‘Rawhide’ Turns 65, Go Behind the Scenes With Clint Eastwood to See Exclusive Color Photos

Remind Staff January 9, 2024

RAWHIDE, Clint Eastwood, (1962). 1959-1966. — Julian Wasser/TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection

Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’… You can thank Rawhide, which ran for 217 episodes from 1959 to 1965 on CBS, for rollin’ actor Clint Eastwood into a career as an onscreen sharpshooter. Set in the 1860s, the cattle-driving drama follows trail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) and his excitable partner Rowdy Yates (Eastwood) as they face down bandits, wolves, and other threats. (It wasn’t all big scares; sometimes they just needed to find water for their cattle!) The gritty series featured an impressive ensemble of guest stars too, like Bewitched’s Elizabeth Montgomery, crooner Dean Martin, and future Mr. Spock, Leonard Nimoy to name a few.

Rawhide premiered on January 9, 1959, but was delayed since it had trouble finding a sponsor due to being an expensive series to make; each episode cost approximately $40,000 and was filmed in B&W. In honor of its 65th anniversary, we dug up some behind-the-scenes photos in color from the TV Guide archives, which surprisingly only graced the cover once! Another fun fact? Eastwood is the last remaining main character from Rawhide who is still alive.

The only time Rawhide graced the cover of the infamous TV Guide Magazine was in 1961

RAWHIDE, from left: Eric Fleming, Clint Eastwood, TV GUIDE cover, February 4-10, 1961.

Russ Halford/TV Guide/Everett Collection

Clint shows off his physique to fellow cast mates

RAWHIDE, Clint Eastwood, on set, (1959). 1959-1966.

Russ Halford/TV Guide/Everett Collection

RAWHIDE, Clint Eastwood, Eric Fleming (watching), (1959). 1959-1966.

Russ Halford/TV Guide/Everett Collection

Eric Fleming, Charles Marquis Warren (creator) and Clint Eastwood

RAWHIDE, from left: Eric Fleming, Charles Marquis Warren (creator), Clint Eastwood, on set, 1959-1966.

Gene Trindl/TV Guide/Everett Collection

William Wellman Jr., Julie London, Eric Fleming, (director Ted Post with back to camera) in ‘Incident at Rojo Canyon,’ on set, the Season 3, ep 301, aired on September 30, 1960

RAWHIDE, from left: William Wellman Jr., Julie London, Eric Fleming, (director Ted Post with back to camera) in 'Incident at Rojo Canyon', on set, (Season 3, ep 301, aired Sepember 30, 1960), 1959-1965

Sherman Weisbord/TV Guide/Everett Collection

RAWHIDE, from left: William Wellman Jr., Julie London, Eric Fleming in 'Incident at Rojo Canyon', on set, (Season 3, ep 301, aired Sepember 30, 1960), 1959-1965

Sherman Weisbord/TV Guide/Everett Collection

Clint on set, 1965

RAWHIDE, Clint Eastwood, on set, (1965). 1959-1966.

Ivan Nagy/TV Guide/Everett Collection

Eric Fleming on set, 1963

RAWHIDE, Eric Fleming, 1959-66 (1963 photo).

E.E. Reshovsk /TV Guide/Everett Collection

Clint Eastwood, Zeme North, Sheb Wooley and Debra Paget

RAWHIDE, Clint Eastwood, Zeme North, Sheb Wooley, (Debra Paget or Ziva Odann), 1959-1966.

TV Guide/Everett Collection

Eastwood just chilling in the shade on his horse in 1962

Julian Wasser/TV Guide/Everett Collection

Some of the stars of TV Westerns, many were filmed on the same set

From left, western TV stars Jeff Richards (JEFFERSON CITY), John Smith (CIMARRON CITY), Robert Carricart (RAWHIDE), Sheb Wooley (RAWHIDE), Steve McQueen (WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE), Mort Mills (MAN WITHOUT A GUN), Rex Reason (MAN WITHOUT A GUN), 1958

Everett Collection

Jeff Richards (Jefferson City), John Smith (Cimarron City), Robert Carricart (Rawhide), Sheb Wooley (Rawhide), Steve Mcqueen (Wanted: Dead or Alive), Mort Mills (Man Without a Gun), Rex Reason (Man Without a Gun)

And of course, if you are anything like us you’ve had the theme song rolling through your head, we looked it up for you.

You can watch Rawhide on Hereos & Icons, MeTV, INSP and streaming on Pluto TV.

‘Rawhide’ Turns 65, Go Behind the Scenes With Clint Eastwood to See Exclusive Color Photos

The only time Rawhide graced the cover of the infamous TV Guide Magazine was in 1961

Clint shows off his physique to fellow cast mates

Eric Fleming, Charles Marquis Warren (creator) and Clint Eastwood

William Wellman Jr., Julie London, Eric Fleming, (director Ted Post with back to camera) in ‘Incident at Rojo Canyon,’ on set, the Season 3, ep 301, aired on September 30, 1960

Clint on set, 1965

Eric Fleming on set, 1963

Clint Eastwood, Zeme North, Sheb Wooley and Debra Paget

Eastwood just chilling in the shade on his horse in 1962

Some of the stars of TV Westerns, many were filmed on the same set

Jeff Richards (Jefferson City), John Smith (Cimarron City), Robert Carricart (Rawhide), Sheb Wooley (Rawhide), Steve Mcqueen (Wanted: Dead or Alive), Mort Mills (Man Without a Gun), Rex Reason (Man Without a Gun)

TV Westerns of the 50's & 60's

September 2021