Editing Clint Eastwood (section)

=== 1954–1962: acting debut and ''Rawhide'' ===
[[file:Clint Eastwood Nina Foch Rawhide 1959.jpg|thumb|left|upright|With [[Nina Foch]] in an episode of ''Rawhide'', 1959]]
According to a CBS press release for ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'', [[Universal Pictures|Universal-International]]'s camera crew was shooting in Fort Ord when an enterprising assistant spotted Eastwood and invited him to meet the director,<ref name="McGilligan52">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 52</ref> although this is disputed by Eastwood's unauthorized biographer, Patrick McGilligan.<ref name="McG53">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 53</ref> According to Eastwood's official biography, the key figure was a man named Chuck Hill, who was stationed in Fort Ord and had contacts in Hollywood.<ref name="McGilligan52" /> While in Los Angeles, Hill became reacquainted with Eastwood and managed to sneak him into a Universal studio, where he introduced him to cameraman [[Irving Glassberg]].<ref name="McGilligan52" /> Glassberg arranged for an audition under [[Arthur Lubin]], who, although very impressed with Eastwood's appearance and stature (then {{cvt|6|ft|4|in|cm|disp=sqbr}}), disapproved of his acting, remarking, "He was quite amateurish. He didn't know which way to turn or which way to go or do anything."<ref name="McGilligan60">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 60</ref> Lubin suggested that he attend drama classes and arranged for Eastwood's initial contract in April 1954, at $100 per week.<ref name="McGilligan60" /> After signing, Eastwood was initially criticized for his stiff manner and delivering his lines through his teeth, a lifelong trademark.<ref>[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 62</ref>

In May 1954, Eastwood made his first real audition for ''[[Six Bridges to Cross]]'', but was rejected by [[Joseph Pevney]].<ref name="McGilligan63">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 63</ref> After many unsuccessful auditions, he was eventually given a minor role by director [[Jack Arnold (director)|Jack Arnold]] in ''[[Revenge of the Creature]]'' (1955), a sequel to the recently released ''[[Creature from the Black Lagoon]]''.<ref name="McGilligan64">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 64</ref> In September 1954, Eastwood worked for three weeks on Arthur Lubin's ''[[Lady Godiva of Coventry]]'', won a role in February 1955, playing "Jonesy", a sailor in ''[[Francis in the Navy]]'' and appeared uncredited in another Jack Arnold film, ''[[Tarantula (film)|Tarantula]]'', where he played a squadron pilot.<ref name=Fitzgerald/><ref>[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 80</ref> In May 1955, Eastwood put four hours' work into the film ''[[Never Say Goodbye (1956 film)|Never Say Goodbye]]'' and had a minor uncredited role as a ranch hand in August 1955 with ''[[Star in the Dust]]'', starring [[John Agar]] and [[Mamie Van Doren]], the latter of whom he dated briefly.<ref name="Eliot33">[[#Eliot|Eliot]], p. 33</ref> Universal presented him with his first television role on July 2, 1955, on [[NBC]]'s ''Allen in Movieland'', which starred comedian [[Steve Allen]], actor [[Tony Curtis]], and swing musician [[Benny Goodman]].<ref name="McGilligan86">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 86</ref> Although he continued to develop as an actor, Universal terminated his contract on October 23, 1955.<ref name="Eliot36">[[#Eliot|Eliot]], p. 36</ref>

Eastwood joined the Marsh Agency, and although Lubin landed him his biggest role to date in ''[[The First Traveling Saleslady]]'' (1956) and later hired him for ''[[Escapade in Japan]]'' (1957), without a formal contract, Eastwood was struggling.<ref name="McGilligan85">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 85</ref> On his financial advisor [[Irving Leonard (financial adviser)|Irving Leonard]]'s advice, he switched to the Kumin-Olenick Agency in 1956 and Mitchell Gertz in 1957. He landed several small roles in 1956 as a temperamental army officer for a segment of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''Reader's Digest'' series, and as a motorcycle gang member on a ''[[Highway Patrol (American TV series)|Highway Patrol]]'' episode.<ref name="McGilligan85" /> In 1957, Eastwood played a cadet in ''[[The West Point Story (TV series)|West Point]]'' series and a suicidal gold prospector on ''[[Death Valley Days]]''.<ref name="McGilligan87">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 87</ref>

In 1958, he played a Navy lieutenant in a segment of ''[[Navy Log]]'' and in early 1959 made a notable guest appearance as Red Hardigan on ''[[Maverick (TV series)|Maverick]]'' opposite [[James Garner]] as a cowardly villain intent on marrying a rich girl for money.<ref name="McGilligan87" /> Eastwood had a small part as an aviator in ''[[Lafayette Escadrille (film)|Lafayette Escadrille]]'' (1958) and played a major role as an ex-renegade of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] in ''[[Ambush at Cimarron Pass]]'' (also 1958): a film that Eastwood considers the low point of his career.<ref>[[#Frayling|Frayling]], p. 45</ref><ref>[[#Brien|O'Brien]], p. 40</ref><ref name="McGilligan93">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 93</ref>

[[File:Clint Eastwood and Roxanne Tunis.jpg|thumb|With stuntwoman Roxanne Tunis on the ''Rawhide'' set, circa 1959]]

In 1958, Eastwood was cast as Rowdy Yates in the CBS hour-long western series ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'', the career breakthrough he had long sought.<ref name="McGilligan95">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 95</ref><ref name="Eliot45">[[#Eliot|Eliot]], p. 45</ref> Eastwood was not especially happy with his character; Eastwood was almost 30, and Rowdy was too young and cloddish for his comfort.<ref>{{cite web |author=Miller, Kenneth |url=http://www.readersdigest.com.au/content/rd-face-to-face-clint-eastwood/ |title=RD Face to Face: Clint Eastwood |publisher=Reader's Digest Australia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726195125/http://www.readersdigest.com.au/content/rd-face-to-face-clint-eastwood/ |archive-date=July 26, 2008}}</ref> Filming began in Arizona in the summer of 1958.<ref>[[#Brien|O'Brien]], p. 29</ref> It took just three weeks for ''Rawhide'' to reach the top 20 in TV ratings and, although it never won an [[Emmy]], it was a major success for several years, and peaked at number six in the ratings from October 1960 to April 1961.<ref name="McGilligan110">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 110</ref> The ''Rawhide'' years (1959–65) were some of the most grueling of Eastwood's career, often filming six days a week for an average of 12 hours a day, but some directors still criticized him for not working hard enough.<ref name="McGilligan110" /><ref name="McGilligan111">[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 111</ref> By late 1963, ''Rawhide'' was beginning to decline in the ratings and lacked freshness in the scripts; it was canceled in the middle of the 1965–66 season.<ref>[[#McGilligan|McGilligan]], p. 125</ref> Eastwood made his first attempt at directing when he filmed several trailers for the show, but was unable to convince producers to let him direct an episode.<ref name=Emery/> In the show's first season, Eastwood earned $750 an episode. At the time of ''Rawhide''{{'}}s cancellation, he received $119,000 an episode as severance pay.<ref>[[#Hughes|Hughes]], p. xxvi</ref>