Mike Nichols, Oscar-winning director of The Graduate, dies aged 83

Mike Nichols, director of The Graduate and winner of Oscar, Tony, Emmy and Grammy Awards, has died aged 83. 
(Reuters: Anthony Harvey)

Nine-time Tony Award winner on Broadway and Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols has died aged 83.

Nichols famously directed films such as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Graduate and Carnal Knowledge.

He was married to Diane Sawyer, former anchorwoman of US ABC's World News Tonight on US television.

Nichols made fame as one of the few people to win Oscar, Tony, Emmy and Grammy awards in a career that first blossomed with a comedy partnership with Elaine May in the late 1950s.

"In a triumphant career that spanned over six decades, Mike created some of the most iconic works of American film, television and theatre," ABC News president James Goldston said in a memo to news staff.

"He was a true visionary."

Nichols was born Michael Igor Peschkowsky in Berlin, where his parents had settled after leaving Russia.

He came to the United States at age seven, when his family fled the Nazis in 1939.

He grew up in New York feeling like an outsider because of his limited English and odd appearance – a reaction to a whooping-cough vaccine had caused permanent hair loss.

As a University of Chicago student, he fought depression but found like-minded friends such as May.

In the late 1950s, Nichols and May formed a stand-up team at the forefront of a comedy movement that included Lenny Bruce, Jonathan Winters and Woody Allen in satirizing contemporary American life.

They won a Grammy in 1961 for best comedy album before splitting, partly because May liked to improvise and Nichols preferred set routines.

I never worked with anyone in my life – nor will I ever work with anyone – as good as Mike Nichols.

Nichols came to be a directing powerhouse on Broadway in the mid-1960s with Barefoot in the Park, the first of what would be a successful relationship with playwright Neil Simon.

Later he would do Simon's The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite and The Prisoner of Second Avenue and Time Magazine labelled him "the most in-demand director in the American theatre."

"I never worked with anyone in my life – nor will I ever work with anyone – as good as Mike Nichols," Simon told the New Yorker.

In all, he won best-director Tonys for his four collaborations with Simon, as well as for Luv in 1965, The Real Thing in 1984, Spamalot in 2005 and a revival of Death of a Salesman in 2012, and best musical award as a producer of Annie in 1977.

Turning to Hollywood

When he was ready to try movies, Nichols made an impact on American cinema with three influential movies over a five-year period.

The first starred Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in a 1966 adaption of the Edward Albee play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

It was nominated for an Oscar in all 13 categories in which it was eligible and won five of them, although Nichols did not take the best director award.

He followed that up a year later with The Graduate, starring a little-known Dustin Hoffman as an aimless college graduate seduced by an older woman before falling in love with her daughter.

Nichols was rewarded with an Academy Award for his direction and the movie, thanks to several memorable lines and the music of Simon and Garfunkel, became a '60s cultural touchstone.

In 1971, Nichols put out Carnal Knowledge, which created a sensation because of its sexual nature.

The manager of a theatre in Georgia was arrested for showing the film and had to appeal his case to the US Supreme Court before being exonerated.

In a Los Angeles Times interview Nichols described directing as "a long, long skid on an icy road ... If you're still here when you come out of the spin, it's a relief".

Sometimes Nichols' movies did go off the road.

Catch-22, Day of the Dolphin and The Fortune were generally considered unsuccessful and he did not make a feature film from 1975 until rebounding with 1983's Silkwood, for which he was nominated for another Oscar.

In the second act of his movie career he also directed Heartburn, Simon's Biloxi Blues, Postcards from the Edge, Regarding Henry, The Birdcage, Primary Colors, Charlie Wilson's War and Working Girl, which earned him another Oscar nomination.

He won an Emmy in 2003 for Angels in America, a TV miniseries about the AIDS epidemic.

In the mid-1980s, Nichols suffered a psychotic breakdown, which he said was related to a prescription sedative, that made him so delusional he thought he had lost all his money.

Despite his urbane, intellectual manner, Nichols once had a reputation as an on-the-set screamer.

