Nicholas Brothers U.S. tap-dancing duo. Fayard Antonio Nicholas (b. Oct. 20, 1914, Mobile, Ala., U.S.—d. Jan. 24, 2006, Los Angeles, Calif.) and his brother Harold Lloyd Nicholas (b. March 17, *1921, Winston-Salem, N.C.—d. July 3, 2000, New York, N.Y.) developed the “classical tap” form, combining jazz dance, ballet, and acrobatics with tap. They gained fame at a young age while dancing at Harlem’s Cotton Club (1932-39); they went on to appear in films such as Stormy Weather (1943), as well as on Broadway and later on television. They began their careers at a time when opportunities were few and stereotyped roles the norm for black entertainers, but they rose above this marginalization and enhanced the art of tap with their elegance and sensational showmanship.
Nicholas of Cusa (b. 1401, Kues, Trier—d. Aug. 11, 1464, Todi, Papal States) German cardinal, mathematician, scientist, and philosopher. Ordained a priest in 1440, he was made a cardinal in Italy and became bishop there in 1450. In On Catholic Concordance (1433), he supported the supremacy of the general councils of the church over the papacy’s authority (see conciliar movement). However, after witnessing the failure of the Council of Basel to unify the church or enact reform, he reversed his position and became an ardent supporter of the pope. Skilled in nearly every branch of learning, he anticipated the work of Nicolaus Copernicus by discerning a movement in the universe that did not centre on the Earth. He also carried out botanical experiments and collected ancient manu¬ scripts. In his discourse On Learned Ignorance (1440), he described the learned man as one who is aware of his own ignorance.
Nicholas of Verdun (fl. c. 1150-1210, Flanders) French enamelist and goldsmith, considered the greatest of his day. He was an important figure during the transition from late Romanesque to early Gothic style. His best-known work is the altarpiece of the Abbey Church of Kloster- neuburg, Austria (1181), which reveals his mastery of metalworking and the technique of champleve enameling, in which compartments hollowed out from a metal base are filled with vitreous enamel. The altar is the most ambitious of its kind in the 12th century.
Nichols, Mike orig. Michael Igor Peschkowsky (b. Nov. 6, 1931, Berlin, Ger.) German-bom U.S. stage and film director. He and his parents fled Germany for the U.S. in 1938. After studying at the Univer¬ sity of Chicago and the Actors Studio, he formed a comic improvisational group in Chicago. He and Elaine May (b. 1932) toured with and recorded a set of brilliant social-satire routines. He later directed several Broadway
hits, including Barefoot in the Park (1963), The Odd Couple (1965), and Plaza Suite (1968). His first film, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), was followed by The Graduate (1967, Academy Award); his later films include Catch-22 (1970), Silkwood (1983), Working Girl (1988), and Pri¬ mary Colors (1998). His productions focused on the absurdities and hor¬ rors of modern life as revealed in personal relationships.
Nicholson, Jack (b. April 22, 1937, Neptune, N.J., U.S.) U.S. film actor. He acted in low-budget movies before earning acclaim for his role in Easy Rider (1969). He followed it with such successful films as Five Easy Pieces (1970), Carnal Knowledge (1971), Chinatown (1974), One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975, Academy Award), The Shining (1980), Terms of Endearment (1983, Academy Award), Prizzi’s Honor (1985), Batman (1989), Hoffa (1992), and As Good As It Gets (1997, Academy Award). Noted for his devilish grin and his portrayals of uncon¬ ventional outsiders, he has attained iconic status as one of the most popu¬ lar and admired stars of his time.
