Elaine May

Elaine May Brief Biography

Elaine May (born April 21, 1932) is an American screenwriter, film director, actress, and comedian. She made her initial impact in the 1950s from her improvisational comedy routines with Mike Nichols, performing as Nichols and May. After her duo with Nichols ended, May subsequently developed a career as a director and screenwriter. She has been twice nominated for an Academy Award, for Heaven Can Wait (1978) and the Nichols-directed Primary Colors (1998), but remains best known perhaps for her 1971 black comedy A New Leaf, in which she also starred. In 1996, she reunited with Nichols to write the screenplay for The Birdcage, directed by Nichols.

After studying acting with theater coach Maria Ouspenskaya in Los Angeles, she moved to Chicago in 1955 and became a founding member of the Compass Players, an improvisational theater group. May began working alongside Nichols, who was also in the group, and together they began writing and performing their own comedy sketches, which were enormously popular. In 1957 they both quit the group to form their own stage act, Nichols and May, in New York. Jack Rollins, who produced most of Woody Allen's films, said their act was "so startling, so new, as fresh as could be. I was stunned by how really good they were."

Full Elaine May Biography

Elaine May News

• The Almanac for April 21, the 111th day of 2019
• The Almanac for April 21, the 111th day of 2018
• The Almanac for April 21, the 111th day of 2017
• 'Crisis in Six Scenes' stars attend show premiere in New York City

More Elaine May News

This webpage uses material from the Wikipedia article "Elaine_May" and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. Reality TV World is not responsible for any errors or omissions the Wikipedia article may contain.

POPULAR MOVIES (24)

POPULAR TV SHOWS (24)

POPULAR PEOPLE (24)

Show Updates People News Spoiler News Entertainment News RealityTVDB POP Hollywood Reality TV News Wire
Features & Interviews Sexy Social Pics of the Day Things to Know Profiles Message Boards Shows Listing