Before Legendary Status, Clint Eastwood Appeared In This Western Show No One Talks About

In the mid 1950s, Clint Eastwood was an up-and-coming actor who briefly signed with Universal, leading to several bit parts that saw him working with directors such as Jack Arnold and Arthur Lubin (who also served as his de facto manager). But it wasn't just the big screen that Eastwood graced with his undeniable magnetism. Before becoming the icon he is today, the actor guest-starred on one of the best anthology TV series ever made and the first Western anthology series: "Death Valley Days."

This Western show started as a way for its sponsor, Pacific Coast Borax Company, to promote its laundry detergent and hand soap to viewers. Since California's Death Valley provided much of the borax (a natural mineral powder) used in the company's products, it made sense to base the show in and around that area. But "Death Valley Days" quickly transcended its origins as a marketing ploy to become a classic Western TV show and one of the longest-running and most influential series of its time.

After starting life as a radio show in 1945, "Death Valley Days" made its small screen debut in 1952. When it did so, Stanley Andrews welcomed viewers to the proceedings as the Old Ranger, hosting the show until 1964, when Ronald Reagan took over. It was during the Andrews years that a young Eastwood guested on "Death Valley Days," in a 1956 episode entitled "The Last Letter." This was one of his very first acting gigs, in which the future legend portrayed a cash-strapped gold prospector whom an enterprising mailman takes pity on.

"Death Valley Days" was created in 1930 and aired as a radio show until 1945. Seven years later, it returned as a TV series, with Stanley Andrews introducing human interest tales based on historical events and characters residing in and around Death Valley, California. Because of its anthology format, the show could easily switch between drama, comedy, and anything in between. Clint Eastwood, who also appeared in "Maverick" prior to his "Rawhide" debut, appeared in one of the more sentimental "Death Valley Days" installments, playing a penniless 49er.

The episode titled "The Last Letter" stars William Pullman as Alex Todd, a man who tried his luck in the gold fields of California but came up short. As such, he embarks on a new endeavor, delivering unclaimed mail that would otherwise be left piled up at the San Francisco post office. The seemingly opportunistic Todd isn't doing it out of the goodness of his own heart, however. Far from it. This all-American entrepreneur is out for profit, and charges his customers extortionate prices for the privilege of receiving their mail. One man who simply cannot afford those prices is beleaguered 49er John Lucas (Eastwood).

When Todd encounters Lucas, he's sitting on the porch of his house looking glum. Turns out Lucas also joined the gold rush after his mother died, traveling from Portland, Maine to the gold mines of California only for fortune to elude him. As such, he can't afford Todd's services. Later, however, Todd finds a letter in his bag addressed to Eastwood's down-and-outer. He decides to embrace his more sensitive side and delivers the missive, which turns out to be the most important letter Lucas ever received.

For a then-26-year-old Clint Eastwood, the part of John Lucas was a significant one. The year before "The Last Letter" aired, Eastwood kicked off his acting career by causing a director to have a meltdown. That debacle was all for a bit part in a monster movie. By the time he encountered William Pullman's enterprising cowboy, he had only a handful of similarly small credits to his name. He was therefore no doubt grateful to have been given a decent amount of screen time in his "Death Valley Days" appearance.

Of course, Eastwood's career took off after a "fluke" casting on "Rawhide" in 1959, which made him a TV star before Sergio Leone's "Dollars" trilogy showcased his movie star magnetism. Meanwhile, "Death Valley Days" rolled on, airing for 18 seasons until 1970, with reruns being broadcast until 1975. Despite that enviable run, the show isn't talked about as often as some of the other classic Western series of the era, "Rawhide" included. But it should be.

"Death Valley Days" was notable as the first Western anthology series, with many other shows later adopting its format. The series also hosted several future stars besides Eastwood during its run, including Angie Dickinson, James Caan, and even future Professor actor Russell Johnson of "Gilligan's Island" fame. The fact that it lasted for most of the 1950s and throughout the '60s was also a testament to its appeal. With that in mind, the show clearly deserves as much recognition as other long-running shows of the era.