Description:
(Director Best Known for His Works 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' and 'The Graduate')
Mike Nichols was a distinguished German-American theatre and film personality. Born in Germany and immigrated to the US as a kid, he started his career in the 1950s with an improvisational cabaret revue ‘The Compass Players’ and later formed improvisational comedy duo ‘Nichols and May’ with Elaine May. The comedy duo won ‘Grammy Award’ for Best Comedy Album and with this Nichols became the first non-American comedian to win a Grammy. Three of their comedy albums were charted in the Billboard Top 40. Following disbandment of the duo, Nichols focussed into directing plays and in no time earned name as a master in his work extracting the best out of his performers, whether seasoned or new. Starting with Neil Simon's ‘Barefoot in the Park’, throughout his career he directed over 25 ‘Broadway’ plays of which many were produced by him. His debut in film direction happened with Warner Brothers’ ‘Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ Over the years he delivered several spectacular and commercially successful films marked with versatility and insight. Some notable ones were ‘The Graduate’ that earned him his sole ‘Academy Award’ as Best Director; ‘Silkwood’; ‘Working Girl’; ‘Carnal Knowledge’; ‘The Day of the Dolphin’; ‘Closer’; and ‘The Birdcage’. His films fetched 42 ‘Oscar’ nominations and bagged seven of them. He remains one of the two persons to have earned a ‘PEGOT’ that is winning ‘Peabody Awards’, ‘Emmy Awards’ (Four), ‘Grammy Award’, ‘Oscar’ and ‘Tony Award’ (nine). He also won three ‘BAFTA’ awards. He was honored with ‘National Medal of Arts’ in 2001 and ‘AFI Life Achievement Award’ in 2010 among other honors.
Birthday
November 6, 1931 (Scorpio)
Born In
Germany
Alternative names
Igor Mikhail Peschkowsky
Height
180 cm
City
Berlin, Germany
Died on
November 19, 2014
Spouse/Ex-
Annabel Davis-Goff (1975–1986; 2 children), Diane Sawyer (m. 1988–2014; his death), Margot Callas (m. 1963–1974; 1 child), Patricia Scott (m. 1957–1960)
Parents
Pavel Peschkowsky
Brigitte (née Landauer)
What are some famous movies directed by Mike Nichols?
Some famous movies directed by Mike Nichols include "The Graduate," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," "Closer," "Working Girl," and "Charlie Wilson's War."
What was Mike Nichols' approach to directing actors?
Mike Nichols was known for his collaborative approach to directing actors, allowing them creative freedom while also providing guidance and feedback to enhance their performances.
Did Mike Nichols have any notable collaborations with actors or actresses?
Mike Nichols had notable collaborations with actors like Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, and Emma Thompson, among others, resulting in critically acclaimed performances in his films.
What impact did Mike Nichols have on the entertainment industry?
Mike Nichols had a significant impact on the entertainment industry as a director known for his versatility across genres and his ability to bring out nuanced performances from actors, influencing a generation of filmmakers.
How did Mike Nichols balance humor and drama in his films?
Mike Nichols was skilled at balancing humor and drama in his films by infusing wit and sharp dialogue into serious subject matter, creating a unique blend of entertainment and thought-provoking storytelling.