Quotes from Eli Wallach

The big secret in acting is listening to people.

From the age of four or five. I went to see a lot of Westerns then. But it was silent movies and I loved everything that happened then.

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

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.

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.

In the book, I tell the story of seeing old movies when I was young and acting out scenes at home. Now I get scripts, and I act them out.

One thing changes every evening: It's the audience, and I'm working my magic. I'm always learning from it.

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

My first Western was called The Magnificent Seven.

I never dreamed I would do Westerns.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

One thing changes every evening: It's the audience, and I'm working my magic. I'm always learning from it.

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.

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 you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.

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.

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

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

I've worked with wonderful actors like Marlon Brando and Henry Fonda.