The obit in Deadline Hollywood (the online industry trade website), said that Segal was probably best known for his role in JUST SHOOT ME. What??? Farther down in the article it mentions he starred in a bunch of movies.
Here’s a news flash: He was a movie STAR.
He was the big romantic comedy lead for several years in the '70s and was also riveting in dramas. He was in WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF and received an Oscar nomination for his performance. He starred in a long list of movies including TOUCH OF CLASS, NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY, WHERE’S PAPA? (a hilarious film), BLUME IN LOVE, THE HOT ROCK, OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT, and a ton more.
I am honored to say I directed him on JUST SHOOT ME. He was fun to be around and I endeared myself by asking about some of his less famous films. To me he was a movie star. But the great thing about George, and I’m sure the folks at THE GOLDBERGS would agree, he didn’t act like a movie star. He wasn’t a diva. Nor did he feel it was a comedown doing a sitcom. He was the ultimate pro and very much a team player. Like I said, I was honored.
I would like to think George Segal is not best known for JUST SHOOT ME or THE GOLDBERGS. He was a major force in motion pictures.
And it got me to thinking, for all the mystique about Marilyn Monroe. Had she not died so young, would she best be known as the wacky grandma on MY NAME IS EARL? Would James Dean's legacy be playing an addled judge on BULL?
George Segal was a movie star. Mike Nicols directed him. So did Sidney Lumet, Carl Reiner, Stanley Kramer, Herbert Ross, Paul Mazursky, Melvin Frank. The fact that I directed him on a sitcom should be a footnote, not what he’s best known for.
RIP George. I hope they like banjo music where you are now.
from By Ken Levine
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