Biography
Elaine May is an American comedian, actress, writer and director. Born Elaine Iva Berlin on 21 April 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she moved to Chicago in the 1950s and became a founding member of the Compass Players improvisational theatre group.
She first gained recognition performing with Mike Nichols as the comedy duo Nichols and May, appearing in nightclubs, on Broadway and in recordings. May later wrote and directed films including A New Leaf (1971) and Mikey and Nicky (1976). She wrote screenplays for Heaven Can Wait (1978), The Birdcage (1996) and Primary Colors (1998), and appeared in films such as Small Time Crooks (2000). She has received a BAFTA Award and a Grammy Award.
