George Segal Movies
George Segal kicked off his performing career as a boy magician in his Long Island neighborhood. An accomplished banjoist, Segal played with Bruno Lynch and His Imperial Jazz before enrolling at Columbia University. After three years' military service, Segal resettled in New York in 1959, and that same year was cast in his first off-Broadway play. Entering films with 1961's The Young Doctors, Segal quickly established himself as one of Hollywood's most accomplished young character actors; in 1967, he received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Nick in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. When one compiles a list of favorite films from the late 1960s-early 1970s, one usually spends a great deal of time exclaiming "Hey! Segal was in that, too." He played a hustling POW in King Rat (1965), a Cagneyesque hood in Saint Valentine's Day Massacre (1967), ulcerated homicide detective Mo Brummel in No Way to Treat a Lady (1968), a neurotic New York Jewish intellectual in Bye Bye Braverman (1968), a straight-laced bachelor in love with a foul-mouthed hooker in The Owl and the Pussycat (1970), and a repressed lawyer saddled with an outrageously senile mother in Where's Poppa? (1970). During this same period, Segal had an arrangement with the ABC TV network, permitting him to star in television adaptations of classic Broadway plays: he was cast as George opposite Nicol Williamson's Lenny in Of Mice and Men, then switched gears as vicious escaped criminal Glenn Griffin in The Desperate Hours. Throughout this busy period in his life, Segal fronted the Beverly Hills Unlisted Jazz Band, cutting several records and making a number of memorable Tonight Show appearances. In 1973, Segal's successful screen teaming with Glenda Jackson in A Touch of Class enabled him to demand a much higher price for his film services; unfortunately, many of the films that followed--The Black Bird (1975) and The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox (1976) in particular--failed to justify Segal's seven-figure price tag. In the 1980s, Segal starred in two well-written but low-rated TV weeklies, Take Five (1987) and Murphy's Law (1989). His film career was lifted from the doldrums in the late 1980s with such plum roles as the pond-scum father of Kirstie Alley's baby in Look Who's Talking (1989) and the "pinko" comedy writer in For the Boys (1991). Segal's projects of the 1990s have included the syndicated TV adventure series High Tide (1994) and such film roles as the bemused husband of abrasive Jewish mama Mary Tyler Moore in the 1996 Ben Stiller vehicle Flirting with Disaster. In 1996, Segal found renewed success on television playing a well-meaning but rather duplicitous publisher whose estranged daughter comes to work for him in the razor-sharp NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me. Though he has yet to win an Oscar, Emmy, Tony or Obie, George Segal has been honored with the 1990 Jewish Cultural Achievement Award. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1996
The Questworld computer system picks up extraterrestrial warnings to stop a series of American space-defense experiments before they begin. Unfortunately, the Quest team learns all too late that the experiments have already been set in motion by the Vice President of the United States -- actually an alien in disguise. Boasting an excellent display of 3-D animation (some of its computerized, but most done the old-fashioned way), "Alien in Washington" made its first cable-TV appearance on September 6, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
Dr. Quest receives a strange package from his old friend, Native American mystic Alice Starseer, containing a curious quartz statue. In turn, the statue contains a rod that acts as a beacon to summon extraterrestrials. Transporting the statue to New Mexico (conveniently close to "Area 51" near Roswell), the Quest team is targetted for scrutiny -- and possible elimination -- by the ubiquitious Men in Black who seem to always be around in sci-fi stories. "Return of the Anasazi" was first telecast on September 9, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
The Philosopher's Stone, which is said to have the power to turn base metals into gold, is located by Dr. Quest, only to be stolen by Quest's duplicitous partner. The villain then kidnaps Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji, intending to use their Purity of Heart to activate the precious Stone. Those celebrated conjurers Faust and Merlin make "cameo" appearances in "The Alchemist," which was first telecast in the United States on September 10, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
Having returned from her journey through space with the Anasazi, Dr. Quest's mystical friend Alice Starseer arrives on earth armed with the Secrets of the Universe. Intending to lay her grandfather to rest, Alice is targetted for abduction by the Quest team's perennial adversary, Jeremiah Surd, who intends to use her secrets for his own evil purposes. "Trouble on the Colorado" originally aired in the United States on September 11, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
Though the mysterious "disappearance" of the 19th century cargo ship Mary Celeste was merely an invention of author Arthur Conan Doyle, it is treated as fact in this entertaining Real Adventures of Jonny Quest installment. While in search of the Mary Celeste's gold cargo in the Sargasso Sea, Dr. Quest comes across several "crop circles" on the ocean floor -- evidence of alien intervention, and a grim omen of the danger soon to face the entire Quest team. "In the Wake of Mary Celeste" initially aired on September 12, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
