Something is intriguing about discovering that some of Hollywood’s biggest stars used to wear a uniform before becoming stars. From the front lines to boot camp, these celebrities tested their mettle long before they became household names. Here’s a glimpse at 10 stars whose military background may very well have you rethinking them in a whole new way.
10. Wes Studi
Even before being acclaimed in The Last of the Mohicans and Geronimo: An American Legend, Wes Studi was a warrior in the real world. Enlisting in the Oklahoma National Guard at only 17, he attended Fort Johnson training and eventually volunteered for combat duty in Vietnam. Assigned to the 9th Infantry Division, he fought hard in the “Mini-Tet” Offensive. Those experiences not only influenced his outlook on life but also informed the intensity and power he brings to his roles.
9. R. Lee Ermey
His iconic portrayal of Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket resulted from more than mere acting abilities; it resulted from real-life experience. Ermey enlisted in the Marine Corps after a judge offered him the choice between jail time and the Marines. More than 11 years of active duty, 14 months in Vietnam, and he was a drill instructor and aviation support specialist with shrapnel scars that he lived with the rest of his life. Years later, he applied that same authenticity to acting and military consulting and transformed the way Hollywood film drill sergeants.
8. Pat Sajak
Pat Sajak spun records for American soldiers in Vietnam before he became the host of Wheel of Fortune. Beginning as a typist clerk, he next landed the position of DJ for the American Forces Vietnam Network in Saigon. Anchoring the “Dawn Buster” show, he continued the legendary “Good Morning, Vietnam! ” tradition. In retrospect, Sajak humorously quipped that his greatest contribution was to keep records from falling into enemy possession. Not such a bad warm-up for decades in front of the lens.
7. Demond Wilson
Best known as Lamont Sanford on Sanford and Son, Demond Wilson’s on-screen life was matched by real-life drama. Having served from 1966 to 1968, Wilson was assigned to the Army’s 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam, where he was shot and subsequently honorably discharged as a Sergeant E-5. Returning home triggered his move into acting, and his work frequently had a sense of depth gained through hard living.
6. Tom Selleck
That signature mustache is only one of his legendary features; it includes a service record, as well. Selleck was drafted into service during the Vietnam War years and enlisted in the California National Guard’s 160th Infantry Regiment, where he remained from 1967 to 1973. The commitment cost him an early contract at a studio, but it also provided him with a background of discipline and reality that transferred to his career. To this day, he is a proud defender of veterans.
5. Dale Dye
If a war movie feels brutally real, there’s a good chance Dale Dye was involved. Before becoming Hollywood’s go-to military advisor, Dye served as a Marine in Vietnam, completing three tours and surviving 31 combat missions. His courage was rewarded with several medals, including the Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat “V.” Post-retirement, he used that toughness on sets such as Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, crafting some of the most accurate battle scenes ever produced.
4. Jesse Ventura
Wrestler, actor, and politician Jesse Ventura did it all, but before it all, he was in the Navy. Ventura went through Underwater Demolition Team 12 training during Vietnam, making it through the arduous BUD/S course, although he didn’t complete the advanced portion to become a SEAL. He didn’t deploy into combat, but his military toughness and bravado translated to every stage of his atypical career.
3. Dennis Franz
Before his Emmy-winning stint as NYPD Blue’s Andy Sipowicz, Dennis Franz was a soldier in Vietnam. He fought with the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions and was in constant combat, and saw close calls that disturbed him profoundly. He once remembered bullets passing his head, an experience that made a deep impression and possibly inspired the raw realism he applied to his acting.
2. James Avery
Loved as Uncle Phil on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, James Avery’s career started in the Navy. Straight out of high school, he signed up in 1968 and fought in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. When he returned, he translated his experiences into writing and acting, becoming one of TV’s best-known father figures. Few viewers were aware that the man behind Uncle Phil had such a strong military background.
1. Oliver Stone
Number one is director Oliver Stone, whose time in the military defined his career and American filmmaking. In 1967, he joined the Army, was asked to serve in combat, and was deployed with the 25th Infantry along the border of Cambodia. He survived battles, ambushes, and even lived through a near-fatal bombing. For his valor, he was awarded a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.
Subsequently, he transformed those horrific experiences into his classic Vietnam trilogy (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, Heaven & Earth), movies that continue to be some of the most intense portrayals of war ever on screen. The next time you see these stars on the screen, recall: before entertaining millions, they were serving, sacrificing, and enduring experiences that most of us can hardly dream of. Their experience in uniform didn’t only define who they were, it etched itself indelibly upon the stories they’ve since gone on to tell.