In NOT MY KID, a young drug-addicted teenager's family are in denial about her problem. “Susan Bower” (Viveka Davis) is sent to an intervention program where the addicts are confronted--by one another and by their families--in supervised groups. Her surgeon father “Frank” (George Segal) is shattered by this. But the girl's biggest obstacle to sobriety is her mother “Helen” (Stockard Channing), who wants to remove her from the program because she won't believe anything's wrong.
George Segal, Viveka Davis, and Stockard Channing in NOT MY KID
Michael Tuchner directed this made-for-television drama, which aired on CBS on 15 January 1985. Mark Snow provided the unreleased score.
In the crime drama STICK, "Ernest 'Stick' Stickley" (Burt Reynolds) returns from prison, and very soon gets involved with his old friend "Rainy" (Jose Perez) in a drug-running deal that goes sour. Hired by a rich investor (George Segal), he tries to walk the line, but trouble follows him throughout as he tries to collect a debt and make up for lost time with his daughter "Katie".
Reynolds has good byplay with most of the characters, particularly George Segal as the affable millionaire “Barry,” Richard Lawson as Segal's black butler “Cornell,” and Candice Bergen as his love interest “Kyle.” Then there is Charles Durning as the drug dealer “Chucky,” wearing a ridiculous looking hairpiece, and given enough character tics to drive you as wacky as he appears.
Candice Bergen and George Segal in STICK
George Segal and Burt Reynolds had come close to working together before. Segal incurred a leg injury prior to filming on LUCKY LADY (1975) and had to pull out of the project and was replaced by Gene Hackman.
Reynolds also directed the film. There is good location shooting in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. But there is a dated '80s synth score by Joseph Conlan and Barry De Vorzon. The one constant in the film is Reynolds. He was going through a number of health issues during filming, but if anything, his wan appearance and subdued manner work for the character, who is supposed to be a recently released convict intent on not ending up back in stir, but still not willing to let himself be pushed around. The film had average box office returns of $8.5 million in the U.S.
In his first foray into series television, George Segal starred in “Take Five”, a television sitcom in which Segal played “Andy Kooper,” who sings and plays banjo in a Dixieland band after being fired from his job in public relations. The other band members are “Lenny Goodman” (Jim Haynie) on piano; “Al” (Derek McGrath) on sax; and “Monty” (Bruce Jarchow) on drums. Monty is also dating Andy's ex-wife, “Laraine” (Melanie Chartoff)
CBS gave the series a try-out in the Spring of 1987, premiering it on Wednesday, 1 April at 8:30 PM. The show followed another new series also being given a shot--“Roxie,” which was a spin-off of “Kate & Allie.” These series replaced the cancelled “Mike Hammer.” The pair went up against NBC’s “Highway to Heaven,” then the #24 show on television, and “Take Five” also faced “Head of the Class” on ABC (#30 for the season). Both “Take Five” and “Roxie” lasted two episodes before being shelved, with four episodes of each series remaining unaired. CBS went back to showing re-runs of “Mike Hammer” until the Fall.
In the comedy LOOK WHO’S TALKING, single, career-minded accountant “Mollie” (Kirstie Alley) is left on her own to give birth to the child of her client “Albert” (George Segal), a married man. She finds a new romantic chance in cab driver “James” (John Travolta). Meanwhile, the point-of-view of the newborn boy is narrated through voice-over (Bruce Willis).
George Segal and Kirstie Alley in LOOK WHO’S TALKING
Amy Heckerling wrote and directed the 1989 film. David Kitay’s score has not had a release. Critical reception to the $8 million film was mixed. Daily Variety gave it a negative review, predicting the film’s “short life in theaters.” But the film was the #5 picture at the box office for the year, with a $297 million worldwide gross.