In Borneo on an archaeological expedition, the Quest team confront the legendary Amok creatures, so named for their ability to attack from several directions at the same time. But there's even more danger at hand in the form of a band of mercenaries, who, hired to destroy a native tribe, add the Quest team members to their list of potential victims. Somewhat reminiscent of the "classic" Jonny Quest episode "Monster of the Monastery," "Amok" originally aired on September 13, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
Jeremiah Surd is back for more deviltry in this episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. Having gained control of the Cetacean Internet bandwith, Surd provokes Cetaceans from all over the world to mount an attack against Questworld. This time, the good guys must put their lives in the hands of their erstwhile cohort Captain Havell. "Besieged in Paradise" made its first cable-TV appearance on September 14, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
Three members of the Quest team go to the Pine Barrens region of New Jersey in search of the legendary Jersey Devil. The heroes find themselves in the middle of a feud between descendants of the Redcoats and Minutemen of the Revolutionary War, with the orginal Declaration of Independence as the bone of contention. While the script veers toward Scooby-Doo territory with a human villain posing as a supernatural monster, there's a neat and satisfying twist at the end of "The Spectre of Pine Barrens," which originally aired on September 17, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
Belle Bonnet was a notorious but basically well-intentioned female outlaw, who, in the 19th century, stole a wagonload of gold in order to finance a Native American school. Lost in the caverns of the Southwestern desert, Belle's ghost still stands guard over her purloined gold. Psychically beckoning Jonny Quest to the treasure, Belle materializes before a huge subterranean lake -- and that's only the beginning of the "fun". "The Ballad of Belle Bonnet" originally aired on September 19, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
Dr. Quest utilizes Questworld computer technology to reassemble a shattered statue of the God Apollo. His efforts are interfered with by Quest's perennial foe Jeremiah Surd, who, hacking into the computer system, lures Jonny into a surreal chamber of horrors in which the statue's supernatural powers are summoned to their full, frightening height. The 25th filmed episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, "Heroes" was the 18th episode to be telecast, on September 18, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
The Quest team arrives on Easter Island, where they come across the remnants of an ancient alien aircraft. All evidence indicates that the alien occupant was the "missing link" who accelerated the evolutionary process. Enter the team's ubiquitious adversary Jeremiah Surd, who intends to conduct an experiment to reverse evolution throughout all mankind. "The Secret of the MOAI" first aired on September 24, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
The Quest team heads to Northern Canada to investigate a series of attacks, allegedly perpetrated by a werewolf. They discover that the elusive lycanthrope is an attactive outback physician named Marie Metier, whom Dr. Quest hopes to cure of her family curse. A new spin on an old story, "In the Darkness of the Moon" was initially telecast on September 23, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
In his never-ending efforts to destroy all Mankind, Ezekial Rage hatches a scheme to destroy the polar ice caps. To this end, Rage steals a tiny but super-powerful nuclear device. To thwart the villain, the Quest team must harness the hitherto untapped powers of the Aurora Borealis. An appropriatley colorful denoument caps (no pun intended) the flashback-laden "Future Rage," which initially aired in the United States on October 29, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
While flying to Northern Siberia to join the rest of the Quest Team, Jessie is forced to make an emergency landing. Exploring the area, she comes across a ancient colony of Russians, living in a subterranean ice fissure -- and, of course, completely unaware that many centuries have passed since their imprisonment. The best scene finds Jessie "improvising" a hot-air balloon. "Ice Will Burn" originally aired on September 26, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1996
A major oil company intends to drill in the Florida Everglades, but its efforts are stymied by a band of unseen saboteurs who leave behind an ancient Viking sword. The Quest team investigates the possibility that a hidden community of ancient Norse warriors is responsible, but the bad guys are a bit more "contemporary" than originally suspected. A highlight is Race Bannon's battle with a surly alligator. "Alligators and Okeechobee Vikings" was first broadcast on November 1, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
- 1995
The Larry Sanders Show is celebrating its eighth anniversary, and guests k.d. lang, Pat O'Brien, Rosie O'Donnell, Mandy Patinkin, and Noah Wyle are booked for the big show. It seems that Murphy's Law is in full effect for the anniversary show, however, and in addition to O'Donnell's limo failing to arrive, it's revealed that lang and Hank (Jeffrey Tambor) have a background as feuding neighbors, while Patinkin and Wyle can't stop arguing over who has a better TV series. As if those factors weren't enough to make the anniversary show a stressful occasion, it seems as if Larry (Garry Shandling) has forgotten to take his usual bathroom break before the show. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
In this actioner a beautiful designer journalist uses her black-belt in karate to stop an assassin from continuing to kill presidential candidates. Journalist Jennifer Barron begins her fight while doing a story about the optimistic Senator Ashton and his running mate Kahn. They are both victims of the killer. When Barron's lover John gets killed in an amusement park, and someone begins stalking her in hopes of taking a computer disk that she may or may not possess, the chop-socky writer has no choice but to defend herself and bring them to justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paige Turco
