Mike Nichols, the Oscar-winning director of 1967 film The Graduate, has died of cardiac arrest aged 83, the BBC reports.

The German-born US director was also Oscar nominated for his work on Working Girl, The Remains of the Day, Silkwood and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Nichols was one of only 12 winners of all four major US entertainment awards - an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.

His last film was 2007's Charlie Wilson's War, starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.

The director was married to ABC News presenter Diane Sawyer - his fourth wife.