The Pledge: Nicholson stars as cop Jerry Black

The star is keen to buy the teeth back, according to the programme's producers, who admit it is a strange thing to sell.

"It's weird, yes, but we've had offers already exceeding �5,000," said Peter Newby, managing director of Auction World, on Sky Digital.

"We're intrigued to see what Mr Nicholson's agent offers."

Nicholson was born in New Jersey in 1937 and started work as an actor in the late 1950s.

It was his role in the 1969 classic Easy Rider that confirmed his route to the top of the acting profession and earned him his first Oscar nomination.

His portrayal of an angry ex-musician in Five Easy Pieces and a detective in Chrinatown brought further Academy nomination.

He won his first Oscar as the asylum patient Randall Patrick McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

He won as best supporting actor Oscar for Terms of Endearment in 1983 and another best actor Oscar for As Good As It Gets opposite Helen Hunt.

The teeth will be auctioned on 10 December.