A lot of the world's most famous stars actually served in the military before they were any sort of famous. Whether they did a one-time tour or several rounds in a branch of the army, you'll be surprised at who has a background in combat...
Sean Connery
Before James Bond was James Bond, he was a member of the Royal Navy. Connery was stationed on the HMS Formidable from 1947 to 1950. However, his service didn't last long because he was medically discharged due to a stomach issue.
Gal Gadot
Wonder Woman was actually a real-life superhero. Born in Israel, Gadot served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a combat instructor. She was also a gymnastics and calisthenics instructor. Later, she starred in Wonder Woman and Fast and Furious.
Tony Bennett
The classical singer actually got his start in a military band. He called the group "Blood and Fire" and they played in Germany and France. Bennett was even demoted once when he asked a black friend to eat with him. How the times have changed.
Pat Sajak
Did you know the "Wheel of Fortune" host was actually a completely different kind of host before he found fame? He was a military DJ for the Armed Forces Radio. However, he felt guilty about the position because it was a simple military job compared to other officers.
Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess)
Dr. Seuss volunteered in the U.S. Army right in the middle of his prolific writing career. He wrote satirical cartoons about Hitler and Charles Lindbergh. Who would have thought one of the most famous children's authors had a history making cracks at some of the evilest wartime leaders?
Willie Nelson
Country singer Willie Nelson was once in the U.S. Air Force. He served for nine months but was medically discharged. Despite only lasting a short while in the service, he did say he learned a lot of lessons the way. Some of those even inspired his music.
Drew Carey
A six-year Marine, Drew Carey wasn't always the easygoing comedian that he is now. After he transitioned out of the Army, his standup career started to pick up. He still honors his time in the Marines by frequently bringing his comedy tours to the troops.
Don Rickles
Being in the Navy gives you an edge if you want to be an insult comedian like Don Rickles is. He was honorably discharged from World War II in 1946. From then on, his prolific standup career flourished.
Paul Newman
Paul Newman planned to become a Navy pilot through Yale's V-12 program. However, he was unable to fly due to his colorblindness but was great at gunning for torpedo bombers. Afterward, he went on to have one of Hollywood's most iconic careers.
Prince Andrew
The Duke of York served as a helicopter pilot and served on the HMS Brazen until 1986. He was deployed in the Mediterranean Sea and had a long military career across the globe.
Chris Kyle
Chris Kyle was the most successful sniper in the U.S. Military's history. His death was sudden and untimely, but you probably are more familiar with his story thanks to the film American Sniper. Bradley Cooper played Kyle in the award-winning biopic.
Henry Fonda
Fonda earned the lieutenant status in the Navy. He was discharged in 1945 despite his high ranking. He served during World War II, and went on to be an actor after.
Pat Tillman
The Arizona Cardinals player served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He joined after the 9/11 attacks inspired him to serve his country. Unfortunately, he was killed in combat.
John Glenn
Glenn was the first U.S. astronaut to orbit Earth, which is only one of the most impressive things he's ever done. He served as a pilot in the U.S. marines as well. What a resumé.
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman had dreams of being a fighter pilot before acting even crossed his mind. He spent three years on duty before he realized that wasn't actually what his passion was. “I had this very clear epiphany, ‘You are not in love with this; you are in love with the idea of this.'” he said. Good thing he found Hollywood!
J. D Salinger
If J. D. Salinger hadn't served in the U.S. Army, we'd never have classics like "Catcher in the Rye" and "Franny & Zooey." He stormed Normandy on D-Day and credits a lot of his time in the infantry as a major inspiration for his work.
Bob Ross
Bob Ross wasn't always the laidback guy painting happy little clouds on television. Before his art kicked off, he was a Master Sergeant in the Air Force. Who knows where his calm personality may have come from after serving in combat.
Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris is arguably the only celebrity you'd want in your regime. The kickass action movie star was stationed in Korea as a member of the US Air Force. Having to use a gun upset him, so instead, he started learning martial arts. Looks like that was a wise career move.
Ed McMahon
McMahon is known as the voice behind the opening credits of "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson." However, he was a Marine well before then. His Hollywood career spanned a lengthy 25 years.
