Arnold Schwarzenegger: From Bodybuilding to Hollywood to Politics
Childhood and Early Life in Austria
Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on August 8, 1947, in Styria, southeast Austria. He is an American actor, bodybuilder, and businessman of Austrian origin, and was the thirty-eighth governor of California from November 17, 2003, to January 3, 2011. His parents were married in 1945. His father, Gustav Schwarzenegger, was a local police chief (1907 – 1972) who wanted Arnold to become a police officer like him. His mother, Aurelia Jadrny (1922-1998), wanted him to attend business school.
Bodybuilding Career and Move to the United States
As a boy, Arnold Schwarzenegger played many sports and began weight training at age 13 in 1960. This was when his football coach, Alaa Sheikh Al-Saroujia, a Syrian, took his team to the local gym. At 14, Schwarzenegger preferred bodybuilding over football as a career. When he turned 18 in 1965, he served in the Austrian army according to Austrian law, which requires a year of service from every Austrian male who turns 18. That same year, he won the Mr. Europe competition for youth. He took an unauthorized leave of absence from basic training to participate in the competition and as a result, spent a week in military prison.
Acting Career and Signature Roles
Arnold Schwarzenegger moved to the United States in September 1968 at the age of 21. He won the Mr. Universe title at 22 and won the Mr. Olympia contest in New York at the age of 23, continuing to win the title seven times. He also won other bodybuilding competitions. He spoke little English and had a very bad accent, which posed a challenge when he began his acting career.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on August 8, 1947, in Styria, southeast Austria. He’s an American actor, bodybuilder, businessman of Austrian origin, and the 38th Governor of California from November 17, 2003, to January 3, 2011. His parents got married in 1945, his father being Gustav Schwarzenegger, a local police chief (1907 – 1972), who wanted him to become a police officer too. His mother Aurelia Jadrny (1922-1998) wanted him to go to trade school.
In 1969, Arnold Schwarzenegger met Barbara Outland Baker, an English language teacher, and lived with her until 1974. After that, he was introduced to his second love, Sue Moray, a hairdressing assistant, in an open relationship that lasted from 1977 to 1978.
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Schwarzenegger wanted to transition from a bodybuilding career to acting, which he finally achieved when he was chosen to play Hercules in 1970 for the movie Hercules in New York. He was credited as “Arnold Strong” as his accent in the film was heavily dubbed after production. He caught attention and enhanced his status in the bodybuilding movie (Pumping Iron) in 1977, which had dramatic elements. In 1991, Schwarzenegger bought the rights to the film, its footage, and related photography. He then appeared with Kirk Douglas and Ann-Margret in the 1979 comedy movie The Villain. In the 1980 movie, he starred in the biographical film about 1950s actress, Jayne Mansfield, playing the role of Mansfield’s husband Mickey Hargitay. The film that made surprising progress was the 1982 epic film (Conan the Barbarian), which brought in major box office revenue. This was followed by a sequel, (Conan the Destroyer) in 1984, although box office revenues were disappointing. In 1983, he played the lead role in the promotional video (Carnival in Rio). In 1984, he made the first of three appearances as a titular character which some say was his signature role in his acting career through the thrilling science fiction film by director James Cameron (The Terminator). After the Terminator movie, he presented (Red Sonja) in 1985, which “landed without leaving a trace.” He offered a number of successful films: Commando in 1985, Raw Deal in 1986, The Predator (1987), Running Man, Red Heat, Twins (1988), Total Recall (1990).
Political Career as Governor of California
Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on 8th August 1947 in Styria, Southeast Austria. An American actor, bodybuilder, and businessman of Austrian origin, he was the 38th Governor of California from 17th November 2003 to 3rd January 2011. Arnold’s parents married in 1945, his father, Gustav Schwarzenegger, a local police chief wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become a police officer, and his mother, Aurelia Jadrny, wanted him to attend a commercial school.
In 1969, Arnold met Barbara Outland Baker, an English language teacher, and lived with her until 1974. After which, he met his next love, Sue Moray, a hair-dressing assistant, in an open relationship from 1977 to 1978.
Arnold briefly switched to directing, first with a 1990 episode of the TV series Tales from the Crypt titled The Switch, then with the 1992 TV movie Christmas in Connecticut. He hasn’t directed since then. His subsequent films include the comedy Junior in 1994, and the thriller Eraser in 1996. After a hiatus, he returned with the supernatural film End of Days in 1999, followed by the action films The 6th Day in 2000, and Collateral Damage in 2002, all of which failed to do well at the box office. In 2003, he made his third appearance in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which went on to earn more than $150 million domestically.
Arnold Schwarzenegger remained a prominent face in bodybuilding long after he retired in 1980 and he wrote numerous books and articles about the sport. He gained worldwide fame as a Hollywood action film icon, noted for leading roles in several films including Conan the Barbarian, and The Terminator.
Personal Life and Family
He was nicknamed “The Austrian Oak” and “Styrian Oak” during his bodybuilding days, and “Arnold Strong” and “Arnie” during his acting career, and more recently “The Governator” (one of his roles in the Governor Terminator franchise). He was elected as a Republican candidate in the 2003 special recall election to serve out the remaining term of Governor Gray Davis. He was then re-elected in the special 2006 California gubernatorial election, to serve his term as Governor. After taking English language classes at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, he earned a corresponded bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Superior in international business and economics in 1979.
Health Issues and Current Status
Arnold married TV journalist Maria Shriver in 1986, niece of former President John F. Kennedy, and they have four children: Katherine Eunice Schwarzenegger (1989), Christina Maria Aurelia Schwarzenegger (1991), Patrick Arnold Schwarzenegger (1993), Christopher Sargent Shriver Schwarzenegger (1997). In 2011, after 25 years of marriage, he separated from his wife.
Schwarzenegger and his family currently live in an 11,000-square-foot (1,022 square meter) home in Brentwood, forced to carry a property in Pacific Palisades. The family owns vacation homes in Sun Valley, Idaho, and Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. His wealth is estimated to be between $100-200 million.
In 2018, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger underwent emergency heart surgery to replace a catheter valve, but the valve replacement failed, forcing doctors to open-heart surgery on him.
