George Segal, the US actor who was Oscar-nominated for his performance in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, has died at the age of 87.
New Yorker starred alongside Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the 1966 film adaptation of Edward Albee’s play.
He went on to play comedies in shows such as The Goldbergs and Just Shoot Me.
Devastated
His wife Sonia Segal said she and their family were “devastated” to confirm his death on Tuesday in California.
She added that Segal had died “due to complications from surgery”.
Tributes
Hollywood actor and director Ben Stiller has offered tribute for Segal, describing him as a “iconic cool funny” movie star.
Barbara Streisand tweeted: “So sorry to hear about George Segal’s passing. We had such fun making Owl and the Pussycat. May he Rest In Peace.”
Segal has been named the Academy Actor for his portrayal of Nick, in a play directed by Mike Nichols directed recreation of Edward Albee’s dark comedy.
Career
In it, the new biology teacher and his wife Honey (played by Oscar-winner Sandy Dennis) attend an unsettling late night gathering at the home of college history professor George (played by Burton) and his wife Martha (Taylor, who also won an Oscar for her role).
“Elizabeth and Richard were the king and queen of the world at the time and there was a lot of noise about it,” Segal told The Daily Beast in 2016.
“For me, there was great satisfaction in having a hand in it.”
“Today we lost a legend,” said The Goldbergs creator Adam Goldberg, reacting to the news of his death. “It was a true honour being a small part of George Segal’s amazing legacy.
“By pure fate, I ended up casting the perfect person to play Pops. Just like my grandfather, George was a kid at heart with a magical spark.”
Wendi McLendon-Covey, Segal’s co-star on the show, posted a photograph of the two of them together online in tribute.
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