Clint Eastwood generally seems like one of the most serious guys in Hollywood. He is incredibly invested in his craft which is probably why he's not only a renowned actor but an Oscar-winning director and filmmaker. Apparently, it was early on in his career when he had an acting experience that would change his career for the better. Surprisingly enough it was in the 60s on the popular CBS sitcom Mister Ed.
In the second season of the TV show, Eastwood appeared as himself in the episode "Clint Eastwood Meets Mister Ed." This was before he was Dirty Harry when the actor was best known for starring in his western series, Rawhide. When Eastwood moves into the neighborhood down the street from Mr. Ed (played by the real horse Bamboo Harvester), his horse starts causing problems for the talking horse. In an interview with the New York Times, Eastwood explained that the experience of playing himself actually made him a better actor.
"That's when I first caught on that I didn't want to overthink things — I was asking myself a lot of questions you shouldn't pose, like, 'What would the real me do in this situation?'" Eastwood recalled. "The hardest thing for a professional actor to do is to play themselves. Most actors are hiding behind roles and don't know who they really are."
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Donna Douglas, best known as Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies, co-starred in the episode as Eastwood's girlfriend. Eastwood helps throw a charity event with Wilbur Post (Alan Young) and Roger Addison (Larry Keating) with tons of laughs when Mr. Ed sets up a party line with Eastwood's house, causing some serious problems for the actor. Want to see the horse somehow manage to dial a phone? How about some drama between Wilbur and his wife Carol (Connie Hines)? You can watch the full episode here on YouTube.
Now when you think of the classic television series you will have more coming to mind than just that catchy theme song. It's the show that potentially turned Clint Eastwood into a future Oscar winner!
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