Meryl Streep told the Hollywood Reporter, "He was always the smartest and most brilliant person in the room – and he could be the meanest, too".

The actress said that changed after Nichols married Sawyer, his fourth wife, whom he met in a Paris airport while awaiting a Concorde flight.

Nichols had three children from his earlier marriages.

Reuters

First published at ABC News, November 20, 2014

Robin Williams, actor and comedian, found dead at 63

Tributes have been pouring in for Robin Williams

US actor and comedian Robin Williams has been found dead, aged 63, in an apparent suicide.

Marin County Police in California said he was pronounced dead at his home shortly after officials responded to an emergency call around noon local time.

Williams was famous for such films as Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society and won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting.

His publicist said he had been "battling severe depression".

In the past he had talked, and even joked, about his struggles with alcohol and drugs.

Williams had recently returned to a rehabilitation centre to "fine-tune" his sobriety, the Los Angels Times reported July. The local Sheriff's office said Williams was found unconscious and not breathing at his home near Tiburon, north of San Francisco.

"At this time, the Sheriff's Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made," police said in a statement.

His wife Susan Schneider asked that he be remembered for the joy he brought to the world

In a statement, Williams's wife, Susan Schneider, said she was "utterly heartbroken".

"This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken," she said.

"On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions."

Williams had three children from previous marriages.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1951, Williams joined the drama club in high school and was accepted into Juilliard School in New York, the prestigious American academy for the arts.

There, he was encouraged by a teacher to pursue comedy.

The actor was first known for his zany portrayal of an alien in the 1970s TV show Mork and Mindy, a character first seen in the sitcom Happy Days.

He was a regular stand-up comedian while continuing to act in such films as Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Mrs Doubtfire and as the voice of the genie in Aladdin.

While many of his roles were in comedies, Williams won the Oscar in 1998 for best supporting actor as a therapist in Good Will Hunting.

In a 2009 interview, the actor told Reuters his children often referenced his own struggles with alcohol when he told them off for bad behaviour.

"They went: 'And you had a three-year drunken relapse'. Ah, thank you for bringing that back, my little happy creatures," Williams joked.

In his final Instagram post two weeks ago, he published a photo of himself and his daughter as a toddler with the message: "Happy Birthday to Ms Zelda Rae Williams! Quarter of a century old today but always my baby girl. Happy Birthday @zeldawilliams Love you!"

Tributes have also been left outside the house in Boulder, Colorado used in Mork and Mindy's title sequence

Fellow comedian Steve Martin, he "could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul."

Martin and Williams appeared on stage together during an 1988 Broadway revival of Waiting for Godot.

Comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres: "I can't believe the news about Robin Williams. He gave so much to so many people. I'm heartbroken."

Actor Danny DeVito, who worked with Williams in Death To Smoochy, said: "So sad to think about this. Hard to speak. Hard to say. Hard to take.

"All I can think about is what a joy he was to be with. I'm devastated. My heart is broken by this news."

First published at BBC News, August 12, 2014

Rik Mayall, star of The Young Ones, dies aged 56

Rik Mayall's hit comedies included The Young Ones and Bottom

British comedian and actor Rik Mayall has died aged 56.

He played obnoxious, poetry-writing anarchist Rick in The Young Ones with his friend Adrian Edmondson. The pair later starred in the sitcom Bottom.

A pioneer of the 1980s alternative comedy scene, Mayall also appeared in Blackadder and The New Statesman.

His manager Roger Davidson said: "It is a terrible shock. All we know... is that Rik died at home. He touched many lives, and always for the better."

Edmondson added: "There were times when Rik and I were writing together when we almost died laughing.

"They were some of the most carefree stupid days I ever had, and I feel privileged to have shared them with him.

"And now he's died for real. Without me. Selfish bastard."

The Young Ones saw Mayall playing a poetry-writing, Cliff Richard-loving student called Rick

Police said they were called to reports of a sudden death of a man in his 50s at 13:19 BST on Monday, in Barnes in south west London.

