reveals his remorse at turning down a film with Clint Eastwood
. Murray nonetheless frequently seems in comedies and impartial dramas, however he shall be greatest identified to many audiences for quite a lot of roles within the ’80s and ’90s. The previous SNL forged member starred in films like Caddyshack (1980), Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), and Groundhog Day (1993). Regardless of his lengthy and spectacular resume, Murray has by no means collaborated with Eastwood, who acquired his begin as an actor within the ’50s and ’60s earlier than changing into equally well-known for his directing work.
Throughout a latest look on The Howard Stern Show, Murray reveals that he as soon as got here near working with Eastwood on a film. The actor remembers being impressed by the supporting characters in lots of Eastwood’s earlier films, lots of whom would get an awesome demise scene earlier than Eastwood’s character would avenge them.
The 2 Hollywood legends acquired in contact and had been shut to creating a Navy comedy akin to Stripes, however Murray reveals he acquired chilly toes after worrying about being pigeonholed as an actor. Murray reveals that he nonetheless regrets the choice at the moment. Take a look at his full remark under:
“A very long time in the past, I used to be watching the Clint Eastwood films of the day, like ‘Thunderbolt and Lightfoot,’ or regardless of the hell these films he was making then. And I believed, ‘His sidekick will get killed and he avenges [them] however the sidekick will get an awesome half, an awesome demise scene.’ I used to be like, ‘I’ve acquired to name this man.’
So I referred to as him out of the blue and he stated, ‘Would you ever need to do one other service comedy?’ As a result of I simply made ‘Stripes.’ And he had this nice thought for an infinite Navy factor, and when he stated, ‘would you ever need to do one other service comedy?’ like, geez, ‘Would I turn out to be like [comedy duo] Abbott and Costello?’ I needed to do army films?’
And I stated, ‘Nicely, God, I assume possibly I shouldn’t.’ However it’s one of many few regrets I’ve is that I didn’t do it, as a result of it was a big-scale factor, and I’d have gotten an awesome…I don’t know if I’d have gotten an awesome demise scene, it was extra of a comedy, that one, however it was… He had entry to World Conflict II boats and he might have like made a flotilla and stuff, and there was some cool stuff in it.”
“And once I see him, I’m like, ‘I’m sorry, I want I’d accomplished that, Clint, I’m actually sorry.’ He is actually effectively over it.”
What This Means For Invoice Murray & Clint Eastwood
The Nineteen Eighties Was The Splendid Decade For Them To Work Collectively
Murray and Eastwood had been making very completely different varieties of films within the ’80s. Whereas Murray caught principally to comedy, Eastwood was starring in and directing extra critical films like Sudden Affect (1983), Pale Rider (1985), and Heartbreak Ridge (1986). Each figures clearly continued to attain success on their very own of their respective niches, they usually have continued to work independently. Murray lately appeared in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), whereas Eastwood simply launched Juror #2 (2024), which can be his final film.

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Even when Eastwood, who’s 94, hasn’t formally hung up his hat simply but, it is too late for the Navy comedy that Murray describes to come back to fruition. Given how Hollywood has advanced, the Nineteen Eighties was in all probability the perfect decade for any such movie. Comedy films had been as soon as sure-fire theatrical bets, however comedies reside on streaming providers now, they usually do not usually get massive budgets. Plus, neither Murray nor Eastwood are the viewers attracts they had been 40 years in the past.
Stripes was a field workplace success, grossing $85 million worldwide on a $10 million finances.
Our Take On Murray & Eastwood’s Failed Collaboration
The Navy Comedy Might Have Been One thing Distinctive
Eastwood is just not an actor or director identified for his comedy chops, which might have made his Navy film with Murray an actual outlier in his filmography. Murray’s involvement suggests it probably would have been very humorous, whereas Eastwood clearly had some spectacular assets on his finish by way of making a battle film. Combining each Murray and Eastwood’s strengths might have resulted in one thing really particular, and it is arduous to not be disillusioned that this undertaking by no means ended up taking place.
Tropic Thunder (2008) ended up making fairly a splash within the mid-2000s, however the army comedy is a sub-genre that’s successfully lifeless now. The viewers for most of these movies is simply too small and the budgets too huge. It is disappointing that Murray and Eastwood will in all probability by no means work collectively, however the actor’s remark above suggests, on the very least, that the 2 stay pleasant.
Supply: The Howard Stern Show