It shouldn’t come as a surprise that most of our fave celebs have had regular jobs at some point. Before the fame and earning an extravagantly huge paycheck, some were called to duty to serve in the U.S. Army. Like most of us regular folks, some did it for the cash while others genuinely wanted to respond to the call to offer their services during times of war. We’ve rounded up a list of some of the celebrities who’ve loyally served their country in various military designations over the years.
In 1958, at age 18, Carlos Ray Norris aka Chuck Norris enlisted as a policeman in the U.S. Air Force. Norris was posted in the South Korean-based Osan Air Base and that was where he got his nickname Chuck. He also started learning Tang Soo Do, leading him to achieve black belts and later on founding the Chun Kuk Do. Following his military service, he returned to the U.S. and continued working as an AP at the California-based March Air Force Base. He was officially discharged from military duty in August 1962 and he dove right into competitive martial arts thereafter. Chuck Norris also promoted Total Gym’s line of home fitness equipment in 1997 infomercials.
Before taking up his spotlight in Hollywood, Gene Hackman joined the U.S. Marine Corps at 16 after lying about his age. He served as a field radio operator for four and a half years in China. In 1949, Hackman was relocated to Hawaii and then Japan before officially being discharged in 1951. Tragically, a few years later, his mother passed away after a fire that started while she was smoking. Hackman started acting in the ’60s, appearing in the movie, Mad Dog Coll. Since retiring in 2004, Hackman has lent his voice to two TV documentaries – The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima in 2016 and We, the Marines in 2017.
The late James Garner was perhaps best known for his role in the ’50s western shows Maverick and The Rockford Files. Towards the end of WWII, Garner joined the U.S. Merchant Marine when he was 16 years old. However, he left the service after suffering from chronic seasickness. Instead, he chose to enlist with the California Army National Guard. He served as a rifleman for seven months in California and 14 months in Korea with the 5th Regimental Combat Team. Garner then joined the 24th Infantry Division and he was wounded twice in the course of duty. Garner died in July 2014 from a massive heart attack brought about by coronary artery disease.
Before becoming the ultimate James Bond icon, Sean Connery served in the Navy. During his time with the Royal Navy, he got two tattoos to commemorate his commitment to Scotland and his family. Owing to a family medical history of duodenal ulcer, which Connery himself suffered from, he was discharged from the Navy. He went back to the co-op and worked odd jobs, including driving a lorry, lifeguarding, modeling at the Edinburgh College of Art, and he even worked as a coffin polisher! His acting career kicked off in the ’50s and the rest is history. Connery announced that he had retired after receiving the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute.
The above snap-shot of Wilson isn’t from one of the films he’s appeared in; it’s actually from the time he attended the New Mexico Military Institute. Long before he became a funny man featuring in just about every good rom-com we’ve watched over the years, Owen was well on his way to military service. After finishing up at the institute, Wilson enrolled at the University of Texas to study English. He had his film debut in the 1996 movie Bottle Rocket and he co-wrote his next two directorial works with Wes Anderson. With his ex-girlfriend Varunie Vongsvirates giving birth to their daughter in October 2018, Wilson is now a father of three.
The late Rock Hudson was an American actor who’d had several leading roles in the ‘50s and ‘60s movies. He was considered one of the Golden Age heartthrobs having starred in movies like Magnificent Obsession, Giant, and All That Heaven Allows. Hudson enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 at age 19 after his school graduation. He attended the Great Lakes Naval Training Station and he was assigned to the Samar Island in the Philippines to serve as an aircraft mechanic. He was discharged from duty in 1946 right after he’s returned to San Francisco. Hudson was the first prominent celebrity to have passed on from an AIDS-related illness in 1985.
The late Lawrence “Yogi” Berra played in 19 Major League Baseball seasons as a catcher before becoming a manager and coach. Before baseball, Berra served in the U.S. Navy during the Second World War. As a Second Class Seaman, he took part in the famous D-Day attacks as part of a six-man team aboard a Navy rocket boat bound for Omaha Beach. Berra died of natural causes in his sleep in September 2015 at the age of 90. He had lost his wife Carmen the year before, and he subsequently listed their deluxe house in Montclair for $888K in reference to his uniform number.
