Nichols and May
Nichols and May | |
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Medium |
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Nationality | American |
Years active | 1958–1962, 1971, 1977 |
Genres |
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Notable works and roles | Improvisations to Music (1958) An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May (1960), Mike Nichols & Elaine May Examine Doctors (1961), In Retrospect (1962) |
Members |
Nichols and May was an American
Partnership
Development
Nichols and May met as students at the
Both Nichols and May held various jobs and pursued their craft until 1957, when Compass began an expansion to
On Broadway
On October 6, 1960, Nichols and May opened on Broadway in An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May at The John Golden Theatre.[9] The show ran for 306 performances, and closed on July 1, 1961.
Comedy albums
Their 1958 album Improvisations to Music featured the pianist Marty Rubenstein playing improvisations to existing classical and popular songs, as well as original material, with humorous conversations by Nichols and May.[10] Their 1960 album An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May was a recording of their
Disbandment
The duo discontinued the act in 1961, with each pursuing different careers. Nichols worked as a film and theatre director, and directed such films as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director. May appears in an uncredited cameo in "The Graduate." May primarily worked as a screenwriter, writing such films as A New Leaf, which she also directed and played the lead role, and Heaven Can Wait.
Reunions
The duo continued to sporadically reunite after 1961. In the early 1960s they appeared several times on
Nichols and May: Take Two
In 1996, the
Influence and legacy
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Nichols and May said their comic heroes were Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl.[2]
In Vanity Fair, Woody Allen declared, "Individually, each one is a genius, and when they worked together, the sum was even greater than the combination of the parts—the two of them came along and elevated comedy to a brand-new level".[2]
In Netflix's comedy special, Jerry Before Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld, displayed his personal standup comedy albums he collected as a kid, which includes, Nichols and May's Improvisations to Music.
In an interview with Pitchfork, standup comedian John Mulaney, described Mike Nichols & Elaine May Examine Doctors (1961) as one of his favorite comedy albums of all time.[17] Mulaney stated, "I got this album for Christmas when I was in junior high. The last track, “Nichols and May at Work,” is an outtake from recording the album, they were just improvising dialog in a studio. They're trying to do a piece where a son goes to his mother and says that he wants to become a registered nurse. It's something you just have to experience, because two people that funny laughing that hard is really, really, really funny. I think it might be the happiest thing ever recorded."[17]
Discography
- Improvisations to Music (1958) Mercury[10] ASIN B000W0V9BW
- An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May (1960) Mercury OCM2200/OCS6200/OCMC2200 ASIN B000W06CCS
- Mike Nichols & Elaine May Examine Doctors (1961) Mercury MG 20680/SR 60680 ASIN B000W0AGDY
- In Retrospect (1962) Polygram, compilation, re-released as compact disc in 1996 ASIN B000001EKT
- The Best of Mike Nichols & Elaine May (1965) Mercury SR60997/MG20997/MG60997/20031MCL, compilation ASIN B004VNGZ88
References
- ^ Holland, Bill (September 28, 1996). '50s trailblazers brought social satire to the masses. Billboard, p. 1.
- ^ a b c "Exclusive: The Reunion of Mike Nichols and Elaine May". Vanity Fair. December 20, 2012.
- ^ Staff report (Nov 21, 1960). Fun with human foibles: Nichols and May's satire prickles and tickles. Life
- ISBN 978-0-226-11345-6. p. 128
- ISBN 978-0-520-23377-5. p. 265
- ISBN 978-0-8230-4786-4
- ^ Rice, Robert (April 15, 1961). "A Tilted Insight, The Improvisational Genius of Nichols and May". The New Yorker.
- ISBN 978-0-7385-4905-7
- ^ "An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May Broadway @ John Golden Theatre - Tickets and Discounts".
- ^ a b Anon. (December 15, 1958). "Sold Out". Billboard. p. 17. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- ^ Marks, Peter (May 18, 1996). "The Brief, Brilliant Run Of Nichols and May". The New York Times.
- ^ Hill, Lee (June 2003). "Great Directors Critical Database: Mike Nichols". Senses of Cinema. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- New York Times
- ^ "Nichols & May | About Mike Nichols and Elaine May | American Masters | PBS". PBS. January 8, 2005.
- ^ ""American Masters" Nichols and May: Take Two (TV Episode 1996)". IMDb.
- ^ "American Masters: Nichols and May -- Take". Chicago Tribune. May 22, 1996.
- ^ a b "John Mulaney on His 5 Favorite Comedy Albums". Pitchfork. September 27, 2018.
External links
- Nichols and May via Comedy College
- Nichols and May via Library of Congress
- Nichols and May voiceover ads via Narragansett Brewing Company
- Marks, Peter. "The Brief, Brilliant Run Of Nichols and May". The New York Times, May 18, 1996.