Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf came out in 1966, and was Mike Nichols directorial film debut. Quite honestly, the films awards speak to its merits far better than we ever could. It was nominated for thirteen Oscars, one of only two films to receive nominations in every category for which it was eligible. The four main actors all received a nod, and Mike Nichols got his first of several Best Director nominations for his work here. It was an easy decision for the producers to give Nichols a shot behind the camera on this film. Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf was based on a play by Edward Albee, and the young Mike Nichols had quickly developed a reputation as a talented director for the stage. The theatrical nature of the material created an easy transition to the screen for Nichols in a way that a more traditional screenplay may not have been able to do.