91-Year-Old Clint Eastwood's Car Of Choice Surprises Fans

Aug 18, 2021

Clint Eastwood is America's beloved cowboy actor, having featured in iconic films that solidified the impact of the Spaghetti Western genre in America and across the world. He has been a pinnacle figure in the movie industry for well over 65 years. As an actor, film director, composer, and producer, Eastwood has been a highlight in the film industry in many areas, as well as some time in the television industry. 

Most known for his work as an actor and director, Eastwood found his claim to fame during the 1950s, and the rest is history. The Hollywood icon has starred in a plethora of films and television series and has even played a part in directing and producing some of his most notable roles. When he is not in front of the screen stealing the spotlight, Eastwood has made sure to make his voice and opinions heard in his work behind the scenes as a producer and director. As a producer, he began his own production company called Malpaso Productions, which has produced all but four of his American films.

With productions such as "Rawhide, "Dirty Harry," and "American Sniper" in his repertoire, it's easy to see why Eastwood has become Hollywood royalty in his own way. Throughout his many years in the spotlight, the 91-year-old star has been extremely successful and has been able to live in some beautiful places, as well as drive some of the most amazing cars. His collection is full of surprises and includes vehicles from many different eras, with each one being meaningful to the acclaimed star.

While Eastwood is a Hollywood mainstay, his roots are rather humble. This self-made movie star was born on May 31, 1930, in San Francisco, California. His family grew up in a wealthy area of town in a house that had a swimming pool, while each parent had their own car, and the family elongated to a country club. His father was a manufacturing executive at Georgia-Pacific, while his mother worked in a clerical role at IBM.

Eastwood was not always a shining star amongst others. During his school years, he struggled to keep up with classmates and received poor grades. He was held back a year and even had to attend summer school. While it's unclear whether Eastwood ever graduated from high school, it has not stood in his way of making a name for himself and becoming an extremely popular figure in the entertainment industry. 

During his teenage years and early adulthood, he picked up jobs here and there to make some extra money. Some of the positions he held included lifeguard, grocery clerk, golf caddy, and paper carrier. After attempting to enroll at Seattle University in 1951, Eastwood's ambitions to continue his education were left unfulfilled as he was instead drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War. 

During his time in the military, he had been positioned as a lifeguard at Fort Ord in northern California. The Universal-International film company had been filming in Fort Ord during the time Eastwood was stationed there, which is what led to him eventually finding his way into the acting industry. 

After impressing executives with his tall stance and intimidating demeanor, he failed to impress with his acting skills but was arranged to enroll in acting classes after signing a contract. Delivering lines through gritted teeth while holding a stiff manner was something not every talent agent was a fan of, but it went on to become Eastwood's lifelong trademark.

After many auditions, Eastwood didn't have much luck until 1955, when he finally got a bit-part in his first movie, "Revenge of the Creature." A number of other small roles followed, but his contract eventually ran out and wasn't renewed. However, that didn't stop the budding actor, who continually put in the work with minor roles until he eventually landed a breakthrough part in the 1958 Western series "Rawhide." The series aired for five years before being canceled.

The rising actor was being nominated and winning awards from as early on as 1961 when he won the Bronze Wrangler Award for the TV drama "Rawhide" at the Western Heritage Awards. From his role as John Lucas in the TV Western series "Death Valley Days" to his poncho-wearing days in a popular movie trilogy, Eastwood has been known as the tough guy with a heart of gold in a long list of Westerns. He portrayed a gunslinging hero in "A Fistful of Dollars," "For A Few Dollars More," and "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." The three movies formed a trilogy written and directed by Sergio Leone. Eastwood's character as "the Good" was one of the most popular and influential roles throughout his career. 

Throughout his impressive career, Eastwood has showcased his talents as an actor, director, and producer. One of his most notable acting roles came from "Dirty Harry," with fans to this day still quoting one of the most iconic lines from the film: "Go ahead, make my day." Other accomplished films from the actor include "Million Dollar Baby," "Every Which Way but Loose," and "Escape from Alcatraz." Each of these projects has been listed as one out of Eastwood's 25 most essential movies by Rolling Stone. Some others on the list include "The Bridges of Madison County," "Letters from Iwo Jima," and "Mystic River."

Considered a long-shot project, "Million Dollar Baby" was a true underdog in both its storytelling throughout the film and its success at the box office. It even went on to win multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Rolling Stone has considered the film to be "the very best" of Eastwood's late-career work.

Stepping behind the camera, Eastwood has proven to be just as successful as he is in front of it. One of his most acclaimed directorial films is "American Sniper," a war drama biopic from 2014 that starred Bradley Cooper. Rolling Stone reported that the film went on to be Eastwood's most popular film to date, despite garnering plenty of controversy.

With his own production company called Malpaso Productions, Eastwood has been able to hold a leadership role in the majority of his films, whether it's as an actor, director, or producer. He has even been credited as a composer for a handful of films and their soundtracks. Eastwood has mostly partnered with Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Paramount Pictures to distribute the films his own production company creates.

At the age of 91, Eastwood is still working in the entertainment industry and even has a new movie coming out in September 2021. Eastwood not only worked as the leading star of the upcoming film "Cry Macho," but has also been credited as a director and producer. "Cry Macho," tells the story of a one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder who accepts a job to bring a man's young son home and away from his alcoholic mother, as per IMDB. 

