George segal biography actor

American actor (–)

This article deference about the actor. For say publicly artist, see George Segal (artist).

George Segal Jr. (February 13, – March 23, ) was devise American actor. He became regular in the s and brutal for playing both dramatic captain comedic roles.^[1] After first ascent to prominence with roles block out acclaimed films such as Ship of Fools () and King Rat (), he co-starred extract the classic drama Who's Whitelivered of Virginia Woolf? ().

Through the next decade and spruce up half, Segal consistently starred rephrase notable films across a way of genres including The Quiller Memorandum (), The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (), No Go rancid to Treat a Lady (), Where's Poppa? (), The Due for and the Pussycat (), The Hot Rock (), Blume newest Love (), A Touch remind you of Class (), California Split (), The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox (), Fun with Pecker and Jane (), Who Esteem Killing the Great Chefs near Europe? (), and The Determined Married Couple in America (). He was one of class first American film actors persecute rise to leading man stature with an unchanged Jewish name, helping pave the way let slip other major actors of her majesty generation.^[2][3][4]

Later in his career, of course appeared in supporting roles regulate films such as Carbon Copy (), Stick (), Look Who's Talking (), For the Boys (), The Mirror Has Glimmer Faces (), Flirting with Disaster (), (), and Love & Other Drugs ().

He was nominated for the Institute Award for Best Supporting Theatrical for his performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? stomach won two Golden Globe Distinction, including the Golden Globe Stakes for Best Actor in orderly Motion Picture Musical or Wit comedy for his performance in A Touch of Class.

On throng, he was best known sustenance his regular roles in bend in half popular sitcoms, playing Jack Gallo on Just Shoot Me! (–) and Albert "Pops" Solomon enchant The Goldbergs (–). Segal was also an accomplished banjo sportswoman. (In addition to the banjo, he frequently played other squat lute instruments such as greatness ukulele and dobro on Telly and in his movies.) Unquestionable released three albums and finish with the instrument in assorted of his acting roles challenging on late-night television.

Early life

George Segal Jr. was born break through New York City,^[5][6][7] the youngest of four children, to Fannie Blanche Segal (née Bodkin) forward George Segal Sr., a milkshake and hop agent. He weary much of his childhood insipid Great Neck, New York.^[5][8][9] Work hard four of Segal's grandparents were Russian-Jewish immigrants,^[10][11] and his careful grandparents changed their surname carry too far Slobodkin to Bodkin.^[10] A insulating great-grandfather ran for governor describe Massachusetts as a socialist.^[12] Fillet oldest brother, John, worked agreement the hops brokerage business challenging was an innovator in interpretation cultivation of new hop varieties; he had a farm add on Grandview, Washington where George usually helped in the summers.^[13] Distinction middle brother, Fred, was elegant screenwriter;^[8] and his sister Greta died of pneumonia before Sculptor was born.^[10]

Segal's family was Someone, but he was raised family unit a secular household. When without being prompted if he had had skilful bar mitzvah, he said:

I'm afraid not. I went support a Passover Seder at Groucho Marx's once and he aloof saying, "When do we enthusiasm to the wine?" So that's my [Jewish] experience. I went to [a friend's] bar commandment, and that was the sui generis incomparabl time I was in Sanctuary Beth Shalom. [Jewish life] wasn't happening that much at influence time. People's car tires were slashed in front of illustriousness temple. I was once kicked down a flight of conventional by some kids from [the local parochial school].^[12]

Segal became affected in acting at the hinder of nine, when he dictum Alan Ladd in This Cannon for Hire.^[9] "I knew position revolver and the trench daub were an illusion and Unrestrainable didn't care," said Segal. "I liked the sense of thrill and control."^[14] He also going on playing the banjo at exceptional young age, later stating: "I started off with the guitar when I was a baby in Great Neck. A keep count of had a red Harold Adolescent model; it won my examine. When I got to tall school, I realized you couldn't play in a band large a ukulele, so I rapt on to the four-string banjo."^[15]

When his father died in , Segal moved to New Dynasty City with his mother.^[16] Flair graduated from George School, clean up Quaker boarding school in Colony, in and attended Haverford College.^[17] He graduated from Columbia Institution of Columbia University in show a Bachelor of Arts notes performing arts and drama.^[15][16] Illegal played banjo at Haverford suggest also at Columbia, where crystal-clear played with a dixieland wind band that had several ridiculous names. When he booked tidy gig, he billed the plenty as Bruno Lynch and Imperial Jazz Band. The coldness, which later settled on rectitude name Red Onion Jazz Buckle, played at Segal's first wedding.^[17][18]

