Life in the military can be a whole other world, but did you know that some of your favorite stars have served in the military? Many have started their careers in the Army, Air Force, Navy, or even Marine Corps. While it might not be for everyone, these celebrities all survived the war on the front lines. Some of these are totally unbelievable...
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold was once a bodybuilder, then an actor, then a governor, but before all of that, Schwarzenegger served in the Australian Army. During 1985, there was to a law requiring all able-bodied Aussie males over 18 to serve in the military for one year. He began bodybuilding when he was in the army and even went AWOL once to participate in a competition, saying "Participating in the competition meant so much to me that I didn't carefully think through the consequences."
Gene Wilder
The original Willy Wonka actor didn't have quite such a whimsical past. He had halted his successful fencing career when he was drafted and he began serving in the medical unit. He wanted to continue acting so he chose to serve as a paramedic for the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Valley Forge Army Hospital, about 2 hours from New York City, where he could still attend acting classes and auditions.
Shaggy
The singer behind “It Wasn’t Me” was actually a serving member of the military in the late 1980s. He was deployed after the Gulf War and reached the rank of corporal, although his rank was reduced two times. He served in the Field Artillery Battery in the 10th Marine Regiment. He spent his nights there perfecting his singing voice and began releasing music after 1992.
Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson didn't have much of a choice when it came to joining the military. His whole family had been involved in serving his whole life, and he grew up moving around a lot. He claims to have been pressured to join. While there, he became a successful helicopter pilot but focused on his music when he returned back to civilization. His family disowned him for this decision...
Chuck Norris
Is anyone shocked that cool guy Chuck Norris was in the military before his fame? As a soldier of the US Air Force, the intense actor was overseas in Korea. While there, Norris worked as a security police officer. However, he was deeply uncomfortable with using his gun on a person, so he started learning martial arts as a safer alternative to gun usage. Good idea, Chuck!
Fred Durst
This US Navy soldier eventually went on to be the frontman for rock band Limp Bizkit. After two years, he was discharged and moved back home. Once he had fully finished his military career, he decided to pursue a music career but also apprenticed as a tattoo artist to pay the bills. Eventually, one of those creative options worked out rather well for him...
Gene Hackman
Actor Gene Hackman enlisted in the Marines when he was only sixteen years old. Hackman said that he had struggled in the military. He attributed his distaste for the role to his disregard for authority. Once he finished his time overseas, Hackman went on to win two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, one Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards.
Mickey Rooney
Rooney was one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors from the late 1930s to the early 1940s. Rooney was drafted into World War II where he surprisingly thrived. He found a useful place in the infantry as entertainment for the troops. He went on to have appeared in over 300 films during his lifetime and was one of the last surviving stars of the silent movie star generation.
Michael Caine
Not only did this British actor join the military, but he thinks you should too. The actor has stated in interviews that he believes everyone should spend a minimum of six months in the military. He claims that the experience made him a better person and actor. "You're there to learn how to defend your country. You belong to the country," he said, "Then when you come out, you have a sense of belonging, rather than a sense of violence."
Tom Selleck
Actor, producer, and military man? Tom Selleck is more than you might think. Tom was drafted into the Vietnam War. Once he received the draft notice, Selleck joined the ranks in the California National Guard. From 1967 to 1973, Selleck served in the 160th Infantry Regiment of the California Army National Guard. After this, he immediately went to start pursuing acting.
Gal Gadot
Superwoman has a pretty super story. Since Gal is from Israel, she was drafted into the army at the age of 18. All Israeli citizens are required to join the service when they come of age for a period of time. While there, Gal took the position of a combat instructor. She also taught gymnastics and calisthenics to other soldiers. After her time was up, she moved to the US to pursue acting.
Jimi Hendrix
Did you know that this guitar legend once served in the military? At age 19, he was arrested for driving stolen cars and was given the choice of serving in the military or going to jail. He chose service and was sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was there for eight months until his platoon sergeant discharged him because "Private Hendrix will never come up to the standards required of a soldier."
Hugh Hefner
It's hard to imagine Hugh Hefner as anything other than a rich old man, but once upon a time, he was just a wide-eyed kid in the military. The owner and operator of Playboy enlisted in the army only a short time after graduating from high school. While there, he was an infantry clerk and created cartoons for the Army newspaper. This led him to pursue publishing after serving...
Walt Disney
Walt Disney entered World War I at age sixteen. Eager to enlist, Walt forged the paperwork required to join. He chose the Army and partook in the American Ambulance Corps which is a division of the Red Cross. On the side of his ambulance, he often drew cartoons. In World War II he served again as a propaganda cartoonist. Back then, the unit was called the Walt Disney Training Films Unit.
