Motion picture legend Mike Nichols, 1931-2014.

5744b030-70af-11e4-9aec-0025b511229e

Entertainment icon Mike Nichols died suddenly Wednesday at the age of 83. He is best known as the director of films including "The Graduate" (1967) which won an Academy Award.

He was the husband of ABC News Anchor Diane Sawyer, and his death was announced in a statement by ABC News President James Goldston.

Actress Meryl Streep (C) is joined by 'Angels in America' director Mike Nichols (R) and fellow cast member Al Pacino backstage at the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, in a September 19, 2004 file photo. [Reuters]


Actress Meryl Streep (C) is joined by 'Angels in America' director Mike Nichols (R) and fellow cast member Al Pacino backstage at the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, in a September 19, 2004 file photo. [Reuters]

"He was a true visionary, winning the highest honors in the arts for his work as a director, writer, producer and comic and was one of a tiny few to win the EGOT-an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony in his lifetime," Goldston said in the statement. "No one was more passionate about his craft than Mike."

Nichols is one of only 12 people to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award. In addition to the Oscar awarded for "The Graduate," he was nominated for "Working Girl," "The Remains of the Day," "Silkwood," and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" His last film: "Charlie Wilson's War" (2007).

In his 6-decade career, he directed "The Odd Couple" and "Annie" on Broadway and the HBO miniseries "Angels in America," about the AIDS crisis.

My favorite film of Nichols? "The Birdcage." Here's why.