Fresh from high school, Montel Brian Anthony Williams joined the U.S. Marines and went through extensive training. Williams finished training at both the Naval Academy at Annapolis and Newport becoming the first African-American to have made such an achievement. Williams served as the naval intelligence cryptologic officer spending one and a half years in Guam. He then worked with the National Security Agency at Ft. Meade and he also spent three years aboard submarines as a full lieutenant. Meade displayed his leadership and public speaking skills (providing advice, too) among his crew and in 1988, he extended the services to families and wives.
George Clifton James became popular for his role as Sheriff J.W Pepper on Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun. Somehow, he kept landing roles as law enforcement officials and it could have had a lot to do with the fact that he served in the U.S. Army. James severed during World War II and he was also an infantry platoon sergeant with the 163rd Inf. and 41st Div. He spent forty-two months serving in the South Pacific earning decorations like two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and a Bronze Star. At the age of 96, James developed complications of diabetes and he died in April 2017.
Josephine Baker, a French-American entertainer was commended for her service during WWII as well as her contributions towards the Civil Rights Movement. She aided the French Resistance during the Second World War, earning her the Croix de Guerre award from the French military. As a secret agent, she would gather information from German troops she met at parties for the French military. French General Charles de Gaulle awarded Barker the Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur – the highest order of merit given to the military intelligence. She died at the age of 68 at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital. She’d been admitted after slipping into a coma due to a cerebral hemorrhage.
Ernest Miller Hemingway was a renowned American journalist, short-story writer, and novelist. In 1918, Hemingway actually wanted in enlist the Marines, Navy, and Army but they all turned him down because of his poor eyesight. He became an ambulance driver for the Red Cross working in Italy after responding to a Kansas recruitment drive. His duties involved offering aid to people injured in unfortunate circumstances, which greatly influenced his books. For instance, Death in the Afternoon recounts his experience on his first day on the job in Milan attending to female workers injured during a munitions factory explosion. Hemingway died in July 1961 at the age of 61 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Actor-turned-political activist Charlton Heston had a successful six-decade-long career appearing in nearly 100 films. Heston appeared in classics like The Ten Commandments in 1956 as Moses. In 1944 he enlisted in the U.S Army just after marrying Lydia Marie Clarke. Heston served as an aerial gunner and radio operator for two years abroad a medium B-25 bomber stationed in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. He was part of the Eleventh Air Force 77th Bombardment Squadron and he rose up to the staff sergeant rank. While Heston battled with several illnesses and conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and alcoholism, he ultimately died in 2008 from pneumonia.
William Stone has penned some great films, including Midnight Express and Scarface. However, it was the 1986 war drama Platoon that gave him prominence as a writer/director and won him the Best Director accolade at the Academy Awards. That particular movie and two others that followed were actually based on Stone’s time serving as an infantry soldier during the Vietnam War. Stone had enlisted in 1967 and he specifically requested for duty in Vietnam. His service earned him several military awards like a V-Device Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. Stone was somewhat forced into retirement in 2017 following physical misconduct allegations raised against him.
Bahamian-American film director, actor, diplomat, and author Sidney Poitier is currently 92 years old with an endless list of career achievements. He boasts of being the first Bahamian-American actor to have won a Best Actor nod from both the Golden Globes and Academy Awards. Poitier moved to New York City at the age of 16 and he worked odd jobs, including being a dishwasher. In 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army after lying about his age and he went on to work as a mental institution attendant. Poitier even tried to feign insanity so that he would get discharged from the Army, but eventually, a psychiatrist helped him get his release from duty.
English actor Alec Guinness was perhaps best known for portraying Obi-Wan Kenobi in the trilogy of Star Wars films. Before joining the entertainment industry, Guinness served during the Second World War as part of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. During the Allied Invasion of Sicily, Guinness commanded a landing craft followed by ferrying agents and supplies to the Yugoslav partisans. The Navy granted Guinness leave in the midst of the war so that he could appear on Flare Path, a Broadway play by Terence Rattigan about the RAF Bomb Command. Guinness passed on in 2000 at the age of 86 from liver cancer.
