Allan F. Nicholls (born April 8, 1945 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, composer and musician. He was nominated for both a BAFTA and WGA award for his writing on the 1978 film A Wedding. He is often credited as Allan Nicholls. Allan was lead vocalist in the mid-60s with recording acts J.B. & The Playboys (RCA), who later became The Jaybees (on RCA) then Carnival Connection (Capitol). After playing Claude in the musical "Hair" he returned to Montreal to briefly sing lead vocals with Mashmakhan before releasing a number of solo recordings (with some charting in Canada) before delving into a career with the movie industry. A "J.B. & The Playboys - Anthology" CD was released by Super Oldies in 2005. He is probably most well known to the general public for his role as team captain Johnny Upton in the movie Slap Shot.
Assistant Director
2006
Brotherhood (TV Series) (first assistant director - 1 episode) - Genesis 27:29 (2006) - (first assistant director: pilot)
2004
Tanner on Tanner (TV Series) (first assistant director)
2002
Never Get Outta the Boat (assistant director)
2001
What's the Worst That Could Happen? (first assistant director - as Allan Nicholls)
2000
The Crew (first assistant director)
1999
Cradle Will Rock (first assistant director)
1995
Dead Man Walking (first assistant director - as Allan Nicholls)
1994
Ready to Wear (second unit film & tv director - as Allan Nicholls)
1994
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (assistant director)
1993
Short Cuts (first assistant director - as Allan Nicholls)
1992
Ethan Frome (first assistant director)
1992
The Player (first assistant director - as Allan Nicholls)
1989
Saturday Night Live (TV Series) (associate director - 22 episodes) - Delta Burke/Chris Isaak (1991) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Dennis Quaid/The Neville Brothers (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Candice Bergen/The Notting Hillbillies (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Andrew Dice Clay/Julee Cruise/Spanic Boys (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Alec Baldwin/The B-52's (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Corbin Bernsen/The Smithereens (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Debra Winger/Eric Clapton (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Rob Lowe/The Pogues (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Fred Savage/Technotronic (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Tom Hanks/Aerosmith (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Quincy Jones & Co. (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Christopher Walken/Bonnie Raitt (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Ed O'Neill/Harry Connick Jr. (1990) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Andie MacDowell/Tracy Chapman (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Robert Wagner/Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- John Goodman/k.d. lang (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Woody Harrelson/David Byrne (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Chris Evert/Eurythmics (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- James Woods/Don Henley (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Kathleen Turner/Billy Joel (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Rick Moranis/Rickie Lee Jones (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- Bruce Willis/Neil Young (1989) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
1989
Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary (TV Special) (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
1988
Sweet Hearts Dance (first assistant director - as Allan Nichols)
1988
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (TV Movie) (first assistant director - as Allan Nicholls)
1988
Tanner '88 (TV Mini Series) (associate director - 3 episodes) - The Night of the Twinkies (1988) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- For Real (1988) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
- The Dark Horse (1988) - (associate director - as Allan Nicholls)
1987
Under Cover (first assistant director - as Alan Nicholls)
1986
Native Son (first assistant director)
1985
The Laundromat (TV Movie) (assistant director)
1984
Secret Honor (assistant director)
1983
Streamers (first assistant director - as Allan Nicholls)
Actor
2020
State of the Game (Short) as
Coach
2011
Retrogress (Short) as
Canada Guy
2008
Moonlight & Mistletoe (TV Movie) as
Earl (as Allan Nicholls)
2005
Trudeau II: Maverick in the Making (TV Movie) as
Film Critic
2002
Never Get Outta the Boat as
Older Man on Phone
2000
The Crew as
Wiseguy #3 (as Allan Nicholls)
1999
Cradle Will Rock as
George Zorn
1997
Black Harbour (TV Series) as
