In his nearly 70-year career in Hollywood, Clint Eastwood has acted in some truly iconic roles. None of them, however, come close to topping Dirty Harry, the 1971 action thriller that launched Clint Eastwood into an entirely new stratosphere of fame.
Dirty Harry is now considered a classic film, the spark that ignited a whole genre of police movies. It’s both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, and is even preserved by the Library of Congress as a “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” film.
Back in the 70s, however, it was considered a highly controversial production, leading to several high-profile actors turning down the role of Inspector “Dirty” Harry Callahan. The list includes legends Frank Sinatra and John Wayne, as well as Hollywood icons Steve McQueen, Burt Lancaster, and Paul Newman.
In his nearly 70-year career in Hollywood, Clint Eastwood has acted in some truly iconic roles. None of them, however, come close to topping Dirty Harry, the 1971 action thriller that launched Clint Eastwood into an entirely new stratosphere of fame.
Dirty Harry is now considered a classic film, the spark that ignited a whole genre of police movies. It’s both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, and is even preserved by the Library of Congress as a “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” film.
Back in the 70s, however, it was considered a highly controversial production, leading to several high-profile actors turning down the role of Inspector “Dirty” Harry Callahan. The list includes legends Frank Sinatra and John Wayne, as well as Hollywood icons Steve McQueen, Burt Lancaster, and Paul Newman.