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• Mike Nichols is a multi-award-winning American televison, stage and film director, writer, producer and actor. Nichols is noted for directing such classic films as The Graduate, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Primary Colors.

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: November 6, 1931
  2. Birthname: Michael Igor Peschkowsky
  3. Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
  4. Family fled to United States in 1939
  5. Became a U.S. Citizen 1944
  6. Attended University of Chicago
  7. Spouse: TV Journalist Diane Sawyer
  8. Kennedy Center Honoree in 2003

• Background

  Nichols and his family moved to the United States to flee the Nazis in 1939. While attending the University of Chicago in the 1950s he began performing improvisational comedy with the Compass Players, a precursor to The Second City.

  After Nichols was chosen to direct the hit production of Neil Simon's Barefoot In The Park in 1963 he decided to devote the rest of his life to directing. Nichols went on to direct many other Broadway hits, including several more by Simon. He has won numerous theater awards, including the Tony Award for Best Direction for seven different productions.

  Starting with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, for which he received an Oscar nomination, and following with The Graduate, for which he won the Best Director Oscar, Nichols began an acclaimed career as a film director.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Diane Sawyer | Germany | University of Chicago | Grammy Awards | Tony Awards | Academy Awards | The Graduate | Dustin Hoffman | Primary Colors | John Travolta | Emma Thompson | Charlie Wilson's War | Tom Hanks | Julia Roberts

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