George Segal, the iconic actor from 1960s and 1970s Hollywood and also known for classic sitcoms like 'Just Shoot Me' and 'The Goldbergs', died on Tuesday, March 23, at the age of 87. The tragic news of his death was confirmed by his wife, Sonia Schultz Greenbaum, who issued a statement saying, “The family is devastated to announce that this morning George Segal passed away due to complications from bypass surgery."
Segal is survived by his wife, Sonia, his teenage sweetheart from school whom he married in 1998, after two previous marriages. They had been happily married for more than 22 years till Segal died on Tuesday. The couple has a heartwarming love story akin to a fairytale.
READ MORE
Who is Sonia Schultz Greenbaum?
Sonia Schultz Greenbaum happens to be the high school girlfriend of George Segal, who fell in love during their time in George School, Bucks, Pennsylvania. However, as fate would have it, the two separated ways to pursue their own career paths.
They went on with their own lives and settled down with other people. However, the star-crossed lovers have reunited once again 50 years later.
Segal joined the military after completing his college education. Ultimately, he set his sight on acting and scaled the pinnacle of success in this profession, which included a prestigious Academy Award nomination.
Meanwhile, Greenbaum worked at a New York Cafe as a waitress. She later married her former husband, with whom she shared three children. Their meeting happened again at their 45th high school reunion, at a time when Segal was reeling from the tragic death of his second wife Linda Rogoff.
The fairytale romance of George Segal and Sonia Schultz Greenbaum
In 1956, he first got married to film editor Marion Segal Freed. The pair lived happily till circumstances led to their divorce in 1983. They also shared two daughters, Polly and Elizabeth Segal. On October 9, 1983, Segal tied the knot for the second time with Linda Sue Rogoff. However, their beautiful relationship was short-lived as Rogoff died from a terminal illness in 1996.
At that time, Segal received an invitation to his 45th school reunion, but he was too heartbroken and grief-struck to attend. "I declined the invitation because I was at the lowest time of my roller-coaster life. With Linda dying, I lost interest in everything. I worked to make a living. Acting, like life, became a joyless job. And so I couldn't make the high school reunion," Segal revealed in an interview, reports Hollywood Mask.
However, the organizers of the party wanted Segal to be present, and they assigned Greenbaum with the task of convincing him. What started out as a formal request ended up in the duo talking for hours, as the former lovers felt very comfortable in each other's company. "It was magic. It was like all that spiritual stuff I had heard about, but when it happens in your life, you believe in miracles. She put the joy back in my life," Segal had said.
The couple soon got married on September 28, 1998, to cement their lifelong love for each other. And till Segal's death, they shared a strong bond.
ncG1vNJzZmillZbEuHrCqKRoq5%2BjtqJ50pyfrqSkr3qovsSepZuZpaJ6qLHOq56eZaOatKK4jK2foqqUYsSqssRmn6KfmGLApLTOqKNmq6easrW0xJqprQ%3D%3D