Born in Great Neck, New York, Segal began his career playing the banjo with Bruno Lynch and The Impressive Jazz Band and went on to an acclaimed film career in which he became a top box-office draw worldwide.

After appearing in several movies in the 1960s, he drew attention for his role as a distraught newlywed in Ship of Fools. He earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance in the 1966 feature Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Segal continued to win raves for his roles in such films as The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, No Way to Treat a Lady, The Owl and the Pussycat, Loving, Born to Win, A Touch of Class and Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? In 1975, he appeared in a spoof of the classic Maltese Falcon, titled The Black Bird, and was reunited with his A Touch of Class co-star Glenda Jackson in the 1979 Lost and Found.

After taking some time off in the early 1980s, he starred as the father of Kirstie Alley's baby in the hit movie Look Who's Talking. He reprised the role in the sequel, Look Who's Talking Now. In recent years, he appeared in the features For the Boys with Bette Midler and James Caan, The Cable Guy with Jim Carrey, Flirting with Disaster with Mary Tyler Moore and The Mirror Has Two Faces with Barbra Streisand and Lauren Bacall.

Segal starred in the television series Murphy's Law, in which he portrayed an insurance investigator, as well as the 1986 series Take Five and the 1993 series High Tide. He has also appeared in numerous television movies including Death of a Salesman, Of Mice and Men, Following Her Heart and The Paul Fleiss Story. He plays Harry Houdini's legendary producer/manager, Martin Beck, in the upcoming cable bio-drama Houdini: Believe. Recently, he guest-starred in The Naked Truth as Téa Leoni's dad, and in Caroline in the City. He also had a recurring part on Tracey Ullman's cable series Tracey Takes On...

Segal lives in Los Angeles and continues to enjoy playing the banjo. His birthday is February 13.