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Clint Eastwood soared to fame during the 1960s, when his role as the Man With No Name in Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy turned him into the new face of the Western genre. In the years since, the actor-director has tackled almost every genre in film, from comedy and adventure to thriller and drama. Along the way, he's built a reputation as one of Hollywood's quintessential tough guys, which has been reflected through various iconic quotes in his various roles.

Clint Eastwood has been given more one-liners and tough-guy quotes than even the best action heroes, with some of his movies producing dozens of memorable quips and jabs. Ranging from insults to warnings, the character is at his best when playing a gun-toting lawman or Western antihero, and those roles have been responsible for his most enduring lines. As Hollywood's resident badass, few people have delivered as many great lines...

Harry Callahan’s next adventure originated with John Milius, Hollywood’s favorite gun fanatic, surfer and “Zen anarchist.” Milius wrote B Movies for American International Pictures before breaking through with two Westerns, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean and Jeremiah Johnson. His knack for macho action and pulpy, colorful dialogue fit Dirty Harry perfectly; Milius wrote his draft in 21 days, receiving a Purdey shotgun as payment.

Though uncredited, Milius claims credit for Harry‘s dialogue, especially the “Do I feel lucky?” monologue. Others, including Richard Schickel, credit Harry Julian Fink with that speech. Clint Eastwood marginalizes Milius’s contributions to the film, admitting “we might have taken a few good items John had in there.” Milius resented this: “Look at the movie and you tell me who wrote that,” he challenged an interviewer.

Milius soon moved past any hurt feelings. After reading several articles on Brazil’s “death...