Every Which Way But Loose (film) - Production

Production

The script, written by Jeremy Joe Kronsberg, had been turned down by many other big production companies in Hollywood and most of Eastwood's production team agents all thought it was ill advised. Bob Hoyt, who Eastwood had contacts with (through his Malpaso secretary Judy Hoyt and Eastwood's long term friend Fritz Manes) thought it showed promise and eventually convinced Warner Brothers to buy it. An orangutan named Manis was brought in to play Clyde; also cast were Geoffrey Lewis as the dimwitted Orville, Beverly D'Angelo as his girlfriend, and Sondra Locke as Lynn Halsey-Taylor, the country and western barroom singer. Eastwood spoke about using the orangutan for the main role, "Clyde was one of the most natural actors I ever worked with! But you had to get him on the first take because his boredom level was very limited."

The film has a contemporary western theme, displaying the blue collar aspects of the western United States, with many scenes shot in rural locations, cheap motel rooms, industrial facilities, and honky tonk bars. The film was shot on location including the California communities of Bakersfield, North Hollywood, San Fernando, Sun Valley, Ukiah, and Van Nuys. In addition, it was also filmed in Colorado, including parts of Denver, Aurora and historic Georgetown. A few scenes were also filmed in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos, all in New Mexico.