Jack Nance was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1943, but was raised in Dallas, Texas. He went to North Texas State University with the intent to study journalism but had a more incredible urge to study acting. And quit university to join the Dallas Theater Center.

1964, he moved to San Franciso to work at the American Conservatory Theater. While there, he had a very enriching time playing the lead role in Tom Paine. The play’s director had a fellowship at the American Film Institute, where he met another person who was part of the American Film Institute, David Lynch. The director suggested Jack Nance to David Lynch about casting him in the lead role in his student film. Eraserhead.

Here is a trailer from the movie:

Jack was married twice. The first time he was married to Catherine E. Coulson was from 1968 to 1976. Her most memorable role was as the Log Lady on Twin Peaks.

Jack Nance struggled with alcoholism and drugs throughout his first marriage and most of his life. He met his second wife while in rehab, named Kelly Jean Van Dyke.

She was the daughter of Jerry Van Dyke. Nancee had tried hard to remove her past career connections because she no longer wanted to be associated with the porn industry which she had seedy connections with. However, she was relapsed in 1991 and tried to continue in the porn industry because she wanted money to fund her addictions.

In November of 1991, while Jack was on location at Bass Lake, California, he received a phone call from Kelly. He was on set filming a movie called Meatballs 4.

Kelly told Jack that she did not want to be married to Jack anymore because she could not bear him to witness her going down this path. In addition to telling him that she told him that if he hung up on her, she would kill herself. Unfortunately, during the phone conversation, there was a nasty storm, and the phone line disconnected.

It took Jack more than half an hour to find a phone in the area that was in working condition, and they called Kelly back. However, there was no answer, so he located a nearby sheriff’s office and, in turn, contacted the Los Angeles police to inform them of the conversation. The police broke into Kelly’s residence and found that Kelly had hung herself. Jack Nance was extremely sad and felt like he was responsible for her passing, and within two years, he picked up drinking.

During this time, he already endured two strokes. Due to his drinking, he was asked to go home from the set of Joyride that was cast him due to him showing up to work drunk. He only worked on the movie for one day.

On December 29, 1996, Jack Nance went to meet up with friends Catherine Case and Leo Bulgarini for lunch. They noticed that Jack had a huge bruise under his eye and when questioned about it by his friends. Jack explained that he had gotten into a fight outside Winchell’s Donuts earlier that day with two men due to a shouting match with them. He ended the lunch early because he said that his head was hurting and that it was probably a headache.

On December 30, 1996, Jack Nance was found by his friend Leo Bulgarini in Jack’s apartment dead in his bathroom. When the autopsy was conducted on Jack, he had a subdural hematoma and a blood alcohol level of 0.24%. Jack was 53 years old when he passed away.

Jack Nance will always be more than just an actor to me. He brought a warmness to his role, which makes you feel like he is your best friend. I think this week I will dedicate my movie to watching all the movies that Jack Nance was in.

Sources: Wikipedia.com