Morgan Freeman
For a long time, Morgan Freeman had no interest in acting. He instead wanted to become a fighter pilot. The silver screen legend spent over 3 years learning how to fly in combat but realized it was not really what he wanted to be doing. “I had this very clear epiphany," Freeman once said "‘You are not in love with this; you are in love with the idea of this.'"
Sean Connery
Sean Connery was a member of the Royal Navy in Scotland. While serving, he got two tattoos that he has claimed were "not frivolous." One is for Scotland and the other is for his mother, which he considers his two lifelong commitments. He was medically discharged from the military due to an ulcer that affected males in his family for several generations.
Johnny Carson
Before he was America's favorite funnyman, Johnny Carson was serving in the US Navy. During World War II, the soon-to-be television host worked as an apprentice seaman in the V-5 program. He became a gifted boxer on the sea, winning 10-0 matches on his ship. He was en route to the combat zone during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which ended the war.
Mel Brooks
During World War II, Mel Brooks served in the Army Corps of Engineers. His role in the Army was a dangerous but very vital one to the effort. He was the person who deactivated enemy land mines leading into Nazi Germany. He also had a role in organizing variety shows for the troops and served as a corporal in the 1104 Engineer Combat Battalion, 78th Infantry Division.
Ernest Hemmingway
Before he was one of the most iconic writers of modern history, Ernest Hemmingway was a young teen hoping to enlist in World War I. However, once it was revealed that he had terrible vision, he was denied from participation. He managed to help by becoming an ambulance driver. Doesn't seem like a driver should have terrible eyesight, but it apparently worked out well...
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart might seem like he was born for the silver screen, but once upon a time, he was in the US Navy police. While serving as part of the US Navy military police, Bogart was accidentally struck in the mouth by an unknown object. This attack gave the future actor a tiny scar above his lip and contributed to a minor lisp that added to his tough image in his career.
Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor made his career as a comedian, but he was discharged from the military when one joke went awry. While watching the film Imitation of Life, there was a racial joke that made one army man fall over with laughter. Richard Pryor and other soldiers attacked and stabbed the man for laughing so hard at the racism, but the beating was not fatal. He went to NYC to do stand-up following this incident.
JRR Tolkien
After getting married to his wife, Edith, World War I began. Tolkien opted to delay his enlistment to finish his degree, which angered his and Edith's families. He once wrote to his son, "In those days chaps joined up, or were scorned publicly. It was a nasty cleft to be in for a young man with too much imagination and little physical courage." Tolkien has publicly spoken about his distaste for being there.
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas wasn't always the star we remember him as today. The actor spent a portion of his career in the US Navy as a gunnery and communications officer. He was medically discharged once he suffered an abdominal injury from a preemptive explosion. He left the service and moved to New York, finding some work in radio and television that led to his long term career.
George Carlin
George Carlin was always made to be a star, but his career really started in the sky! he joined the United States Air Force and trained to be a radar technician. At the Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana, Carlin also became a disc jockey and worked for the radio station. He was called unproductive by his superiors and was given a general discharge, as well as three court-martials.
Kurt Vonnegut
Though he was in training at Cornell, Kurt was kicked out of the program due to a satirical article he had written and his poor grades. No longer a student, he could not defer from the army and was drafted into the US Army where he studied to be an engineer. While in WWII, he was captured by Germans but was freed before the train took him to a prison camp. He also survived the bombing of Dresden.
Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton was one of the top silent film stars, but he also was a military man. Buster served during World War I as a part of the American Expeditionary Forces in France. He was with the United States Army's 40th Infantry Division. During this time, he got an ear infection that permanently altered his hearing. His unit remained intact throughout his term due to late enlistment.
Bob Ross
The man who celebrates happy little accidents in artistic expression once held a very regimented position. The artist served as a medical records technician in the United States Air Force and even became a master sergeant in U.S. Air Force Clinic at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. There, he saw snow for the first time and was struck by the beauty of it, often incorporating it into his artwork later on.
John Glenn
Best known for being the first man to orbit the earth, John Glenn has always led a life in the sky. He worked for the United States Marine Corps Aviator for a period of time. He certainly earned his spot in the sky, the pilot received the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (one star), Navy Occupation Service Medal, and the China Service Medal.
Pat Tillman
Pat Tillman played for the Arizona Cardinals, but he also served in the military in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Inspired by the 9/11 attacks, his patriotism led the football player to join the army with his brother. However, he died due to enemy forces less than 5 years after his enlistment. It was later revealed that there was a miscommunication, and his shooting was a mistake.
Henry Fonda
Though he had already made some minor success as an actor, Henry Fonda chose to enlist in the US Navy during World War II, saying. "I don't want to be in a fake war in a studio." He served for three years, starting as a Quartermaster 3rd Class on the USS Satterlee. Then he became a Luitenent Junior Class for Air Combat Intelligence in the Central Pacific. He received a Bronze medal.