The price of fame is murder -- or at least it is in the mind of one woman in New Hampshire. Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) has spent most of her life wanting to be famous; she's attractive, speaks well, and imagines herself to be intelligent ("imagines" is the key word here), so she has set her sights on becoming a TV anchorwoman. However, opportunities for female broadcasters are hard to come by in Little Hope, New Hampshire, and she's convinced that her husband, the once handsome but now flabby restaurant manager Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon), is just getting in her way. Suzanne gets herself a spot hosting a weather report on a local public access station, and is preparing a documentary called "Teens Speak Out," which puts her in touch with a trio of high school students -- Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), Russell (Casey Affleck), and Lydia (Alison Folland) -- who are even more desperate for attention than she is. When Suzanne hatches a plot to get Larry out of her life once and for all, she uses Jimmy, who has developed a serious crush on her, to do her dirty work, but Larry's sister Janice (Illeana Douglas), who has long believed there was something fishy about Suzanne, eventually begins to realize what happened to her brother. Nicole Kidman won a Golden Globe award for her work in this film, which represented something of a comeback for director Gus Van Sant after the commercial and critical disaster of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. Screenwriter Buck Henry plays a small role as a high school teacher. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, (more)
A nubile young babysitter (Alicia Silverstone) has no idea that she is the center of a maelstrom of male sexual fantasies. Based on a disturbing short story by Robert Coover, the drama presents a non-linear account of a perfectly mundane event. Having a social engagement, a couple calls for their babysitter. She arrives, they go out, her boyfriend comes over, and the weirdness begins -- for director Guy Ferland makes little distinction between the character fantasies and what is really occurring. Something will happen, and then it will happen again; only the outcome is different. What makes this dark film so disturbingly creepy is that none of the males involved, neither the frustrated boyfriend, the horny husband who hired her, or even her little charge has nice fantasies about her. The film contains several sexual scenes and some scenes of violence. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alicia Silverstone, Jeremy London, (more)
- 1994
With his impending divorce nearly finalized, an increasingly troubled Hank (Jeffrey Tambor) begins exhibiting increasingly bizarre behavior and hitting on guests Sarah Jessica Parker and Mary Gross. With his desperation spiraling increasingly out of control, Hank hits on a visibly distressed Darlene (Linda Doucett) before checking into a hotel to embark on a hollow frenzy of sex and drugs. When the network begins to catch wind of Hank's plunge into darkness, Artie (Rip Torn) sets out to convince his old friend to stay away from destruction and join his old friends in the land of the living. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
- R
A homeless teenager in Los Angeles manages to wind up sharing an apartment in a ritzy complex. One night he sees a beautiful neighbor swimming nude in the pool, when she is suddenly attacked by her crazed, insanely jealous husband. As he is drawn into his neighbor's life, what he doesn't realize is that he is being set up. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
After her own daughter abandons her child, an ambitious and orderly publisher has little choice but to raise the grandchild as her own. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carol Burnett, George Segal, (more)
- 1994
In the television miniseries Picture Windows, a number of acclaimed Hollywood directors and top stars team up for short stories about love. In "Soir Bleu," directed by Norman Jewison, Tully (Alan Arkin) is a clown who has fallen in love with a married woman. To make matters more complex, her husband is the manager of the circus Tully works for. He also beats her, and Tully is desperate to do something to free her from her awful predicament. Peter Bogdanovich directs "Song of Songs," in which George Segal plays Ted, who runs a bakery and has both a wife (Sally Kirkland) and a mistress (Brooke Adams). Soon Ted learns the hard way about the difference between love and lust. And in "Language of the Heart," directed by Jonathan Kaplan, an aging orchestra conductor (Michael Lerner) uses the wisdom of his years to help bring together a poor but gifted busker and a lovely young dancer. Picture Windows was originally produced for the Showtime premium cable network. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Ann-Margret stars as a recently widowed woman who pursues her dream of becoming a country singer by heading to Nashville on a bus tour. ~ Carly Wray, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann-Margret, George Segal, (more)
- 1994
William Forsythe of The Rock and Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead stars in this action thriller about a retiring hitman who finds his final job to be much more than meets the eye. Deciding he's done with the business of killing, John Hatch (Forsythe) informs his CIA handlers that his next hit will be his last. Unfortunately, he soon discovers that his target isn't a criminal at all. Refusing to take the woman out, Hatch instead takes it upon himself to protect her and expose the web of corruption at work. Also starring George Segal and Jo Champa, Direct Hit features an appearance by baseball legend Steve Garvey. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
