by Sebastian Kluth
This is a little message in honour of one of my favourite actors of all times who passed away a few days ago.
Eli Wallach was an American actor born of Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn on December 7, 1915. He grew up in an Italian American neighbourhood. He graduated in 1936 from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in history where he also got a few first acting experiences. In 1938, he received a master of arts degree in education from the City College of New York. He got his first method acting experience when he started to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. His education was cut short when he was drafted into the Army in January 1941. During World War II, he went to Hawaii, Texas, Casablanca and different parts of France. He continued to act as he performed in a humorous play called "Is This the Army?" with his unit where he would portray Adolf Hitler. Eli Wallach would continue his acting career in New York City after the war and would meet talents like Marlon Brando and Sidney Lumet. He also became friends with Marilyn Monroe and met his future wife Anne Jackson. Wallach made his Broadway debut in 1945 and won a Tony Award for his performance in the Tennessee Williams play "The Rose Tattoo" in 1951.
Eli Wallach in Tennesse Williams' "The Rose Tattoo" adaption in 1951
Eli Wallach and his wife Anne Jackson became one of the most famous acting couples in the forties and fifties. Wallach refused to play any movies at that point and declined several offers. He had to reconsider his decision when he had to pay some bills and finally accepted to start acting in movies in the mid-fifties. His debut "Baby Doll" in 1956 was very successful and Eli Wallach won a British Academy Film Award as "Most Promising Newcomer".
Eli Wallach in "Baby Doll" (1956)
Eli Wallach would act in his first Western in 1960 which would become a famous cult movie. This movie was "The Magnificent Seven" where he played the Mexican bandit Calvera. Since then, Wallach would often be asked to perform in this kind of movies. He performed for example in the all-star epic "How the West Was Won" in 1962 along with actors like Henry Fonda, James Stewart and John Wayne. On the other side, he also played in Marilyn Monroe's last film before her death in 1961, entitled "The Misfits".
Eli Wallach with Marilyn Monroe in "The Misfits" (1961)
His most famous and iconic role was probably when he starred as Mexican bandit Tuco in Sergio Leone's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". Eli Wallach played along with iconic actors Lee Van Cleef and Clint Eastwood in this timeless cult movie.
From left to right: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef in "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966)
Eli Wallach also played in a couple of famous television movies and series. He won the 1966-1967 Emmy Award for his role in the telefilm "The Poppy is Also a Flower". He earned another Emmy nomination in 2007 for his role as Eli Weinraub in the television series "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip". Eli Wallach occasionally portrayed the evil Mr. Freeze in the "Batman" series between 1966 and 1968. He received a high number of fan mails due to this role.
Eli Wallach as Mr. Freeze in the "Batman" series (1967)
In 1980, Eli Wallach played in Steve McQueen's final acting role before his death, which was the thriller "The Hunter".
Eli Wallach in "The Hunter" with Steve McQueen (1980)
In his later career, Eli Wallach became known to a wider public when he portrayed Don Altobello in "The Godfather Part III" in 1990. In 2006, Eli Wallach also starred in the romantic comedy movie "The Holiday" along with actors and actresses like Jack Black, Cameron Diaz, Dustin Hoffman, Jude Law and Kate Winslet who were all impressed by his charisma. He also had short roles in Clint Eastwood's critically acclaimed "Mystic River" in 2003, in Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer" in 2010 and finally in Oliver Stone's "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" in 2010. The latter appearance would be Eli Wallach's final acting experience.
Eli Wallach as Don Altobello in "The Godfather Part III" (1990)
On November 13, 2010, Eli Wallach received an Academy Honorary Award for his contribution to the film industry from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Eli Wallach with Clint Eastwood and Robert De Niro is holding his Academy Honorary Award in 2010
Eli Wallach died on June 24, 2014, in New York, aged 98, and is survived by his wife of 66 years, three children, five grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Now, one of the world's most talented and versatile actors is gone but his incredible movies and series will never be forgotten. Rest in peace, Eli Wallach!