Manis, the hairy thespian: the star Clint Eastwood called “one of the most natural actors I ever worked with”
With one of cinema’s most famous thousand-yard stares that could burn a hole through anyone caught in its unwavering gaze, Clint Eastwood probably doesn’t even need to utter a word to let somebody know he doesn’t care for the cut of their jib.
It’s not something he’s ever had to deal with on a regular basis, though, seeing as stories of Eastwood harbouring grudges or engaging in feuds with co-stars, colleagues, and contemporaries are few and far between. Along the way, the four-time Academy Award-winning icon has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood history, but one gained special praise for being a complete natural.
Deciding that he wanted to freshen up his image despite his team believing it to be a thoroughly terrible idea, Eastwood opted to partner up with an orangutan named Manis for an odd-couple buddy caper with a twist. Looking at what happened when Every Which Way but Loose was released, it’s not insane to suggest the legendary face of the spaghetti Western was not the number one driving force behind its success.
After all, the movie earned $104million at the box office to become not just immensely profitable but the highest-grossing release of his entire career. Adjusted for inflation, that equates to roughly $480m, which means that if Eastwood’s whole acting filmography was given similar treatment, Every Which Way but Loose still reigns supreme.
It got a sequel, but Any Which Way You Can didn’t fare anywhere near as well. What was the difference the second time around? No Manis, of course. Like many industry starlets before him, Eastwood’s simian companion was deemed too old to reprise his role in the follow-up and was cast out for daring to age under the harsh glare of the celebrity spotlight. Underlining his capabilities as a dramatic powerhouse, it took two orangutans to try and step into his shoes, with C.J. and Buddha failing to emulate their esteemed predecessor.
Not one to be dissuaded by the franchise he steered to such success being ripped away from him for circumstances outside of his control, Manis opted to instead sign on for another sequel, where he was allowed to mingle with even more stars. Playing the pivotal role of a limousine driver in Cannonball Run II, the orangutan was credited alongside such luminaries as Burt Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley MacLaine, and Jackie Chan.
Making a mockery of the Hollywood machine banishing him from the Every Which Way but Loose sequel, Manis would then appear in an episode of the hit sitcom Cheers before retiring from acting, proving to those callous studio executives that the irreversible passage of time was hardly a detriment to his career prospects. Eastwood once referred to him as “one of the most natural actors I ever worked with,” but time sadly stops for no man. Or, in this case, monkey.
Watch the trailer for Every Which Way But Loose below.