George Segal’s second attempt at series television came with “Murphy’s Law”, a crime comedy-drama series. “D.P. Murphy” (Segal) works as an insurance fraud investigator, frequently giving and getting a hard time from his nervous boss, “Wesley Harden” (Josh Mostel), his on-and-off girlfriend “Kimiko” (Maggie Han), and his ex-wife “Marissa” (Kim Lankford) over visitation with their daughter “Kathleen” (Sarah Sawatsky). The show was based on the "Trace" series of detective novels by Warren Murphy, featuring the character “Devlin Tracy,” an unlicensed insurance fraud investigator out of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Network promo for “Murphy’s Law”
ABC premiered the series on Saturday, 2 November 1988 at 8 PM. The show’s competition was not particularly fierce. CBS offered two new shows: the comedy-drama “Dirty Dancing,” from the 1987 film of the same name, and the sitcom “Raising Miranda.” Both shows were cancelled at mid-season. NBC programmed the sitcoms “227” with Marla Gibbs and “Amen” with Sherman Hemsley, the latter of which was the #25-rated show for the season. As the only scripted drama in the hour, “Murphy’s Law” should have done better, but the show was cancelled after 12 episodes. A 13th episode went unaired.
The opening theme song was an edited version of "Murphy's Law," a song featured on the album "High Crime" by Al Jarreau.
FOR THE BOYS chronicles the relationship between self-professed song-and-dance man “Eddie Sparks” (James Caan) and singer “Dixie Leonard” (Bette Midler). When the film opens, Eddie’s found his niche entertaining the troops during World War II, doing his best Bob Hope impersonation courtesy of writer “Art Silver” (George Segal). Art is Dixie’s uncle, and in a classic act of showbiz nepotism she gatecrashes Eddie’s grand tour of British aircraft hangers. Their first show ends in heated words, an argument they continue for the better part of fifty years as they work their way through two more wars and into the hearts of domestic viewers via a 1950’s television variety hour.
Many reviewers noted that James Caan seemed miscast in the role of comedian Eddie Sparks (a caricature of Bob Hope) and wondered why co-star George Segal, who, as an actor, had proved equally adept at comedy and drama, wasn't cast in the role instead. The truth is that Caan's career was hot again after the success of MISERY (1990), and Segal had not had the male lead in a feature film in ten years, so Caan got the lead, and Segal the supporting role.
Mark Rydell directed the 1991 film. Dave Grusin’s score was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, but lost to Alan Menken for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. None of Grusin’s score appeared on the Atlantic Records soundtrack CD, which consisted of songs sung by Bette Midler, arranged by Marc Shaiman. The $40 million production was a flop at the box office, with a $23 million worldwide gross.
After appearing in three European films that did not have a U.S. release, and missing the sequel LOOK WHO’S TALKING TOO, George Segal reprised his role of “Albert” in the second sequel to the popular domestic comedy, 1993’s LOOK WHO’S TALKING NOW. This time, it’s the dogs who can talk at a family of four, where mom (Kirstie Alley) loses her job the same day dad (John Travolta) gets a job as pilot for a cute, single boss (Lysette Anthony).
Tom Ropelewski directed and co-wrote the film. William Ross’ score has not had a release. After the $48 million U.S. gross for the first sequel, the series finally ran out of steam with this third film. The $19.5 million production grossed only $10.3 million domestically.
THE BABYSITTER unfolds over the course of a single evening, in which “Harry Tucker” (J.T. Walsh) and “Dolly Tucker” (Lee Garlington) are preparing to go to a party thrown by “Bill and Bernice Holsten” (George Segal and Lois Chiles). They hire the babysitter in question, “Jennifer” (Alicia Silverstone), to watch their young children “Jimmy” (Ryan Slater) and “Bitsy” (Brittany English Stephens) and hit the road. Unbeknownst to Harry and Dolly, Jennifer has just broken up with her boyfriend “Jack” (Jeremy London), who is sulking at a local diner. There, Jack runs into “Mark Holsten” (Nicky Katt), who picks up on Jack's disillusionment and begins picking at it like a scab. Before long, he's worked Jack up into a jilted rage, and convinced him that they should slip over to the Tuckers and pay Jennifer a visit.
Lee Garlington and George Segal in THE BABYSITTER
Guy Ferland wrote and directed this 1995 thriller, which had an unreleased score by Loek Dikker. The film made little impression at the box office.
