Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email

2014 June 27 • Friday

As most everybody knows, Eli Wallach passed away a few days ago. He was one of my favorite actors.

I had the pleasure of meeting him about fifteen years ago. He was looking for a personal assistant and I landed an interview. I went to his apartment on the Upper West Side and presented him with a videocassette of a two-part Kojak episode he had starred in. It wasn't so easy to find such things back then.

We sat and talked for about an hour, I guess, maybe longer, about movies and music and whatever. He gave me a chunk of his record collection as a parting gift: Duke Ellington and stuff like that.

Now that I had his address I sent him a videotape of the movie Baby Doll, another one that wasn't so easy to find back then. I received this card from him. In it he refers to the lifetime achievement award that Elia Kazan received at that year's Oscars. There was a fuss at the time about whether somebody who had named names to the HUAC deserved an award. I guess I must have asked him about his thoughts since Kazan had directed Baby Doll.

Thanks for sending me the tape — "Baby Doll" — my first and still favorite movie…. was a joy to work on.

My position on the Kazan honors — I feel that he certainly deserves the award — what happened 50 years ago was crazy and painful — I think he suffered over his action.

All best wishes to you,

Eli Wallach

Just finished working on my first film in 3 years. Starring and directed by a briliant young man — Ed. Norton — it's called "Keeping the Faith".

After this I sent him another tape, of an old Lights Out episode, "Rappaccini's Daughter", also starring Wallach. Lights Out used to air late at night on the Sci-Fi Channel. I got another nice letter from Mr. Wallach.

First — let me thank you for the photos from the early TV days — and for the cassette "Rappaccini's Daughter" — I'm eager to see the Lights Out play — it'll be something to turn the clock back — I was practically a child then.

I enjoyed meeting you but settled on a young lady who came recommended by the secretary who was leaving me.

Do keep writing — I enjoy hearing from you.

Best wishes

Eli Wallach

I don't recall what the photos might have been.

It seems that I didn't continue this correspondence. I wish I had. I considered writing to him several times over the years, if only to tell him how much I enjoyed his autobiography, The Good, the Bad and Me.

He was from Brooklyn!