Nichols, Mike

Nichols, Mike [ Michael Igor Peschowsky] (1931– ), American actor, director, and producer, born in Berlin, who for some years played a double act in night clubs with Elaine May based on satirical material most of which they wrote themselves, transporting it to the John Golden Theatre, New York, in 1960, as An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May. Three years later Nichols directed Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park, which was followed by three more of Simon's plays—The Odd Couple (1965), Plaza Suite (1968), and The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1971)—and other new plays such as Ann Jellicoe's The Knack, Murray Schisgal's Luv (both 1964), David Rabe's Streamers, and Trevor Griffiths's Comedians (both 1976). He also directed revivals of Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes (1967) and Chekhov's Uncle Vanya (1973), co-adapting the latter. In 1977 he produced the musical Annie and D. L. Coburn's The Gin Game, directing the latter both in New York and, in 1979, in London. One of the most successful directors in America, he later worked on Stoppard's The Real Thing and Rabe's Hurlyburly (both 1984), and Beckett's Waiting for Godot in 1988. He is also a major film director.