In IT’S MY PARTY, “Nick Stark” "(Eric Roberts) is nearing the end of a 3-year battle with AIDS and makes arrangements to die. He hosts a party to say goodbye to friends and family. His ex-partner, “Brandon Theis” (Gregory Harrison), attends, and things get complicated. George Segal plays Nick’s estranged father “Paul.”
The cast of IT’S MY PARTY: Top row: George Segal, Bronson Pinchot, Dimitra Arliss Middle row: Gregory Harrison, Eric Roberts, Lee Grant, Paul Regina Bottom row: Olivia Newton-John, Marlee Matlin, Margaret Cho
Randal Kleiser wrote and directed the 1996 release. Basil Poledouris’ score was released by Varese Sarabande. The film had a low budget, but it wasn’t low enough to compensate for the film’s poor performance at the U.S. box office, where it grossed just $623,000.
George Segal appeared in a supporting role in the 1996 David O. Russell comedy FLIRTING WITH DISASTER. The film follows an adopted young man (Ben Stiller), his wife (Patricia Arquette), and his incompetent case worker (Tea Leoni) as they travel across country to find his birth parents. His adopted parents are played by a low-key George Segal and a high-strung Mary Tyler Moore.
Richard Jenkins, Patricia Arquette, Ben Stiller, Tea Leoni, George Segal, Mary Tyler Moore, and Josh Brolin in FLIRTING WITH DISASTER
Only a suite from Stephen Endelman’s score ended up on the pop/rock soundtrack CD issued by Geffen Records. The film took in average returns of $14.7 million in the U.S.
In THE CABLE GUY, “Steven M. Kovacs” (Matthew Broderick) is currently separated from his girlfriend “Robin Harris” (Leslie Mann) and has moved into a new apartment, though he hopes the situation is only temporary. He gets a new cable TV installation and somehow winds up becoming friends with cable installer “Chip” (Jim Carrey). It just…sorta happens. Chip’s seemingly a nice enough guy, but overly attached, inserting himself into Broderick’s life without really asking. Since Broderick is a wimp, he doesn’t really put up much of a protest, though best friend “Rick” (Jack Black) is suspicious of Chip right away. George Segal plays Steven’s father in this 1996 comedy.
George Segal in THE CABLE GUY
Ben Stiller directed the film. John Ottman’s score had a single track on the Columbia Records song-track CD. More of the music was found on a composer promo disc. Jim Carrey’s name pushed the $47 million film into the top 25 films of the year at the box office, with a $103 million worldwide gross.
In THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES, shy, middle-aged professor “Rose Morgan” (Barbra Streisand) enters into a romantic but non-physical relationship with an unlucky-in-love colleague, “Gregory Larkin” (Jeff Bridges). George Segal plays “Henry Fine,” Gregory’s student-dating professor buddy.
Dudley Moore was originally cast in the “Henry Fine” role. He was fired by Barbra Streisand for not remembering his lines. These were the first symptoms of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a brain disorder that would kill Moore six years later.
Streisand also directed this 1996 comedy-drama. Marvin Hamlisch’s score was released by Columbia. Hamlisch and Streisand received an Oscar nomination for their song "I've Finally Found Someone". They lost the award to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice for the song "You Must Love Me" from EVITA. THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACERS made it into the top 40 films of the year at the domestic box office, with a $41.1 million gross.
George Segal had his biggest television success with the sitcom “Just Shoot Me!”. The show was created by executive producer Steven Levitan. It was set at the office of fictional fashion magazine Blush, comparable to the real-life Vogue. The show's story is about several staff at the magazine, including “Jack Gallo” (Segal), the owner and publisher; his daughter “Maya” (Laura San Giacomo), a writer for the magazine; secretary “Dennis Finch” (David Spade); former model and now-fashion correspondent “Nina Van Horn” (Wendie Malick), and photographer “Elliot DiMauro” (Enrico Colantoni).
During his daughter Maya's childhood, Jack Gallo was an absent workaholic. The relationship between the two of them develops throughout the series reaching its pinnacle when he hands the magazine over to Maya in the series finale after retiring. When extolling the virtues of an assistant to Maya, he notes that an assistant (in his case Finch) can even become one's "best friend," although the sentiment was slightly dulled by his use of the pronoun "it" to refer to the hypothetical assistant (and therefore to Finch).
