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Clint Eastwood first made a name for himself in Hollywood by skillfully navigating the rugged terrain of the Wild West on the TV series “Rawhide,” where he played Rowdy Yates. What many might not know is that Eastwood performed his own stunts on the show, uncredited, to maintain authenticity. He took great pride in executing the stunts himself, telling The Modesto Bee, “After all, this is an action show. It’s a lot more gratifying when I can perform the action myself instead of having a double do it for me,” as highlighted by MeTV.
CBS
Eastwood’s physical prowess was well recognized in Hollywood. A talented swimmer, he served as a sea survival instructor at Fort Ord in California during the Korean War. His strength and resilience helped catapult his acting career post-military service, quickly earning him a reputation for being a dedicated professional. “A lot of actors are in pretty good shape, but they aren’t conditioned to periods of long physical effort,” he once remarked. “They get pretty tired toward the end of an active day, and it shows up in their performances.”
Fans of the iconic 1971 film “Dirty Harry” might already be aware that Eastwood performed his own stunts, though he wasn’t credited for them. He continued this trend in the 1975 action thriller “The Eiger Sanction,” where he even learned mountain climbing for the role. However, as his fame grew, so did the demand for safety, leading him to occasionally rely on stuntman Wayne “Buddy” Van Horn, who took on some of the riskier scenes.
Eastwood’s use of a stuntman was largely influenced by studio mandates, although Van Horn noted that Eastwood was always eager to handle his own stunts. “There’s been a couple of times that he’s wanted to do something and I talked him out of it,” Van Horn shared with the Independent in 2010. “He’s a pretty physical guy and likes to do his own stunts. Some of the things he does were pretty easy to get banged up. I’ve tried to talk him out of it sometimes, but not very successfully most of the time.”
Eastwood still takes a hands-on approach
Warner Bros.
Even at 91, Eastwood remains hands-on in his work. During the filming of “Cry Macho” in 2021, he continued to perform his own stunts, including riding horseback and throwing punches. “The wrangler was worried,” Eastwood disclosed to the Los Angeles Times. “She was saying, ‘Be careful, be careful now.’ She was scared I’d end up on my rear end. But if you treat the horse like a buddy, he’ll take care of you.” Though “Cry Macho” received mixed reviews, Eastwood’s dedication to his craft and willingness to take risks continue to solidify his status as a Hollywood legend.
Eastwood getting a stuntman was apparently at the behest of the studios, as Van Horn has made it clear that Eastwood was always trying to do his own stunt work. “There’s been a couple of times that he’s wanted to do something and I talked him out of it,” Van Horn told the Independent in 2010. “He’s a pretty physical guy and likes to do his own stunts. Some of the things he does were pretty easy to get banged up. I’ve tried to talk him out of it sometimes, but not very successfully most of the time.”
Even today, Eastwood likes to get as hands-on as possible. He was 91-years-old when he made 2021’s “Cry Macho,” yet he still threw punches and even rode horseback. “The wrangler was worried,” Eastwood revealed to the Los Angeles Times. “She was saying, ‘Be careful, be careful now.’ She was scared I’d end up on my rear end. But if you treat the horse like a buddy, he’ll take care of you.” While “Cry Macho” received lukewarm reviews, the fact that Eastwood is still willing to put his body on the line for his craft is just one of the reasons he’s a Hollywood great.
