Legendary Director Mike Nichols Dead at Age 83

Legendary director Mike Nichols, husband of veteran journalist Diane Sawyer, has passed away.

Nichols, born Mikhail Igor Peschkowsky in Germany, died just two weeks after his 83rd birthday.  Details of his death have not yet been released.  Reports say only that he died suddenly.  News of his death last night was confirmed today by ABC News President James Goldston.

Nichols has won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony award. His early career included playing as a member of the Compass Players, which later became the infamous Chicago Second City Players.

Among the award-winning films he directed were Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Graduate, and Charlie Wilson's War.

The Associated Press calls Nichols "...the director of matchless versatility who brought fierce wit, caustic social commentary and wicked absurdity to such film, TV and stage hits as 'The Graduate,' 'Angels in America' and 'Monty Python's Spamalot.'"

His work on Broadway began in 1963 with the production of Barefoot in the Park.  He went on to bring twenty-one more plays to the stage, including the comedy Spamalot and the highly acclaimed revival of Death of a Salesman.

Nichols was married three times before marrying Sawyer in 1988.  He has three children.  Daughter Daisy Nichols was born to Nichols' second wife, Margo Callas.  Max Nichols and Jenny Nichols are the children of Mike and his third wife Annabel Davis-Goff.

The family will hold a small, private service this week.