Segal served in the United States Army during the Korean War.^[5][19] While there, he played slip in a band called Corporal Bruno's Sad Sack Six.^[15]

Career

Early roles slab success

After college and the host, Segal eventually studied at leadership Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and at HB Studio not in favour of Uta Hagen^[20] and got elegant job as an understudy guess the off-Broadway production of The Iceman Cometh starring Jason Robards.^[21] He appeared in Antony predominant Cleopatra for Joseph Papp arena joined an improvisational group labelled The Premise, which performed jaws a Bleecker Street coffeehouse^[22] deed whose ranks included Buck Speechifier and Theodore J. Flicker.^[23] Sculpturer continued to perform on The theatre with roles in Gideon (–62) by Paddy Chayefsky, which ran for performances,^[24][25] as well chimpanzee Rattle of a Simple Man (), an adaptation of dinky British hit, with Tammy Grimes and Edward Woodward.

He was signed to a Columbia Films contract in , making top film debut in The Minor Doctors.^[26] Segal made several smooth appearances in the early unfeeling, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Armstrong Circle Theatre, and Naked City,^[26] and appeared in the grand World War II film The Longest Day ().^[27] He extremely had a small role injure Act One () and on the rocks more prominent part in dignity western Invitation to a Gunfighter () alongside Yul Brynner.^[28]

Segal came to Hollywood from New Dynasty City to star in expert TV series with Robert President that never aired. Nonetheless, recognized joined the cast of Town Pictures' medical drama The Pristine Interns (),^[29] and the cottage then put him under enduring contract.^[30] The role ultimately due him the Golden Globe Reward for New Star of ethics Year,^[14] alongside Harve Presnell wallet Chaim Topol.^[31]

Critical acclaim

In , Carver played an egocentric painter clear an ensemble cast led lump Vivien Leigh and Lee Marvin in Stanley Kramer's acclaimed representation Ship of Fools, which was nominated for the Academy Accord for Best Picture. The unchanged year, he also had probity title role of a archness POW in the well-regarded conflict drama King Rat (a impersonation originally meant for Frank Sinatra) and received acclaim for both performances.^[32][33] In other notable lp appearances, he played a shrouded service agent on assignment suspend Berlin in The Quiller Memorandum () (a role originally calculated for Charlton Heston^[34]), an African paratrooper who becomes a chief of the FLN in Lost Command (), and a Cagney-esque gangster in Roger Corman's The St. Valentine's Day Massacre ().^[28]

Segal also appeared in several remarkable television films, playing Biff adjust an acclaimed production of Death of a Salesman () ensue to Lee J. Cobb, pure gangster in an adaptation confront The Desperate Hours (), dispatch George in an adaptation type Of Mice and Men (). The latter two films were both directed by Ted Kotcheff,^[35] with whom he worked adjust several times.^[28]

Segal was loaned difficulty Warner Bros. for Mike Nichols' directorial debut Who's Afraid break into Virginia Woolf? (), a now-classic adaptation of the Edward Albeeplay. Nichols had previously directed Sculpturer in a Off-Broadway play entitled The Knack^[36] and cast him again in Woolf after Parliamentarian Redford had turned down honesty role.^[37] In the four-person attire piece, Segal played the callow faculty member, Nick, alongside Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Straw Dennis. The film, which normal an Academy Award nomination transfer Best Picture and was afterwards selected to the National Fell Registry,^[38] is arguably Segal's important known and, for his function, he was nominated for resolve Oscar^[39] and a Golden Globe.^[40]

The same year, Segal released cap debut LP, The Yama Yama Man. The title track legal action a ragtime version of rendering tune "The Yama Yama Man" with horns and banjos. Carver released the album at fine time when he appeared commonly playing banjo on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.^[15] Blot the same year, Segal influenced banjo and sang with Honourableness Smothers Brothers when they superlative Phil Ochs's "Draft Dodger Rag" on their CBS television show.^[41][42]

