Clint Eastwood made a name for himself as an actor in the 1950s, which became the stepping stone to his current status today as one of the most renowned directors in Hollywood. He is an icon to many filmmakers and spends his nineties still working in the industry that he loves.
Over the years, Eastwood received various awards and accomplished several projects that made a mark in the world of cinema. Like other successful actors, he also had his fair share of failures and flaws that affected his career.
Clint Eastwood Lost His Acting Job Because Producers Didn’t Like His Looks
In an industry that values physical appearance and sells beauty as a commodity, Clint Eastwood truly stood out amongst producers. Not in a good way, though, since he was fired because of his looks. As handsome as he appeared, Eastwood had that rough and rugged style.
He was hired by Universal Pictures for a seven-year movie contract, but they subsequently terminated it because they did not like his appearance. Burt Reynolds, an actor who was also dismissed from the studio, told Larry King of CNN:
“I always tell the story that we were fired the same day, but we weren’t. We were fired the same year. And he was fired because his Adam’s apple stuck out too far. He talked too slow. And he had a chipped tooth and he wouldn’t get it fixed. And I said, ‘Why are you firing me?’ And they said, ‘You can’t act.’ … I said to Clint, you know, you are really screwed, because I can learn how to act. You can’t get rid of that Adam’s apple.”
Eastwood’s manner of delivering his lines made a lasting impression on fans, but this was not what the producers wanted. They viewed it as a sign of speech impediment, which they believed he should have worked on, just like his chipped tooth.
While Reynolds pointed out that Eastwood’s Adam’s apple is a problem that is impossible to fix, the latter’s job vacancy dilemma did not last too long. He continued appearing in minor roles without signing any contracts with major studios. In 1958, he joined the cast of CBS’ Rawhide show and remained a regular throughout eight seasons. This brought a positive turn in his career.
Clint Eastwood Entered Hollywood Because He Thought Acting Was Easy
Before Clint Eastwood became one of the most respected directors, he was an actor who thought it was an easy job. In Richard Schickel’s 1996’s Clint Eastwood: A Biography, he revealed that the filmmaker hated working hard jobs. He went into Hollywood to avoid manual labors such as steelworks and firefighting, which was surprisingly Eastwood’s previous jobs.
“I don’t think he wanted to do something that was too taxing. I don’t think he realized how taxing acting was.”
After diving into the filmmaking industry, Clint Eastwood realized that acting and delivering lines are just as challenging as any other jobs in the world, and being a director is way more stressful and rigorous.
Sources: Larry King via CNN, Richard Schickel