Tony Curtis joined the U.S. Navy following the attack on Pearl Harbor, and he drew inspiration from Tyrone Power in Crash Drive and Cary Grant in Destination Tokyo. He served with the Pacific submarine force aboard the USS Proteus to the conclusion of WWII. Curtis also witnessed from his ship’s signal bridge the Japanese Instrument of Surrender which brought World War II to an end. Curtius was discovered while still in college by the late Joyce Selznick, a casting and talent agent. In his 2008 autobiography, Curtis detailed a chance meeting Jack Warner on a plane to California. He also mentioned briefly dating actress Marilyn Monroe before either of them became famous.
It’s difficult to picture the late American lifestylist and magazine publisher, Hugh Hefner, as an Army man. Well, the founder of Playboy did enlist in 1944 in his teens, but he never actually served on any battlefield. Instead, he served as an infantry clerk and he also wrote for a military newspaper. After discharge, Hefner completed his psychology degree in 1949 and a double minor in Art and Creative Writing. In September 2017, Hefner died at the age of 91 due to sepsis brought about by an E. coli infection.
It isn’t by chance that actor Sam Elliott lands roles as a gunslinger in Western movies because he actually served as part of the 163rd Airlift Wing. As part of the California Air National Guard, he was based at the Channel Islands. Before enlisting, Elliott had relocated to Los Angeles hoping to pursue an acting career, something his father had dissuaded him against. Elliott then chose to study acting while making a living working in construction. At 74, Elliott isn’t about to take up a shelter at a retirement home because he’s still busy working on productions like the Netflix sitcom, The Ranch.
Johnny Cash sold over 90 million records worldwide, making him among the best-selling musicians ever. Cash had served in the U.S. Air Force Security Service (USAF) as a Morse code operator stationed in Germany. He was part of the 12th Radio Squadron Mobile and part of his duties involved intercepting Soviet Army transmissions. Four years after enlisting, Cash was honorably discharged from duty and he returned to Texas. Cash married musician/actress June Carter in 1968 but she passed away in May 2003. June had been an instrumental part in keeping Cash clean after years of drug abuse, and losing her took a toll on Cash he died just four months after.
Alan Alda must have borrowed inspiration from his Army days for his role as Hawkeye Pierce on the war comedy series M*A*S*H. Alda pursued a bachelor’s degree at the Bronx-based Fordham College, and he actually studied in Paris during his junior year. During that time, Alan performed in Amsterdam alongside his father, Robert Alda, on television, and he also took part in a play staged in Rome. He joined the U.S. Army Reserve after graduating and served for six months in Korea. At 83, Alda is still active in the entertainment industry with his most recent TV appearances in The Blacklist (2013-14), The Good Fight (2018), and Ray Donovan (2018-19).
The Color of Money won Paul Newman an Oscar and an Emmy among several other awards. During World War II, Newman served as part of the U.S. Navy in the Pacific theater. Newman began training at the V-12 Navy College to become a pilot but he soon had to drop out after they discovered that he was color blind. He went into boot camp and then trained as a rear gunner and radioman. Newman was first deployed to Barbers Point, Hawaii but he then moved over to the squadron replacement tasked with training replacement aircrew and pilots. After earning his bachelor’s degree in drama, Newman kick-started his acting career in the ’50s.
The American Film Institute selected Humphrey Bogart as Classic American Cinema’s greatest male star. His list of film credits includes Casablanca, To Have and Have Not, and The Big Sleep. Bogart joined the U.S. Navy in 1918 after being expelled from the elite boarding school he had been attending. After the Armistice, Bogart spent the majority of his sea time ferrying troops back home from Europe. There are several inaccuracies that exist about Humphrey Bogart, for instance, the account about how he got his famous upper lip scar. Years of heavy drinking and smoking eventually caught up with him and Bogart died in 1957 from esophageal cancer.
Funnyman Carl Reiner also lent his talent behind the screens as a producer, writer, and director enjoying a seven-decade-long career. Reiner joined the Army Air Forces in 1943, serving during the Second World War and eventually reaching the corporal rank. Reiner served as a teleprinter operator in Hawaii soon after completing his language training. After auditioning to be part of the Special Services entertainment program, he transferred to the unit and performed with them for two years. Reiner, now 97, isn’t joining his peers at senior living communities any time soon. He’s still active in the industry, and recently appeared in the 2018 TV shows Angie Tribeca and Duck Duck Goose.
