Mike Nichols death - A legendary American director and producer has died on Wednesday Nov.19 at the age of 83.

The news of the multi-award winner's Mike Nichols death was first announced by ABC News President James Goldston on Thursday.  Mike Nichols was the husband of ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer.

"He was a true visionary, winning the highest honors in the arts for his work as a director, writer, producer and comic and was one of a tiny few to win the EGOT-an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony in his lifetime," Goldston said in a statement.

A spokeswoman from the network disclosed that Mike Nichols' death was caused by a cardiac arrest at his Manhattan apartment, according to the New York Times. Further details were given about Mike Nichols' death.

Mike Nichols was born in 1931 in Vienna, Austria to a Russian-Jewish family. After settling in Germany around 1920, his family moved to the United States as they fled from Hitler and the Nazis during World War 2. He was 7 years at the time of his arrival in the U.S.

Mike Nichol's stellar career started in the 1950s after his short stint at the University of Chicago. Mike Nichols met actress and director Elaine May and the pair later formed a successful comedy team which is best remembered for their improvised satirical punch lines.

Nichol's would go on to produce films such as; Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Charlie Wilson's War, Carnal Knowledge and Working Girl. He also had success on Broadway as well as with several miniseries.

"Nichols has had such a varied and profound effect on our culture that probably no American has been left untouched by his genius," the Kennedy Center described Nichol's work in 2003, when he was announced as a Kennedy Center Honors recipient.

The news of Mike Nichol's death has shocked many. Hollywood colleagues, friends and fans have taken to social media to express their condolences to his family. Nichols and Sawyer were married for 26 years; they have six children and four grandchildren.