Mike Nichols Gave Me My Start! Eight Stars Who Got Their Big Broadway Break from the Legendary Director

Broadway has lost one of its most legendary directors: Mike Nichols passed away at the age of 83 on November 19. Since the 1963 production of Barefoot in the Park, his Broadway directorial debut, the EGOT winner has been responsible for shaping the careers of several favorites of the stage and screen. Below are just a few of the performers whom Nichols took a chance on when they were relatively unknown, including a fellow EGOT recipient and two stars currently on Broadway.

CYNTHIA NIXON (The Real Thing/Hurlyburly)
At the age of 18, Nixon appeared in Nichols' productions of The Real Thing and Hurlyburly simultaneously (a Broadway first). 20 years, a Tony and two Emmys later, Nixon currently headlines the Broadway revival of The Real Thing. Following Nichols' death, the stage and screen star told the Daily News, "As an actor, there was no greater joy, opportunity or imprimatur than being hired by Mike Nichols. Except being hired by him again.”

WHOOPI GOLDBERG (Whoopi Goldberg)
After discovering the comedian during her brief late-night act Spook Show at the Dance Theater Workshop, Nichols produced Goldberg’s eponymous Broadway solo show. Steven Spielberg caught a performance and was so impressed, he cast her in his 1985 film adaptation of The Color Purple—the film catapulted her to stardom. On the November 20 episode of The View, an emotional Goldberg was at a loss for words as she attempted to announce her mentor’s passing. “He gave her her entire beginning of her career,” co-host Rosie O’Donnell said, “and recognized her brilliance before anyone else.”

FINN WITTROCK (Death of a Salesman)
After noticing Wittrock in The Illusion off-Broadway, Nichols asked the American Horror Story star to audition for Happy in his 2012 revival of Death of a Salesman. “It was so out of this world,” Wittrock told Broadway.com. “I remember hearing the story of Dustin Hoffman getting The Graduate. Mike saw him in some off-Broadway play and called him out to Hollywood to audition for this part, which was the coolest story I have ever heard in my life. To have something similar happen to me was mind-blowing.”

SARA RAMIREZ (Spamalot)
While she had already appeared on Broadway in The Capeman, The Gershwins’ Fascinating Rhythm and A Class Act, it was not until Nichols cast Ramirez as The Lady of the Lake that she took the spotlight. Her breakthrough performance garnered her a Tony and two Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards. Following her Broadway success, she joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Callie Torres. The stage and screen star took to Twitter to call Nichols “an extraordinary man who impacted so many lives with his art, love, wit and humor.”

ROBERT REDFORD (Barefoot in the Park)
After bit parts in Sunday in New York and Little Moon of Alban on Broadway, Redford landed his first leading role thanks to Nichols. Though Redford and the director remained close, they did not work together again, despite a few attempts: Redford turned down the role of Nick in the film adaptation of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and had expressed interest in starring in Nichols’ next film The Graduate. He would go on to win two Oscars: one for directing Ordinary People and a Lifetime Achievement honor in 2002.

JONATHAN PRYCE (Comedians)
Pryce made his Broadway debut and won his first Tony for his performance as Gethin in Trevor Griffith’s play, a role he had previously originated at the Nottingham Playhouse. He remained a stage favorite on both sides of the pond, his credits including Miss Saigon (for which he won the Olivier and Tony), My Fair Lady and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He appeared on stage in the Pirates of the Carribean series, Hysteria and Tomorrow Never Dies.

CAROLE SHELLEY (The Odd Couple)
Shelley, a Tony winner for The Elephant Man, made her Broadway debut in the Nichols-helmed The Odd Couple. She reprised her performance as Gwnedolyn three years later in the film, and again in the first season of the spin-off TV series. In addition to the role that put her on the map, Shelley’s memorable stage credits include Absurd Person Singular, Stepping Out, Billy Elliot and Wicked. She can currently be seen in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder.

ANNA CAMP (The Country Girl)
After performing off-Broadway in Columbinus and The Scene, the Pitch Perfect star made her Great White Way debut in The Country Girl, directed by Nichols. Just months after the production, she appeared opposite Daniel Radcliffe in Equus and from there, began lighting up the screen in Mad Men, The Help and more. Soon after the announcement of Nichols’ death, Camp tweeted that she was “forever grateful” to have him as a director for her Broadway debut.