London Ambulance Service said "a man, aged in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene".

The Metropolitan Police said the death was not believed to be suspicious.

The actor, who was married with three children, was left seriously ill after a quad bike accident in 1998 which left him in a coma for several days.

His big break came at The Comic Strip Club, performing with comedy partner Adrian Edmondson as 20th Century Coyote in the 1980s, which led to cult television hit The Comic Strip Presents.

He co-wrote The Young Ones with Lise Mayer and Ben Elton, which ran for 12 episodes between 1982 and 1985. It shared cult status and schoolboy humour with later sitcom Bottom.

Mayall and Edmondson's slapstick comedy often involved fires, explosions, and hefty blows to the head with a frying pan.

The pair met at Manchester University before forming the on-stage comedy duo The Dangerous Brothers.

It was there Mayall had befriended Elton, who said of his friend: "He changed my life utterly," adding: "He always made me cry with laughter, now he's just made me cry."

Anarchic characters

Mayall's film roles included the comedies Drop Dead Fred and Guest House Paradiso.

He also famously played the loud-mouthed and lecherous Lord Flashheart in BBC comedy series Blackadder, starring Rowan Atkinson.

The actor appeared in the second and fourth series, shouting catchphrases such as "woof!" and "let's do-oo-oo it!".

But his early, anarchic characters gave way to the smooth, scheming Conservative politician Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman, which ran on ITV from 1986 to 1992.

The sitcom Bottom was one of the fruits of Mayall and Edmondson's long comedy partnership

Blackadder producer and writer John Lloyd paid tribute, telling the BBC: "It's really a dreadful piece of news."

"He was the most extraordinarily good actor as well as being an amazing stand-up comic. Apart from being great company, he was a great professional," said Lloyd.

Stephen Fry, who appeared with Mayall in Blackadder, described his co-star as "an authentic comedy genius and a prince among men," adding he was "simply distraught" at the news.

Writer Laurence Marks, who created The New Statesman, described Mayall as "a quiet, polite, caring gentleman".

"He was the antithesis of the characters he played," he said, adding that the comedian's health had deteriorated after his quad bike crash 16 years ago.

"I think he lost his long-term memory, so often when we were discussing The New Statesman, he couldn't remember it."

Nigel Planer, who played the hapless hippie Neil in The Young Ones, said he was "very, very sad and upset that we've lost Rik, who was inspirational, bonkers, and a great life force".

He described Mayall as "a brilliant comedian and someone who made everyone else's lives more fun. He will be really, really missed".

'Truly brilliant comedian'

Among those paying tribute on Twitter was comedian David Walliams. He wrote: "I am heartbroken that my comedy idol growing up Rik Mayall has died. He made me want to be a comedian."

"Growing up there was no one funnier," said The Mighty Boosh comedian Noel Fielding. "We will really miss you Rik Mayall you genius."

Alan Davies, who starred opposite Mayall in Jonathan Creek, said the star was "great to be around"

"Funny, funny man and a comic hero in my teens. Terrible news."

The BBC's director of television, Danny Cohen, paid tribute to his "vibrancy and energy".

"If you look at something like Blackadder Two, Rik just had quite a small part in that series as Lord Flashheart - but it's one of the most memorable scenes in any series of Blackadder.

"And I think that tells you something about Rik. He stole scenes because of his energy and his vibrancy and his comic performances and he was truly extraordinary."

Mayall and Marsha Fitzalan as Alan and Sarah B'Stard in The New Statesman

Speaking about his 1998 quad bike accident last year, Mayall said doctors had kept him alive on a life-support machine for five days and were about to turn it off when he began to show signs of life.

He used to mark the occasion by exchanging presents with his wife and children and said the near-death experience changed his life.

He said: "The main difference between now and before my accident is I'm just very glad to be alive.

"Other people get moody in their 40s and 50s - men get the male menopause. I missed the whole thing. I was just really happy."

First published at BBC News, June 9, 2014