American novelist Erich Segal is most remembered for authoring the novel and screenplay Love Story, but spent most of his life as a classics professor, teaching at Yale University, Harvard University, and Princeton University. In addition to writing scripts and essays, he was a literary critic and a sports commentator. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/19/erich-segal-obituary Segal was multi-lingual, with a command of Hebrew, Latin and Greek as well as English. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/19/erich-segal-obituary The son of a rabbi, Segal was raised in Brooklyn, though partially educated in Switzerland. He was the Latin salutorian of his undergraduate class at Harvard University, where he also received his master’s degree and doctorate.http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/19/erich-segal-obituary

After a 25 year struggle with Parkinson’s disease, Erich Segal succumbed to a heart attack and passed away in January of 2010. He was survived by his wife, Karen James, whom he married in 1975, and his daughters Miranda and Francesca Segal. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/books/20segal.html?_r=1

While a student at Harvard, Segal was rejected for a staff position at their literary magazine, The Crimson. He went on to write his first play, The Big Fizz, which was produced by Harvard’s Hasty Pudding theatre company, but was met with mediocre reviews. As a graduate student, he wrote a Homeric parody, Sing, Muse!, which met with much more success. An off-Broadway producer happened to view the show, and bought it, creating a springboard for Segal’s script-writing success. http://web.archive.org/web/20080609030154/http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=523642 He went on to write other screenplays throughout the sixties, though the one he received the most recognition for was Yellow Submarine, mainly because of the connection with The Beatles.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011904354.html

At Harvard University, in the autumn of 1968, Segal wrote the screenplay for Love Story. When several pitches to movie producers did not meet with an offer, his literary agent (from the William Morris Agency), convinced him to turn the story into a novel.The first paperback release of the novelization set records as the largest print order in publishing at that time, with 4,325,000 books published in the first edition.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011904354.html Paramount Pictures, at the time struggling to survive as a studio, found great success when they released Love Story as a film in 1970. It received seven Oscar nominations, winning one for best original score. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/books/20segal.html?_r=1

"True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked." -Erich Segalhttp://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Erich_Segal/

"Love means not ever having to say you're sorry." -Erich Segal, Love Story (1970)http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Erich_Segal/

"What can you say about a twenty-five year old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant. That she loved Mozart and Bach. The Beatles. And me." -Erich Segal, Love Story (1970)http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/15516.Erich_Segal

"Part of being a big winner is the ability to be a big loser. There is no paradox involved. It is a distinctly Harvard thing to be able to turn any defeat into victory" -Erich Segalhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/15516.Erich_Segal

"I think the Peace Corps is a fine thing, don't you?" he said. "Well," I replied, "it's certainly better than War Corps." -Erich Segal, Love Story (1970)http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/15516.Erich_Segal

"Quiet heroism or youthful idealism, or both? What do we know? That life without heroism and idealism is not worth living - or that either can be fatal?"' -Erich Segal, The Class (1985)http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/15516.Erich_Segal

• Euripides. A collection of critical essays (1968)

• Roman laughter: the comedy of Platus (1970)

• Love Story (1970)

• Oliver's Story (1977)

• Man, Woman and Child (1980)

• The Class (1985)

• Doctors (1988)

• Acts of Faith (1992)

• Prizes (1995)

• Only Love (1997)

• The Death of Comedy (2001)

Screenplay Writer:

• Yellow Submarine (1968)
• The Games (1970)
• R.P.M. (1970)
• Love Story (1970)
• Jennifer on My Mind (1971)
• Oliver's Story (1978)
• A Change of Seasons (1980)
• Man, Woman and Child (1983)
• Only Love (1998)
• Love (2008)

Script Supervisor:

• A Ilha (1990)
• Arrivederci Roma (1990)
• Sunday Pursuit (1990)
• Ransom (1990)
• Inspiration (1990)
• Carnaval (1990)
• Pas de deux (1990)
• Puerto Verde (1990)
• Coup de foudre (TV series 1990 - 1992)http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0781777/