The 65-year-old TV show you need to know about Clint Eastwood's Big Break
Though he is a Western genre legend, did you know that a TV show running over 65 years ago started Clint Eastwood's career? That is accurate. Clint Eastwood was a regular on a show called "Rawhide," before he became a movie star, and his success was much aided by this Western series.
What's Rawhide About?
Long running Western show "Rawhide" tracked the exploits of a group of cattle drovers in the 1860s. From 1959 to 1965, the eight-season program offered Clint Eastwood his major break. Working for Gil Favor ( Eric Fleming), he portrayed Rowdy Yates, a tough, rebellious, occasionally hotheaded cowhand.
Unlike many Westerns of the day, "Rawhide" concentrated on the actual life of cattle drivers and eschewed a single Cowboy hero. It aimed to depict the realistic and brutal aspect of frontier living. Actually, Gil Favor began with monologues derived from diary entries and was modeled on a real cattle driver.
How "Rawhide" Made Clint Eastwood a Star
Rowdy Yates, Clint Eastwood's character, suited him exactly. Young, tough, and not always rule-following was he. Audiences connected with this rebellious but moral character. And thanks in large part to his starring performance in "Rawhide," Clint Eastwood was able to demonstrate Hollywood his ability to handle Westerns.
For Clint Eastwood, those eight years on "Rawhide were a true game-change. His exposure to the hit show helped him land parts in films and finally rise to be among the most well-known Western stars.
Thus, keep in mind that Clint Eastwood began his career on a Tv Show called "Rawhide" the next time you view a Western. Though it's more than 65 years old, this show is still relevant today since it launched the career of one of the best Western actors of all time!
