Photo: Studio / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on December 7, 1915 in Brooklyn, New York, United States, Eli Wallach was a film actor, autobiographer and character actor. Eli Wallach died on June 24, 2014, aged 98. Education on record includes Erasmus Hall High School and University of Texas at Austin. Listed accolades include Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (1951), BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles (1957), Academy Honorary Award (2010) and 5 more.
My Take
Eli Wallach is my favorite kind of actor: the one who steals scenes without ever needing top billing. Across more than six decades, the Brooklyn-born character actor turned supporting roles into something unforgettable, none more so than his bandit in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He won a Tony and a BAFTA, served in World War II, and finally received an Academy Honorary Award at 94. What I admire most is how he made a virtue of not being the lead. Wallach proved that craft and presence outlast stardom, and his work is a quiet masterclass in the art of the supporting role.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Eli Wallach
- Name (Japanese)
- イーライ・ウォラック
- Reading
- いーらい・うぉらっく
- Born
- December 7, 1915 – June 24, 2014
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Rabbit
- Origin
- Brooklyn, New York, United States
- Occupation
- film actor / autobiographer / character actor / film producer / stage actor
2. Background
- High school
- Erasmus Hall High School
- University
- University of Texas at Austin
Awards & achievements
- 1951 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play
- 1957 BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
- 2010 Academy Honorary Award
- 1951 Theatre World Award
- Good Conduct Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Eli Wallach born?
Born December 7, 1915.
When did Eli Wallach die?
Died June 24, 2014, aged 98.
Where was Eli Wallach from?
Eli Wallach was from Brooklyn, New York, United States.
What did Eli Wallach do?
Eli Wallach worked as film actor, autobiographer, character actor, film producer, stage actor.
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