Bibliofemme News
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13/08/2004
Eastwood receives settlement for unauthorised biography
Clint Eastwood has settled a $10 million libel lawsuit against the author and publisher of an unauthorised biography that alleged the erstwhile Dirty Harry beat his wife. Eastwood's attorneys confirmed on Thursday that the lawsuit had been dropped.
'Clint: The Life and Legend' was written by celebrity biographer Patrick McGilligan and published in the America by St. Martin's Press in August 2002 after long being available in British bookstores. In the book, McGilligan dishes on the good, the bad and the ugly in the 74-year-old Hollywood legend's personal life.
The book's key assertion came from a former Eastwood associate, who, in a tape-recorded interview, claimed the Oscar-winning actor-director "coldcocked" and "decked" his first wife, Maggie Eastwood, whom he divorced in 1980 after a 25-year marriage.
The claim put McGilligan in the line of fire of Eastwood, who denied the incident ever occurred and sued the writer and St. Martin's Press. Eastwood said that McGilligan's source, Fritz Manes, was dubious at best and said the book was riddled with false and scurrilous statements.
According to Eastwood's attorney, Marshall Grossman, Manes - An old producer friend who worked on Escape from Alcatraz and Bronco Billy, among other Eastwood films - Later disavowed his accusation in a sworn affidavit.
McGilligan's book also portrayed Eastwood as spineless and "dead scared" about fighting for his country in the Korean War. The young Eastwood wanted to avoid the war so much that, according to the book, he initiated a relationship with the daughter of a military officer in hopes of avoiding service.
Following Manes' retraction, McGilligan and St. Martin's agreed to settle the lawsuit and take out any references to Manes' statement in all future printings and editions of the biography, in addition to making other changes dictated by the star.
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