Imagine a world where Martin Scorsese is still just Marty from the block, and Robert De Niro is that intense guy from Little Italy who maybe, just maybe, could have been a decent actor. Sounds like a bizarre alternate universe, right? Well, it could have been our reality if not for one man—Roger Corman, the undisputed king of B-movie brilliance, who has sadly left us at the age of 98.
His movies were often dismissed as B-movies, but Corman never let that bother him. What mattered to him was the story, the creativity, and the passion that went into each project. Corman believed in taking chances on unknown talent, and his gambles paid off in ways that would forever change the landscape of Hollywood. Now his death marks the end of an era, but his legacy will live on through the countless filmmakers and actors he inspired.
Among those whose careers he jump-started are cinematic titans like Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and yes, our man Jack Nicholson, the actor known for his intense performances and devil-may-care attitude. In a seemingly forgotten 2012 interview that has now resurfaced following Corman’s death, Nicholson struggles to hold back tears as he talks about Corman.
“There’s nobody in there that he didn’t in the most important way support. He was, you know, my main connect, my life blood to whatever I thought I was gonna be as a person. And you know I hope he knows that this is not all hot air. I wanna cry now…”
Jack Nicholson, 2012
Corman gave Nicholson his first starring role in the 1958 movie The Cry Baby Killer, a crime drama that showcased the young actor’s raw talent and intense screen presence. It was a small movie, but it was a big break for Nicholson, who had been struggling to find work in Hollywood.
Over the next few years, Corman would cast Nicholson in several more of his movies, including The Little Shop of Horrors, The Raven, and The Terror. These were all low-budget films, but they allowed Nicholson to hone his craft and develop his unique style. In many ways, Corman was like a father figure to Nicholson.
Nicholson’s breakthrough role came in 1969 with Easy Rider, a movie that would become a cultural touchstone and a defining film of the counterculture era. His performance as George Hanson, a drunken lawyer who joins two bikers on a cross-country trip, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
So, the real beauty of Corman’s World (which, by the way, is a fantastic rabbit hole to dive into if you’ve never had the pleasure) isn’t just in the movies. It’s in the community he created, a ragtag group of dreamers who might never have had their shot if not for his open-door policy.