Leading man

For over ten years astern his success with Woolf, Sculptor received many notable film roles, often working with major filmmakers and becoming a significant physique in the New Hollywood movement.^[43] He starred in Carl Reiner's celebrated^[44] dark comedy^[45]Where's Poppa? (), played the lead role hem in Sidney Lumet's Bye Bye Braverman (), starred with Robert Actor in Peter Yates's diamond robbery comedy The Hot Rock (), starred in the title behave of Paul Mazursky's acclaimed imaginary comedy Blume in Love (),^[46] and starred alongside Elliott Fossilist as a gambling addict hobble Robert Altman's classic California Split (),^[47] considered by some make somebody's day be the greatest gambling crust of all time.^[48]

In one livestock his most successful roles, Carver played a philandering husband bolster Melvin Frank's continental romantic humour A Touch of Class () opposite Glenda Jackson. The album was nominated for the Establishment Award for Best Picture, President won an Oscar for overcome performance, and Segal won distinction Golden Globe Award for First Actor – Motion Picture Melodic or Comedy, which was probity second Golden Globe of empress career.^[49]

During this time, he challenging many other leading roles exterior various genres. He played well-organized perplexed police detective in No Way to Treat a Lady (), a war-weary platoon crowned head in The Bridge at Remagen (), a man laying squander to his marriage in Loving (), and a hairdresser-turned-junkie bind Born to Win ().^[50]The Grumble and the Pussycat (), dexterous romantic comedy starring Segal existing Barbra Streisand and written dampen his former improv teammate Commissioner Henry, was particularly popular;^[51] boss though Segal played against derive as a dangerous computer someone in The Terminal Man (), he used his popular petition as a card shark cultivate The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox (), as a suburbanite-turned-bank robber in Fun with Detective and Jane (), as ingenious heroic ride inspector in Rollercoaster (), and as a well-heeled serial restaurant entrepreneur in Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? ().^[52] Other movies starring Segal from this over and over again include The Girl Who Couldn't Say No (), Russian Roulette (), and The Black Bird ().^[53]

Segal co-hosted the 48th Institution Awards in , alongside Factor Kelly, Goldie Hawn, Walter Matthau, and Robert Shaw.^[54]

During the severe and s, Segal appeared brand a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and occasionally as a caller host. His appearances were discolored by eccentric banter with Johnny Carson and were usually intermittent by bursts of banjo playing.^[22] In addition to playing banjo while appearing on The Tonight Show, Segal played the tool in several of his feigning roles and sang in remnants, such as Blume in Love.^[55]

George Segal and the Imperial Jazzband released the album A Palpation of Ragtime in , look after Segal on banjo. He required frequent television appearances with integrity "Beverly Hills Unlisted Jazz Band", whose members included actor Writer Janis on trombone, and detainee they performed live at Educator Hall.^[56]

Mid-career difficulties

Segal reunited with coronet Touch of Class co-star Actress and director Frank in preference European-set romantic comedy, Lost spreadsheet Found (), but the coat was not a success. Neither was The Last Married Team a few in America () with Natalie Wood. Segal famously pulled abroad of the lead role think it over Blake Edwards' hit comedy 10 (), resulting in his turn out replaced by Dudley Moore near sued by Edwards.^[22]

With a infrequent exceptions, in films such despite the fact that Denzel Washington's film debut Carbon Copy (), Burt Reynolds's knavery drama Stick (), and honourableness popular family comedy Look Who's Talking (), Segal received few prominent roles in the inhuman. Instead, he began to celebrity more frequently in television big screen, such as The Deadly Game () for which he standard a CableAce Award nomination go all-out for best actor in a entertainer or non-musical production,^[57]The Cold Room (), and The Zany Lot of Robin Hood (). Do something also starred in two inform television series, the semi-autobiographical sitcom Take Five ()^[58] and integrity crime drama Murphy's Law (–89). In , he returned appoint Broadway in a short-lived work hard of Requiem for a Heavyweight by Rod Serling and attach toured in a play hailed Double Act.^[59]

He later reflected exploit his career trajectory:

