tracker
My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!
Home For You Chat My Shows (beta) Register/Login Games Grosses
Eli Wallach Headshot

Eli Wallach

Birth Place: Brooklyn, NY, USA

read more news

Get Eli Wallach Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

BIO

Eli Wallach was an American actor who made a name for himself both on stage and on screen. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1915, Wallach grew up in a Jewish family and attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied acting. After college, he moved to New York City to pursue his career in theater.



Wallach made his Broadway debut in 1945 in the play "Skydrift," but it was his role as Silva Vacarro in Tennessee Williams' "Baby Doll" in 1956 that brought him critical acclaim. He won a Tony Award for his performance and went on to star in several other Broadway productions, including "The Rose Tattoo" and "Camino Real."

In addition to his stage work, Wallach also appeared in over 80 films throughout his career. He made his film debut in 1956 in "Baby Doll," reprising his role from the Broadway production. He went on to star in a number of classic films, including "The Magnificent Seven," "The Misfits," and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

Wallach was known for his ability to play a wide range of characters, from villains to sympathetic heroes. He often portrayed characters with a rough exterior but a soft heart, and his performances were always nuanced and layered.

In addition to his work in film and theater, Wallach also had a successful career on television. He appeared in several popular TV shows, including "Kojak," "The Twilight Zone," and "Batman." He also won an Emmy Award for his performance in the TV movie "Poppies Are Also Flowers."

Wallach was married to actress Anne Jackson for over 60 years, and the couple often appeared on stage together. They had three children together and remained devoted to each other until Wallach's death in 2014 at the age of 98.

Throughout his career, Wallach was widely respected by his peers and audiences alike. He was known for his talent, his professionalism, and his dedication to his craft. He continued to act well into his 90s, proving that age was no barrier to his love of performing.

In addition to his many accolades and achievements, Wallach will always be remembered for his iconic performances and his contributions to the worlds of film, theater, and television. His legacy lives on through his work, and he will always be remembered as one of the greatest actors of his generation.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

Can-Can
[Off-Broadway]
Encores! Concert, 2004
Judge Paul Barriere
Down the Garden Paths
[Off-Broadway]
2000
Performer
Visiting Mr. Green
[Off-Broadway]
1997
Mr. Green
The Flowering Peach
[Broadway]
1994
Noah
The Price
[Broadway]
1992
Gregory Solomon
Cafe Crown
[Broadway]
1989
David Cole
The Nest of the Wood Grouse
[Off-Broadway]
1984
Stephen Aleksey Sudakov
The Diary of Anne Frank
[Off-Broadway]
1978
Mr. Frank
Saturday Sunday Monday
[Broadway]
1974
Peppino
Promenade, All!
[Broadway]
1972
Wesley (1945)
Wesley (Approximately Now)
Ollie H (1920)
Ollie H (1895)
Wesley (Approximately Now)
Wesley (1945)
Ollie H (1920)
Ollie H (1895)
Staircase
[Broadway]
1968
Charles Dyer
Luv
[Broadway]
1964
Milt Manville
The Typists/ The Tiger
[Off-Broadway]
1963
Paul (The Typists)
Ben (The Tiger)
Paul (The Typists)
Ben (The Tiger)
Brecht on Brecht : His Life in Art
[Off-Broadway]
1962
Performer
Brecht on Brecht
[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 1962
Brecht on Brecht
[Off-Broadway]
Reading, 1961
Rhinoceros
[Broadway]
1961
Berrenger
The Cold Wind and the Warm
[Broadway]
1958
Willie
The Chairs/ The Lesson
[Off-Broadway]
1958
The Old Man (The Chairs)
Major Barbara
[Broadway]
1956
Bill Walker
Mademoiselle Colombe
[Broadway]
1954
Julien
The Teahouse of the August Moon
[Broadway]
1953
Sakini [Replacement]
[Replacement]
The Scarecrow
[Off-Broadway]
1953
Dickon
Camino Real
[Broadway]
1953
Kilroy
The Rose Tattoo
[Broadway]
1951
Alvaro Mangiacavallo
Mister Roberts
[Broadway]
1948
Stefanowski [Replacement]
[Replacement]
Antony and Cleopatra
[Broadway]
1947
Messenger [Replacement]
Diomedes
Messenger [Replacement]
Diomedes
Alice in Wonderland
[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1947
Performer
Duck
Other Voice
Two of Spades
Performer
Two of Spades
Duck
Other Voice
Yellow Jack
[Broadway]
1947
Busch
What Every Woman Knows
[Broadway]
1946
Ensemble
King Henry VIII
[Broadway]
1946
Cromwell
Skydrift
[Broadway]
1945
Crew Chief

