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Mike Nichols
Mike Nichols (born Mikhail Igor Peschkowsky; November 6, 1931 – November 19, 2014) was an American director. He worked across a range of genres and had an aptitude for getting the best out of actors regardless of their experience. He is one of 18 people to have won all four of the major American entertainment awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT). His other honors included three BAFTA Awards, the Lincoln Center Gala Tribute in 1999, the National Medal of Arts in 2001, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2003 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2010. His films received a total of 42 Academy Award nominations, and seven wins. Nichols began his career in the 1950s with the comedy improvisational troupe The Compass Players, predecessor of The Second City, in Chicago. He then teamed up with his improv partner, Elaine May, to form the comedy duo Nichols and May. Their live improv act was a hit on Broadway, and each of their three albums was nominated for the Grammy Award for Bes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constituent states, Berlin is surrounded by the State of Brandenburg and contiguous with Potsdam, Brandenburg's capital. Berlin's urban area, which has a population of around 4.5 million, is the second most populous urban area in Germany after the Ruhr. The Berlin-Brandenburg capital region has around 6.2 million inhabitants and is Germany's third-largest metropolitan region after the Rhine-Ruhr and Rhine-Main regions. Berlin straddles the banks of the Spree, which flows into the Havel (a tributary of the Elbe) in the western borough of Spandau. Among the city's main topographical features are the many lakes in the western and southeastern boroughs formed by the Spree, Havel and Dahme, the largest of which is Lake Müggelsee. Due to i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nichols And May
Nichols and May was an American improvisational comedy duo act developed by Mike Nichols (1931–2014) and Elaine May (born 1932). Their three comedy albums reached the Billboard Top 40 between 1959 and 1962.Holland, Bill (September 28, 1996). '50s trailblazers brought social satire to the masses. '' Billboard'', p. 1. Many comedians have cited them as key influences in modern comedy. Woody Allen declared, “the two of them came along and elevated comedy to a brand-new level". Partnership Development Nichols and May met as students at the University of Chicago in the early 1950s.Staff report (Nov 21, 1960)Fun with human foibles: Nichols and May's satire prickles and tickles.''Life'' They began their career together at The Compass Players, a predecessor to Chicago's Second City which included Paul Sills, Del Close, Loretta Chiljian, and Nancy Ponder.Coleman, Janet (1991)''The Compass: The Improvisational Theatre That Revolutionized American Comedy'' University Of Chicago ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman (July 23, 1967 – February 2, 2014) was an American actor. Known for his distinctive supporting and character roles—typically lowlifes, eccentrics, underdogs, and misfits—he acted in many films and theatrical productions, including leading roles, from the early 1990s until his death in 2014. Hoffman was drawn to theater in his youth after attending a stage production of Arthur Miller's '' All My Sons'' at age 12. He studied acting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and began his screen career in a 1991 episode of '' Law & Order'', starting to appear in films in 1992. He gained recognition for his supporting work, notably in '' Scent of a Woman'' (1992), '' Twister'' (1996), '' Boogie Nights'' (1997), ''Patch Adams'' (1998), '' The Big Lebowski'' (1998), ''Magnolia'' (1999), '' The Talented Mr. Ripley'' (1999), '' Almost Famous'' (2000), and ''Along Came Polly'' (2004). He began to occasionally play leading roles, and for his portray ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Death Of A Salesman
''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montage of memories, dreams, and arguments of the protagonist Willy Loman, a travelling salesman who is disappointed with his life, and appears to be slipping into senility. The play contains a variety of themes, such as the American Dream, the anatomy of truth, and infidelity. It won the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. It is considered by some critics to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. Since its premiere, the play has been revived on Broadway five times, winning three Tony Awards for Best Revival. It has been adapted for the cinema on ten occasions, including a 1951 version from an adaptation by screenwriter Stanley Roberts, starring Fredric March. In 1999, '' New Yorker'' drama critic John L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are ''All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1949), '' The Crucible'' (1953), and ''A View from the Bridge'' (1955). He wrote several screenplays and was most noted for his work on '' The Misfits'' (1961). The drama ''Death of a Salesman'' is considered one of the best American plays of the 20th century. Miller was often in the public eye, particularly during the late 1940s, '50s and early '60s. During this time, he received a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee, and married Marilyn Monroe. In 1980, he received the St. Louis Literary Award from the Saint Louis University Library Associates. He received the Praemium Imperiale prize in 2001, the Prince of Asturias Award in 2002, and the Jerusalem Prize in 2003, and the Dorothy and Li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Award For Best Direction Of A Play
The Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play has been given since 1960. Before 1960 there was only one award for both play direction and musical direction, then in 1960 the award was split into two categories: ''Dramatic'' and ''Musical''. In 1976 the Dramatic category was renamed to Play. For pre-1960 direction awards please reference Tony Award for Best Director. Winners and nominees 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Award records Multiple wins ; 6 Wins * Mike Nichols ; 3 Wins * Jerry Zaks ; 2 Wins * Peter Brook * Stephen Daldry * John Dexter * Marianne Elliott * Gerald Gutierrez * Peter Hall * Sam Mendes * Jack O'Brien * Gene Saks Multiple nominations ; 10 Nominations * Mike Nichols ; 8 Nominations * Peter Hall * Daniel J. Sullivan ; 6 Nominations * George C. Wolfe ; 5 Nominations * Joe Mantello * Marshall W. Mason * Lloyd Richards * Alan Schneider * Bartlett Sher * Matthew Warchus ; 4 Nominations * Michael Blakemore * David Leveaux * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Odd Couple (play)
