Famous character actor Eli Wallach, who appeared beside acting giants such as Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Al Pacino, died Tuesday at age 98.  

Wallach first appeared on the New York stage in 1945, where he met his wife Anne Jackson, to whom he was married for 65 years.

He made his London debut in 1954 with " The Teahouse of the August Moon."

Like Us on Facebook

His screen debut came two years later, playing an unscrupulous seducer in "Baby Doll" where the role earned him a nomination in the Golden Globe for best supporting actor and a Bafta award for most promising newcomer.

Wallach's film career always had a star-studded cast of characters but his acting prowess helped distinguish him from his more famous co-stars, earning him admiration for his wide range in a career that spanned six decades.

Born on December 7, 1915, Wallach was raised Jewish in Brooklyn's Italian neighborhood, graduated from the University of Texas, with the intention of becoming a teacher.

But his focus later shifted to acting,  and after serving in the second World War, he studied at the Actors' Studio where he became a practitioner of method acting.

The theatre remained Wallach's first love. "For actors, movies are a means to an end,'' he told the New York Times in 1973.

His portrayal as bandit chief Calvera in "The Magnificent Seven" alongside Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and James Coburn in 1960 made Wallach a household name and was highly regarded as a definitive role wherein his ornery character threatened Steve McQueen and Yul Bryner.

Among Wallach's films are the classic westerns: "How the West Was Won" and "The Misfits." Best known for his villain roles, Wallach as Tuco opposite Clint Eastwood in Sergio Leone's 1966 western, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", made a lasting impression on him.

Wallach's other notable roles were in "How the West Was Won," "Mystic River," "The Holiday," " Lord Jim," and " The Godfather: Part III," playing an ill-fated Mafioso.

Wallach graced various roles on both dramatic specials and series such as "77 Sunset Strip". He was also successful in light comedy and appeared in many TV shows, that included his role as Mr Freeze for a spell in the 1960s Batman TV series.

In 1967, Wallach went on to earn an Emmy for his supporting role in the drama "Poppies Are Also Flowers," and picked up four other nominations, most recently for his  Studio 60 guest roles on the Sunset Strip in 2007 and Nurse Jackie 2010.

Despite a 60-year acting career, Wallach was never nominated for an Oscar. However, he was awarded an Honorary Oscar by the Academy in 2011 where he was described as "quintessential chameleon" for "effortlessly inhabiting a wide range of characters, while putting his inimitable stamp on every role".

"As an actor I've played more bandits, thieves, warlords, molesters and Mafiosi than you could shake a stick at," Wallach said in his acceptance speech.

But, he noted that as an ordinary individual, his hobbies included quietly collecting antique clocks and watching tennis.

He also said he had recently received a letter from the Pope, who told him that the Pope's favorite movie was The Magnificent Seven.

And whenever Wallach was asked about possible retirement, he'd simply quip, ''What else am I going to do? I love to act."

The veteran star continued making films well into his 90s,  making his last big screen appearance in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" in 2010.

Wallach is survived by his longtime wife since 1948, the actress Anne Jackson, and their three grown children: Peter, a film animator, and daughters Roberta and Katherine.

TagsEli Wallach, Magnificent Seven