Laura San Giacomo and George Segal in “Just Shoot Me!”
Jack is four times divorced, although he was married to Maya's high school classmate Allie for the first half of the series. They have a daughter (Maya's half-sister) named Hannah who was born in the first episode, "Back Issues." Jack showers Hannah with affection, prompting Maya's jealousy. This resentment disappears when Jack explains that he did not want to repeat with Hannah the mistakes he made with Maya. Jack has a running contest with Donald Trump as to who is, among other topics, the smartest, the richest, and the best gift-giver.
Several times in the series, it is mentioned and shown that Jack plays the banjo as a hobby. All of Jack's scenes playing the banjo were actually performed by George Segal, having been a long-time accomplished banjo player.
NBC premiered the series on Tuesday, 4 March 1997, at 9:30 PM. Six episodes of the show aired that March and the show finished as #64 in the season’s ratings. But it was good enough to get the show a spot on NBC’s Fall schedule.
George Segal in “Just Shoot Me!”
Season 2 of the show (1997-98) kicked off on Tuesday, 23 September 1997, at 9:30 PM. The show aired after “Frasier,” and then was moved in the Spring to Thursdays at 8:30 between “Friends” and “Seinfeld.” Bolstered by the shows around it, “Just Shoot Me!” has its best ratings in its second season, coming in at #12 for the season.
The spring of 1998 saw the final show of “Seinfeld,” and “Just Shoot Me!” was one of the contenders to take the coveted 9:00 PM Thursday slot. “Frasier” instead won the slot, and for its third season (1998-99) “Just Shoot Me!” was instead given Frasier's 9:00 PM Tuesday slot. There it faced the ABC sitcom “Spin City” then in its third season. The Michael J. Fox series was the #24-rated show that season. “Just Shoot Me!” dropped to #37 in the ratings.
In it’s fourth season (1999-2000), the show was moved up on the Tuesday schedule to the lead-off 8 PM slot. ABC moved “Spin City” to the same slot, and that show again finished #24 in the ratings. “Just Shoot Me!” dropped further to #53, but still earned a renewal.
David Spade and George Segal in “Just Shoot Me!”
For its fifth season (2000-01), NBC put “Just Shoot Me!” back on Thursday at 9:30. “Frasier” had been moved to Tuesday, and now the coveted 9 PM Thursday slot was held by the popular “Will & Grace” (#14 for the season). This strong lead-in boosted the fortunes of “Just Shoot Me!” and the show rebounded to the #20 spot for the season. This was true even though the NBC comedy shows went against two shows that tied for #11 for the season: “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” on ABC and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” on CBS.
In its sixth season (2001-02), the show and its competition remained the same, but because “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” dropped out of the top 30 shows, all of the competing shows benefited, with “C.S.I.” rocketing to the #2 spot, but with “Will & Grace” and “Just Shoot Me!” also showing gains, to #9 and #18, respectively.
In its seventh season (2002-03), “Just Shoot Me!” was bounced around NBC’s schedule, airing on both Tuesdays and Saturdays, and at two different times on each of those nights. With the audience not able to reliably find the show, and with all sorts of varying competition, ratings plummeted to #107 for the season and the show was cancelled with 3 episodes of the season going unaired. A total of 149 episodes were produced.
Wendie Malick, George Segal, David Spade, Laura San Giacomo, and Enrico Colantoni in “Just Shoot Me!”
HEIGHTS opens with “Diana” (Glenn Close), a venerable stage and screen actress, teaching a master class on Macbeth. Grande-dame style, she bellows to her students about the passionlessness of modern living; her curtain call is to urge them, "For Christ’s sake, take a risk sometime this weekend." It’s a curious jumping-off point for this intersecting story that follows a half-dozen New Yorkers over the course of one long day and night. There’s Diana, warily celebrating her birthday while her marriage is on the rocks; Diana’s daughter, “Isabel” (Elizabeth Banks), a photographer; Isabel’s fiancé, “Jonathan” (James Marsden), with a secret past; “Alec” (Jesse Bradford), a struggling actor who lives in the same building as Isabel and Jonathan; and “Peter” (John Light), a British writer coming to grips with his photographer lover’s penchant for sleeping with his models. George Segal has a supporting role as “Rabbi Mendel.”
