Elliott Gould makes eccentric characters seem like people we might know. We value his relaxed comedy and the ease with which he fits into an ensemble, though his later supporting parts sometimes leave us with too little to enjoy.
Fi1m perspective
In Ocean's Eleven (2001), Elliott Gould wears silk pyjamas and enormous glasses as Reuben Tishkoff, the man supplying the money. We were delighted by the lack of embarrassment in that outfit: here was someone who had no reason to dress for anyone else's approval. Gould makes those two or three scenes count without needing the film to pause for him. Among the preparations for a robbery, he provides the pleasure of a character worth watching for his own sake. It is a small part, but a good introduction.
His breakthrough came with Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) and MASH (1970), followed by a prolific run through the 1970s. Gould's naturalistic, improvisational approach suited Robert Altman, who cast him as Philip Marlowe in The Long Goodbye* (1973). That laid-back detective remains a useful guide to what we value in him: he can hold our attention without looking as though he is asking for it.
Later work put him in smaller parts and recurring television roles, including Jack Geller in Friends (1994–2004). With fewer scenes, he depends more on a director giving him something worth doing. Steven Soderbergh gives him just enough in Ocean's Eleven, where Reuben's conspicuous comfort distinguishes him within a busy ensemble. The clothes help, but Gould makes them seem like personal possessions rather than a costume waiting for a laugh. We would happily have spent longer with him, though the film is right to keep moving.
Contagion (2011), also directed by Soderbergh, shows how little even a distinctive actor can contribute when the part is brief. Gould's Ian Sussman gets a scene or two before being set aside, much as Bryan Cranston and John Hawkes are. We admire the film's cold, quick account of how a virus travels, but it gives us little reason to single out Gould. It is worth watching, just not specifically for him. Start with Ocean's Eleven for his comedy, then try The Long Goodbye for his detective.
Biography
Elliott Gould is an American actor. Born Elliott Goldstein on 29 August 1938 in Brooklyn, New York, he trained at the Professional Children's School and made his Broadway debut in 1957.
Gould began appearing in films in the late 1960s. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969). He is known for his role as Trapper John McIntyre in MASH (1970) and as Reuben Tishkoff in Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007). Other credits include Contagion (2011) as Ian Sussman and a recurring role as Jack Geller in the television series Friends* (1994–2003).