Benny Hill
Apparently, Benny Hill didn't love his time in the service. He stormed Normandy during World War II and also worked as a mechanical engineer for the British Army. However, he enjoyed his time after the war working on "The Benny Hill" show much more.
Clint Eastwood
Though Clint Eastwood is known as a Hollywood giant, but before he ever became the hit actor/director he is today, he had dreams of going to acting school. However, he never got the chance. Instead, he drafted into the Army for the Korean War, where he worked as a lifeguard on base.
Bob Barker
The "Price is Right" host was a U.S. Navy member long before he was ever a game show host. Barker was stationed on eight different wartime locations over 18 months. Then, he went on to host the iconic show for the entirety of its run.
Johnny Cash
The "Walk the Line" singer was a member of the U.S. Air Force before he was a famous singer. He worked in security as a Morse Code operator. He served for four years and met his first wife during this time. He went on to become arguably the most famous country singer of all time.
Gene Wilder
Before he was Willy Wonka, Gene Wilder served as a paramedic in Pennsylvania at Valley Forge Army Hospital. There, he took acting classes and his acting career flourished quickly after. His most iconic role is surely Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby writer was a second lieutenant in the Army before he was ever a writer. He spent his downtime working on fiction, of course, and who would have thought it would lead to all that fame! Gatsby is a high school staple novel.
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall comes from a family full of servicemen. His father was a U.S. Navy rear admiral. He is also a descendant of General Robert E. Lee. He was a U.S. Army member before he ever pursued acting.
Mickey Rooney
Rooney was one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors in the 30s and 40s. He was drafted in World War II and used as entertainment for the troops. He then went on to have one of the most prolific acting careers of all time.
George Carlin
Working as a disc jockey was the jump start Carlin needed to get into the entertainment field. He was stationed in Louisiana and received 3 court-martials. After that, he was one of radio's most prominent voices.
Kirk Douglas
An industry icon, the elder Douglas spent some time in the Navy as a gunnery and communications officer. However, he suffered an abdominal injury which led to his discharge. Good thing, though, because he's one of Hollywood's most treasured faces.
Buster Keaton
Keaton's entertaining and military careers actually overlapped. He was drafted into the 40th Infantry Division and was quite well-known for his vaudeville acts. He performed for troops and was a respected officer all at the same time.
Jimi Hendrix
The famous lefty guitarist was sent to the military after he was caught stealing a car. He was given an ultimatum: enlist or go to jail. He wrote to his father, "Here’s nothing but physical training and harassment here for two weeks, then when you go to jump school, that’s when you get hell.”
Robin Quivers
In 1974, Quivers graduated from the University of Maryland School of Nursing and used her degree to join the Air Force. She was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Later in life, she joined The Howard Stern Show as a DJ.
Adam Driver
Did you know Adam Driver is a former Marine? Those skills definitely transferred into his high-pressure role in the Star Wars franchise. He thrived in the military lifestyle and then created the Arts in the Armed Forces non-profit, which brings theater to the armed forces.
Elvis Presley
Before he was The King, he was just another U.S. Army soldier. After he found fame in music, Elvis had gained a lot of long-lasting respect among the troops he'd served with. Who would have thought this Army brat would go on to become one of the world's most iconic performers?
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson flew 25 missions in B-29 bombers during his time in the Air Force. He was also injured during his duty but got a Purple Heart award for his bravery. His career in entertainment afterward is just as impressive.
Dan Rather
This CBS News anchor was a soldier in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. He claimed to have enlisted twice, but investigations disproved that. He's better known for his time on-air.
Ted Williams
The famous Red Sox player fought in World War II for three years. He was also a combat pilot in the Korean War. He flew 39 missions during his time in the service.
Harry Belafonte
The iconic musician and the man behind "Calypso" got his start in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was discharged and used his GI benefits to study acting and music at The New School. He was also an influential figure during the Civil Rights Movement.
Steve McQueen
McQueen was a military bad boy. He served in the Marines but was demoted several times for disobedience. He was arrested for taking an unapproved vacation, too. However, he did save five soldiers from drowning, so maybe his superiors were willing to overlook his behavior.
J. R. R. Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkein's story starts out as many other authors of his time did. He was a Second Lieutenant in the British Expeditionary Force during World War I. He wrote his famous series "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" after.
