Actors Fans Didn't Know Were In The Military
Many movie stars have had quite eventful and different lives before they ever saw the lavish ways of Hollywood. The military is miles wide and far from a career in acting, and might be even its exact opposite. Although these actors might have picked up a few experiences, friends, and a staunch discipline from their time serving their countries, fans could see from their work that it was not at all their true calling in life.
Some of these celebrities joined the military as a duty in times of war, some were drafted, some volunteered, and some saw that donning the uniform is a last resort, or perhaps an answer to being lost in life. Most performers featured on this list barely ever mentioned the fact they were enlisted. So, with some surprising entires here and there, here's a list of actors fans probably had no idea did some time in the military before coming to Hollywood.
8 Bea Arthur Was A Military Golden Girl
The icon that made The Golden Girls what it is then and now may not have been the youngest on set, but she was definitely a character with a long history of life experiences, especially ones in the Marines! The late actress enlisted in 1943 and was part of the primary comrades of the Women’s Reserve. She rose in the ranks to be a Sergeant and then a staff Sergeant before she left the military for a hit Broadway career which later led her to be one of the Golden Girls stars.
7 Morgan Freeman Trained As A Fighter Pilot
It's quite hard to think of Morgan Freeman as anything else than the bona fide actor he is today and one of the highest grossing movie stars in Hollywood. But in his youth, Freeman joined the military in 1955 after turning down a drama scholarship and worked initially as a radar technician, and kept his role for over a year till he went on to pursue pilot training. He later realized that it was not for him and left the military in 1959 to be the giant actor he is today. However, Freeman has a pilot's license today, so he checked that off his list in the end.
6 Elvis Presley Was Drafted in 1957
Smack in the middle of his music and filming career, Elvis Presley was drafted in the military from 1958 to 1960. Rumor has it that it was during his time in the military that he was introduced to many drugs that later caused him to struggle with substance abuse and cause his unfortunate death to be a mystery to many fans.
5 Chuck Norris Learned His Action Moves From His Time In The Military
The king of action films himself Chuck Norris enlisted in the Air Force right after graduating from high school back in 1958. He was stationed in South Korea till the time of his discharge in 1962 and was even named Veteran of the year for the year 2001. During his time serving in Asia, he was first introduced to martial arts and later became the master he is today.
4 Michael Caine Was A Member of The Queen's Royal Regiment
The versatile actor and British Icon Michael Caine served in the British Military from 1952 to 1954. He served in the British Army's Royal Fusiliers and was based in West Germany and was active on service during the Korean War.
3 Humphry Bogart's Scar Was A War Injury
Beloved actor and star of one of the best films of all time, Casablanca, served in World War I after he enlisted in the Navy in 1918 rather than going to college. It was said that he was an exemplary sailor as he ferried troops from America to Europe. The legendary actor received an honorable discharge and went on to pursue acting later, but only after getting a scar that many devout fans can recognize.
2 George Carlin Was Court-Martialed, A Lot
The controversial yet beloved brilliant comedian George Carlin had quite a messy military career. When he was just 17 years old, Carlin joined the Air Force and was trained as a radar technician. He apparently did not fit well at all within his regiment and was dubbed an "unproductive" Airman. That led to him being court-martialed not once, but three times before being generally discharged in 1957.
1 Adam Driver Joined The Marines Before Going To Julliard
Star Wars' very own Kylo Ren, aka Adam Driver, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2001 after he was initially rejected from Julliard. He did not spend that much time serving though as he was injured in an accident and was later discharged before he was ever deployed on active duty. He told The Guardian about his short-lived military career, "There’s something about going into the military and having all of your identity and possessions stripped away: that whole clarity of purpose thing, It becomes very clear to you, when you get your freedom back, that there’s stuff you want to do."
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