Movies

Baby Doll
[ 1956 ] Silva Vacarro
The Lineup
[ 1958 ] Dancer
The Magnificent Seven
[ 1960 ] Calvera
Seven Thieves
[ 1960 ] Poncho
The Misfits
[ 1961 ] Guido
How the West Was Won
[ 1962 ] Charlie Gant
Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man
[ 1962 ] John
The Victors
[ 1963 ] Sgt. Joe Craig
Act One
[ 1963 ] Warren Stone
Kisses for My President
[ 1964 ] Raphael Valdez Jr.
The Moon-Spinners
[ 1964 ] Stratos
Lord Jim
[ 1965 ] The General
Genghis Khan
[ 1965 ] The Shah Of Khwarezm
How to Steal a Million
[ 1966 ] Davis Leland
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
[ 1966 ] Tuco
The Tiger Makes Out
[ 1967 ] Ben Harris
Ace High
[ 1968 ] Cacopoulos
How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life
[ 1968 ] Harry Hunter
A Lovely Way to Die
[ 1968 ] Tennessee Fredericks
Mackenna's Gold
[ 1969 ] Ben Baker
The Brain
[ 1969 ] Frankie Scannapieco
The Angel Levine
[ 1970 ] Delicatessen Clerk
Zig Zag
[ 1970 ] Mario Gambretti
The Adventures of Gerard
[ 1970 ] Napoleon Bonaparte
Romance of a Horsethief
[ 1971 ] Kifke
Stateline Motel
[ 1973 ] Joe
Cinderella Liberty
[ 1973 ] Lynn Forshay
Crazy Joe
[ 1974 ] Don Vittorio
Eye of the Cat
[ 1975 ] Cesare
The White, the Yellow, and the Black
[ 1975 ] Sheriff EdwardBlack JackGideon
Plot of Fear
[ 1976 ] Peter Struwwel
The Deep
[ 1977 ] Adam Coffin
The Sentinel
[ 1977 ] Detective Gatz
The Domino Principle
[ 1977 ] General Reser
Nasty Habits
[ 1977 ] Monsignor
Circle of Iron
[ 1978 ] Man-in-Oil
Girlfriends
[ 1978 ] Rabbi Gold
Winter Kills
[ 1979 ] Joe Diamond
Firepower
[ 1979 ] Sal Hyman
The Hunter
[ 1980 ] Ritchie Blumenthal
The Salamander
[ 1981 ] General Leporello
Sam's Son
[ 1984 ] Sam Orowitz
Tough Guys
[ 1986 ] Leon B. Little
Nuts
[ 1987 ] Dr. Herbert A. Morrison
The Two Jakes
[ 1990 ] Cotton Weinberger
The Godfather Part III
[ 1990 ] Don Altobello
Mistress
[ 1992 ] George Lieberhoff
Night and the City
[ 1992 ] Peck
Article 99
[ 1992 ] Sam Abrams
Honey Sweet Love...
[ 1994 ] Don Siro
Two Much
[ 1995 ] Sheldon
The Associate
[ 1996 ] Fallon
Uninvited
[ 1999 ] Alan Strser
Keeping the Faith
[ 2000 ] Rabbi Ben Lewis
The Easter Egg Adventure
[ 2004 ] Narrator
King of the Corner
[ 2004 ] Sol Spivak
A Taste of Jupiter
[ 2005 ] Arturo
The Holiday
[ 2006 ] Arthur
The Hoax
[ 2006 ] Noah Dietrich
Mama's Boy
[ 2007 ] Seymour Warburton
Vote and Die: Liszt for President
[ 2008 ] Joe Nightingale
The Toe Tactic
[ 2008 ] Maestro
Tickling Leo
[ 2009 ] Emil Pikler
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
[ 2010 ] Julius Steinhardt
The Ghost Writer
[ 2010 ] Old Man

TV Shows

Highway to Heaven
Gene Malloy, Timothy Charles
Our Family Honor
Vincent Danzig

Awards and Nominations


winner
- 2016 - Hall of Fame Awards

Eli Wallach

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 1998 - Best Actor - Play

Eli Wallach, Visiting Mr. Green


winner
The Lortels - 1998 - Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence

Eli Wallach

Drama Desk Awards - 1997 - Outstanding Actor - Play

Eli Wallach, Visiting Mr. Green

Drama Desk Awards - 1992 - Outstanding Featured Actor - Play

Eli Wallach, The Price


winner
Helen Hayes Awards - 1991 - The American Express Tribute

Eli Wallach


winner
Obie Awards - 1963 - Performance

Eli WallachThe Typists & The Tiger


winner
Drama League Awards - 1957 - Distinguished Performance Award

Eli Wallach


winner
Theatre World Awards - 1951 - Performance

Eli Wallach, The Rose Tattoo


winner
Tony Awards - 1951 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Eli Wallach, The Rose Tattoo

