--- name: "Eli Wallach" canonical: "https://film.one/person/eli-wallach" fi1m_id: "eli-wallach" imdb_id: "nm0908919" tmdb_id: 3265 wikidata_id: "Q104067" roles: ["Actor"] born: "7 December 1915" died: "24 June 2014" reviewed_on_fi1m: 6 average_fi1m_score: 71 average_as: "actor" average_over: 5 updated: "2026-10-07T15:06:59.002090+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Eli Wallach ## Identity Eli Wallach - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/eli-wallach - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** eli-wallach - **IMDb ID:** nm0908919 - **TMDB ID:** 3265 - **Wikidata ID:** Q104067 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Wallach, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104067, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0908919/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3265 Actor. Born 7 December 1915 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. Died 24 June 2014. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 7 December 1915, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA - **Died:** 24 June 2014 - **Active:** 1960–2009 - **Also known as:** Ely Wallach, 엘리 웰라치, Елай Воллак, Eli Herschel Wallach, ایلی والاک - **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 5 acting, 1 other - **BAFTA Film Awards:** 1 BAFTA (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 71, as actor, over 5 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 77 (2), 1990s 63 (1), 2000s 73 (3) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 71 to 66 across 5 titles - **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 1 of 4 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 2, Drama 2, Western 2, Crime 1, Romance 1, Thriller 1 - **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $381m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Wallach, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104067, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0908919/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3265 ## Streaming the US now - **The Roku Channel:** [*The Good, the Bad and the Ugly*](https://film.one/film/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly.md) (92) - **Paramount+:** [*The Godfather Part III*](https://film.one/film/the-godfather-part-iii.md) (63) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Eli Wallach > Eli Wallach gives rogues appetites, grievances and enough vulnerability to make us care what happens to them. His acting can be large, but in *The Good, the Bad and the Ugly* it is exactly the disturbance the film needs. In *The Good, the Bad and the Ugly* (1966), Eli Wallach's Tuco Ramirez has grievances to air while the men beside him hold still. Eastwood's Blondie makes us watch for tiny changes of expression; Lee Van Cleef's Angel Eyes hardly invites conversation. Wallach gives Tuco the untidy appetites that neither of them cares to display. The contrast is funny, but it also gives us someone whose fortunes matter beyond the gold hunt. We warmed to Tuco despite ourselves, because Wallach keeps his vulnerability visible even at his most shameless. The westerns gave that physical energy prominent work, though his screen career began with *Baby Doll* (1956), playing Silva Vacarro. By *The Magnificent Seven* (1960), he was Calvera, the bandit leader, a part that made good use of his force in an ensemble. These are useful landmarks, but we would not treat the bandits as the whole actor. He moved among villains and authority figures, making supporting characters memorable through detail as well as energy. His approach to acting was practical: he took the techniques he could use rather than committing himself to a single method. His acting can look theatrical on screen, and we would not want every member of an ensemble working at his pitch. Sergio Leone makes that size useful by putting him beside actors who give so little away. Their stillness gives Tuco's complaints and appetites more room, while Wallach supplies the grubby humour. He does not have to make Tuco quieter to make him convincing. The care lies in allowing us to enjoy the man's shamelessness without forgetting that he can be hurt. Later came Don Altobello in *The Godfather Part III* (1990) and Mr. Loonie in *Mystic River* (2003), directed by his former co-star Clint Eastwood. Wallach sustained his supporting career across film, television and stage into his nineties, well beyond the prominent western roles of the 1960s. For a first encounter, choose Tuco, with a little patience for the film's wandering middle stretch. ## Biography Eli Wallach was an American actor whose career spanned more than six decades across stage, film and television. Born Eli Herschel Wallach in Brooklyn, New York, on 7 December 1915, he studied at the University of Texas and City