Jewish-American actor George Siegel passed away today (Wednesday) at the age of 87. Siegel, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” starred in movies like “I Love My Divorce” and “Look Who’s Talking “And in the TV series” Kill Me and That’s It “and” The Goldbergs. “
Siegel’s widow, Sonia Greenbaum, issued a statement stating that Siegel had died as a result of complications following a bypass surgery.
Sony Studios, which has been producing the “Goldbergs” series in which he has been participating since 2013, said that “we are sorry for the passing of George Siegel. He was a true icon and legend in the industry. George lit up the screen every time he was in front of the camera and was c. “A warm and genuine gentleman.” It was also reported that the last episode featuring Siegel will be broadcast in the United States in about two weeks.
Siegel attended a boarding school belonging to the Quakers community, attended Everford College in Pennsylvania and then Columbia University, where he successfully graduated in 1955. In 1956 he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
He began his career as a film actor in the early 1960s when he appeared in the dramas “The Longest Day” as an American landing, “The Whip Ship” as the Jewish passenger David, in “King Rat” as the first lead as “The King” in the camp The Japanese POWs and in the West “Invitation to a Gun”.
For his early work, Siegel received the 1965 Golden Globe Award for Best Promising Actor, along with Israeli actor Haim Topol.
In 1966, Siegel received a significant upgrade in his career thanks to a role he received from director Mike Nichols in the drama “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”. For his performance as the young and fun guide Nick, Siegel was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Siegel in his youth (Photo: YouTube screenshot)In addition to his acclaimed appearance, Siegel also starred in the lead role in the British spy thriller “Mission Berlin” and in the war drama “The Lost Command”. In 1967, Siegel appeared in Roger Corman’s crime film based on “Valentine’s Day Massacre” as the hired killer Peter Gossenberg, a member of the “Northern Gang.”
In 1968 he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Award for Best Supporting Actor for his appearance in the comedy thriller “No Way to Treat a Lady” as Detective Morris Bromel and starred in Sydney Lumet’s “Bye Bye a Brave Man” film. In the role of Lieutenant Phil Hartman.
In 1973, Siegel won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy / Musical for his performance as Steve Blackburn in the British romantic comedy “Touch of Quality.”
In the 1970s, he also starred alongside Barbara Streisand in the comedy “The Owl and the Kitten” as the reporter Felix, alongside Robert Redford in the comedic crime drama “The Hot Diamond” and alongside Goldie Hawn in the western “The Duchess and Dietwater Fox,” in which he played the gambler Dietwater Fox.
In 1976, Siegel was honored to host the Academy Awards alongside film stars Walter Matteo, Gene Kelly, Robert Shaw and Goldie Hawn. In 1978, Siegel starred in the cooking comedy “Small Murders of Big Kitchen Wizards” as fast food entrepreneur Robbie Ross.
In 1981, Siegel appeared in the comedy “Copy Coal” alongside movie star Denzel Washington in his debut. The 1980s were marked by a certain stagnation in Siegel’s acting career and he turned to music and formed his own jazz band.
In 1989 he starred in the hit comedy “Look Who’s Talking” as Albert, a married man who conceives the protagonist of the plot, the accountant Molly Jensen (Kirsty Ellie). In 1991, he starred in the musical drama “For the Boys” as Art Silver, the joke writer of entertainer Dixie Leonard (Bett Midler).
In 1996, he co-starred with Ben Stiller in the comedies “Me, My Wife and My Stepmother” in the role of Mel Coplin’s adoptive father and “Cable Guy” in Stiller’s production as the father of Stephen (Matthew Broderick).
That same year, Siegel returned to collaborate with Barbara Streisand after about 26 years in the comedy-drama directed by Two Faces. He last appeared in cinemas in 2010 in the comedy-drama “On Love and Other Drugs” as Jamie Randall’s father (Jake Gyllenhaal). Starting in 2013, Siegel starred in the TV series “The Goldbergs”.