Kris Kristofferson
Due to familial pressure, singer and actor Kris Kristofferson enlisted for the army. He grew up as a military brat and later became a helicopter pilot. After his service, he focused on building his music career.
Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He was also once married to starlet Marilyn Monroe. He served in the Army and was an athletics instructor during his service.
John Coltrane
The famous sax player is a Navy alum. He was sent to Pearl Harbor and joined the base's swing band almost immediately. He was the first African American musician to even show interest in playing, so he was considered a "guest member." Bet those guys are kicking themselves for not including him considering how famous Coltrane became later.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger has worn many hats. The actor-turned-governor was first an army solder-turned-bodybuilder. He was a member of the Australian Army in 1965 due to a law that required all Australian men over 18 to serve for one year. He picked up bodybuilding while in the service.
Richard Pryor
The comedian was arrested during his service. He stabbed a fellow soldier for getting too excited over a racially violent scene in a movie. That sort of racist behavior definitely isn't tolerated in the army today.
Shaggy
The "It Wasn't Me" singer was a former Marine. He was a member of the 10th Marine Regiment and was deployed after the Gulf War. He started releasing music in 1992 after his tour ended.
Tom Selleck
The face behind Magnum P.I. served on the front lines from 1967 to 1973. He was a member of the U.S. Army and the National Guard. He was serving in Vietnam when his acting career kicked off, and the draft caused Fox to cancel his contract. Luckily, he went on to lead a star-studded career without them.
James Stewart
The It's a Wonderful Life star was known as the commander of the B-24 bomber squadron in WWII before he took on any sort of iconic role. He served in England and received several honors for his bravery. After, he went down in history as a star in one of the most famous movies of all time.
Kurt Vonnegut
"Slaughterhouse-Five" and other anti-war writings came straight from Vonnegut's time in World War II. The bombing of Dresden is an event featured heavily in his novels because he served as a battalion scout there. He would go on to become one of literature's most important political figureheads.
Michael Caine
Caine believes everyone should spend at least six months in the military. The star of several hit films like Christopher Nolan's "Batman" trilogy said the experience made him a better performer and person. His dedication certainly seems to have paid off.
Johnny Carson
The former Tonight Show host was also a member of the U.S. Navy. He worked as an apprentice seaman in the V-5 program during World War II. He went on to host his iconic talk show for decades.
Ernest Hemmingway
The famous author had hopes of enlisting in World War I but was told his eyesight was too bad for the job. Instead, he volunteered as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. His span of novels that were birthed after the war are considered some of the most important works of literature of all time, and are mostly inspired by his service.
Mel Brooks
Actor and comedian Mel Brooks originally served in World War II in the Army Corps of Engineers. His job was to deactivate enemy land mines. After, he had a long career in Hollywood.
Alan Alda
Even though Alan Alda played a role in a military television show for a long time, he actually did serve in real life before that. He was a gunnery officer in the Korean War for six months. On the show, he was a Korean War medic. Life really does imitate art sometimes.
Walt Disney
Young Walt Disney joined World War I in 1918. He was just sixteen years old and forged his paperwork so he could serve. He was a member of the American Ambulance Corps, a division of the Red Cross. In World War II, he worked as a propaganda cartoonist.
Charlton Heston
Helston was stationed in Alaska as a radio operator during World War II. He was also an aerial gunner on the B-25 Mitchell bomber. He enlisted around 1941.
Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman enlisted for the Marines at just sixteen years old. However, he revealed that he struggled because he had a pretty apparent disregard for authority. But, he was very successful in Hollywood when he decided to take up acting.
Fred Durst
Did you know the Limp Bizkit singer was once a Navy soldier? However, he was discharged after two years. From there, he decided to pursue music and tattoo artistry.
Hugh Hefner
The Playboy founder enlisted for the Army right after high school. He was an infantry clerk and cartoonist for Army newspapers. That role inspired him to pursue publishing, which led him to start the pinup magazine.
Humphrey Bogart
Bogart served as a military police officer in the Navy. While there, he was struck in the mouth, and he walked away with a small scar and a minor lisp. Little did he know that would help craft his iconic "tough guy" image in his films later on.