Lesser-Known Side of Hollywood Icon Clint Eastwood

They don't make Hollywood A-list stars quite like they used to. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the life and work of veteran actor, director, and politician Clint Eastwood. Born in San Francisco in 1930, Eastwood worked a series of dangerous odd jobs out of high school before being drafted into the army. There he worked as a lifeguard and bouncer and nearly died in a plane crash. These aren't the only incredible facts about Clint Eastwood, however.

After he set his sights on stardom, Eastwood slowly but surely worked his way up the ranks until he was an A-list actor with all the accolades to show for it. Known for his masculine good looks and nonsense aura, Eastwood later transitioned to directing where he has won countless awards for his films. They don't make them like Clint Eastwood anymore, and these incredible facts will show you why.(For more Clint Eastwood, discover Clint Eastwood's most memorable quotes.)

To compile a list of incredible facts about Clint Eastwood, 24/7 Tempo consulted a wide swath of entertainment, film, and history publications. These include Esquire Magazine, CNN, and the California Museum. Next, we selected facts about the actor that reflected his adventurous and multifaceted life story. After that, we confirmed aspects of his life using sites like Britannica and The Kennedy Center.

One of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is how many working-stiff-type jobs he worked before he made his entry into Hollywood. After graduating from Oakland Technical High School, Eastwood worked as a lumberjack for the Weyerhaeuser Company Mills in rural Oregon. He also had a short stint as a steelworker in Texas. After moving to Hollywood, Eastwood still worked odd jobs. Before his big break, he managed an apartment complex in Beverly Hills, dug swimming pools, and pumped gas at night.

Besides being a Hollywood star and acclaimed film director, Clint Eastwood can carry his weight on the links. Besides appearing in several celebrity golf tournaments, Eastwood actualized his love of golf with his very own course. The Tehàma Golf Club, designed by golf course architect Jay Morrish, sits in Carmel Valley, California. What's more, it features 6,506 yards of playable course right next to the Pacific Ocean.

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is his passion for aviation. Indeed, he has a long history with the skies. Besides personally flying one of his several privately owned aircraft, Eastwood nearly died in a plane crash in the 1950s. On September 30, 1951, Eastwood, then a Private in the US Army, hitched a ride on a US Navy AD-1 Skyraider plane out of Sacramento. The plane lost control over the Pacific, crashing into the ocean. Eastwood and the pilot trod water in choppy waves for hours before making it to shore.

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is he once worked as a swimming instructor in the US Army. After being drafted for the Korean War, Eastwood was shipped to Fort Ord in Monterey, California for basic training. Though he failed to be deployed for any combat role, Eastwood worked as an Army Swimming Instructor while moonlighting as a bouncer at the NCO club on weekends.

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is his extensive philanthropic ventures. For one, he lent public support for the E-Xentric Celebrity Charity Golf Day, for The Stroke Association. Besides that, Eastwood has donated or lent support to various charitable causes including the American Heart Association, the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. What's more, he once donated a selection of signed memorabilia to the City of Hope organization.

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is his love for meditation. After learning about Transcendental Meditation in the 1970s, Eastwood took up the practice, meditating every morning for years on end. He even appeared on the "The Merv Griffin Show" with Transcendental Meditation founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. As for the practice, Eastwood said, "I've been using it for almost 40 years now – and I think it's a great tool for anyone to have, to be able to utilize as a tool for stress. Stress, of course, comes with almost every business."

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is his support of a plant-based diet. Though he's known to love a burger or two, Eastwood has spoken at length on the benefits of a mostly vegetable-based diet. In support of a documentary featuring him, "Why on Earth," he said, "The plant-based diet should affect positive changes for the well-being of animals and people."

Though he is now considered one of the more handsome actors to ever become a Hollywood star, that wasn't always the case. In 1959, he was fired from his job as a contract player for Universal Studios because of his features. Actor Burt Reynolds, who was also fired from the position at the same time, said he "was fired because his Adam's apple stuck out too far. He talked too slow. And he had a chipped tooth and he wouldn't get it fixed."

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood concerns his film company, Malpaso Productions. When he sought to appear in director Sergio Leon's famed western trilogy, his agent told him it would be a bad step for his career. Years later, after moving to Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, he saw the nearby Malpaso Creek. Since Malpaso means bad step in Spanish, he named his production company after it.

