Segal began his more than 50-year career with small roles in films and TV series before the breakthrough came with Mike Nichol's film adaptation of Who's Afraid of Viriginia Woolf in 1966. Like the other three actors in the film - Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Sandy Dennis - were nominated Segal to an Oscar for his efforts.
Unlike Taylor and Dennis, however, he did not win a statuette.
During the 1970s and 80s, a long line of lead roles followed against Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn and Barbra Streisand, among others, before the many TV roles in everything from Murder and no songs to Entourage eventually took over.
He was active until recently and played for the past eight years Pops Solomon in the comedy series The Goldbergs.
Segal died in the suites of a bypass operation. He turned 87 years old.