Joe DiMaggio
This famous player went from baseball bases to military bases. He enlisted in the Air Force during World War II. He earned $21 a day and ate more than other enlistees due to his athlete status. While there, he served as a physical education instructor. DiMaggio was embarrassed by the comfortable experience and special treatment. He requested a combat position but was denied.
Chris Kyle
Chris Kyle was a famous US Navy Seal who wrote the memoir American Sniper. The memoir followed Kyle's life in the military as a prolific sniper. However skilled, a friend of his suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder until ultimately it caused the friend to murder Chris Kyle, and he confessed immediately after. Kyle's memoir was later turned into a major motion picture following his death.
Ted Williams
Ted Williams, a famous Red Sox player, actually had a career outside the baseball diamond. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps during World War II and served for about three years. Additionally, during the Korean War, he flew as a combat aviator. In his time there, he flew 39 different combat missions. Once he came back, he was named the "Comeback Player of the Year."
Prince Andrew
Who wouldn't want a member of royalty in their platoon? The Duke of York served in the English military as a helicopter pilot for a few years. Additionally, until 1986, the Duke served on the HMS Brazen. He was deployed in the Mediterranean Sea and fought in the Falklands War. He was described by a Commander as "an excellent pilot and a very promising officer."
Paul Newman
Paul Newman has served on the stage and in the war. He worked through Yale University’s V-12 program. Newman went through with this, hoping to one day become a pilot in the U.S Navy. Once he arrived at the base camp however, he was informed that his colorblindness would prevent this dream. He was instead given the role of gunner for torpedo bombers.
Dan Rather
Dan Rather went from being the news to reporting the news in the course of his lifetime. Though he's now known as a CBS News anchor, he began his career as a US Marine Corps soldier who fought in the Korean War. Dan Rather has claimed that he joined the service twice, but after some investigation by outside journalists, this claim was proven to be falsified.
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson, the bad boy actor from the 1970s, served in the military to earn his tough-guy attitude. He began his adulthood as a member of the US Air Force, flying 25 missions in B-29 bombers. When he was a teenager he learned English, previously only speaking Russian and Lithuanian. While serving, he was injured and received a Purple Heart due to the wounds.
Harry Belafonte
In 1944, the man who would later be called “The King of Calypso” started his long career in the U.S Navy during World War II. He was honorably discharged and became a janitor's assistant. While there, a tenant of his building gave him tickets to a theater. inspired by the performance, Harry used his veteran benefits to study acting and music at The New School.
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall was destined for a life in the military. As a child, he was a military brat, moved around with his family for the service. His father was a U.S Navy rear admiral and Robert is a descendant of the infamous American General Robert E. Lee. Before pursuing acting, he decided to try his hand at the family business and enlisted in the US army. He admits he wasn't very good, saying "Hell, I barely qualified with the M-1 rifle in basic training."
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The prolific writer behind The Great Gatsby didn't spend his whole life as a novelist. He had started his career as a second lieutenant in the U.S Army, dropping out of college in order to enlist. He was worried that he wouldn't be able to fulfill his literary dreams before dying at war, so he quickly The Romantic Egotist only weeks before reporting for duty, but the work was rejected from publishers.
Don Rickles
The insult comedian probably got some of his rough exterior and classic burns from his many years serving in the US Navy during the years of World War II. The actor and comedian served as a motor torpedo boat tender on the USS Cyrene. He ranked as a seaman first class. He was honorably discharged in 1946 which led to his successful standup career.
John Coltrane
John Coltrane is one of the most well-known jazz players and composers of all time. The saxophone player actually is an alumna of the US Navy. He fought in Pearl Harbor as a seaman and while he was over there, Coltrane joined the base swing band to keep up with his music. At the time, the band only had white members, so Coltrane was forced to play as a “guest member”.
Dr. Suess
Dr. Suess, better known to friends and family as Theodore "Ted" Geisel, began his career as a member of the military. Though he would later become one of the most famous children's book authors who ever lived, he initially volunteered with the U.S Army during his rise to stardom. While overseas, he wrote satirical cartoons about Adolf Hitler and Charles Lindbergh for troops.
Bob Barker
Bob Barker's hit show, The Price is Right, gave him a lifetime of fame. Before that life though, he was a military man. Barker enlisted in the U.S Navy as a fighter pilot. Over 18 months, he was commissioned to 8 different wartime locations but was not ever assigned to a seagoing squadron due to the war ending before the opportunity arose. From there, he started a broadcasting career.
