Died director of “The Graduate” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” – Russian Newspaper

Mike Nichols, one of America’s most famous filmmakers, whose work brought him universal love both on Broadway and in Hollywood, died Wednesday in New York York. He was 83 years. Immigrant, he achieved incredible success in America, assembled a collection of almost all the prestigious awards in the United States: “Oscar”, “Grammy”, “Golden Globe”, “Amy” and “Tony”. He – one of 12 people in US history, which has received all such figurines.

On his death, said James Goldstone, president of ABC News. Nichols was married to the employee fourth marriage ABC Diane Sawyer. The cause of death is called cardiac arrest. The fate of both the director and his family is unique. The real name of Nichols, which he was given at birth – Michael Igor Peshkovski. It sounds so middle name. Igor, not I..

His paternal ancestors owned mine in Siberia, becoming one of the richest families in Tomsk in the XIX century. Father of director was born in Vienna. Maternal grandfather was a famous philosopher Gustav Landauer-anarchist. Parents Michael Peshkovsky met in Berlin, where he was born on November 6, 1931. His father worked as a doctor, he emigrated from Nazi Germany to the United States in 1938, a year later, Michael went there with her mother and brother Robert. There’s family changed the name to Peshkovski at Nichols. After his father’s death from leukemia, the family was on the verge of poverty. Michael, who entered the university was forced to look for jobs as a night watchman. He began his career with appearances in the genre of stand-up, singing in restaurants, then appeared on Broadway.

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It was on Broadway began his directing career, which lasted almost six decades. According to nytimes.com, Nichols had a unique gift of communicating with the actors and sharp comic sense of time, which he has honed in his early career. At Nichols was something that other directors dream remains: he was popular and achieved success in both film and theater. On Broadway, he won as many as nine awards “Tony” (including two as a producer). Once only one Broadway theater came together four shows, where he served as director. Among his productions on Broadway comedy stand on plays by Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park” and “The Odd Couple” set in the 1960s, funny musical scenario Monty Python’s “Spamalot”, staged four decades later, as well as a performance by the product of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman.” On the Broadway stage, he set Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya.” In 1984, there thundered show “Whoopi GOLBERG”, which turned into a monologue of the world famous actress.

In his theater productions starring such famous actors movie, Richard Dreyfuss, Morgan Freeman, Steve Martin and Robin Williams. And Meryl Streep, Natalie Portman, Christopher Walken, John Goodman and Kevin Kline played his Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” “Words are secondary and secrets are primary. This is what interests me most,” – once said Nichols, answering a reporter’s question about what is most interested in directing it. In June 2012, at age 80, he received another award “Tony” for the play “The Specialist”. When his name was announced at the ceremony, he kissed his wife, took the stage of the theater and said that sitting in the audience sees before him the happiest man in the world.

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According to critics, among the three most memorable works Nichols in the movie stand out tape “The Graduate” with Dustin Hoffman in 1967, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” in 1966 with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Barton, who was nominated for 13 awards “Oscar”, including for Best Director, and won awards in five categories. In addition, it is noted and his later paintings “Closeness” in 2004 with Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen. It Nichols opened the world’s outstanding American actor Dustin Hoffman, who played him in “The Graduate”, which is considered one of the best comedy movies of all time, the main role. In this sharp satirical tape 21 year old college graduate from Southern California with his wife sleeping best friend of his father and then seduces her daughter.

Little brunette of Jewish neighborhoods in New York, in addition, an unknown stage actor ( Although he was born and raised in Los Angeles), Hoffman seemed an odd choice for the role of a spoiled boy from the West Coast. However, Nichols got to the point. He received the “Oscar” as a director, and Hoffman, which the director has opened the way to stardom, with De Niro, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson in 1980 entered the so-called “great Hollywood Quartet”, which referred to the quartet’s best actors American film industry. By the way, Jack Nicholson starred in Nichols’ Wolf “, a gripping thriller about how the editor of turning into a werewolf.

Experts, noting wit and charm Nichols called his prolific, too prolific, criticizing him for that he sometimes accidentally chose their projects or take on the job just for the money. Nevertheless, all the American media put a message on the death of Nichols in the category of so-called “first news.” Its condolences to the family of the director expressed the leading figures of the American film industry.

Direct speech

Meryl Streep, actress, winner of the award “Oscar”:

– He knew the joy and inspiration, this is a director who cried when he laughed, it is one without which we can not imagine our world, it is indelible and irreplaceable.

Tom Hanks, winner of the award “Oscar”:

– “Forward. We must always move forward. Otherwise, what will become of us? “- once said Mike Nichols, who changed the lives of those who knew him, who love him, who will miss him.

Steven Spielberg, director, the owner of the award “Oscar”:

– Mike was my friend, mentor, one of the greatest directors of all time and one of the most generous people I have ever known. For me the movie “The Graduate” changed lives. And in terms of experience in the movie, also becoming a master class about how you need to make a scene … Mike was always the center of attraction. This seismic loss.

Kevin Spacey, actor, the owner of the award “Oscar”:

– Mike Nichols gave me a start. Mentor, friend, colleague. One of the best observers of life. My thoughts are with Diane and his children.