'Most Interesting Man in the World': Get Me Back in the Game After Dos Equis Exit

Jonathan Goldsmith -- best known as "The Most Interesting Man in the World" until yesterday -- is staying thirsty ... for bigger, better gigs.

Dos Equis announced it was retiring the famous commercial character on Wednesday, and Goldsmith tells TMZ ... he immediately got his management team on the horn to relaunch his film and TV career.

Goldsmith's been with Dos Equis for 9 years, but before that he was a very successful working actor ... starring in movies like "Hang 'Em High" and TV series like "Dallas," "Knots Landing," and "CHiPs."

He says the Mexican beer gig was very, very good to him -- about $1 mil a year for 5 days of work. And while real life JG counts Prez Obama and Richard Branson as friends, and clears active land mines in Vietnam -- he's hoping for new roles to break the 'Most Interesting Man' mold.

At least Dos Equis is sending him off with a bang ...