Oscar winning director Mike Nichols has passed away. He was 83.
According to ABC News, the German-born US director, who helmed the 1967's 'The Graduate', and was one of only 12 winners who had claimed all four major US entertainment awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, had a cardiac arrest, following which he died.
ABC News president James Goldston said that Nichols, who was married to News presenter Diane Sawyer, was a "a true visionary" and in his "triumphant career of over six decades, had produced some of the most iconic works."
Nichols' last film was 2007's Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts starrer 'Charlie Wilson's War', and he had been working on an HBO film adaptation of 'Master Class - the Terrence McNally' play starring Meryl Streep.
He had started his career in the late 1950s as part of a comedy duo with Elaine May, but after releasing three best-selling records, one of which won the Grammy for best comedy album in 1962, he switched to direction and made his Broadway debut with Neil Simon's 'Barefoot In The Park', starring Robert Redford, which got him his first Tony award in 1964.
Besides winning Oscar for 'The Graduate,' the director was also nominated for the award for 'Working Girl', 'The Remains of the Day', 'Silkwood' and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'.
Apart from his wife, Nichols is survived by three children, and as per the reports, they would be having a small, private service this week.