Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood’s biography

Clint Eastwood is a world-famous American actor, a multi-faceted personality: being for many years an icon of the «Western» genre, over time, he managed to prove himself as a brilliant director, an enterprising producer, a talented composer, and screenwriter.

In the photo: Clint Eastwood

His arsenal includes several of the most prestigious awards, including The National Medal of Arts, the Cesar Award, four «Oscar» awards.

Early years

Clinton Eastwood Jr. was born on 31 May 1930 in San Francisco, California in an ordinary working-class family. The future actor’s father Clinton Eastwood Sr. was a worker in a steelmaking plant, his mother Margaret Ruth Eastwood (Runner) was an engineer at the same plant.

Clint Eastwood in childhood (from the right with his father in the photo)

The boy's parents were deeply religious people, though they belonged to different confessions (his mother belonged to the Mormon church, and his father was a Presbyterian) and tried to educate Clint and his older sister Jeanne as virtuous Christians.

The boy's childhood years fell on the Great Depression, which especially tormented industrial cities. Therefore, Clint's parents often changed places of residence, trying to find a stable job. The family stayed for a longer period in Piedmont, California, and the boy was able to normally attend school and even participate in spectacle staging with his classmates. He graduated from school already in Oakland in 1948.

Clint Eastwood at a young age

Before being drafted into the army, the youngster worked wherever possible in order to somehow fill in the family budget. In 1950 he began military service and in the rank of private took part in the Korean War. His closest fellows in the army were Martin Milner and David Janssen, influenced by whom Clint later entered the world of cinema.

Clint Eastwood was clearly aware of his desire to become an actor

After demobilization in 1954, the young man entered the faculty of Economics at Los Angeles City College. The active involvement in the student's amateur performances had formed him a clear awareness of the desire to become an actor. Former army comrades eagerly supported his aspiration - and Clint goes to Hollywood.

Career: Star of Westerns and Director

At the earl of his career, Clint Eastwood worked in crowd scenes, then after captious casting Universal Studios signed a contract with him with a meager payment of $75 per week. The actor played in secondary scenes in the low-budget films – «Revenge of the Creature» (1955), «Francis in the Navy» (1955), «Tarantula» (1955), «Away All Boats» (1956)

Clint Eastwood in the «Francis in The Navy» picture

Gradually, he began to be noticed, as a result of which invitations followed for though minor but still lead roles - Jack Rice in the «The First Traveling Saleslady» (1956) western, Keith Williams in the «Ambush at Cimarron Pass» (1958). However, luck was so rare that the young man was already losing hope for success in his profession.

A shot from the «Ambush at Cimarron Pass»

During that period, having decided to visit his friend, Clint visited him at the CBS network studio. He accidentally ran into one of the directors in the corridor, who was urgently in need of an actuarial actor to play the role of Rowdy Yates in the «Rawhide» cowboy TV series (1959-1966).

Clint Eastwood in the «Rawhide» TV series

The sparkling play of charismatic Clint Eastwood in the project attracted the attention of the famous Italian Sergio Leone, one of the founders of the «spaghetti western» direction and in 1964, the cult director invited Clint to his «The Man with No Name» Trilogy – to play cowboy Joe in the first picture under the intriguing title «A Fistful of Dollars».

Clint Eastwood in the image of Joe in the «A Fistful of Dollars»

The $200,000 used for the making of the film turned to $14 million profit - and very little known Eastwood instantly became a «cash» actor. The hit-tape rent in Europe and America was accompanied by colossal hype, so soon the sequels were released - «For a Few Dollars More» (1965) and «The Good, the Bad and the Ugly» (1966).

Clint Eastwood in the «For a Few Dollars More»

Clint Eastwood finally achieved recognition of his talent. And in 1966 he received several tempting offers to play in Hollywood westerns.

Clint's main character for many years- a short-spoken guy with a gloomy squint of eyes and a multi-charged colt in his hand became his most in-demand role, and westerns with the actor were considered classic samples of the genre.

Clint Eastwood’s second legendary role was the hero of the cycle of films «Dirty Harry» (1971-1988). The image of the severe policeman Harry Callahan, who mercilessly cracked down on criminals, without adhering to the law, determined the idea of pictures in this direction for many years to come.

Clint Eastwood in the «Dirty Harry»

In 1971, the actor successfully debuted as a director, presenting the public the «Play Misty for Me» thriller. A new phase began in Clint Eastwood’s creation, the period of his most creative occupation. He had to combine active directing in his own films («Firefox» (1981), «Sudden Impact» (1983), «Pale Rider» (1985)) with intense acting in films by various directors.

Clint Eastwood in the «Play Misty for Me» thriller

From a large number of excellent pictures by Eastwood fans of his talent especially emphasize the «Escape from Alcatraz» (1979) - an apogee of the creative union of Clint and director Don Siegel. Eastwood made the interesting image of prisoner Frank Morris, who managed to realize the fantastic escape plan from the legendary impregnable prison due to his high intelligence and unappeasable desire for freedom.

Clint Eastwood in the «Escape from Alcatraz» picture

In the late '80s, Clint Eastwood could already be worthily proud of considerable success. Critics called him a brilliant director. The «Bird» biographical film (1988), which showed the life of jazzman Charlie Parker close-up, was awarded the «Oscar» award (for the best sound), and the actor was awarded the «Golden Globe» for the best directing.

