Screen legend Clint Eastwood turns 95

This Saturday marks the 95th birthday of Clint Eastwood, the legendary actor, director, and producer whose eight-decade career redefined Hollywood.

Born in 1930 in San Francisco, the 5.2 kg newborn earned the nickname "Samson" from midwives. The Eastwood family, of Scottish, English, Irish, and Dutch descent, moved frequently during the Great Depression before settling permanently in California.

Eastwood's school years were marked more by mischief than academic achievement, resulting in multiple expulsions. Yet the perennial troublemaker ultimately graduated.

Choosing work over college, the introverted Eastwood took on diverse jobs in the late 1940s – including golf caddy, supermarket worker, firefighter, lifeguard, and petrol station worker. His 1951 military draft led to a near-death experience when his plane crashed into the Pacific. He swam two miles to shore with the pilot. After his 1952 discharge, a chance meeting with actor David Janssen changed his trajectory. Janssen encouraged the athletic 1.93m-tall Eastwood to pursue acting.

His 1954 Universal Studios audition revealed unexpected hurdles. Critics called him "too stiff" and noted he "talked through his teeth" – qualities that would later define his signature style. After numerous rejections, Eastwood landed his first role in the 3D horror movie Revenge of the Creature, earning $100 weekly. Minor TV and film parts followed, but stardom remained elusive.

Eastwood's career transformed in 1958 when he joined the Western series Rawhide. Though frustrated by his character's limitations during its seven-year run, he used the opportunity to study directing – despite lukewarm reception from producers. By the show's end, he earned $119,000 per episode.

His big break came unexpectedly in 1964. Sergio Leone, unable to afford established stars, cast Eastwood for $15,000 plus a Mercedes-Benz in A Fistful of Dollars.

As the stoic "Man With No Name," Eastwood perfected his antihero persona across Leone's "Dollars Trilogy," catapulting to international fame.

Hollywood took notice. After standout roles in Westerns and war films, Eastwood's career-defining moment arrived in 1971 as Detective Harry Callahan in Dirty Harry – a role originally offered to Frank Sinatra and Steve McQueen.

That same year marked his directorial debut with the psychological thriller Play Misty for Me. Balancing acting and directing, Eastwood increasingly pursued artistically ambitious projects, earning critical praise if not always box-office success. His career waned in the 1980s but resurged spectacularly in the 1990s with films like In the Line of Fire, The Bridges of Madison County, and his crowning achievement: 1992's Unforgiven, which won Best Picture and Best Director Oscars.

Known for his efficient, rehearsal-averse approach, Eastwood often used first takes.

Eastwood's creative peak extended well into the 21st century. His 2003 drama Mystic River earned two Oscars, followed by 2004's Million Dollar Baby claiming four Academy Awards. Eastwood is the only Hollywood star who has been honoured with an Oscar twice both as a director and producer. To date, he remains the oldest recipient of the Oscar for Best Director.

With 41 directing credits, 53 producer roles, and 33 musical contributions, Eastwood ended his career with 2024's Juror #2 – a courtroom drama marking his final project.

A Republican since the 1950s, Eastwood supported GOP presidential candidates including Donald Trump – though he later became a vocal critic. In 1986, he was elected mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, where he resides. The actor also owns a local hotel, donating all profits from his proprietary beer line to charity.

An avid helicopter pilot and golfer, Eastwood's personal life drew equal attention. He fathered at least eight children with six women, though he consistently declined to confirm exact figures.