The Only Major Actors Still Alive From Clint Eastwood's Dollars Trilogy

Westerns had been one of the most popular and lucrative genres in film throughout the 1950s, but by the time that the 1960s rolled around, it was clear that they were in desperate need of a shot of adrenaline. This came in the form of the Spaghetti Western, made by Italian directors who brought their own unique interpretation of the quintessentially American genre. The most prolific of these was Sergio Leone, who set the box office on fire with his "Dollars" trilogy, comprised of "A Fistful of Dollars" in 1964, "For A Few Dollars More" in 1965, and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" in 1966. 

These films catapulted their star, a steely-eyed Clint Eastwood, into superstardom, making him the face of the Western for the next two decades. But the first movie in the "Dollars" trilogy is 60 years old, and in the years since its release, we've lost many of the actors who made it such an iconic piece of cinematic history. In fact, there are only two actors from the "Dollars" movies who are still with us — Clint Eastwood and his co-star, Marianne Koch.

We imagine that at this point, Clint Eastwood needs no introduction. Actor, director, former mayor of Carmel-By-the-Sea — he does it all. Eastwood began his career in 1955, appearing as Jonesy in a Donald O'Connor comedy vehicle "Francis in the Navy." But he really made his mark on Hollywood when he started appearing in Westerns, his stoic glare a perfect match for the hypermasculine genre. "A Fistful of Dollars," "For A Few Dollars More," and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" (often considered one of the best Westerns of all time) didn't just popularize what is now called the Spaghetti Western — they made Clint Eastwood a household name.

He acted in many other Western films, including "High Plains Drifter," "The Outlaw Josie Wales," and "Unforgiven," but he also branched out into other genres as his star power grew. Eastwood is perhaps equally well-known for playing Harry in "Dirty Harry," for example. In the early '70s, he stepped behind the camera as well, directing over 40 movies in the decades since. Over the course of his career, Eastwood has been nominated for 11 competitive Oscars, ultimately winning four (best director and best picture for "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby"). In 1995, he received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.

In his mid-90s, he's just now beginning to show signs of slowing down his fast-paced career. His upcoming film "Juror #2," due to be released in late 2024 or 2025, is rumored to be his final project before retiring.

In "A Fistful of Dollars," Marianne Koch plays Marisol, the damsel in distress who Joe (also known as the Man With No Name) spends the majority of the film protecting. Her husband runs afoul of the violent Rojo brothers, and she and her son tend to be the ones who pay the price. Although Marisol is Mexican, Koch was born in Munich and began her career in West German films in the 1950s. In fact, the majority of her screen credits came from German projects, although she did make appearances in several American films, including "Night People" starring Gregory Peck. For most modern audiences, her work in "A Fistful of Dollars" is probably what she's best remembered for.

After working as an actress for the better part of two decades, she left the entertainment industry in 1971 in favor of a totally different career. She went to medical school and practiced internal medicine in Germany until she retired in the late 1990s. But she never fully left behind either of her professions: Well into the 2010s, she hosted a radio program offering medical advice for listeners who called in with health questions.