Clint Eastwood in the «Unforgiven»

In 1991, Eastwood found himself ready to set about the incarnation of the most important project in his life - the film «Unforgiven» (released in 1992). The actor was also the performer of the role of William Munny and the director of the picture. It was a real triumph for Eastwood: along with huge collection fees, the film brought its creator to four «Oscars».

Clint Eastwood at the Academy Awards Ceremony (1993)

The attempts of the actor/director to try himself in comedy were either successful, which confirmed the incredible popularity of the picture «Space Cowboys» (2000).

Clint Eastwood and Sean Penn on the set of the «Mystic River» thriller

The «Mystic River» (2003) thriller can also be brought to the list of Eastwood's successes: Clint was awarded the «Oscar» and «Golden Globe» for «Best Director» and Sean Penn received the «Oscar» for the perfectly played lead role.

The trailer for Clint Eastwood’s «Million Dollar Baby»

Soon Clint Eastwood received the gold statuettes again: the 2004 bestseller «Million Dollar Baby» was awarded as the best film and Clint himself as the best director. The actress Hilary Swank (for the lead role) and the closest friend of Eastwood's actor Morgan Freeman (for the second plan role) also received their «Oscars».

Clint Eastwood in the «Trouble with the Curve» (Trailer)

Years take theirs, so the star of the thrillers actually ceased appearing on screens. His last acting was the role of Gus Lobel in the «Trouble with the Curve» (2012), which Clint also produced.

Clint Eastwood on the set of the «Letters from Iwo Jima»

Despite the venerable age, Clint continued creating new masterpieces with his inherent energy. The «Letters from Iwo Jima» (2006) Historical film, for which Clint received an «Oscar» and the «Golden Globe» award, the «Changeling» thriller (2008), the cast of which was adorned by Angelina Jolie; the «Hereafter» fantasy film (2010) could be brought to the list of his remarkable films of recent years.

Clint Eastwood and Angelina Jolie on the set of the «Changeling»

The «American Sniper» (2014)war drama, staged by Eastwood, revealed the state of mind of a man who killed countless people in Iraq. Both biographical dramas by director Eastwood were also warmly met by the public - the «Invictus» (2009), dedicated to the destiny of the President of South Africa Nelson Mandela (starring Morgan Freeman), and the picture «J. Edgar» (2011), telling about the first director of FBI John Edgar Hoover, who was played by Leonardo Di Caprio.

Hollywood’s main cowboy Eastwood starred in 80 films throughout his creative career and produced another 30.

Clint Eastwood and Aaron Eckhart on the set of the «Sully»

His recent works are - the 2016 picture «Sully», in which first-class artists Tom Hanks, Anna Gunn, Aaron Eckhart starred and «The 15:17 to Paris» made in 2018 with incomparable Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos involved in the picture.

Clint Eastwood about his picture «The 15:17 to Paris»

Clint Eastwood’s personal life

In 1953, Clint officially registered his first marriage with actress Maggie Johnson. Soon they had two children - son Kyle (1968) and daughter Alison (1972), but even they did not prevent the couple from divorcing.

Clint Eastwood and Maggie Johnson

Still married to Maggie, the young actor was carried away by stunt woman Roxanne Tunis, who gave birth to his daughter Kimber in 1964.

Then he spent 3 years with stewardess Jacelyn Reeves. He left her with two children – son Scott (1986) and daughter Kathryn (1988). She called him the cruelest and evil person in revenge in the press.

Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke

During the filming of the film «The Outlaw Josey Wales» (1976), Clint began courting actress Sondra Locke, with whom he lived from 1976 to 1990, without making themselves official.

Breaking with Sondra Locke cost lot for Clint Eastwood

When Eastwood decided to leave Sondra, she went to court, accusing the former boyfriend of having spoiled her life: forcing her to do 2 abortions and undergo a fallopian tubes ligation procedure. The court took her side, obliging Eastwood to pay Locke several tens of millions.

After receiving the money, Sondra published memoirs with such intimate revelations that Eastwood did not spare money to buy out all the rights to her book. However, that story didn’t teach the incorrigible «serial womanizer» - the nickname stuck to the legendary cowboy in Hollywood. And in the early '90s, Clint fell in love again: his choice was actress Frances Fisher. They had a daughter Francesca (1993), but even the child’s birth didn’t prevent the couple from separating in 1995. .

Clint Eastwood and Frances Fisher

Soon, Clint Eastwood began to develop a romantic relationship with TV presenter Dina Ruiz. And though she was younger than the actor for 35 years, he officially married her in 1996. The marriage gave birth to another daughter of Clint - Morgan (1996).

Clint Eastwood and Dina Ruiz

In 2013, Dina announced she wanted to file for divorce with her husband because Clint was cheating on her. Immediately after the divorce romantic-minded Eastwood dated actress Erica Fisher. According to other sources, his new girlfriend was a waitress from Mission Ranch Hotel Christina Sandera (she is younger than Clint for 33 years).

Clint Eastwood and son Scott

His son Scott Eastwood followed his father’s steps and became an actor. Even at the early stages of his career, the young man didn’t use his father’s influence, so the lead role in the «Pacific Rim Uprising» sequel is his personal merit.

Clint Eastwood nowadays

Despite his advanced age, Clint Eastwood continues to be creative. So, in 2019, he directed and produced the biographical drama "Richard Jewell".Besides cinematography, Eastwood is also engaged in business: in Carmel, where he was mayor for 2 years, he owns a golf club, a hotel, and a restaurant that generates a solid income.