George Segal and Elizabeth Banks in HEIGHTS
HEIGHTS was directed by Chris Terrio from a script by Amy Fox (based on her stage play). The film’s score, by Martin Erskine and Ben Butler, shared space with a dozen songs on the Tommy Boy Records soundtrack CD. The film was little-seen, taking in only $1.3 million worldwide.
In 2012, science fiction writer, “Jackson Curtis” (John Cusack) is a divorced father of two who works as a chauffeur for a rich Russian, “Yuri Karpov” (Zlatko Buric). When Jackson takes his children (Liam James and Morgan Lily) to Yellowstone to show them his and their mom's (Amanda Peet) favorite spot, he discovers the area is fenced off and the lake has dried up. After meeting “Charlie Frost” (Woody Harrelson), a radio host specializing in conspiracy theories and the end of the world, Jackson receives a call from his ex-wife asking her to bring the kids home early. When they arrive, the ground is crumbling under them. Through various high-action death-defying sequences, Jackson along with Yuri Karpov (and his quasi-family) try to make their way to safety as the world ends right before their eyes.
Geologist “Adrian Helmsley” (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is able to say his final good-bye's to his father, “Harry Helmsley” (Blu Mankuma). Blu's friend, fellow musician, and traveling companion on a vacation cruise liner, “Tony Delgatto (George Segal), helps to mend the relationship between Blu and his son before it is too late. The song "It Ain't The End Of The World" that Harry and Tony sing on the cruise ship was actually co-written and performed by Blu Mankuma and George Segal, both talented musicians as well as actors.
Blu Mankuma and George Segal in 2012
Roland Emmerich directed and co-wrote (along with composer Harald Kloser) this 2009 disaster epic. The film’s score, by Harald Kloser and Thomas Wander, was released by RCA. The $200 million production was a smash hit, with a $791 million worldwide gross.
In LOVE & OTHER DRUGS, “Jamie Randall” (Jake Gyllenhaal) is the kind of guy that can sell anything. He is suave, sure of himself, charming and handsome. He can sell stereo equipment – or himself as a bed partner - and does both with equal success. After being fired from his latest job for sleeping with the manager’s girlfriend, he has to face his parents “Dr. James Randall and Nancy Randall” (George Segal and Jill Clayburgh). His dad is a successful doctor in Chicago as is his sister “Helen” (Natalie Gold). His brother “Josh” (Josh Gad) is a software geek whose IPO has made him wealthy and whose trophy wife has made him crazy. Jamie, a chronic underachiever who dropped out of med school, is a disappointment. But then, Jamie starts a relationship with “Maggie Murdock” (Anne Hathaway), a young woman suffering from Parkinson's disease.
George Segal and Josh Gad in LOVE & OTHER DRUGS
Edward Zwick directed and co-wrote this 2010 comedy-drama, which has an unreleased score by James Newton Howard. The $30 million production broke even in the U.S. and earned all of its profits overseas, with a $103 million worldwide gross.
“Retired at 35” is a television sitcom that follows a successful New Yorker named “David Robbins” (Johnathan McClain), who decides to leave the rat race and his job in the big city and visit his father “Alan” (George Segal) and mother “Elaine” (Jessica Walter) who live in a retirement community in Florida. Hoping to reconnect with them and re-evaluate his life, he makes a snap decision to quit his job and take some time to live the dream of retirement that so many are working toward. But he soon finds, to his surprise, that his parents are in the final stages of separating.
Johnathan McClain and George Segal in “Retired at 35”
This show ran for two 10-episode seasons on the TV Land network in 2011 and 2012. It was only the network's second original scripted series after “Hot in Cleveland,” and its first to be cancelled.
George Segal and Jessica Walter died only one day apart: Segal on March 23, 2021 and Walter on March 24, 2021.