Nicias \'ni-she-os\ (b. c. 470—d. 413 bc, Sicily) Athenian leader. He was renowned for his enormous wealth. Seeking to end the Peloponnesian War (431^-04), in 421 he negotiated a 50-year alliance (the Peace of Nicias), which held for six years before the ambitions of Alcibiades led to renewed warfare. In 415 Nicias reluctantly shared command of a Sicilian expedi¬ tion with Lamachus and Alcibiades. When Alcibiades was recalled and Lamachus died, Nicias, himself seriously ill, lost the advantage they had achieved in the siege of Syracuse; when he tried to escape, his troops were overwhelmed and he was captured and executed.
nickel Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements, chemi¬ cal symbol Ni, atomic number 28. Nickel is silvery white, tough, harder than iron, ferromagnetic (see ferromagnetism), and highly resistant to rust¬ ing and corrosion. It occasionally occurs free and is fairly common but not often concentrated in igneous rocks. As pure metal, it is used to coat other metals (see plating) and as a catalyst. In alloys, it is used in coins, Monel metal, nickel silver, nickel-chrome and stainless steels, permanant magnets, and cutlery. Its compounds, in which it most often has valence 2, have a variety of industrial uses, as catalysts and mordants (see dye) and in electroplating.
Jan. 21, 1940, Columbus,
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Nicklaus \'nik-bs\, Jack (William) (b
Ohio, U.S.) U.S. golfer, one of the greatest in the game’s history. Nick¬ laus won the U.S. Amateur Champi¬ onship twice (1959, 1961) while attending Ohio State University.
After turning professional in 1962, he won the U.S. Open four times (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980), the Mas¬ ters Tournament six times (1963,
1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986), the PGA Championship five times (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980), and the British Open three times (1966,
1970, 1978). He was a member of the winning U.S. World Cup team six times and was a record three-time individual World Cup winner (1963,
1964, 1971). By 1986 “the Golden Bear” had played in 100 major championships, finishing in the top three 45 times. He combined skill and power with remarkable concen¬ tration and composure under pres¬ sure. In 2005 Nicklaus retired from tournament play with 73 PGA wins—a number exceeded only by Sam Snead with 82—and a record 18 major professional championship titles.
Nicobar Islands See Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Jack Nicklaus, 1982.
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Nicolet \ .ni-ko-'laV Jean (b. 1598, Cherbourg, France—d. Nov. 1, 1642, Sillery, Que., Can.) French explorer in North America. In 1618 he traveled to New France, where he lived with Indian tribes. He learned several Indian languages and became the interpreter for the French colony at Three Rivers (1633). He journeyed into Huron territory, canoeing with several Indians through the Straits of Mackinac to became the first Euro¬ pean to see Lake Michigan (1634). He later explored the region of present- day Wisconsin.
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Nicolls, Richard (b. 1624, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Eng.—d. May 28, 1672, in the North Sea, off Suffolk, Eng.) English colonial governor of New York. In 1664 he forcibly seized the Dutch colony of New Amster¬ dam and renamed the province and its main city for his patron, the duke of York. He thereby became the first governor of the English colony of New York. An efficient administrator, he issued the colony’s first legal code in 1665. He returned to England in 1668 and resumed his duties as gentleman of the bedchamber to the duke.
Nicopolis Xna-'ka-pa-losV Battle of (September 25, 1396) Turkish victory over an army of European crusaders. When the Ottoman Turks besieged Constantinople (1395), Manuel II Palaeologus appealed to Europe for help. The king of Hungary organized a crusade intended to expel the Turks from the Balkans and then march to Jerusalem. The crusaders laid siege to Nicopolis, the main Turkish stronghold on the Danube River, but Turkish forces arrived from Constantinople and slaughtered most of the crusaders. The battle ended international efforts to halt Turkish expansion into the Balkans and central Europe.
Nicopolis \n3-'ka-p9-lis\ Actia Ancient city, northwestern Greece. Its ruins lie about 4 mi (6 km) north of Preveza. It was founded in 31 bc by Octavian (later Augustus) to commemorate his victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium. It became the capital of the coastal region, encompassing Acarnania and Epirus, and was famous for its build¬ ings and for the Actian Games. Destroyed in the 4th century ad and rebuilt, it was finally destroyed by Bulgarians in the 11th century. Its ruins include a basilica, a Roman theatre, and an aqueduct.