Fletcher, who left an indelible impression as icy Nurse Ratched with movie lovers, died in her sleep in her house in France at the age of 88, surrounded by family.
After putting her career on hold for years to raise her children, Fletcher was in her early 40s and little known when chosen for the role opposite Jack.
Louise Fletcher, an actor whose riveting performance as the cruel and calculating Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest set a new standard for screen villains and won her an Academy Award, has died at age 88.