Clint Eastwood Testifies He Funded Ex-Lover’s Deal

Clint Eastwood testified briefly Monday in the fraud lawsuit filed against him by his former companion Sondra Locke, speaking only about 15 words during five minutes on the stand.

Called as Locke’s final witness, his answers included five “yes” responses to questions by lawyer Peggy Garrity, as well as three “no’s” and an occasional “That’s true.” His most verbose answer was: “Part of it, yes.”

The upshot: Eastwood admitted paying Locke $1.5 million during her three-year development deal at Warner Bros. The Warner deal persuaded Locke to drop a multimillion-dollar palimony suit, but, Locke contends, she was duped by Eastwood, who never told her he was financing it.

In a barely audible voice, Eastwood admitted that he never told Locke or her lawyers that the money wasn’t coming from the studio.

Locke, 48, is alleging that the deal was a sham set up by Eastwood in retaliation for her filing the palimony suit when he asked her to leave his home after 13 years. She also contends it was a cheap way out of the suit.

The dead-end development deal, she alleged, humiliated her in Hollywood and destroyed her budding career as a director, Locke testified. She is seeking more than $2 million in damages.

Outside the courtroom, Locke said she found no joy in compelling Eastwood to testify. “But sometimes you have to do things you don’t enjoy.”

So far the case has included testimony from Locke, her business manager, two top Warner executives and Al Ruddy, the Academy Award-winning producer of “The Godfather,” who testified about his attempts at “shuttle diplomacy” immediately after the couple’s nasty split in April 1989.

During her three years at Warner, Locke testified, the studio rejected more than 30 projects she pitched--including one titled “Oh, Baby,” that later was made into the comedy “Junior,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Locke’s assistant, Mary Wellnitz, and business manager, Frederick Magrath, testified that consistent rejection was unusual for a person of Locke’s talents. At the time of her Warner deal, Locke had directed two films, “Ratboy” in 1986 and “Impulse” in 1989.

Billy Gerber, president of Warner’s theatrical productions, testified in Eastwood’s defense, saying that the 66-year-old actor-director never spoke ill of Locke, and in fact had recommended her to direct two films: “Point of No Return” and “The Specialist.” Warner passed on Locke both times, he said.