College of New York before training at the Neighborhood Playhouse and becoming a founding member of the Actors Studio. He made his Broadway debut in 1945 and won a Tony Award for his performance in The Rose Tattoo (1951). Wallach's film debut came in Baby Doll (1956), for which he received a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer. He became known for character roles including Calvera in The Magnificent Seven (1960) and Tuco Ramirez in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). Later credits include Don Altobello in The Godfather Part III (1990), appearances in Mystic River (2003) and The Holiday (2006), and work on television series such as ER. He received an Emmy Award and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2010. Wallach died in New York City on 24 June 2014. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, oscars.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (6) ### Performed in (5) — the average rests on these - *Nurse Jackie* (2009), Fi1m 72, as Bernard Zimberg — [page](https://film.one/tv/nurse-jackie.md) - *The Holiday* (2006), Fi1m 64, as Arthur — [page](https://film.one/film/the-holiday.md) - *The Godfather Part III* (1990), Fi1m 63, as Don Altobello — [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather-part-iii.md) - *The Good, the Bad and the Ugly* (1966), Fi1m 92, as Tuco Ramirez — [page](https://film.one/film/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly.md) - *How the West Was Won* (1962), Fi1m 62, as Charlie Gant — [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-west-was-won.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Mystic River* (2003), Fi1m 82, as Mr. Loonie (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/mystic-river.md) ## Complete filmography (159) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Train* (2015), as Andre - *Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps* (2010), as Julie Steinhardt - *Ahead of Time: The Extraordinary Journey of Ruth Gruber* (2010), as Mordechai Rossman (voice) - *The Ghost Writer* (2010), as Old man - *Nurse Jackie* (2009), series, as Bernard Zimberg — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/nurse-jackie.md) - *In the Name of Democracy* (2009), as Narrator - *The Toe Tactic* (2009), as Maestro - *New York, I Love You* (2008), as Abe - *Vote and Die: Liszt for President* (2008), as Joe Nightingale - *Mama's Boy* (2007), as Seymour Warburton - *The War* (2007), series, as Narrator (voice) - *The Holiday* (2006), as Arthur — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-holiday.md) - *The Hoax* (2006), as Noah Dietrich - *Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip* (2006), series, as Eli Weinraub - *A Taste Of Jupiter* (2005), as Arturo - *The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation* (2005), as Father - *The Easter Egg Adventure* (2004), as Narrator (voice) - *Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson* (2004), as Other Voices (voice) - *Stroker and Hoop* (2004), series, as Narrator (voice) - *King of the Corner* (2004), as Sol Spivak - *Mystic River* (2003), as Mr. Loonie (uncredited) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/mystic-river.md) - *Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip* (2003), as Other Voices (voice) - *Whoopi* (2003), series, as Norman - *Veritas: The Quest* (2003), series, as Rabbi - *Monday Night Mayhem* (2002), as Leonard Goldenson - *The Job* (2001), series, as Mr. Weiss - *Uninvited* (2000), as Alan Strasser - *Keeping the Faith* (2000), as Rabbi Ben Lewis - *The Bookfair Murders* (2000), as Erich Schmidt - *Naked City: Justice with a Bullet* (1998), as Deluca - *The Trial of Adolf Eichmann* (1997), as Pinchas Freudiger / David Ben-Gurion (voices) - *The Associate* (1996), as Donald Fallon - *O. Henry's Christmas* (1996), as Behrman ("The Last Leaf") - *Honey Sweet Love* (1996), as Don Siro - *The Search for Dracula* (1996), as Narrator - *Two Much* (1995), as Sheldon - *Elia Kazan: A Director's Journey* (1995), as Narrator - *It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein* (1994), as Narrator - *ER* (1994), series, as Mr. Langston — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md) - *Baseball* (1994), series, as Various (voice), (voice) - *Vendetta II: The New Mafia* (1993), as Frank Latella - *Lincoln* (1992), as William Crook (voice) - *The Donner Party* (1992), as voice - *The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980* (1992), as Don Altobello - *Night and the City* (1992), as Peck - *Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story* (1992), as Bill Presser - *Mistress* (1992), as George Lieberhof - *Nonsense and Lullabyes: Poems* (1992), as (voice) - *Legacy of Lies* (1992), as Moses Resnick - *Article 99* (1992), as Sam Abrams - *Nonsense