Clint Eastwood Photo Opportunity #40

 Clint Eastwood Photo Opportunity #40

I thought I’d dig into my Japanese cuttings to bring you this nice rare shot of Clint for the August Photo Opportunity. It’s a photo that has not been reproduced much and features Clint holding one of the original portrait paintings used in Play Misty for Me (1971). 

The painting was done by artist Don Heitkotter. Clint hired Heitkotter to paint a portrait of the actor, which is slashed to pieces in the film by an obsessed fan, played by Jessica Walter. “It was amazing, in a way,” Heitkotter said. “Eastwood was the most popular actor in Hollywood at the time, and Nixon was the most powerful leader in the world, and they both wanted my work. But I can’t say either was a blessing really.”

Although Heitkotter had fun hanging out on the movie set, he was paid a flat fee for his work, and therefore was not entitled to residuals when “Play Misty for Me” later became the most frequently shown movie on late night television from 1970-1985. He did get to meet both Jessica Walter and Donna Mills, the two female stars of the film, and even got his best friend a date with Walter.

Today (February 1st, 2008), two of the three paintings Heitkotter did for “Misty” hang in his San Juan gallery (*I believe the gallery has since closed); the other is owned by Eastwood. But while they may be the most famous of all the work displayed on the walls, they aren’t necessarily the most mesmerizing.

Around 2006, Heitkotter decided to sell his two paintings. The original painted portrait of lead character David Garver (played by Eastwood), a key prop in the 1971 film, went up for sale. Not only that, the stand-in portrait that was slashed in the movie by “Annabel” (Jessica Walter) is part of the deal.

A 2006 article stated that ‘Artist Don Heitkotter was commissioned by Eastwood to paint the portrait, which hangs in his shop in San Juan Bautista. On the floor below the painting sits the slashed version, its back facing gallery visitors, who are invited to turn it around. For fans of the flick, a chilling precursor to Fatal Attraction, seeing the two portraits in person is an unexpected treat in this small town about 35 miles northeast of Monterey. A black-and-white photo of Heitkotter with the cast hangs near the portrait’

‘Heitkotter, 77, who has works at Zantman Art Galleries in Carmel-by-the-Sea, among other places, says he has no formal art training. He was in the sign business, but wanted to be an artist, and gradually attracted a following. A friend knew Eastwood and hooked them up’

“We had dinner in Carmel and Clint asked me if I would to it,” Heitkotter says, noting he took the job for the publicity. He says Eastwood sent him photos from which he made sketches, and the actor “left it up to me how big to make it.”

Heitkotter says he’s not sure how much the two portraits might fetch, but hopes for enough money to close his shop, travel and see friends.

“I figure it is worth anywhere from $200,000 to $2 million,” he says with a laugh.

After a long search I wasn’t able to find out how much the paintings sold for. And unfortunately, it seems that Don Heitkotter has since passed.