George Segal’s final television series was his longest-running, although he was not the star of the show. “The Goldbergs” is a sitcom that explores the daily lives of the Goldberg family, a family living in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania in the 1980s. “Beverly Goldberg” (Wendi McLendon-Covey), the overprotective matriarch of the Goldbergs, is married to “Murray Goldberg” (Jeff Garlin). They are the parents of three children, “Erica” (Hayley Orrantia), “Barry” (Troy Gentile), and “Adam” (Sean Giambrone). George Segal plays Beverly’s father, “Albert ‘Pops’ Solomon.” As in his other shows, every scene where Pops is playing the banjo, it's actually George Segal playing.
Jeff Garlin, Wendi McLendon-Covey, George Segal, Troy Gentile, Hayley Orrantia, and Sean Giambrone in “The Goldbergs”
ABC premiered the series on Tuesday, 24 September 2013, at 9 PM. The show faced intense competition, with N.C.I.S.: Los Angeles” on CBS as the #4 show for the season and “The Voice” on NBC as the #10 show for the season. Even so, after airing just six episodes, ABC gave “The Goldbergs” a full season pick-up, figuring that it was good counter-programming to the other shows. That also garnered the show a renewal.
George Segal in “The Goldbergs”
For season two (2014-15), “The Goldbergs” was moved to a new night and time—Wednesdays at 8:30 PM, where the show faced no strong competition and was the only comedy in its timeslot.
In season three (2015-16), the show faced its strongest competition from reality series— in the Fall it was CBS’s “Survivor” (the #26 show) and in the Winter it was Fox’s “American Idol” (the #24 show). But “The Goldbergs” captured most of the comedy audience in its timeslot and was renewed.
George Segal in “The Goldbergs”
Season four (2016-17), saw the show moved up half an hour on Wednesdays to the 8 PM slot. Again, it was the only sitcom at that hour, with CBS’s “Survivor” being its main competition. This held true for season five (2017-18) as well.
Season six (2018-19) saw an additional competitor added—NBC’s “Chicago Med,” which came in as the #13-rated show for the season. But with “The Goldbergs” again providing the only comedy alternative, the show was renewed.
George Segal in “The Goldbergs”
Season seven (2019-20) added more competition still. “The Goldbergs” now faced “Survivor” (#23), “Chicago Med” (#10), and Fox’s “The Masked Singer” (#12). Production on the 24th episode of the season was halted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in 23 episodes being completed and aired. The last episode was carried over to Season 8.
Its eighth season (2020-21) saw the show facing the same competition as in season seven, with the exception of CBS substituting “Big Brother” for “Survivor.” The show’s production was not adversely affected by the pandemic, with a full slate of 21 episodes planned to be aired.
At times during this season, George Segal was unable to make it to set. His scenes were later added in. This can be spotted in certain episodes where he doesn't have direct interaction with the main characters. Episode #16 of the season, which aired on 7 April 2021 marked Segal’s final appearance. The episode was dedicated to him. George Segal appeared in 183 episodes.
George Segal received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6433 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 14, 2017 (on his 83rd birthday).
After such films as KING RAT and WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, there was a possibility that Segal may have become a serious dramatic actor, but after scoring in comic roles in WHERE’S POPPA?, THE HOT ROCK, and A TOUCH OF CLASS, his career seemed to change focus.
Segal never made the leap to superstar status, and surprisingly, never won a major acting award. In the mid-1970s, Segal priced himself as a superstar seeking a seven-figure salary, but failed to come through at the box office. For example, THE BLACK BIRD (1975) was a failure, and although his subsequent starring turn opposite of Jane Fonda, in FUN WITH DICK AND JANE (1977), was a big hit that revitalized Jane Fonda's career, it didn’t do as much for Segal. In the end, it was television that best displayed his comedic chops.
Segal once remarked that “I have a dread of being considered bland, but I've had to reconcile myself to the fact that that's what I am.” That’s overly harsh. While Segal was never an “edgy” actor along the lines of a Jack Nicholson, he more than made up for it with his innate likeability and charm—qualities that make for long-term success in an intimate medium like television. Segal excelled at light comedy, and that’s nothing to put down. Farewell, George.
