A womanizer and gunslinger
The anti-war film “Nothing New in the West” opens in the cinema, the dwarf planet Pluto is discovered and a boy named Clinton “Clint” Eastwood Jr. is born in San Francisco, California. When the son of an accountant was born on May 31, 1930 in 1930, no one would have thought possible what a taciturn world career would have been for the little bundle of joy – let alone that with 90 Lenzen he was as fervent as ever depending on. But those who live and create for so long do not remain free of controversy.
Eastwood may have made a name for himself as an outrageously cool cowboy or rock hard cop on the big screen. As a child, however, he was more of an introvert, even shy. The fact that he was always “the new one” at school due to the frequent moves of his parents during the period of depression may have contributed to this. In any case, Eastwood’s school career was not particularly successful, so he eventually worked as a young man as a supermarket clerk, warehouse worker or – although he was a soldier for the Korean War – as a lifeguard at the Fort Ord military base in California.
Instead of lying in the proxy war between East and West in the Korean jungle, Eastwood was lucky enough not to have to leave his US home. Even more: According to his official biography, he even met someone called Chuck Hill in Fort Ord who opened the door to Hollywood for him. There, however, he was promptly encouraged to take acting lessons because he had the habit of showing his lines with clenched teeth – the trademark of the cult growler to this day, so to speak.
Countless small and sometimes thankless roles later, it was 1958 that Eastwood’s career should finally give the traction it needed. He got one of the main roles in the western series “A Thousand Miles of Dust” (1959-1966, original title: “Rawhide”), which he remained loyal to Rowdy Yates as a righteous hotspur until eight years after it was deposed. However, he shouldn’t get rid of the cowboy hat so quickly …
At the end of 1963 he took on the role of “man without a name” in the film of an unknown Italian director – Sergio Leone (1929-1989). With “For a Fistful of Dollars” Eastwood had finally made the long-awaited transfer from a boring hero to an antihero: “With ‘Rawhide’ I became so tired of the role of the typical beam man who kisses old women and dogs and is nice to everyone “, He is quoted in the book“ Aim for the Heart: The Films of Clint Eastwood ”. He had to deal with roles that were too nice in Italo films such as “For a few more dollars” (1965), “Two glorious scoundrels” (1966) or US westerns by the brand “Hangs him higher” (1968) and “Eating for.” the vultures ”(1969) at least don’t worry.
The beginning of the 1970s was an important phase of his career for Eastwood in two ways. On the one hand, in 1971 he made a name for himself for the first time with another star role apart from the cowboy – that of the tough police officer Harry “Dirty Harry” Callahan, who in total five parts of criminals like to be served a reason to be able to save them: “Come on, make my day!”
On the other hand, he also made his directorial debut in 1971 with the thriller “Sadistico – Wish Concert for a Dead”. With a few exceptions, he has enjoyed casting himself in his 39 directorial works to date, primarily as the main character. Most recently only in 2018 in the strip “The Mule” or in the now twelve-year-old drama “Gran Torino”.
However, he was only allowed to celebrate the greatest successes in his long career as a director. He picked up his first two Oscars in 1993 for best director and best film for “Mercilessly”, but was left blank as the leading actor in the dark late West. The exact same constellation then in 2005, when he again received two Oscars (best director, best film) for “Million Dollar Baby”, but was also the leading actor who was left behind. He still lacks an acting gold boy, but he still has some time for it, as he joked with 75 Lenze in his 2005 Oscar acceptance speech. Because back then in the audience: His proud mother Ruth at the age of 96, whom he heartily thanked for “her good genes” .
In the 1960s it was common for actors to try their hand at the microphone as a singer. Coupled with his role at the time in the TV series “A Thousand Miles of Dust”, he played the record “Rawhide’s Clint Eastwood Sings Cowboy Favorites” and even had a duet with Ray Charles (1930-2004, “Beers to You”). Mr. Eastwood also sang the credits of “Gran Torino” himself.
In the women’s world you are well received with such versatile talents and Eastwood never presented himself as a child of sadness in this regard. The mime has eight children, half of whom come from illegitimate relationships and / or infidelities. So also his most famous offspring, son Scott Eastwood (34). Eastwood fathered him and his sister Kathryn (32) with flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves (68), while he actually had a relationship with the (married) actress Sondra Locke (1944-2018).
Clint Eastwood also caused a sensation politically. For example, when he was mayor of the small town of Carmel-by-the-Sea in California from 1986 to 1988. However, an appearance in 2012 that Eastwood himself would love to delete from his CV is unforgettable. At an election event for the Republicans, he had a lively conversation with an embarrassed embarrassment, which was supposed to personify the then President Barack Obama (58). When asked what he regrets most in his career, he said, according to The Washington Post, “ I guess when I did this stupid thing at the Republican Assembly and talked to the chair.” Even an old ( hard) dog never learns.