Like most young men who’ve completed high school, the late actor Ernest Borgnine decided to offer his services to the U.S. Navy. As part of the Navy, Borgnine served aboard USS Lamberton from 1935 and he was granted a discharge from duty in 1941. However, he reenlisted in 1942 following the attack on Pearl Harbor. After serving during the Second World War, he was once again honorably discharged in 1945. He had been a heavy smoker up until 1962, and becoming a militant anti-smoker is what ultimately led Borgnine to stop smoking. Unfortunately, kidney failure claimed Borgnine ’s life in 2012.
Mickey Rooney served the U.S. Army in the 1940s during World War II. Rooney was already a successful actor at that time and he entertained troops both on radio and the stage. He earned himself a Bronze Star for his service within combat zones. However, after his return in 1945, he was unable to rise back to the height of stardom he’d achieved. He appeared in supporting roles in films like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Requiem for a Heavyweight, and The Black Stallion. Rooney struggled with alcoholism and prescription drugs addiction, and he became broke despite earning millions in his career. Rooney passed away in 2014 from natural causes.
Robert Duvall, an acclaimed filmmaker, and actor, comes from a long line of Army men and his father had served as a Rear Admiral. Following the Korean War, Duvall served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1954 as a private first class. He later explained in interviews that he never actually served on any battlefields as the press had reported at some point. During his time at Camp Gordon, which was re-named Fort Gordon, he appeared in the amateur production, Room Service. At 88, Duvall isn’t planning on digging into his retirement investment just yet, because he’s still raking in bucks from his most recent appearance on Windows (2018).
Filmmaker Mel Brooks was called to duty in 1944 after spending a year at the Brooklyn College studying psychology. He started off at the Army Specialized Training program before joining the Virginia Military Institute where he learned engineering skills. Brooks served with the 1104 Engineer Combat Battalion as a corporal. As part of the 78th Infantry Division, he was tasked with defusing landmines during the Second World War. As the war came to a close, Brooks helped to stage shows for both American and German soldiers. The 92-year-old vet has been hard at work lending his voice to numerous productions, including the 2018 animation, Hotel Transylvania 3.
Comedian Drew Carey served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves for six years in the ’80s. Drew started to perform stand-up comedy while serving in the Marine Corps – a move that led to his TV roles. Carey primarily served as a field radio operator. He shared that the Marines gave him a strong sense of work ethic and discipline that he still adheres to. When Drew is not hosting The Price is Right, he is hosting events to honor veterans. After proposing to his psychotherapy girlfriend Annie Hawick in January 2018, the two split in less than a year.
Bob Barker was not always a game shows guru. During World War II, he enlisted in the United States Navy as a pilot. Bob trained with different planes, becoming an expert in aerial combat, night flying, and formation flying. Barker became a flight instructor after the war – an occupation that landed him a broadcasting job. Initially, he was a news writer and sportscaster before diving into entertainment. After suffering a nasty fall in 2017, Barker, who is in his 90s, and probably under elder care was rushed to a medical facility in October 2018 because of intense back pain.
Kirk Douglas isn’t only a centenarian but he’s also amongst the last surviving actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age. In 1941, Douglas joined the U.S. Navy just before World War II and he served aboard the USS PC-1137, anti-submarine warfare, as a communications officer. However, in 1944, he received a medical discharge from duty following an accident involving a depth charge. He returned to New York City and took up work in radio, commercials, and theater. His acting career peaked in the ‘40s and his long film credits include appearances on The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Spartacus, Tough Guys, Touched by an Angel, and Empire State Building Murders.
Charles Bronson, who passed on at the age of 81 in 2003, had served in the U.S. Air Force during the Second World War. He had enlisted in 1943 and served with the 760th Flexible Gunnery Training Squadron. In 1945, he moved over to serve as an aerial gunner for the 61st Bombardment Squadron based in Guam. In total, Bronson flew 25 missions, earning himself a Purple Heart awarded to those who were injured in battle. After his service, Bronson attended acting classes and kicked off his career. He appeared in movies like House of Wax, Man with a Camera, and the three Family of Cops films.