Rich Boyle
- Turnaround (1997) - Rich Boyle
1992
Bob Roberts as
Cutting Edge Director (as Allan Nicholls)
1988
Hitting Home (TV Movie) as
N.Y. Cabbie (as Allan Nicholls)
1985
Trouble in Mind as
Sector Representative Pete Regis (as Allan Nicholls)
1985
Seeing Things (TV Series) as
Father Dom
- I'll Be Seeing You (1985) - Father Dom (as Allan Nicholls)
1983
Home Free All as
Barry Simon
1981
Threshold as
Dr. Basil Rents (as Allan Nicholls)
1980
Popeye as
Rough House (as Allan Nicholls)
1980
HealtH as
Jake Jacobs (as Allan Nicholls)
1979
Lou Grant (TV Series) as
Matt Kessler
- Kidnap (1979) - Matt Kessler (as Alan Nicholls)
1979
A Perfect Couple as
Dana 115
1978
A Wedding as
Jake Jacobs (as Allan Nicholls)
1977
Slap Shot as
Upton (as Allan Nicholls)
1976
Welcome to L.A. as
David Howard
1976
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson as
Prentiss Ingraham (as Allan Nicholls)
1975
Nashville as
Bill (as Allan Nicholls)
1971
Jennifer on My Mind as
Hell's Angel #2 (as Allan Nicholls)
1969
Waiting for Caroline as
The Jaybees (musical group) (uncredited)
1967
Playgirl Killer as
J.B. and The Playboys
1966
Footsteps in the Snow as
The Jaybees (musical group / soundtrack)
Producer
2015
Remittance (co-producer)
2002
Never Get Outta the Boat (associate producer)
1999
Cradle Will Rock (executive producer)
1995
Dead Man Walking (associate producer - as Allan Nicholls)
1994
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (co-producer)
1992
Bob Roberts (associate producer)
1988
Hitting Home (TV Movie) (line producer - as Allan Nicholls)
1979
Quintet (associate producer - as Allan Nicholls)
Soundtrack
2014
Altman (Documentary) (writer: "Exercise Your Right to Vote" - as Allan Nicholls)
1982
Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (performer: "Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone" - as Allan Nichols) / (writer: "Keep on Walking" - as Allan Nichols)
1980
HealtH (as Allan Nicholls, "Health")
1979
Rich Kids (lyrics: "Reasons", "Hot Love in a Minute", "You Changed All That", "I Don't Want to Dance", "You Knock Me Out" - as Allan Nicholls)
1979
A Perfect Couple (writer: "Hurricane", "Week-End Holiday", "Won't Somebody Care", "Love Is All There Is", "Searchin' For The Light", "Fantasy", "Let The Music Play", "Goodbye Friends") / (writer: "Romance Concerto (Adieu Mes Amis)" - as Allan Nicholls)
1978
Remember My Name (writer: "Keep On Walking", "Drink Until I Drop" - uncredited)
1975
Nashville (lyrics: "Rose's Cafe") / (music: "Rose's Cafe") / (performer: "Rose's Cafe", "Since You've Gone")
Music Department
1998
Harvest (music supervisor - as Allan Nicholls)
1994
Ready to Wear (music supervisor - as Allan Nicholls)
1985
O.C. and Stiggs (composer: additional music - uncredited) / (music supervisor - as Allan Nicholls)
1980
HealtH (music supervisor - as Allan Nicholls)
1979
A Perfect Couple (music producer)
Production Manager
1988
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (TV Movie) (production manager - as Allan Nicholls)
1986
True Stories (executive in charge of production - as Allan Nicholls)
1986
Thompson's Last Run (TV Movie) (production manager - as Allan Nicholls)
1985
O.C. and Stiggs (production manager - as Allan Nicholls)
1985
Fool for Love (unit production manager - as Allan Nicholls)
1983
Streamers (production manager - as Allan Nicholls)
Director
1993
Cher: The Video Collection (Video)
1983
I Am a Hotel (TV Movie) (as Allan Nicholls)
1981
Meat Loaf: Dead Ringer for Love (Music Video)
Writer
1982
Dead Ringer (story - as Allan Nicholls) / (written by - as Allan Nichols)
1979
A Perfect Couple (written by)
1978
A Wedding (screenplay - as Allan Nichols)
Miscellaneous
1988
Tanner '88 (TV Mini Series) (stage manager - 2 episodes) - The Night of the Twinkies (1988) - (stage manager - as Allan Nicholls)
- For Real (1988) - (stage manager - as Allan Nicholls)
Composer
2023
Painting notes (Short)
Art Director
2023
Painting notes (Short)
Thanks
2023
The Water is Finally Blue: The Untold Story of Robert Altman's O.C. and Stiggs (Documentary) (special thanks)
2011
Bloody Cuts (TV Series short) (special thanks - 1 episode) - Prey (2011) - (special thanks)
2008
Continua (Short) (special thanks)
Self
2023
The Water is Finally Blue: The Untold Story of Robert Altman's O.C. and Stiggs (Documentary)(voice)
2013
The Making of 'Nashville' (Video documentary) as
Self (as Allan Nicholls)
2012
Jobriath A.D. (Documentary) as
Self
2010
Not Larry David (Short) as
Self
2006
A Wedding: Altman Style (Video documentary short) as
Self
2006
Developing the World of 'Quintet' (Video documentary short) as
Self
2006
Perspective on Altman's 'Perfect Couple' (Video documentary short) as
Self
1993
Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country (Documentary) as
Self (as Allan Nicholls)