Erich Wolf Segal was an American writer and classicist, best known for his novel Love Story (1970) and its film adaptation. He also wrote screenplays, taught literature, and published works on Greek and Latin texts.
Born June 16, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York, Erich Segal grew up in a Jewish family. His father was a rabbi, and his mother was a housewife. His grandfather was from Vilnius. He attended Midwood High School, where he had a canoeing accident. To recover, he took up jogging, which led to his passion for running. He went on to run the Boston Marathon more than 12 times.
Segal attended Harvard College, graduating in 1958 as a class poet and Latin salutatorian. He received his master's degree in 1959 and his doctorate in 1965, both in comparative literature. After completing his studies, he began teaching at Yale.
In 1967 Segal worked on the screenplay for Yellow Submarine (1968), based on a story by Lee Minoff. He also acted in small roles, appearing in Without Apparent Motive and Jennifer on My Mind. His first academic book, Roman Laughter: The Comedy of Plautus (1968), won acclaim for its study of Roman comedy.
In the late 1960s, Segal wrote a story about a Harvard and Radcliffe student. When he failed to sell the screenplay, literary agent Lois Wallace suggested he turn it into a novel. Love Story (1970) became a New York Times #1 bestseller and the best-selling fiction book of the year. It has been translated into 33 languages. The film version, also written by Segal, was the highest-grossing film of 1970.
Despite its success, the novel caused Segal problems. He admitted that it inspired "egotism bordering on megalomania". Yale denied him tenure. The National Book Awards removed the novel from its shortlist after judges threatened to resign. Segal later said, "The book completely ruined me.
He continued to write and published Oliver's Story (1977), a sequel to Love Story. His novel The Class (1985), inspired by his Harvard class, won literary prizes in France and Italy. Doctors (1988) was another bestseller. He also wrote a study of theatre history, The Death of Comedy (2001).
Segal has taught Greek and Latin literature at Harvard, Yale and Princeton. He was an honorary fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, and a visiting professor at Princeton, Dartmouth, and the University of Munich.
An accomplished runner, Segal participated in the Boston Marathon almost every year from 1955 to 1975, with his best time being 2:56:30 in 1964. He also worked as a television commentator for the 1972 and 1976 Olympic marathons.
During Frank Shorter's 1972 gold medal win, an impostor entered the stadium ahead of him. Segal shouted, "This is a cheat! Get him off the track!" His emotional reaction became one of the most memorable American sports calls.
In 1975, Segal married Karen James and settled in north-west London. They had two daughters, Miranda and Francesca. Francesca, born in 1980, became a journalist and literary critic.
Erich Segal suffered from Parkinson's disease and died of a heart attack on 17 January 2010.
Born June 16, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York, Erich Segal grew up in a Jewish family. His father was a rabbi, and his mother was a housewife. His grandfather was from Vilnius. He attended Midwood High School, where he had a canoeing accident. To recover, he took up jogging, which led to his passion for running. He went on to run the Boston Marathon more than 12 times.
Segal attended Harvard College, graduating in 1958 as a class poet and Latin salutatorian. He received his master's degree in 1959 and his doctorate in 1965, both in comparative literature. After completing his studies, he began teaching at Yale.
In 1967 Segal worked on the screenplay for Yellow Submarine (1968), based on a story by Lee Minoff. He also acted in small roles, appearing in Without Apparent Motive and Jennifer on My Mind. His first academic book, Roman Laughter: The Comedy of Plautus (1968), won acclaim for its study of Roman comedy.
In the late 1960s, Segal wrote a story about a Harvard and Radcliffe student. When he failed to sell the screenplay, literary agent Lois Wallace suggested he turn it into a novel. Love Story (1970) became a New York Times #1 bestseller and the best-selling fiction book of the year. It has been translated into 33 languages. The film version, also written by Segal, was the highest-grossing film of 1970.
Despite its success, the novel caused Segal problems. He admitted that it inspired "egotism bordering on megalomania". Yale denied him tenure. The National Book Awards removed the novel from its shortlist after judges threatened to resign. Segal later said, "The book completely ruined me.
He continued to write and published Oliver's Story (1977), a sequel to Love Story. His novel The Class (1985), inspired by his Harvard class, won literary prizes in France and Italy. Doctors (1988) was another bestseller. He also wrote a study of theatre history, The Death of Comedy (2001).
Segal has taught Greek and Latin literature at Harvard, Yale and Princeton. He was an honorary fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, and a visiting professor at Princeton, Dartmouth, and the University of Munich.
An accomplished runner, Segal participated in the Boston Marathon almost every year from 1955 to 1975, with his best time being 2:56:30 in 1964. He also worked as a television commentator for the 1972 and 1976 Olympic marathons.
During Frank Shorter's 1972 gold medal win, an impostor entered the stadium ahead of him. Segal shouted, "This is a cheat! Get him off the track!" His emotional reaction became one of the most memorable American sports calls.
In 1975, Segal married Karen James and settled in north-west London. They had two daughters, Miranda and Francesca. Francesca, born in 1980, became a journalist and literary critic.
Erich Segal suffered from Parkinson's disease and died of a heart attack on 17 January 2010.
leveår: 16 juni 1937 – 17 januar 2010
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