't stop acting between takes.

[@immanuelcunt7296]

You don't know what method acting is, huh? Nicholson was a very diligent method actor. But staying in character isn't the definition of method acting, it's only one tool from that category.

[@someoneelse.2252]

I'm amazed that Michael Douglas looks exactly like Michael Douglas.

[@TheQuadrum]

Just noticed just how much Michael Douglas’s voice sounds like Larry Fine from the 3 stooges

[@Robsav-yx6vi]

Love this guy . Great actor

[@sneskokosanji3336]

Favorite actor also his movies like them all very much.Sorry for his loss.I have seen many movies of his dad .

[@emilywalker3352]

Everyone has a Jack Nicholson story! 👍🏻

[@garylivingston9052]

Danny Devito is great in that film also, He and Michael have been working together a long time.

[@tyroniousyrownshoolacez2347]

Wow!!!!! What a incredible Jack story! Another double Mr Douglas?

[@gmb858]

he sounds a little pickled. Or, it may have been all that cunning lingual activity that caused the tongue cancer. Notice Catherine threw him out of the house after that.

[@chrishouston3566]

Ha ha ha yes!

[@amirkazemi2517]

he's starting to sound like his dad Kirk Douglas with the slight slurs.....amazing acting family

[@robertthomson5485]

It may be the result of his throat cancer treatment. But he looks pretty good.

[@williamdillard5060]

I was thinking that exact thing. Both great actors in their own right.

[@daveronald7788]

Throat cancer

[@mikek5958]

It's from the radiation treatments to his head and neck. It destroys the cancer but it also causes damage to your tongue, palate, salivary glands, etc.

[@amirkazemi2517]

@@mikek5958 too much cunniligus. i guess i should stop

[@hatter9006]

He and his beautiful wife have the same birthday. Different years, of course.

[@CapraDemon101]

My birthday also, and Will Smiths too

[@Ditka-89]

About 50 years apart

[@razorbeard6970]

Same scenario with my parents. They have a mental understanding and acceptance of each other that stumps me.

[@suat365]

Still good looking at his age. And a great actor too

[@niteporter]

Absolutely classic great movie. My late father's father movie.

[@jer1er]

Another strange fact is that Michael Douglas and Danny Devito were friends and roommates in NYC when they were just starting out. That's why Devito ended up in the film which was his big break.

[@khizarfarooq6778]

Guess jack would've had a real problem with Daniel Day-Lewis 🤣🤣

[@michaelryan2925]

I drink your MILKSHAKE! I DRINK IT UP!!

[@rossdiamondthief6627]

Or Robert De Niro

[@johnhuxley165]

@@michaelryan2925 DRAAAAAAAAAINAAAAAGE!!!!!!

[@michaelryan2925]

@@johnhuxley165 🤣🤣🤣

[@shanewidowski7854]

@@michaelryan2925 lmao

[@frogger1952]

The money for the movie came from Saul Zaentz who owned an obscure SF record label, Fantasy. Until, that is, he signed Creedence Clearwater Revival and that made Zaentz a millionaire many times over. So whenever you see this movie, remember it was all made possible by John Fogerty and his bandmates.

[@felixwatkins958]

I like Kirk Douglas's short speech about Cuckoo's Nest at Michael's AFI tribute. Very funny.

[@jamesdemetro4184]

I first saw him in the movie Romancing the stone.. Good movie

[@Cruisentom]

Whatever u say Jack nailed it

[@basitk12]

Michael loved jack since the beginning

[@bigpants6121]

Great hair for an old fella. Some of his age dye their hair black! More from him please.

[@wayne8276]

Rich has to do a interview with Jack .

[@THEJIG-IS-UP]

Looking more like his dad everyday. Sounding like Val Kilmer

[@davidlean1060]

I was about to say. It was a resemblance when he was younger, but now he is the image of his old man!

[@tiadaid]

Both him and Val had oral cancer, don't they?

[@carlosalomar7877]

@@tiadaid Michael is doing fine now but Val is still fighting!....

[@RonWylie-gk5lc]

He is very like his dad here, more than I have ever seen

[@ancietman]

Just what I was thinking.

[@pillettadoinswartsh4974]

I recommend reading Kesey's book too. It is narrated by "Chief" Bromden.

[@kevinbaird7277]

The book is excellent also, different perspective than the movie, both excellent, when Kesy left college he took the place of a friend on a medical trial as he cash strapped, only snag, it was a secret CIA LSD trial, bastards.

[@josephballerini3730]

I also liked that the chief was an unreliable narrator. Kesey wrote him as a man with mental illness. Made the book very interesting to read.

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

The novel was great 👍 😅

[@userjeffe]

That was an incredible story about Jack. Bravo Mike!

[@aljabirxiju9475]

..incredible?...i wouldnt go that far.

[@juerv1]

This man has a great future as a Kirk Douglas Double!

[@zu1875lu]

You know I actually thought it was him for a moment

[@flormariarennerstam4886]

Best movie ever!

[@PiglipsMaximus]

First book I ever enjoyed and first movie I loved from that

[@alexscott730]

Yea...Really GREAT Jack Nicolson story....🤔

[@zac1672]

“They don’t stop for lunch!” 😂

[@bestoutcomes]

Michael Douglas produced this movie after being sold the rights from the movie script's owner -- namely, Kirk Douglas, his father. I find it interesting the father SOLD the rights to his son, rather than just giving his son the rights. Regardless, this movie is among my favorites. Not just the McMurphy character but the Chief and the others too.

