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>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
WE'RE BACK WITH THE AUTHOR OF "MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE," MARK
HARRIS.
TO TRY TO DRIVE HOME WHAT A WUNDTER KIND HE WAS, HE WAS A
CHILD IN GERMANY BEFORE THE WAR, THIS IS HIS FIRST MOVIE IS
"WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF?" THAT'S W WHAT HE COMES OUT OF TH
GATE WITH, AND HE FOLLOWS IT UP WITH A LITTLE THING CALLED "THE
GRADUATE."
WHAT DROVE HIM?
DO YOU HAVE SOME THEORY AS TO WHY HE WAS SO PROLIFIC OR WHY HE
WAS ALWAYS CREATING?
>> I THINK ONE REALLY INTERESTING THING ABOUT MIKE IS
THAT DIRECTING WASN'T HIS FIRST CHOICE FOR A CAREER.
THROUGH HIS 20s, HE WAS A PERFORMER, AND THEN HIS
PARTNERSHIP WITH ELAINE MAY ENDED, AND HE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO WITH HIS LIFE.
AND HE ALWAYS SAID THAT THE MINUTE HE STEPPED INTO THE
REHEARSAL ROOM FOR HIS FIRST PLAY AND THE MINUTE HE STEPPED
ON TO THE SET OF A MOVIE FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE KNEW THAT
DIRECTING WAS WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.
AND SO, IN SOME WAYS, HE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE HE HAD A MINUTE TO
LOSE AFTER MAKING THAT DISCOVERY.
>> Stephen: THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO CHOOSE FROM, BUT FOR
PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH HIS WORK,
WHAT'S YOUR INTRODUCTION-- WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN
INTRODUCTION TO MIKE NICHOLS?
>> WELL, I'D SAY IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN A MIKE NICHOLS MOVIE, START
WITH "THE GRADUATE."
I MEAN, THAT'S A FANTASTIC, FUNNY, FASCINATING, MOVING
MOVIE, NO MATTER WHAT PERIOD OF YOUR LIFE YOU'RE IN, WHETHER
YOU'RE THE SAME AGE AS THE YOUNG PROTAGONIST OR MRS. ROBINSON.
IF YOU HAVE SEEN "THE GRADUATE," I THINK THERE ARE ALL OTHER
KINDS OF DOORS FROM "SILKWOOD," TO "ANGELS IN AMERICA," I'LL
GIVE A PLUG FOR THE HOME TEAM.
TO "WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF?"
AND ALSO THAT ALBUM THAT YOU SHOWED.
I MEAN, "AN EVENING WITH MIKE NICHOLS AND ELAINE MAY," YOU GET
A FANTASTIC SENSE OF WHAT THEY WERE LIKE AS A COMEDY DUO, AND
IT'S STILL REALLY FUNNY.
>> Stephen: MIKE NICHOLS MADE A JOKE THAT HIS BIOGRAPHY, IF HE
COULD NAME IT, IT SHOULD BE CALLED "THE WRONG YOU."
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS?
>> MIKE, LATE IN HIS LIFE, WAS ORIGINALLY CAST IN WHAT TURNED
OUT TO BE A CRUCIAL EPISODE OF "THE SOPRANOS."
HE WAS GOING TO PLAY THE PSYCHIATRIST WHO CARMELA GOES
TO, TO COMPLAIN ABOUT TONY AND HER MARRIAGE, AND THE
PSYCHIATRIST IS KIND OF THIS OLD-STYLE TALMUDIC, OLD
TESTAMENT GUY WHO SAYS, "YOUR HUSBAND IS A CRIMINAL, AND IF
YOU STAY WITH HIM, YOU'RE COMPLICEIT, LEAVE HIM.
AND TAKE THE KIDS."
AND MIKE DID ABOUT A DAY OF WORK ON IT, AND THEN TOLD DAVID
CHASE, "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG JEW.
I'M NOT THE RIGHT KIND OF JEW FOR THIS PART.
AND SOMEONE ELSE PLAYED IT.
>> Stephen: "MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE" IS AVAILABLE NOW.
MARK HARRIS, EVERYBODY.
THANKS, MARK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
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