Before becoming one of Hollywood’s leading men in the ’60s and the ’70s, Steve McQueen joined the U.S Marine Corps in the late ’40s. He served with an armored unit after his promotion to Private First Class. However, his rebellious behaviors led to a demotion to private seven times. He transformed after spending time in the brig after resisting arrest from shore patrol after going missing. Steve was honorably discharged in 1950. After the military life, McQueen enjoyed a prolific career starring in numerous roles and maintaining a star status. He died in 1980 from cardiac arrest after cancer treatment surgery.
Circus acrobat-turned-Hollywood star Burt Lancaster had multiple 70 movies to his credit. After an acting career that spanned over 40 years, Lancaster died at 80 years in California. After high school, he won an athletic scholarship to the New York University. Burt dropped out to join the circus and had to leave the place because of an injury. In 1942, Lancaster was drafted into the Army after doing a couple of jobs. He spent three years in the Fifth Army Special Services that saw him tour North Africa and Europe as a soldier’s pianist page-turner.
Prince Harry’s military career lasted a decade where he undertook two Afghanistan tours and rose to the rank of Captain. Although the Prince left active military service in 2015, he continues to support fellow servicemen offering support to wounded individuals as they adapt to post-injury life. He also champions the military and veteran community through a myriad of organizations. Harry, who is about to become a first-time dad, is planning to take two weeks paternity leave after the birth of his baby, citing that he wants to be a very modern father.
The Duke of Cambridge attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant after successfully completing the course. He then went to Blues and Royals as a troop commander. Because he could not be deployed into dangerous situations, Prince William opted to train in the Royal Air Force and The Royal Navy. Celebrity news revealed that Kate Middleton stopped Prince William, her husband, from getting a huge tattoo on his back. While most would assume that tattoos are a taboo for the Royal family, they have been getting tattoos for centuries.
Sammy Davis Jr. will always be remembered as a great entertainer. A new documentary titled I Gotta Be Me has been released, shining a light on the life of the one-eyed singer, actor, dancer, comedian, and civil rights activist. Davis Jr. served in the Army during the Second World War working for the integrated Special Services. Sammy claimed he used his talent as a weapon because of the strong prejudice he encountered during service. After discharge, Davis reverted to family dance art and other entertainment roles. He almost lost his life in a car accident on November 19, 1954.
The heir apparent to the British throne, Prince Charles surprised many when he showed a deep knowledge of businesswoman, performer, and singer Rihanna. Aside from this, Prince Charles boasts of an expansive military career. He proudly wears many medals when decked in Royal regalia. After getting a degree from The University of Cambridge, Charles served in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in the ’70s. He trained as a jet pilot at the Royal Air Force Institution Cranwell. The prince also enrolled at the Royal Naval School Dartmouth to start off his naval career.
The late R&B & rap icon Nate Dogg was the man behind many hits. Nate was a member of the Marines, having joined immediately after high school, stationed at Camp Henoko in Japan. He was part of the Material Readiness Battalion of 3FSSG that supplied ammunition to the Pacific. Nate once pleaded guilty to possession of banned substances. In 2018, Nate Dogg’s son came out to say that Warren G and Snoop Dogg did not invite any of Nate’s family to the G-Funk documentary premiere. If it were true, then it would be unfair because the G-Funk tale would not be a success without Nate’s contribution.
Jimmy Stewart, he had to gain some pounds and muscles to meet the U.S Air Force Reserve requirements. In 1941, he joined the Air Corps, subsequently serving during the Vietnam War as well as World War II. As a pilot, he rose to the Brigadier General rank and he boasted of being the only actor to have held the highest military rank. In 1985, he became a Major General and he also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After a slip and fall mishap in 1995 Stewart, was hospitalized but he died in 1996 after he chose not to have the battery in his pacemaker changed.
Fans of Wheel of Fortune are well aware of Pat Sajak, the iconic host. Pat, together with his co-host Vanna White, have renewed their contracts through 2020. Wheel of Fortune is currently on its 36th season. What many may not know is that during the Vietnam War, Sajak was a member of the US Army. He joined in 1968 and was lucky to work as a DJ on Armed Forced Radio rather than be on the frontline action. Most interviews state that both his kids still live in the family’s opulent mansion in Maryland.
