Eli Wallach

Eli Wallach was a highly respected and versatile actor who had a thriving career for over 60 years, working with many of the industry's biggest stars. He was born in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish parents and became one of the few Jewish kids in his predominantly Italian neighborhood. Wallach received a B.A. from the University of Texas in Austin and further trained at the Actors Studio and the Neighborhood Playhouse. He made his Broadway debut in 1945 and won a Tony Award in 1951. Wallach made a strong screen debut in the film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play Baby Doll (1956) and went on to appear in numerous acclaimed films, including The Magnificent Seven (1960) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). In the 1980s and beyond, he continued to deliver top-notch performances, with notable roles in The Executioner's Song (1982) and The Godfather Part III (1990). Wallach remained in demand well into his 90s and released his autobiography, "The Good, The Bad And Me: In My Anecdotage," in 2005. He was a devoted family man, married to his wife Anne Jackson for 66 years, and at the time of his death at the age of 98, he was survived by his wife, three children, five grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.