Sad loss. Had a feeling he wasn't well and might have been one of the reasons Sawyer stepped down from World News.
Leading Actor Joined: 11/10/07
This is very sad news. He was still so active. At least his last two Broadway shows were smash hits.
GOD FVCKING DAMN IT
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/2/10
Yes I heard on CBS this morning that he had been ill for a very long time. So yes maybe that is why Diane Sawyer stepped down from a more active role at ABC news lately.
Thinking of his family and friends at this sad time. The man certainly left a lot of gifts and memories behind...
Director of so many of my favourite films - The Graduate, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Silkwood, Working Girl, Postcards from the Edge, The Birdcage, Angels in America...as well as his theatre credits. I really liked his production of Betrayal last year with Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz. And of course Spamalot. And multiple Tony winner. Sad day.
Oh this just makes me so sad. He never really looked his age in his later years, so I'm shocked to even hear he was 83. But, yes, what a brilliant and hugely successful career.
Broadway Star Joined: 7/5/10
I don't think he was that ill since he and Diane went the It's Only A Play opening last month and from observation he's smiling and looks fine.
Saddened to hear of his passing. In the late 50's, when I showed up at the University of Chicago, he already was a local legend (forget all those Nobel prize winners - HE was the esteemed alumnus). His comedy career with Elaine May has kept me laughing for decades, and his film/stage career as a director is amazing. I last saw him a few weeks ago when he was sitting two rows behind me with Tom Stoppard at a preview of Mr. Stoppard's Indian Ink. Can't believe he's gone ......
I read "sudden cardiac arrest." I didn't know he'd been ill.
I was happy to meet him a few times and actually get to talk at length with him. He was ultra-charming and a little scary - one of those rare successful people who don't seem to fear or resent or inflate their success. Perfectly of his time, I wonder who he would have become if her were born 20 years later.
Can you say a little more, newintown, about what was "scary" about him -- or talking to him? I'm very intrigued by that, but don't want to assume anything. He seemed always to be charming and down-to-earth, as you say -- not to mention so exceptionally handsome -- but I'm curious about whatever intimidation factor he may have carried with him, either deliberately or unwillingly.
He was one of the finest directors and comedians.
He will be missed.
R.I.P.
He once told Meryl Streep "Directing is like making love... You never know if you're doing it right or as good as the other guy..."
Growl, by "scary," I mean that it's rare to meet someone that successful who is so calmly assured and comfortable with himself. He gave the impression that he was always going to win and that he didn't care if he won or not. It's not "scary" in a bad way, exactly, but it's an impression of total unconcerned power over his surroundings. I can imagine Bill Clinton having the same effect.
Updated On: 11/20/14 at 08:46 AM
Ha... okay, great. That's fascinating.
And I've met Bill Clinton. He is scary in exactly that same way.
If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend watching Henry Louis Gates' Faces of America, in which Nichols participated. It's a fascinating group of people anyway but, as someone who is not at all a film buff, I thought he just came across as so articulate and grounded and just a good person.
Faces of America on PBS
Thanks, givesmevoice. Do you happen to have a link to that episode? When I go to the page for the Nichols episode, there's no video.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/facesofamerica/profiles/mike-nichols/5
It's actually different than some other genealogy shows (like Who Do You Think You Are) in that each episode is thematic and, for the most part, all 12 of the guests are shown in each episode. I believe Nichols is more heavily featured in one episode than the others, but I'll have to see if I can figure that out.
(I would recommend watching the entire series, if you can.)
Groovy. Thanks
Wow I just looked at his IMDB page and I never realized how many great movies he directed. He will be missed.
i go all the way back with NICHOLS AND MAY...when they performed on the ED SULLIVAN SHOW along time ago...i was very young but even then i loved their more adult grown up humor...his direction of WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF and BIRDCAGE are my two fav movies he directed...with ANGELS IN AMERICA, on HBO, the best thing i have ever seen on tv
Great loss. He was a multi-faceted director who helmed many genres and did so brilliantly. If I had to pick my one favorite movie of his it would be CARNAL KNOWLEDGE.
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