Hollywood has a long history with the military. During World War II many actors and directors served and aided in the war effort in different ways. It goes way beyond that, however. Here is a list of actors who have served in the military, either in the US or in other countries.
Drew Carey
Funnyman Drew Carey is not someone you expect would be a marine, but that's exactly what he was before making it big on television. The Price Is Right host served six years as a field radio operator in the Marine Reserves in his home state of Ohio after dropping out of college. You have to imagine being a radio operator would be a good experience for talking into a microphone, right?
Bea Arthur
During World War II, an entire generation of men were expected to do their part in the war effort. Women, on the other hand, were not expected to join the service. Bea Arthur thought differently and enlisted in the Marines. Of course, the world being what it was at the time, meant she served stateside, doing jobs like typing and later working in the motor pool.
Jamie Farr
Though he is most famous for playing a corporal in MASH who did all he could to undermine the authority of his superiors, Jamie Farr served with distinction in the 1950s after being drafted in 1957. He was already in show business at the time, so much of his work involved USO shows.
Mel Brooks
EGOT winner Mel Brooks served in the US Army during World War II and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. He joined almost straight out of high school in 1943 and was sent to Europe at the end of '44. He was honorably discharged in '46 and embarked on one of the most legendary careers of all time.
Adam Driver
Like many in his generation, Adam Driver was inspired to join the military in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Shortly after the attack, Driver signed up for the Marine Corps. The Star Wars actor is very proud of his service, though it was cut short after he injured himself off-duty and was medically discharged due to his injury.
Robert Duvall
One of Robert Duvall's most famous roles was as the psychopathic Colonel Kilgore who loved the smell of napalm in the morning in 1978's Apocalypse Now. He probably drew on his experience in the United States Army, where he served for a year in the 1950s, just after the Korean War.
Don Knotts
Don Knotts might be most famous for goofballs on The Andy Griffith Show and Three's Company, but his time in the army was anything but goofy. Knotts served three years in the army during World War II and earned a slew of medals for his service in the Pacific theater. After the war, he embarked on what would become a legendary career in Hollywood.
Morgan Freeman
It took a long time for Morgan Freeman to get famous, but once he did, he's been an ever-present voice in everyone's head. After high school Freeman enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served for four years in the 1950s. After leaving the service, he moved to LA and got into acting, though it would really be another couple of decades of hard work before he found fame.
Paul Newman
Few actors define "movie star" like Paul Newman. As one of the biggest stars of his generation, he is beloved for all of his roles over the years. Before heading to Hollywood, Newman served in the Navy during the Second World War, mostly on the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill.
Richard Pryor
Comedy legend Richard Pryor made his business to ruffle feathers whenever and wherever he could. That includes during the two years he served in the army in the late 1950s. According to The New Yorker, he spent much of those two years incarcerated in a military jail after he and other soldiers stabbed a white soldier for a racial incident.
Rob Riggle
Comedian Rob Riggle is one of the most dedicated Marines in Hollywood history. He joined in 1990 and served overseas multiple times throughout his 23-year career, including his time in the reserves. While most stints in the military were only a few years for the people on this list, Riggle served well enough and long enough to retire as a lieutenant colonel.
Jennifer Marshall
Jennifer Marshall might not be a household name yet, but fans of Stranger Things, know her as Max's mom Susan. Before becoming an actress, Marshall served five years in the Navy, including on the USS Theodore Roosevelt during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Jimmy Stewart
Jimmy Stewart was already one of the biggest stars in the world, having won an Oscar for The Philadelphia Story before he joined the army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Unlike some actors like Ronald Reagan, Stewart was in the thick of the fighting as a member of the Army Air Force and was well-decorated for it, including winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. He remained in the reserves until well after the war, retiring in 1968 with the rank of brigadier general.
Ice-T
Ice-T is not only an actor but one of the pioneers of hip-hop. He first got interested in music in the late '70s, while serving in the army. His time in the army wasn't exactly filled with glory, however. He was charged with theft while serving and eventually was found in dereliction of duty as a result. He cut his time short because he was already a single father and was honorably discharged in 1979.
Gal Gadot
In Israel, most citizens are required to serve in the Israeli Defense Force and Gal Gadot was no different when she was drafted at age 20. She served her mandatory two years in the army as a combat fitness instructor. She was famously part of a Maxim Magazine spread of female Israeli soldiers during her time in the service before trying her hand at acting and landing her breakthrough role in Fast & Furious.
Bob Ross
Famous for his calm demeanor and his big hair (a hairstyle he came to hate), Bob Ross doesn't seem like the military type. For most people, Ross is all about vegging out and destressing while watching him paint like magic on TV. Before all that though, he was a master sergeant in the Air Force.
