Mike Nichols, born Michael Igor Peschkowsky, is a well known, award winning, and respected US film director, writer, and producer. He invented American improvisational comedy with other University of Chicago students and Elaine May in the 1950s. Worked in legitimate theater as an actor before entering into a very successful comedy duo with May. Nichols staged several successful Broadway comedies and made a highly acclaimed film directorial debut in 1966.