An angular face crisscrossed with wrinkles, a scowl under the hat, an instantly recognizable smirk is drawn: this image now belongs to the collective imagination. If it looks too old, it’s actually less stable than it seems. Clint Eastwood has remained himself while having a surprising array of characters, from the nice cowboy in his television debut to the sarcastic mercenary in Sergio Leone’s westerns to the old man in his latest films. Back to your journey in Arte tonight…
Sometimes we forget, but Clint Eastwood rose to fame on television before he became a movie star. In 1958, at the age of nearly 30 and appearing in Hollywood movies (the endless silhouette in the background), the 1.93m actor was offered a role in Rawhide, a western soap opera paid $750 per episode. The adventure lasted seven years, and the enamored viewers who followed him on CBS voted him “the most beautiful cowboy in the world.”.
When the series ended in 1965, Clint was making $119,000 per episode… This success brought the actor into the limelight and he was offered to replace James Coburn (too expensive!) in a spaghetti western filmed in Spain, with an unknown name: Sergio leon Is it his title? For a handful of dollars. Clint gets there with his guns. Rawhide and cigars purchased at a Beverly Hills store. A legend will be born…
Clint Eastwood, the last legend: Sunday 20 November at 22:45 Arte
FREDERICK RAPILLY
Source: Programme Television
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