Videos

More Videos

News


Photos: The Neighborhood Playhouse Present A Red Door Reading Of John Patrick Shanle Photo
Photos: The Neighborhood Playhouse Present A Red Door Reading Of John Patrick Shanley’s PRODIGAL SON
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 4, 2025

The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre presented an invite-only Red Door Reading of Prodigal Son, the deeply personal and resonant drama by Pulitzer Prize–, Tony Award–, and Academy Award–winning writer John Patrick Shanley. Check out photos of the event.
The Tennessee Williams Festival To Host Gala Celebrating the Arts Photo
The Tennessee Williams Festival To Host Gala Celebrating the Arts
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 24, 2025

The Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival will host a Gala. It will be a night of revelry under the stained glass prisms of the sumptuous 19th-century former church at the Hotel Peter and Paul.
A History of Three-Handers on Broadway Photo
A History of Three-Handers on Broadway
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Oct 5, 2025

While a lot has been written about two handers, a term for two-person shows, less has been penned about three-handers. Yet, three-person plays are just as common a genre on Broadway as pieces with only two players. Currently, Art, by Yasmina Reza, is receiving an all-star revival at the Music Box.
THE SOPRANOS Star Dominic Chianese Will Appear at Town Hall Photo
THE SOPRANOS Star Dominic Chianese Will Appear at Town Hall
by Stephi Wild - Apr 8, 2025

Dominic Chianese from 'The Sopranos' will appear for one night only at the Town Hall. The evening will be directed by Will Nunziata. Learn more about the event here!
David Saint Will Retire as Artistic Director of George Street Playhouse Photo
David Saint Will Retire as Artistic Director of George Street Playhouse
by Stephi Wild - Feb 19, 2025

George Street Playhouse has announced that Artistic Director David Saint will retire as Artistic Director at the conclusion of the 2024/2025 season.  George Street Playhouse will honor Saint at the 2025 Gala.
An In-Depth History of the Orpheum Theatre Photo
An In-Depth History of the Orpheum Theatre
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Feb 9, 2025

Some of the shows that the Orpheum has been best known for are Stomp, which ran there for an astounding 29 years, from 1994 to 2023, and the original production of Little Shop of Horrors which spent over five years at the theater from 1982 to 1987. 
ADOPT A SAILOR -- 50 STATE TOUR Makes Final Stop In Charlottesville Photo
ADOPT A SAILOR -- 50 STATE TOUR Makes Final Stop In Charlottesville
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 3, 2025

Award winning playwright Charles Evered’s play “Adopt a Sailor” has been on a nationwide tour since 2018 to garner support for the Evered House, the playwright’s non-profit that supports creative military members and others who serve. 
Mary Steenburgen & Pamela Moller Kareman to be Honored by The Neighborhood Playhouse Photo
Mary Steenburgen & Pamela Moller Kareman to be Honored by The Neighborhood Playhouse
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 23, 2025

The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre will present the first-ever Sanford Meisner Awards, honoring the extraordinary achievements and legacy of Mary Steenburgen and Pamela Moller Kareman, at their 2025 Benefit Gala. Learn more!
Cultural Ambassador Ronald Rand to Bring Harold Clurman In LET IT BE ART! To Athens Photo
Cultural Ambassador Ronald Rand to Bring Harold Clurman In LET IT BE ART! To Athens
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 3, 2024

Ronald Rand will perform his acclaimed solo play LET IT BE ART! as Harold Clurman in Athens during the Global Arts Education Summit, marking nearly 25 years of world tours. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
Theater For The New City Presents SOUP IN THE SECOND ACT By Barry Primus Photo
Theater For The New City Presents SOUP IN THE SECOND ACT By Barry Primus
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 6, 2024

Barry Primus's new play, SOUP IN THE SECOND ACT, will be presented at Theater for the New City from September 26 to October 6. Learn more about the resident theater production.
THE GOLDBERG-VARIATIONS By George Tabori to be Presented at Theater for the New City Photo
THE GOLDBERG-VARIATIONS By George Tabori to be Presented at Theater for the New City
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 3, 2024

THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY will present THE GOLDBERG-VARIATIONS by George Tabori, running this fall. Learn more about the show and see how to purchase tickets.
Photos: Julian Schlossberg And Friends Celebrate The Release of MY FIRST BOOK- PART 2 Photo
Photos: Julian Schlossberg And Friends Celebrate The Release of MY FIRST BOOK- PART 2
by Genevieve Rafter Keddy - Aug 14, 2024