Robin Quivers
Robin Quivers is most famous for being Howard Stern's sidekick on his notorious radio show and co-starring with him in Private Parts, but long before she became a key part of Stern's team, she was an officer in the Air Force. She joined after college in 1975 and eventually rose to the rank of captain before leaving the military and starting her radio career.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Like a few actors, Arnold Schwarzenegger's time in the army was somewhat undistinguished. He, of course, served in his native Austria, which required one year of service from all young men. During his time, he was already a rising star in the bodybuilding world and he even went AWOL to compete. After he was discharged, he entered his first Mr. Universe competition, placing second, and the rest is history.
Sean Connery
Though he just missed World War II, Sean Connery joined the Royal Navy in 1946 at just age 16. No, he didn't serve on a submarine, and the James Bond star wasn't a spy. His time in the service was somewhat short-lived as he was discharged for a medical issue less than three years later. He remained proud of his service for the rest of his life, however.
Caitlin Bassett
Quantum Leap star Caitlin Bassett is a rarity in Hollywood, a female combat veteran. Bassett served for seven years in the army, including three overseas deployments to Afghanistan before being honorably discharged in 2017 and embarking on her acting career.
Gene Hackman
Hollywood legend Gene Hackman enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1947 at just age 16. He served for almost five years as a radio operator, including for a year in China. After he was honorably discharged, he went to college and finally at age 30 started acting. it was a long road, but Hackman couldn't have imagined the success he'd find as one of the most beloved actors of his generation.
Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck served for six years in the California Army National Guard during the height of the Vietnam War. By serving in the National Guard, it meant he didn't end up going overseas to fight, but that should diminish his service. The Blue Bloods star began his career with bit parts on TV shows and in commercials while serving, though it was years before he famously had to turn down the role of Indiana Jones.
Marlene Dietrich
Though she never formally served in the armed services, we could not make this list without Marlene Dietrich's fascinating story. The German-born actress renounced her German citizenship in 1939 when World War II began and she worked vigorously for the USO during the war years, supporting American GIs. Later in the war, she was recruited by the OSS to record songs used for propaganda against German soldiers. After the war, Dietrich was awarded the Medal Of Freedom for her service.
Gregory Gadson
Battleship star Gregory Gadson is more famous for his service than his acting, which is unique on this list. Gadson is a West Point graduate who was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2007. He lost both legs but learned to walk again using cutting-edge prosthetics and later, incorporating his injury into his character in Battleship.
James Doohan
Star Trek legend James Doohan served bravely with the Canadian army during World War II and participated in the Normandy invasion on D-Day in 1944. He collected a number of medals for bravery during his time in the war and was even shot six times in the battle on Juno Beach on that fateful day. He later flew planes during the war as well.
Charles Bronson
One of Charles Bronson's most beloved roles is that of an officer in one of the best war movies ever, The Great Escape. Though he was Polish in the movie, he served in the US Army Air Force during World War II as a gunner on a bomber. He served with distinction, flying on 25 missions in the Pacific during the war and earning a Purple Heart.
Kris Kristofferson
As a singer-songwriter and actor, Kris Kristofferson has usually been connected to the counterculture, but it wasn't always that way. Kristofferson grew up an army brat and despite being a Rhodes scholar in college, he was pressured by his proud military family to join the service. He was commissioned as an officer and served in Germany after completing Ranger training. He left the army in '65 and moved to Nashville, and the rest is history.
Mark Valley
Fox's Human Target was a short-lived, underrated TV show with an all-star that included Chi McBride, Jackie Earle Haley, Indira Varma, and Janet Montgomery. It was led by Mark Valley, who played Christopher Chance, based on a DC comic character from a book also called Human Target. Valley himself is a graduate of West Point who saw combat in the first Gulf War.
Jake McLaughlin
One of the more interesting stories on this list belongs to Quantico star Jake McLaughlin. McLaughlin joined the army after high school and served in the Iraq war, seeing combat in the earliest days of the invasion. After getting out, he worked a few odd jobs before landing a role in In the Valley of Elah. From there, he's never looked back, landing roles in multiple TV shows and movies.
Jesse Ventura
While Jesse Ventura, star of the wrestling squared circle and movies like Predator, never saw combat in Vietnam, he did have an impressive service career. He completed BUD/S school, which is SEAL training, and served as part of an Underwater Demolition Team, the predecessors to the SEALs. Later he would become a politician and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame.
J.W. Cortés
Fans of the Fox Batman prequel show Gotham will recognize J.W. Cortés as Detective Carlos Alvarez, who works with Jim Gordon in the Gotham PD. Cortés served for 13 years in the Marine Corps, including during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Remi Adeleke
2023's Plane is somewhat under-appreciated because it's a great action flick. Part of what makes it great is the breakout performance from Remi Adeleke. Adeleke plays part of a private military unit charged with rescuing passengers in a disabled plane stuck in the Philippines. Adeleke plays the part well because, well, he's a former SEAL in real life.
