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Jack Nance

Jack Nance

Actor · Died December 30, 1996, aged 53 · Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Marvin John Nance (December 21, 1943 – December 30, 1996), known professionally as Jack Nance and occasionally credited as John Nance, was an American actor of stage and screen, primarily starring in offbeat or avant-garde productions. He was known for his work with director David Lynch, particularly for his roles in Eraserhead, Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 21, 1943
Died
December 30, 1996 (aged 53)
From
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 41 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26

What are Jack Nance's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 10th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 8th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 9th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Bonds
23%
Morality
17%
Survival
16%
Power
10%
Society
9%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 6

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 12 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 9 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 13 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Mentor
2 of 4
Herald
2 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Absurd
8
Melancholic
5
Thrilling
4
Warm
3
Other
15

How their films linger

Fun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jack Nance's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jack Nance's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

41 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Of Things Past(2023)

    as Earl Delaney

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Sinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Henry Spencer

  • Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Pete Martell

  • Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Paul

  • Mysteries of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    In Memory Of

  • Lost Highway(1997)

    as Phil

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Little Witches(1996)

    as Father Michael

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Assault on Dome 4(1996)

    as Mellow, Dome 4 Oldtimer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Secret Agent Club(1996)

    as Doctor

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Voodoo(1995)

    as Lewis

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Demolitionist(1995)

    as Father McKenzie

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Love and a .45(1994)

    as Justice Thurman

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Across the Moon(1994)

    as Old Cowboy

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • My So-Called Life(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Warren

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Another Midnight Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Reilly

  • Fallen Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff

  • Meatballs 4(1992)

    as Neil Peterson

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Motorama(1991)

    as Motel Clerk

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Whore(1991)

    as Man Who Helps Liz

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Hot Spot(1990)

    as Julian Ward

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Wild at Heart(1990)

    as 00 Spool

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Twin Peaks(1990)

    Show 30 episodes · as Pete Martell · as Pete Martell (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Twin Peaks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Pete Martell

  • Tricks of the Trade(1988)

    as Al

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Cowboy and the Frenchman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Pete

  • The French as Seen by… (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as (Segment "The Cowboy and the Frenchman")

  • The Blob(1988)

    as Doctor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Colors(1988)

    as Officer Samuels

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Barfly(1987)

    as Detective

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Blue Velvet(1986)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Ghoulies(1984)

    as Wolfgang

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Johnny Dangerously(1984)

    as Priest

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Dune(1984)

    as Nefud

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • City Heat(1984)

    as Aram Strossell

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Hammett(1982)

    as Gary Salt

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Eraserhead(1977)

    as Henry Spencer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Breaker! Breaker!(1977)

    as Burton

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Bushman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Felix

  • Jump(1971)

    as Ace

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Fools (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Hippie

  • Old Fashioned Spankings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 41 titles, 40 of them dated from 1970 to 2023; peak year 1977.

Biggest box office

Barfly (1987)

$3.2M worldwide

Highest rated

Eraserhead (1977)

Midcredits 88th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19702023

Peak 1977 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 6 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting40 of 41: 40 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdOther crew1 of 41: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1970s5 · acting1980s13 · acting1990s17 · acting2000s1 · crew2010s3 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 5% of 22 roles
778792

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jack Nance's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 27; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 25th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

22ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 29 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Of Things Past (2023)

93rd percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Twin Peaks (1990)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 50/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles; fans 65, detractors 31. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jack Nance's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 62 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles24–57 · median 43 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 44 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 50 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 51 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jack Nance work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jack Nance's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Donald P. Borchers shares the most, 5.

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers

Mixed roles