Eli Wallach's Quotes

What is it in my makeup that makes me grab any offer and fly around the world? Will I ever be satisfied? Can't I ever just rest?

When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk.

Yes, I won the Bafta. I thought the British were very intelligent.

I met my wife and, for the next ten years, we did no films at all. She did the first movie and then I did several after. My first movie was written by Tennessee Williams and directed by Kazan and was called Baby Doll.

I'd come out of the army after five years as a medic. I was a medical administrator and we ran hospitals, and I was a Captain in the army at the end, in 1945.

John Huston was a superb master. He knew how to make good films. I did three things with him. One is called Independence. It plays in Philadelphia, for free. It's been playing there for 25 years.

My wife says that stage acting is like being on a tightrope with no net, and being in the movies, there is a net - because you stop and go over it again. It's very technical and mechanical. On stage you're on your own.

So I wanted to show what I did with the money. So I got red silk shirts, beautiful hats, wonderful saddles, a great horse, and two gold teeth. So that was the way I did it.

Well, I go to the theater today, and its curtain - there is no curtain in this play; the lights go down and go up - and we start. And I live this character for two hours. There are only two of us in the play. And It's a complete experience.

Well, I was getting a lot of money then, and I wasn't getting any Hollywood films, so I just did those. I'd always do a play in between. Whenever I ran low on funds, I'd always rush off to do a movie somewhere.

I've learned that life is very tricky business: Each person needs to find what they want to do in life and not be dissuaded when people question them.

Having the critics praise you is like having the hangman say you've got a pretty neck.

When I saw the movie, I said, I wish I had heard the music. I would have ridden the horse differently.

And I did Batman, too. I did Mr. Freeze. I get more mail for him than anything I've ever done.

But Clint I love, because Clint was my mentor. I knew nothing about making an Italian movie.

I've never lost my appetite for acting; it's innovative and challenging.

All of these stories bounced around in my mind for a long time.

And that movie was underrated - Nuts - because it deals with a terrible subject, but It's very well done.

And then the first was The Misfits, which I enjoyed very much, with Marilyn and Gable.

But I went to the University of Texas in the 30s, and while there I learned to ride. Mostly polo ponies.

Even if I don't want to slow down, I'm slowing down.

Everyone thinks acting is easy. It's far from easy, but it's the most gratifying thing I do.

I always end up being the evil one, and I wouldn't hurt a fly.