Benny Hill
Benny Hilly made his fame on the aptly named “The Benny Hill Show”, but he actually was an electrical and mechanical engineer in the British Army before he was a household name. Hill was even fighting at Normandy during World War II. He reportedly did not like his time in the service and has spoken out against the experience, but it did expose him to performing.
Drew Carey
Drew Carey is an actor, a voice actor, a stand-up comedian, sports executive, game show host, and former soldier of the United States Marine Corps. The comedy legend spent almost 6 years in the US Marines. While he was in the service, he started his stand-up career by performing for the other soldiers and in local venues, as he was stationed in Ohio. He frequently tours at military bases to honor his time there.
Elvis Presley
When the war hit, Elvis Presley wanted to be on the front lines with the rest of civilization. The King of Rock n’ Roll served in the U.S Army as a regular soldier. However, he was offered the opportunity to take a comfortable position as a performer for the other troops. He denied the laid-back role, and this move earned him a lot of respect among the other military men.
Ed McMahon
Ed McMahon was once the voice that opened “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” but he wasn't always a sideshow host. He originally started his career in the U.S Marine Corps as a fighter pilot. Afterward, he went to the Catholic University of America to study drama and speech, and he has supported the university in the years since. His career spanned for an impressive 25 years.
Adam Driver
Following the 9/11 attacks, Adam Driver decided to enlist in the US Marine Corps. He was put in Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines and he was an 81mm mortarman. He served for almost three years before attending the prestigious art school, Juilliard, where his classmates recalled he was stoic and intimidating but a very skilled actor.
James Stewart
During World War II, many celebrities were at odds debating whether or not to enlist or avoid the draft. Jimmy Stewart was among the first stars to join the movement on his own accord. He was not given any special treatment, and since he had already earned his pilot's license, he easily moved among the ranks in the US Army Air Corps. He was one of very few Americans to go from private to colonel in only 4 years.
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood never had any intention of taking his talents to a warzone, but that's just what happened when he was drafted. He never even got the chance to go to college, which was another dream he had. During the Korean War enlistment, Clint worked as a lifeguard on his base. He was also on a plane that crashed in Point Reyes, which he survived by swimming to shore.
Willie Nelson
In 1950, Willie Nelson enlisted in the US Air Force. He served in the military for eight or nine months before eventually getting medically discharged. He ended up moving back home to marry his high school sweetheart, Martha Matthews. He then went on to study agriculture at Baylor University but dropped out to focus on music. Other jobs he held were club bouncer, tree trimmer, auto parts man, and saddle maker.
Johnny Cash
Before he was writing Ring of Fire, he was deep in it. Johnny Cash was born in Arkansas and saw military culture as a big part of his life. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1950 and was assigned to the 12th Radio Squadron Mobile of the U.S. Air Force Security Service, moving him to Landsberg, Germany. There, he learned morse code and intercepted Soviet transmissions.
Charlton Heston
Though he appeared in over 100 films in his life, he got his start in the service. Charleton Heston enlisted in the army around 1941. He was moved to a base in Alaska and worked as a radio operator during World War II. On the B-25 Mitchell bomber, he also worked as an aerial gunner. He held the highest national clearance for six years due to narrating instructional videos for nuclear bomb workers.
Alan Alda
Alan Alda starred in M.A.S.H., a show following shenanigans of military men living on a base, but he had some real-life experience. He was in the ROTC program in college at Fordham University, receiving a degree in English. Following graduation, for six months real-life Alan Alda served in Korea as a gunnery officer. His character on the television show played a medic in the Korean War.
Steve McQueen
Once nicknamed, "The King of Cool" Steve McQueen was also pretty slick when he served in the United States Marine Corps. Though his relaxed attitude worked in acting auditions, it didn't go over so well in the service. Steve was demoted over 6 times due to his disregard for rules and authority figures. He was once even arrested for taking an unapproved vacation, though he was redeemed by saving 5 drowning soldiers.
Pat Sajak
Best known as the host of "Wheel of Fortune", Pat Sajak also spent some time in the military. During the Vietnam War, he served as a radio disc jockey for the American Forces Vietnam Network. He started every broadcast with "Good morning, Vietnam!" This stint in media led him to pursue radio disc jockeying as a full-time career upon leaving the war.
J. D. Salinger
The writer of Catcher in the Rye had quite a stint in World War II. He met Ernest Hemmingway while he was stationed in Normandy and the two expressed a fondness for each other. However, the actual combat deeply affected Salinger, who once wrote to his daughter "You never really get the smell of burning flesh out of your nose entirely, no matter how long you live."
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is one of the best singers of all time, but did you know he was also in the military? In fact, Tony Bennett first started singing in a band he formed with other soldiers during their time in war! His army band was known as “Blood and Fire” and they played in Germany and France. Tony Bennett was only demoted once from his rank when he invited a black soldier to eat with him.