Before they were red-carpet regulars, some of Hollywood’s largest stars were saluting in uniform rather than strutting in stilettos. From pilots and Marines to radar technicians and drill instructors, these actors took their military backgrounds with them when they became actors, and in a few instances, the years helped create the people they became on screen. Here are 10 unexpected stars who once traded scripts for service.
10. Adam Driver – From U.S. Marine to Kylo Ren
Way before donning the face of Star Wars’ greatest tortured villain, Adam Driver was a Marine. At age 18, motivated by 9/11, he joined up, looking for guidance. A mountain biking mishap broke his sternum, cutting short his military days just before deployment. Yet the experience left its imprint, so much so that he went on to found Arts in the Armed Forces, bringing live theater to service members worldwide.
9. Elvis Presley – The King Marches In
During the height of his popularity, Elvis Presley was inducted into the Army in 1957 and began Army service the next year. Rather than demanding special consideration, he volunteered to serve just like everybody else. In Germany, he was promoted to sergeant and met Priscilla Beaulieu, the woman who would eventually marry him. Military life was both humbling and life-changing for Presley.
8. Chuck Norris – Airman Discovers His Kick
Before he was an action star and pop culture meme, Chuck Norris served in the Air Force as a policeman in South Korea. That is where he discovered martial arts, fueling the fire that would drive his career. Norris went on to become the first Westerner to receive an eighth-degree black belt in Taekwondo, a path that began while in uniform.
7. Bea Arthur – Golden Girl, Hardnosed Marine
Known for her sharp wit on The Golden Girls, Bea Arthur broke barriers as one of the first women to enlist in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve in 1943. She worked as a typist, dispatcher, and even drove trucks, eventually reaching the rank of staff sergeant. Her no-nonsense demeanor onscreen mirrored the grit she showed in service.
6. Morgan Freeman – From Air Force Radar to Oscar Gold
Morgan Freeman’s path started in the U.S. Air Force, where he spent four years as a radar technician after joining in 1955. Although he once had aspirations to be a fighter pilot, Freeman concluded that he enjoyed acting more than flying. That shift took him to Hollywood and ultimately to one of the most revered careers in movies.
5. Clint Eastwood – Lifeguard in Uniform
Written in 1951 during the Korean War, Clint Eastwood did not get shipped overseas; he stayed stateside and was stationed at Fort Ord in California, where he spent his time lifeguarding and teaching swimming lessons. Following service, he used the GI Bill to learn acting, a career choice that set him on the road from cowboy gunfighter to Academy Award-winning director.
4. Rob Riggle – Comedy with a Combat Record
Before getting laughs on The Daily Show and in comedies such as Step Brothers, Rob Riggle was a Marine. Served close to ten years of active duty and 14 years in the Reserve, deploying to Liberia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. His military rigor and world travels remain the basis of his work as well as his public advocacy for veterans.
3. Bob Barker – From Naval Aviator to Game Show Icon
“Come on down!” But first, lift off from an aircraft carrier. Bob Barker prepared for deployment as a naval aviator in World War II to fly in the Pacific theater. Although the war ended before he went into action, his experience as a fighter pilot provided him with a distinct point of view that he brought to his long career as a popular TV host.
2. James Earl Jones – From Army Officer to Voice Icon
The iconic voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa was once a young lieutenant. James Earl Jones, after college, served in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of first lieutenant in the 75th Rangers Regiment. His deep, commanding voice, developed in the military, would later become his trademark in Hollywood.
1. Jimmy Stewart – Actor, Pilot, Brigadier General
Jimmy Stewart was not just a star; he was a war hero with medals. A veteran Oscar winner and seasoned pilot, Stewart joined in 1941. Throughout World War II, Stewart flew 20 missions and was awarded several medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. Stewart remained in the Air Force Reserves after the war, ultimately retiring as a brigadier general. Stewart is still Hollywood’s highest-ranking military veteran.
Next time you watch one of these stars on screen, remember: before the fame, they were soldiers, airmen, and Marines. Their service stories are just as inspiring as the roles that made them legends.