and Lullabyes: Nursery Rhymes* (1992), as (voice) - *Terezin Diary* (1991), as Narrator - *The Godfather Part III* (1990), as Don Altobello — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather-part-iii.md) - *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Simon Vilanis — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md) - *The Two Jakes* (1990), as Cotton Weinberger - *An Empire of Reason* (1988), as Anti-Federalist Spokesman - *The Impossible Spy* (1987), as Yacov - *Nuts* (1987), as Dr. Herbert A. Morrison - *Spark Among the Ashes: A Bar Mitzvah in Poland* (1987), as Narrator (voice) - *Something in Common* (1986), as Norman Voss - *Worlds Beyond* (1986), series, as Charles Burgess - *Tough Guys* (1986), as Leon B. Little - *Rocket to the Moon* (1986), as Mr. Prince - *Murder: By Reason of Insanity* (1985), as Dr. Huffman - *The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1985), series, as Yosef Kandinsky - *Our Family Honor* (1985), series, as Vincent Danzig - *Embassy* (1985), as Joe Verga - *Christopher Columbus* (1985), series, as Padre Fernando De Talavera - *Screen Two* (1985), series, as Yacov - *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Salvatore Gambini - *Highway to Heaven* (1984), series, as Timothy Charles, Gene Malloy - *Sam's Son* (1984), as Sam Orowitz - *Anatomy of an Illness* (1984), as Dr. William Hitzig - *The Executioner's Song* (1982), series, as Vern Damico - *The Executioner's Song* (1982), as Vern Damico - *The Wall* (1982), as Mauritzi Apt - *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Mr. Prince - *Skokie* (1981), as Bert Silverman - *The Salamander* (1981), as General Leporello - *The Pride of Jesse Hallam* (1981), as Sal Galucci - *Fugitive Family* (1980), as Olan Vacio - *Guri* (1980), Actor - *The Hunter* (1980), as Ritchie Blumenthal - *Winter Kills* (1979), as Joe Diamond - *Firepower* (1979), as Sal Hyman - *Tales of the Unexpected* (1979), series, as Gerry Williams - *Movie Movie* (1978), as Vince Marlow / Pop - *Little Italy* (1978), as Don Gerolamo Giarra - *Girlfriends* (1978), as Rabbi Gold - *Circle of Iron* (1978), as Man-in-Oil - *The Pirate* (1977), series, as Ben Ezra - *The Deep* (1977), as Adam Coffin - *The Domino Principle* (1977), as Gen. Reser - *Seventh Avenue* (1977), series, as Gus Farber - *Nasty Habits* (1977), as Monsignor - *The Sentinel* (1977), as Detective Gatz - *Plot of Fear* (1976), as Peter Struwwel - *Independence* (1976), as Benjamin Franklin - *Eye of the Cat* (1975), as Cesare - *The White, The Yellow, and The Black* (1975), as Sheriff Edward Gideon / aka Black Jack - *Houston, We've Got a Problem* (1974), as Narrator (voice) - *Crazy Joe* (1974), as Don Vittorio - *Indict and Convict* (1974), as DeWitt Foster - *Cinderella Liberty* (1973), as Lynn Forshay - *Kojak* (1973), series, as Lee Curtin — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md) - *Stateline Motel* (1973), as Joe - *Orson Welles' Great Mysteries* (1973), series, as Fuzzy - *A Cold Night's Death* (1973), as Frank Enari - *Don't Turn the Other Cheek* (1971), as Maz Lozoya - *The Typists* (1971), as Paul Cunningham - *Romance of a Horsethief* (1971), as Kifke - *Paradise Lost* (1971), as Leo Gordon - *The People Next Door* (1970), as Arthur Mason - *The Angel Levine* (1970), as Delicatessen Clerk - *The Adventures of Gerard* (1970), as Napoleon Bonaparte - *Zig Zag* (1970), as Mario Gambretti - *The Reason Why* (1970), as Charles - *Mackenna's Gold* (1969), as Ben Baker - *The Brain* (1969), as Frankie Scannapieco, Godfather of the Italian Mafia - *Ace High* (1968), as Cacopoulos - *A Lovely Way to Die* (1968), as Tennessee Fredericks - *How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life* (1968), as Harry Hunter - *The Tiger Makes Out* (1967), as Ben Harris · Producer - *The Owl Who Gave a Hoot* (1967), as Mr. Owl (voice) - *The Good, the Bad and the Ugly* (1966), as Tuco Ramirez — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly.md) - *CBS Playhouse* (1966), series, as Douglas Lambert - *How to Steal a Million* (1966), as Davis Leland - *The Poppy Is Also a Flower* (1966), as 'Happy' Locarno - *Batman* (1966), series, as Mister Freeze - *Genghis Khan* (1965), as Shah of Khwarezm - *Lord Jim* (1965), as The General - *Kisses for My President* (1964), as Raphael Valdez Jr. - *The Moon-Spinners* (1964), as Stratos - *Act One* (1963), as Warren Stone - *The Victors* (1963), as Sgt. Craig - *How the West Was Won* (1962), as Charlie Gant — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-west-was-won.md) - *Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man* (1962), as John - *The Misfits* (1961), as Guido - *The Magnificent Seven* (1960), as Calvera - *Outlaws* (1960), series, Actor - *Seven Thieves* (1960), as Poncho - *Lullaby* (1960), as Johnny Horton - *I, Don Quixote* (1959), as Sancho Panza / Cervantes' Manservant - *For Whom the Bell Tolls* (1959), as Rafael - *The Gift of the Magi* (1958), as Narrator - *Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse* (1958), series, as Raymond Perez - *Naked City* (1958), series, as Det. Peter Bane, Georgie - *The Plot to Kill Stalin* (1958), as Poskrebyshev - *The Lineup* (1958), as Dancer - *Shirley Temple's Storybook* (1958), series, as Simon - *Suspicion* (1957), series, Actor - *The Lark* (1957), as Dauphin - *Baby Doll* (1956), as Silva Vacarro - *Playhouse 90* (1956), series, as Rafael - *Climax!