''The Odd Couple'' is a play by Neil Simon. Following its premiere on Broadway in 1965, the characters were revived in a successful 1968 film and 1970s television series, as well as several other derivative works and spin-offs. The plot concerns two mismatched roommates: the neat, uptight Felix Ungar and the slovenly, easygoing Oscar Madison. Simon adapted the play in 1985 to feature a pair of female roommates (Florence Ungar and Olive Madison) in ''The Female Odd Couple''. An updated version of the 1965 show appeared in 2002 with the title ''Oscar and Felix: A New Look at the Odd Couple''. History Sources vary as to the origins of the play. In ''The Washington Post''s obituary of Simon's brother Danny, a television writer, Adam Bernstein wrote that the idea for the play came from his divorce. "Mr. Simon had moved in with a newly single theatrical agent named Roy Gerber in Hollywood, and they invited friends over one night. Mr. Simon botched the pot roast. The next day, G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luv (play)
''Luv'' is a play by Murray Schisgal. The production originated on Broadway in 1964. The production was directed by Mike Nichols and featured performances from Alan Arkin, Eli Wallach, and Anne Jackson. It received five Tony Award nominations including for Best Play. It won three Tonys for Best Producer of a Play, Best Direction of a Play and Best Scenic Design. Summary A mix of absurdist humor and traditional Broadway comedy in the Neil Simon vein, ''Luv'' concerns two college friends—misfit Harry and materialistic Milt—who are reunited when the latter stops the former from jumping off a bridge, the play's setting. Each discovers the other is equally miserable as they share hard-luck stories. Milt sees in Harry an answer to his primary problem—his wife Ellen, whom he tries to foist on his old pal so he can run off with his mistress. Production After twenty-eight previews, the Broadway production, directed by Mike Nichols, opened on November 11, 1964, at the Booth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elizabeth Ashley
Elizabeth Ann Cole, known professionally as Elizabeth Ashley (born August 30, 1939) is an American actress of theatre, film, and television. She has been nominated for three Tony Awards, winning once in 1962 for '' Take Her, She's Mine''. Ashley was also nominated for the BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for her supporting performance in '' The Carpetbaggers'' (1964), and was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1991 for '' Evening Shade''. Elizabeth was a guest on '' The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson'' 24 times. She appeared in several episodes of '' In the Heat of the Night'' as Maybelle Chesboro. Early life Ashley was born to a music teacher and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ashley left Louisiana State University after her freshman year and moved to New York. She studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre there, supporting herself by working as the Jell-O pudding girl on a television program and as a showroom model. Career Ashley won a Tony Award for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award from four nominations, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, the Cecil B. DeMille Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2014, ''Time'' named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Appearing on stage in the late 1950s, Redford's television career began in 1960, including an appearance on ''The Twilight Zone'' in 1962. He earned an Emmy nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in ''The Voice of Charlie Pont'' (1962). His greatest Broadway success was as the stuffy newlywed husband of co-star Elizabeth Ashley's character in Neil Simon's '' Barefoot in the Park'' (1963). Redford made his film debut in '' War Hunt'' (1962). He starred with Natalie Wood in '' Inside Daisy Clover'' (1965) which won him a Golden Globe for the best new star. He starred alongside Pau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barefoot In The Park
''Barefoot in the Park'' is a romantic comedy by Neil Simon. The play premiered on Broadway in 1963, starring Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. It was made into a film in 1967, which starred Redford and Jane Fonda. Productions ''Barefoot in the Park'' had a pre-Broadway production under the title ''Nobody Loves Me'' at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA. The play opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre on October 23, 1963, and closed on June 25, 1967, after 1,530 performances. It was Neil Simon's longest-running hit, and the tenth-longest running non-musical play in Broadway history. The cast included Elizabeth Ashley (Corie), Robert Redford (Paul), Mildred Natwick (Mrs. Banks), and Kurt Kasznar (Victor Velasco); the director was Mike Nichols. Scenic design was by Oliver Smith, costumes by Donald Brooks, and lighting by Jean Rosenthal. The play was nominated for four 1964 Tony Awards, with Nichols winning the award for Best Direction of a Play. Myrna Loy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neil Simon
Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received more combined Oscar and Tony Award nominations than any other writer. Simon grew up in New York City during the Great Depression. His parents' financial difficulties affected their marriage, giving him a mostly unhappy and unstable childhood. He often took refuge in movie theaters, where he enjoyed watching early comedians like Charlie Chaplin. After graduating from high school and serving a few years in the Army Air Force Reserve, he began writing comedy scripts for radio programs and popular early television shows. Among the latter were Sid Caesar's '' Your Show of Shows'' (where in 1950 he worked alongside other young writers including Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Larry Gelbart and Selma Diamond), and ''The Phil Silvers Show ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