Regarding the last entry, Clint Eastwood ignored his agent's advice and took the roles in Sergio Leon's now-classic western trilogy. He wore his trademark poncho in all three of the movies, "A Fistful of Dollars,""For a Few Dollars More," and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." Reportedly, however, Eastwood never washed the article of clothing which he still owns. He said, "If you washed it, it would fall apart."

(For other classic gunslinger roles, discover 11 of the greatest Western characters.)

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is how he scored his classic role as Harry Callahan in "Dirty Harry." Assuming he had lost the part to Sinatra, Eastwood was surprised when he got a call from the casting agent. According to him, he beat out Sinatra because he could hold a gun properly. He said, "That sounded like a pretty lame excuse, but it didn't matter to me. I said, 'I'll do it."

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is his ability to work in the face of danger. For his movie "The Eiger Sanction," Eastwood performed some death-defying mountain climbing. After training in Yosemite National Park, Eastwood successfully scaled at least part of the 1200-foot Lost Arrow Spire on Eiger Mountain in Switzerland.

Not one to jump into any role offered to him, Eastwood famously turned down chances to appear as some of the biggest characters in film history. Besides turning down Martin Sheen's now-famous role in "Apocalypse Now" because he didn't want to live in the Philippines for 16 weeks, Eastwood rejected offers to play both John McClane in "Die Hard" and Superman. Regarding Superman, he told the president of Warner Bros. "Superman? Nah, nah, that's not for me. Not that there's anything wrong with it. It's for somebody, but not me."

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood concerns his spare, particular style of directing. While some directors spend years in pre-production working out every aspect of the filming process, Eastwood takes a more laissez-faire approach. Not only does he never storyboard, rehearse, or change a movie's script once it's written, but he also prefers using one-take shots.

Nor does he say action, suggesting that "even the horses get nervous." He also says "Let's move on," instead of "action." When once directing Matt Damon in a scene, Damon asked to shoot a second take. In response, Eastwood said, "Why, so you can waste everybody's time?"

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is his ownership of a very large tree. On one of his properties, Eastwood had a Blue gum Eucalyptus tree thought to be the largest hardwood tree in the country. His top spot was dethroned, however, after the National Register of Big Trees discovered a larger specimen some forty miles north of Eastwood's.

Perhaps being robbed of the biggest hardwood tree in the country wasn't for naught, as less than two months later Clint Eastwood was sworn in as a California State Parks Commissioner for Big Basin Redwood State Park. Awarded as part of the park's 100th birthday celebration, Eastwood had a bit of fun with the crowd. After flashing his new badge to the audience, telling them they were under arrest, he offered some stern words for conservationists. He told them, "Put your money where your mouth is."

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is his political success. After establishing himself in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, Eastwood's plans to build a small building were summarily rejected by the town's administration. Though he won an out-of-court settlement that allowed the building to happen, he wasn't satisfied.

In 1986, Eastwood ran for Mayor, eclipsing the then-incumbent by winning 72.5% of the vote. Though only mayor for two years, Eastwood managed to get a tourist parking lot and a library annex for children built. He also repealed a law prohibiting the sale of ice cream.

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is his dedication to physical health. Even as a teenager, he was a fitness fanatic. This is evidenced by a 1959 issue of TV Guide, where Eastwood is photographed doing pushups. In an interview with Muscle & Fitness Magazine, Eastwood gave would-be health strivers some tips. He said, "Keep a scale in your bathroom. Get proper rest. Try to be optimistic. Eat fruits and raw vegetables. Take vitamins. Skip beverages loaded with sugars. Avoid alcohol in excess."

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is that he is an outspoken atheist. Though he famously told film critic Gene Siskel that he didn't believe in god, Eastwood's attitude appears to have softened over the years with the help of rigorous meditation. As he puts it, "I'm not really a person of an organized religion. But I'm now much more tolerant of people who are religious, because I can see why they got there. I can sympathize."

Another one of the incredible facts about Clint Eastwood is just how many children he may have (or may not have). Though only twice divorced, Eastwood has at least 8 children by 6 different women. Thanks to numerous affairs, some of his children are even legally fatherless. Ultimately, Eastwood has rebuffed reporters, refusing to confirm his exact number of offspring. (For facts about another classic actor, discover 20 things you never knew about John Wayne.)