Legendary stage and screen producer, broadcaster, podcaster and author Julian Schlossberg and friends gathered to celebrate the legendary producer’s 6 decades in show business, and the launch of Schlossberg’s new memoir, My First Book – Part 2, A Producer’s Life Continues. See photos from the event!
Julian Schlossberg Releases New Book MY FIRST BOOK - PART 2 Photo
Julian Schlossberg Releases New Book MY FIRST BOOK - PART 2
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 30, 2024

My First Book – Part 2, A Producer's Life Continues, the latest  memoir from legendary stage and screen producer Julian Schlossberg, is now available in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook read by the author, from Amazon. Learn more!
BREAKING THE AUDIO FICTION FORM: AN EVENING WITH VETERAN PRODUCER JULIAN SCHLOSSBERG Photo
BREAKING THE AUDIO FICTION FORM: AN EVENING WITH VETERAN PRODUCER JULIAN SCHLOSSBERG Comes to The Coffee House Club
by Stephi Wild - Jul 17, 2024

The Coffee House Club will bring the salon series, Breaking the Audio Fiction Form. The past decade has seen a resurgence of audio listening in podcast form, but even with this growth, audio fiction has remained a minor genre within podcasting.
Dramatists Play Service Publishes Updated VISITING MR. GREEN Photo
Dramatists Play Service Publishes Updated VISITING MR. GREEN
by Blair Ingenthron - May 20, 2024

Visiting Mr. Green, one of the most produced plays in the world in the past 25 years, is now available in its 2nd revised version from leading play publisher and licensor Dramatists Play Service, a division of Broadway Licensing.
Avignon Festival 2024 To Feature Three Plays By Jeff Baron Photo
Avignon Festival 2024 To Feature Three Plays By Jeff Baron
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 9, 2024

The 2024 Festival D'Avignon will present three plays by American author Jeff Baron, including the world premiere of MR & MME DIEU. Learn how to purchase tickets!
Bay Street Theater Announces An Exciting And Diverse Line-up Of Winter Classes Photo
Bay Street Theater Announces An Exciting And Diverse Line-up Of Winter Classes
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 15, 2023

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts has announced its Winter 2024 line-up of classes and workshops offering something for everyone in the community.
Playwrights' Theatre Of East Hampton to Present Concert Staging Of A MILONGA FOR GABR Photo
Playwrights' Theatre Of East Hampton to Present Concert Staging Of A MILONGA FOR GABRIEL ISSACS
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 13, 2023

Join in for a concert staging of the new comedy with music 'A Milonga for Gabriel Issacs' on October 21 at 7:30 p.m. Written by John McCaffrey and Mark Singer, directed by Paul Lincoln, and featuring music by The Oscar Feldman Trio and live tango by Sandra Antognazzi. Tickets available online.
Kaatsbaan and The National Willa Cather Center to Host Sesquicentennial Celebration o Photo
Kaatsbaan and The National Willa Cather Center to Host Sesquicentennial Celebration of Willa Cather Next Month
by Blair Ingenthron - Sep 29, 2023

Kaatsbaan Cultural Park and the National Willa Cather Center will commemorate the 150th birthday of Willa Cather, an iconic and cherished figure in American literature during the 20th century on October 21, 2023. Get more event information here!
ADOPT A SAILOR - 50 State Tour Passes Halfway Mark Photo
ADOPT A SAILOR - 50 State Tour Passes Halfway Mark
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 10, 2023

The 'Adopt a Sailor - 50 State Tour'-a nationwide tour of Charles Evered's acclaimed play 'Adopt a Sailor' has reached its 26th state, with twenty four to go.
More News

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Eli Wallach been in?

Eli Wallach has appeared on Broadway in 22 shows.

How many West End shows has Eli Wallach been in?

Eli Wallach has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Eli Wallach been nominated for?

Hall of Fame Awards (), Best Actor - Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Visiting Mr. Green, Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence (The Lortels), Outstanding Actor - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Visiting Mr. Green, Outstanding Featured Actor - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for The Price, The American Express Tribute (Helen Hayes Awards) for , Performance (Obie Awards) for The Typists & The Tiger, Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards), Performance (Theatre World Awards) for The Rose Tattoo and Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for The Rose Tattoo.

What awards has Eli Wallach won?

Eli Wallach has received several prestigious awards throughout his career. His honors include induction into the Hall of Fame Awards, the Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence from The Lortels, and The American Express Tribute at the Helen Hayes Awards. He earned an Obie Award for Performance in The Typists & The Tiger, the Distinguished Performance Award from the Drama League Awards, and a Theatre World Award for Performance in The Rose Tattoo. Additionally, Wallach won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for his work in The Rose Tattoo.

Get Eli Wallach Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Videos