Eli Wallach is an American actor. One of the oldest film and theater artists became famous for his roles in The Magnificent Seven, where he played Calver, The Good, the Bad, the Evil, The Godfather-3. Winner of BAFTA, Tony, and Emmy Awards for Film Career Achievement Oscar.
Eli Hershel Wallach (Eli Wallach) played many roles in the legendary films for his long film career. He starred in films by Sturgess, Leone, Coppola. He played the roles of Calver, Tuco and Don Altabello. He played bandits, mafiosi, residents of exotic countries. Even at a very respectable age, almost a hundred years old, the actor did not stop working. True, the roles over time have become much closer and dear to him.
The beginning of creativity
Eli Wallach's biography began in 1915. the future actor was born on December 7 in Brooklyn. The family of Polish immigrants spoke Yiddish. The boy's father owned a pastry shop in the Italian quarter of the city. From an early age, the child became interested in acting. He was planning to go to New York College.
However, poor academic performance made it impossible to obtain the desired education. New York's City College was replaced by the University of Texas at Austin. The student learned horseback riding there. This came in handy when working in summer camps for children, and then when playing in movie theaters. The beginning actor learned the basics of acting in the Neighborhood Playhouse studio.
During World War II, the young man began serving in the Hawaiian Medical Unit. He attended refresher courses for junior officers and was seconded to Casablanca and France. Abroad, for the first time, the guy's artistic abilities turned out to be very useful.
With fellow workers at the hospital, Eli composed and directed the satirical play "Is this an army?" The young playwright ridiculed European dictators in his creation. Wallach himself played in Hitler's play. After returning to New York, Eli concluded that his dream was still a stage.
The teaching, which his sisters and brothers chose, did not attract the artist. He joined the newly formed "Actors Studio" along with Marlon Brando.
Personal life and career
Then he met his future wife, also an actress, Anne Jackson. The actor officially became her husband in 1948. The family had three children. Subsequently, both daughters, Katherine and Robert, chose an artistic career, and their son Peter became a cartoonist. Roberta played the role of Ruth in Newman's drama The Influence of Gamma Rays on the Behavior of Daisies.
Wallach's performing career began in the theater. Since 1945 he has been involved in professional Broadway productions. In 1951, the artist was awarded the Tony Prize for his performance in Tennessee Williams' Rose Tattoo, the role of Alvaro.
Eliya Kazan's immoral heartthrob made her film debut in the film "Doll". Subsequently, the actor recalled the director as one of his favorite directors. In the fifties, Eli became one of the most revered theater artists. In the late nineties, the actor successfully played in the off-Broadway play Visiting Mr. Green”, which became a real hit.
He played in Rhinoceros, a two-piece show called The Tiger and The Typist with his wife, and appeared in The Waltz of the Toreadors and Every Good Boy Deserves Favor. In 1997, the performer became a wayward widower in a play by Jeff Baron called "Visiting Mr. Green." According to the plot, the character meets a young reckless man, turning into his friend. The work was recognized as outstanding.
Among the works of the performer there are many unconventional supporting characters. Playing Jewish heroes, the actor recalled his own upbringing and origins. With his wife and daughters, he took part in the theatrical production of The Diaries of Anne Frank. The play ran for a year.
Kinoroli
Filmmaking began with the role of Silva Vaccaro in Doll, written by Tennessee Williams. The artist was filmed constantly, but he rarely appeared in the main roles. Most notable were his gang leader in The Magnificent Seven, Guido in The Misfits, the unpredictable Davis Leland in How to Steal a Million, Ben Baker from McKenna's Gold. The role of Tuko in the famous film "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly" was named the best work.
In total, the artist played 80 characters in films and TV shows. Neither old age, nor a serious illness suffered from prevented the continuation of an artistic career until the last days.
The artist's Jewish heroes are especially varied. He reincarnated as a lawyer defending the right of neo-Nazis to marches in the movie "Skoki", was a jeweler in the Warsaw ghetto, who bought the right to escape and because of this abandoned children in the TV movie "The Wall". The actor played the role of the head of the Mossad in The Incredible Spy.
In old age, Eli played the role of the father of the main character, a supporting role in the telenovela "Raising Max Bickford". Wallach himself spoke of this work as the result of filmmaking.
He admitted that after the very exotic characters he was finally trusted with the role of respectable representatives of society. In 2005 Wallach became the author of the autobiographical book The Good, the Bad and Me.
In 2006, Eli guest starred in the television series Studio 60 on Sunset Street. He reincarnated as a blacklisted writer in the fifties. His character Edie Weinrob created the script for a comedy show. For his work, the performer in 2007 was nominated for an Emmy. The artist passed away in 2014, on June 24.