Eastwood's strong work across many fields in the entertainment industry has led him to great success, and he has been nominated and won plenty of prestigious awards. Some awards he's won from major associations include four Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. Eastwood was also honored with an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.

While his work life has been incredibly productive and successful, Eastwood's personal life has been just as bountiful, and at times has even been seen as a movie with all of the twists and turns he has encountered along the way. The entertainment star served for two years as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea in California after being elected in April 1986. In 2001, Governor Gray Davis appointed him to the California State Park and Recreation Commission.

In December 2020, Outsider reported that Eastwood and his eight children were able to come together for an iconic picture at the premiere of "The Mule" in 2018, a movie for which Eastwood starred and worked as a director. With such a busy career and having spent so much time in the spotlight, it's a wonder how Eastwood has managed to keep up with all of his children. 

The star's dating history is complicated and publicly began when he got engaged with his first wife, Maggie Johnson, in 1953. Outsider reported that he had an affair with an unnamed woman from Seattle during his marriage to Johnson, and it wasn't the only one. He also impregnated actress and stunt woman Roxanne Tunis. She gave birth to Eastwood's second daughter, Kimber Eastwood, in 1964. A few years later, Eastwood and Johnson finally had a child of their own when Kyle Eastwood was born in 1968, followed by Alison Eastwood in 1972. Unsurprisingly, the couple's marriage didn't last, and they divorced in 1984. 

Following this, Eastwood quickly moved on and had two children with flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves. Their children include Scott Eastwood, who was born in 1986, and Kathryn Eastwood, who was born in 1988. The star continued dating and had another child, Francesca Eastwood, in 1993 with actress Frances Fisher. Finally, it seemed like Eastwood had found his match, and he settled down with Dina Ruiz in 1996, and she gave birth to Morgan Eastwood later that year. Eastwood was 72 at the time. The pair later divorced in 2014.

Eastwood has since found love with Christina Sandra but revealed that he "doesn't see the point" in getting married again, according to a source's conversation with Closer Weekly. The couple has been together since 2014 when they met at Sandra's place of work at Eastwood's Mission Ranch Hotel. Their relationship moved quickly, and they moved in together relatively soon. Luckily, their relationship is still going strong, and the entire Eastwood clan has gotten to meet and get to know Sandra. According to Closer Weekly, the whole crew likes her.

Eastwood's car collection is full of some amazing finds. With some of the oldest in his collection dating back to the 1930s, this Hollywood icon has accumulated a variety of vehicles that each have their own unique beauty. His Ford Roadster is from 1932 and is one of the cars that Eastwood had dreamed of owning during his young adulthood, according to GQ. The second oldest in his collection is his 1937 Lincoln K-Series Convertible, the same one from his 1982 film "Honkytonk Man." Eastwood had enjoyed driving it so much while shooting the movie that he ended up buying it after production wrapped.

Some of Eastwood's most classic-looking vehicles come from the era of the 1950s. His Austin-Healey 100M from 1955 was so popular that even Steve McQueen had one. Eastwood and his former wife, Johnson, enjoyed driving their 1955 Cadillac Eldorado during their marriage. Following their divorce, the car remained in Eastwood's possession. 

Some great finds from the 1960s in Eastwood's lavish collection include his Jaguar XK150 from 1960, his Ferrari from 1966, and his Mini Cooper S from 1966. In 2008, Eastwood starred in and directed the film "Gran Torino." Before filming started, his production company sourced a 1972 Gran Torino to be used for the movie. According to GQ, Warner Bros. bought the car and cleaned it up, with Eastwood eventually buying it for himself after production wrapped. Other vehicles Eastwood owns from the 1970s include two Ferraris and a special edition Pontiac Trans-Am.

Back in September 2016, Eastwood made an appearance on the "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," where he talked about the car in his collection that he was driving at the time. "I drive a Typhoon, a GMC Typhoon," Eastwood said. "It's out of production now." He explained that it's a pretty fast vehicle, receiving a round of applause from the audience and Jimmy Fallon himself. 

According to Autotrader, Eastwood's SUV of choice was only sold in 1992 and 1993. Road and Track reported that it could reach up to 60 mph after just 5.6 seconds, which was highly impressive for a small SUV at the time. This vehicle, in particular, definitely stands out in Eastwood's car collection, as it is pretty boxy and large compared to the rest and doesn't look specifically luxurious. However, Autotrader explained that the GMC Typhoon "is highly unusual, and it's becoming valuable."

The most recent car that Eastwood currently owns is his 2014 Fiat 500. Shockingly, the actor's tall stature fits in the tiny, eco-friendly car. Who would've thought Hollywood's favorite cowboy would be into modern vehicles?

Eastwood has gone on to become one of the most recognized actors and directors in the entertainment industry and has worked hard to obtain the lavish items he owns now. With such a long history in the industry, it's no surprise that Eastwood has made some serious cash in his day and has spent it on some of the most beautiful and unique cars he has come across.

What do you think about Clint Eastwood's large car collection? Were you surprised to find out what kinds of vehicles he drives? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones, too.