[@bradleybrown8399]

Maybe he was trying to make back the money he paid for it.

[@hd-xc2lz]

Sold for a real or symbolic ($1) number?

[@jsmall10671]

From a Kirk Douglas interview: 'Finally, I went into partnership with my son, Michael, and we were able to find somebody outside of the industry to put up the money and we made a little picture that I never predicted would be a hit. So it did over $200 million! Nobody knows what will really be successful.” My guess is if he 'sold' it to Michael it was a nominal sum.

[@PM2024-]

Danny Devito was amazing too 🎥

[@elizabethleninski4550]

Sweet looking and magnificent from start until now 🥰

[@rosswood5049]

My God he is morphing into his dad which is a good thing actually

[@JustynneDeathWho]

Still a awesome movie michael douglas

[@geargeekpdx3566]

Ken Kesey who wrote the novel hosts the Oregon Country Fair every year on the giant farm he owns

[@oldcop18]

Great movie!

[@ancietman]

Mid seventies epic time for great films Jaws, Towering Inferno, Cuckoos Nest, Death Wish and many more.

[@eiresaoirse3258]

Yeah your right I could mention another 10 classics from that era aswell....

[@ianbauer4703]

Taxi Driver, Rocky, The Man Who Skied Down Everest, and a little number called Star Wars!

[@ajsky1066]

@@ianbauer4703 Don't forget Superman!

[@ianbauer4703]

@@ajsky1066 Richard Donner's Superman was great too!!

[@ovathere93]

Star Wars.

[@writerconsidered]

I had no idea Micheal Douglas produced the Cookoo's nest.

[@basketofpuppys]

great movie i didnt know Michael Douglas was invoilved in that movie

[@noelio67]

The spit of his father, Kirk ......RIP to Kirk....103 yes....great age

[@ItWILLbeWONDERFUL_THERE]

He does. At first I thought he was Kirk.

[@woodyskip...cli-mate-talk424]

That was great to see

[@GoodMrDawes]

What a Movie

[@boomerang8909]

1:27 Michael Douglas after Jack said they're nuts: You think?!

[@kevinbaird7277]

Best movie trivia, what movie gave Micheal Douglas his first Oscar, wrong, it was one flew over the cuckoo's nest.

[@yaimavol]

There are rumors there is a tunnel that goes from the Playboy Mansion straight to Jack's house.

[@aaronlewis8668]

Very good movie

[@josemireles852]

HAD NO IDEA MR. DOUGLAS HAD A HAND IN THE MAKING OF THIS FILM

[@253jacksonrhoads1]

His father, Kirk, once played in the Broadway version of Cuckoo, prior to the film being made.

[@patrickhays3864]

He was a producer if memory serves me correctly

[@terrypeckham4744]

My older sister Rebecca had epilepsy and in the early 60s she was sent to Dammish hospital in Salem, Ore. where this was filmed. She was maybe 12 or 13 and she made friends with a guy named Jack who had taken so much LSD he went crazy. And another maybe 40 year old man who could only speak if he was strumming his guitar. I guess that's how they handled epileptic children in those days

[@AS-ge6xc]

No dia 09 de dezembro de 2019 o pai dele faz 103 anos !!!

[@marissabones]

Just got too love Jack

[@marissabones]

@@jacknicholson5863I would like a reverse scam, where I'm the one getting money

[@wendelldallas7572]

Man, this guy was amazing in Paths of Glory!

[@oregonguy13]

Love how he pronounced Oregon right. 👍🏼

[@johnkonstantine9115]

it's pronounced C-R-A-Z-Y.

[@dannygitmo]

Set up for and accomplished authenticity...success in storytelling

[@Joseph1NJ]

Wow, as he ages he looks more and more like his father.

[@chipdamutt108]

I read about that in a Playboy interview with Michael many years agi

[@edwinombac]

Who’s Rich Eisen?!?!

[@chadcollins6068]

He told that wrong. What Jack really said was "I can't tell who's a patient and who's an actor in there it's driving me crazy!".

[@harrynut3044]

I think his best movie is "Romancing the stone".

[@s.b8904]

❤️

[@johnmiller5679]

Should be called when crazy Jack Meets real crazy.

[@mdicolarn]

we had to watch cuckoos nest while in psych 101 . I found out then

[@LaserRanger15]

I didn't know he produced that masterpiece.

[@jdm1066]

Danny DeVito was his roommate.

[@nnjjee1]

Rich needs to ask better questions. It’s always, “what was it like to work with _______ and be there?”

[@lilybond6485]

That’s a great story !

[@mortb9]

What did you find great about it?

[@dagonming1319]

DAMN.. he looks like his father

[@bySterling]

Still amazing hair!

[@DippyHippie]

Michael speaks like his dear departed daddy! “The haaaassssspital!lol.

[@akhillong4068]

Is Rich Eisen in love with Jack ? He brings him up with every guest lol.

[@jsmall10671]

Man he really sounds like a grandpop.

[@eriklf64]

Michael looks older than Jack now.

[@danablake3777]

That's funny his father was the intended lead for that movieI believe that was before Michael became attached to the project is to do so