* (1954), series, as Albert Anastasia - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Dauphin - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Ozep, Peter Hendon - *The Philco Television Playhouse* (1948), series, as Nacho - *The Yidishe Gauchos*, as Narrator ## Gallery - ![Theatre advertisement for the film, Baby Doll , 11 December, 1956.](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-aaaf2dc42702.jpg) Theatre advertisement for the film, Baby Doll , 11 December, 1956. — Warner Bros., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Baby_Doll_ad_-_11_December_1956.jpg/1280px-Baby_Doll_ad_-_11_December_1956.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-0778d251b21f.jpg) Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson (2010) — Greg Hernandez, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/EliWallach-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Eli Wallach](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-528a7bf05fdd.jpg) Eli Wallach — Studio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Eli_Wallach_-_publicity.jpg/1280px-Eli_Wallach_-_publicity.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![From Wash. D.C. 2002 Politics and Prose bookstore Copyright John Mathew Smith](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-d8536b053daa.jpg) From Wash. D.C. 2002 Politics and Prose bookstore Copyright John Mathew Smith — Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Eli_Wallach_in_Washington_D.C.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Eli Wallach](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-8cc22705e9b0.jpg) Eli Wallach — Image via TMDB - ![Eli Wallach](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-a9d829fc2f99.jpg) Eli Wallach — Image via TMDB - ![Eli Wallach](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-74fe9f40fd04.jpg) Eli Wallach — Image via TMDB - ![Actor Eli Wallach attends the premiere of "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on September 20, 2010. Wallach appears in t](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-15b637d1a44f.jpg) Actor Eli Wallach attends the premiere of "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on September 20, 2010. Wallach appears in t — Anthony Quintano, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Eli_Wallach_%E2%80%94_%22Wall_Street_Money_Never_Sleeps%22_Premiere%2C_New_York_City%2C_2010_%2855363427190%29.jpg/1280px-Eli_Wallach_%E2%80%94_%22Wall_Street_Money_Never_Sleeps%22_Premiere%2C_New_York_City%2C_2010_%2855363427190%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Eli Wallach](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-c7ed73dda77d.jpg) Eli Wallach — Image via TMDB - ![Eli Wallach](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-6552fef4623a.jpg) Eli Wallach — Image via TMDB - ![Eli Wallach](https://film.one/media/person/102197/gallery-194aaa9cce8a.jpg) Eli Wallach — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won - 1957: Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles (won), for *Baby Doll* ### Golden Globes — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1956: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (nominated), for *Baby Doll* ### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won, 3 nominated - 2010: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (nominated), for *Nurse Jackie* - 2007: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (nominated), for *Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip* - 1987: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (nominated) - 1967: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (won), for *The Poppy Is Also a Flower* ### Other awards — 3 won, 2 nominated - Academy Honorary Award 2010: Academy Honorary Award (won) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play 1998: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play (nominated) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play 1993: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (nominated) - Theatre World Award 1951: Theatre World Award (won) - Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 1951: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/eli-wallach