Clint Eastwood As an actor, Clint Eastwood 's roles have given Hollywood some of its most memorable characters. His most recent parts have included the cat burglar Luther Whitney from the 1996 hit "Absolute Power " , the National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid from the 1995 blockbuster, "The Bridges of Madison County " , and the Texas Ranger, Red Garnett from the critically praised "A Perfect World " in 1994. In 1993, Eastwood starred as Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan, in the $100 million hit "In The Line of Fire " . It was "Unforgiven ", however, in 1992, that marked a crucial point in Eastwood 's career. This film, produced by Eastwood, was his 36th starring feature and his 10th Western. "Unforgiven " received four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director (Joel Cox), Best Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman), and Best Sound. It also marked the first time in his career that Eastwood received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Eastwood ' s first break from his days as a contract player came in the well-documented move to the "Rawhide" television series, where he played cowboy Rowdy Yates. This led to the starring role in Italian director Sergio Leone's "Man With No Nanie" trilogy, including "A Fistful of Dollars", "For a Few Dollars More ", and "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". Eastwood moved into subsequent starring roles in a long string of hits such as "Hang `Em High", Coogan 's Bluff', "Where Eagles Dare ", "Paint Your Wagon", "Two Mules For Sister Sarah", "Kelly's Heroes", and "The Beguiled ". Eastwood made his debut as director with "Play Misty For Me", in which he also starred, followed by the legendary "Dirty Harry" in 1970. The film created another worldwide Eastwood persona, and was followed by films such as "Joe Kidd", "Magnum Force" , "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" , "The Enforcer", and, directed by Eastwood, "High Plains Drifter", "The Eiger Sanction", "The Outlaw Josey Wales", and "The Gauntlet". "Every Which Way But Loose " , became his biggest box-office grosser. It was followed by "Escape From Alcatraz ", the whimsical "Bronco Billy". "Tightrope" followed, which challenged Eastwood ' s conventional image of tough bigcity cop. The comedy "City Heat" presented Eastwood in tandem with Burt Reynolds, while the enigmatic "Pale Rider" once again brought him back to a Western theme. Eastwood then portrayed a marine gunnery sergeant in "Ieartbreak Ridge" , returned to his fifth Dirty Harry film with "The Dead Pool ", entertained the notion of a good-hearted bounty hunter in "Pink Cadillac ", and trained a novice cop in the art of police work in "The Rookie " . Eastwood's "Bird" won a Best Sound Oscar as well as a Best Director Golden Globe, while his adaptation of "The Bridges of Madison County" earned Merryl Streep a Best Actress nomination. Long acknowledged for his visual sense, his pacing and the production value he brings to a film as director, Clint Eastwood has appeared in every film he has produced and directed, save "Breezy ", "Bird" and "Midnight in The Garden of Good and Evil". Among the films Eastwood has starred, directed and produced are "Firefox", "Honkeytonk Man", "Sudden Impact " , "Pale Rider", "Heartbreak Ridge ", "White Hunter, Black Heart", "The Bridges of Madison County", and "Absolute Power". Clint Eastwood is also the producer and director of "True Crime", which is his 12th film as a producer, his 21st as a director, and his 41st starring role. Eastwood ' s diverse abilities have brought him international stature, box-office success and numerous Motion Picture Academy Awards and nominations. In 1995, Eastwood was honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement, as an actor, director and producer, by The Motion Picture Academy at the Annual Academy Awards.