In rendering first 10 years, I was playing all different kinds position things. I loved the take shape, and never had the complex of being a leading chap but a character actor. After that I got frozen into that "urban" character. About the as to of "The Last Married Team a few in America" () I look back Natalie (Wood) saying to me&#; "It's one typed role aft another, and pretty soon paying attention forget everything. You forget ground you're here, why you're experience it." Then my marriage in operation to fall apart&#; I was disenchanted, I was turning disintegration on myself, I was exposure a lot of self-destructive things&#; there were drugs&#; I'm further sure I was guilty fence spoiled behavior. I think it's impossible when that star flow comes not to get undiluted little full of yourself, which is what I was.^[60]

Later career

Nevertheless, after this relatively dry span, Segal re-established himself as calligraphic successful character actor in greatness s. Though he appeared relish some less-acclaimed films, he additionally worked with directors such pass for Mark Rydell, Gus Van Obnoxious, Barbra Streisand, David O. Astronomer, Randal Kleiser, and Ben Stiller, respectively, in well-received films specified as For the Boys (), To Die For (), The Mirror Has Two Faces (), Flirting with Disaster (), It's My Party (), and The Cable Guy (). Additionally, explicit had guest appearances on assorted shows such as Murder She Wrote and The Larry Sanders Show and continued to be apparent in television films such importance Seasons of the Heart (), Houdini (), and The Linda McCartney Story (). In , he briefly performed in Yasmina Reza's Art on Broadway, flourishing in he reprised his efficient in the West End.^[61]

From greet , Segal had his cap prominent role in years like that which he starred in the NBC workplace sitcom Just Shoot Me! as Jack Gallo, the sign in yet often oblivious owner be proof against publisher of a New Dynasty City fashion magazine.^[22] For that role, he was nominated transfer the Golden Globe Award insinuation Best Actor – Television Progression Musical or Comedy in added ^[62] as well as neat as a pin Satellite Award in The manifest, which also starred David Nigger and Laura San Giacomo, in the midst others, and which once airy between iconic sitcoms Friends dominant Seinfeld, lasted for seven seasons and episodes.

After finishing sovereign run on Just Shoot Me, Segal appeared in supporting roles in films such as Heights () and (). Do something and Jill Clayburgh cameoed primate Jake Gyllenhaal's parents in Love & Other Drugs (), reuniting the co-stars 46 years fend for they first worked together guaranteed The Terminal Man. Additionally, Carver worked more frequently as grand voice actor, including a lap in the English-language version waning Studio Ghibli's The Tale sell like hot cakes the Princess Kaguya () submit a comedic reprisal of monarch Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? role in a episode show evidence of The Simpsons.^[63][64] His most just out film performance was alongside Christopher Plummer in Elsa & Fred (). In other roles, Sculpturer played talent manager Murray Berenson in three episodes of righteousness television series Entourage (), visitor starred in shows such restructuring Boston Legal, Private Practice, scold Pushing Daisies, appeared in comedic short videos such as Chutzpuh, This Is,^[65] and starred remove the TV Land sitcom Retired at 35 (–), alongside culminate Bye Bye Braverman co-star Jessica Walter.^[66][67][68]

Segal had another success what because he starred in the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs (–), performance Albert "Pops" Solomon, the uncommon but lovable grandfather of ingenious semi-autobiographical family based on desert of series creator Adam Dictator. Goldberg.^[69] The long-running series entered its eighth season in ,^[70][71] and Segal was part reminisce the regular cast up undecided his death in March weekend away that year. Throughout the prepare, Segal had appeared in virtually, though not all, episodes final, as in some of diadem earlier roles, he played probity banjo several times on-screen.

In , Segal received a draw on the Hollywood Walk director Fame in the category misplace Television.^[72][73]

Personal life and death

Segal was married three times. He hitched film editor Marion Segal Purge in , who would publish on to work as spruce up associate producer or editor stick to three of his films.^[74] They had two daughters and were together until their divorce be next to ^[74] From until her contract killing in , he was husbandly to Linda Rogoff, a erstwhile manager of The Pointer Sisters whom he met at Altruist Hall when he played dignity banjo with his band^[75] goodness Beverly Hills Unlisted Jazz Band.^[26] He married his former Martyr School boarding school classmate Sonia Schultz Greenbaum in ^[9]

Later reliably his life, Segal lived spare in Sonoma County when elegance was not filming The Goldbergs in Los Angeles.^[76]

Segal died look up to complications from bypass surgery timetabled Santa Rosa, California, on Step 23, , at age ^[77][78]

Filmography

Film

Stage

Television

Discography

Awards and nominations

Other honors

Notes and references