Biography of Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood is a famous actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood was born on May 31, 1930 in San Francisco. His father, Clint Eastwood Sr. was a steelworker and a migrant and his mother, Margaret Ruth Eastwood was a factory worker. Eastwood took up a variety of jobs.

He worked as a gas station worker, fireman, and played ragtime piano at a bar in Oakland. During the Korean War, in the year 1950, he was drafted in the U.S. Army. He was aboard a plane to Korea when the ill-fated flight crashed into the Pacific Ocean.

Eastwood survived and had to remain back as a witness to testify in the investigation of the crash. This stopped him from being shipped to Korea with the rest of his unit. It was during his service in the army that he became friends with future actors David Janssen and Martin Milner.

Clint Eastwood entered the tinsel-town in the 1950s. He appeared in B-Grade movies which went unnoticed. He acted in the film 'Ambush at Cimarron Pass' (1958), which was termed as 'probably the lousiest Western ever made'.

Eastwood had hit an all-time career low; and had even considered quitting films. During this time, he landed on the role of 'Rowdy Yates' in the TV series 'Rawhide' (1959 to 1966). Rowdy Yates turned him into a household name. He did not work in films until 1964.

Clint Eastwood was invited to an audition for the lead role in 'A Fistful of Dollars' directed by Sergio Leone. He bagged the role with a recommendation from Richard Harrison, who felt that Eastwood could play a cowboy convincingly. Eastwood gave a distinct style to the 'Man With No Name' that appeared throughout in the 'Dollar' trilogy.

Leone went on to cast him in two more films, 'For a Few Dollars More' (1965), 'The Good, The Bad, The Ugly' (1967). All the films were major hits, spiraling Eastwood into a major star.

His popularity bagged him more macho roles. He starred opposite Richard Burton in the war-epic 'Where Eagles Dare'. Director Don Siegel cast him in 'Coogan's Bluff'. This film launched a decade-long partnership between Eastwood and Siegel and set the prototype for the macho hero in 'Dirty Harry' series.

Throughout the 1970s, Clint Eastwood, portrayed a number of macho roles. It was a turning point of his career, when he directed the movie 'Play Misty for Me', a project by his production company 'Malpaso'. 'Escape from Alcatraz', a fact-based movie was his last collaboration with Don Siegel. It is the only movie in Eastwood's career that had nude scenes.

Eastwood has directed and acted in many box-office hits such as 'Any Which Way You Can' (1980), 'Sudden Impact' (1983), 'The Rookie' (1990), 'Unforgiven' (1992), 'The Bridges of Madison County' (1995), 'Space Cowboys' (2000), Million Dollar Baby (2004).

'Bird' earned him two Golden Globes, the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifelong contribution and the Best Director award. It also earned him a Golden Palm nomination at the Cannes Film Festival. He was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for the Best Motion Picture Drama and an Oscar for 'The Bridges of Madison County'.

He won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 2003. The 'Million Dollar Baby' that collected $216 million earned Eastwood a Best Actor nomination and a trophy for the Best Director. 'Flags of Our Fathers' and 'Letters from Iwo Jima', earned him an Oscar nomination for the Best Director and the Best Picture for the latter.

Clint Eatwood has totally bagged 3 Golden Globe Awards till date for 'Bird', 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'Letters from Iwo Jima' as a best director for a motion picture. His directorial films, 'Unforgiven' (1993) and 'Million Dollar Baby' (2005), have rewarded him with four Academy Awards (Oscars) as 'best director' and 'best movie' for both the films.

Recipient of several awards, he is one of the only three living directors who are directors of two 'Best Picture' winners. He is also the one of two people who have been nominated twice for 'Best Director' and 'Best Actor' for the same film.

Being a republican, he supported the presidential campaigns of Richard Nixon in 1968 and 1972. Eastwood entered active politics by becoming the Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. In 2001, he was appointed to the California State Park and Recreation Commission by Governor Gray Davis.

Eastwood was re-appointed to California State Park and Recreation Commission in 2003 and 2006 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Eastwood opposed the freeway extension of California State Route 241. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Eastwood was not re-appointed to his post due to his opposition to the toll road extension.

Along with actor Danny DeVito, actor and director Bill Duke, producer Tom Werner and producer and director Lili Zanuck; Eastwood was appointed to the California Film Commission in April 2004 by Governor Schwarzenegger. Clint Eastwood endorsed John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012 for the United States Presidential Elections.

Clint Eastwood has a very colorful personal life. He was married to model and classmate Maggie Johnson in 1953. The entire time they were married, Eastwood was unfaithful to her. He had a number of affairs with many women including Barbra Streisand and Peggy Lipton.

Eastwood developed a secret love-affair with Roxanne Tunis, who was an extra (stunt-woman) during the filming of 'Rawhide'. He fathered her daughter Kimber.

Eastwood refused to have children with Maggie. He changed his mind when Maggie became very ill with Hepatitis. They have two children Kylie Eastwood and Alison Eastwood. Maggie filed for divorce in 1975, after she learned about his affair with Sandra Locke.

Eastwood had a series of love affairs after his break-up with Sandra Locke. He married anchorwoman Dina Ruiz, 35 years his junior. They have a daughter Morgan Eastwood. He has two grandchildren from his son Kylie and daughter Alison.

Clint Eastwood, an icon of macho image, has had a career spanning over seven decades. His menacing squint and dirty poncho have been engraved in timeless glory. 'Man With No Name' has his name immortalized in the minds of Western movie buffs.