Discover 10 fascinating facts about Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's determination to succeed is unmatched. The Austrian immigrant arrived in America during the 1960s and rose to fame as a champion bodybuilder. Defying critics who said his accent was too strong, his physique too imposing, and his name too hard to pronounce, he became a global movie sensation with iconic roles in 1982's Conan the Barbarian and 1984's The Terminator. Most would have been content with such success, but Schwarzenegger went even further, eventually becoming the Governor of California in 2003.

With the 'Austrian Oak' now dominating the streaming world through his Netflix series Fubar and celebrating his 76th birthday on July 30, we take a look at some of the most intriguing facts about his extraordinary life and career.

1. Schwarzenegger went AWOL from the Austrian military.

Born on July 30, 1947, near Graz, Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up in a modest household with no plumbing or telephone. His father, Gustav, served as the local police chief and was also involved with the Nazi party, a detail Arnold only discovered later in life. His father also had Arnold compete against his older brother, Meinhard, in various athletic challenges, but it wasn't until Arnold found bodybuilding that he discovered his true passion.

While serving his mandatory one-year stint in the Austrian Army starting in 1965, Schwarzenegger crafted his own weights at a local metal shop and continued to train. The army's balanced meals and protein helped him gain 25 pounds. During his service, he went AWOL to compete in a bodybuilding contest in Germany. He won the competition but was subsequently sent to military prison for seven days as a result.

2. He also learned to operate a tank.

During his time in the Austrian military, Schwarzenegger received training on how to operate a tank. The vehicle held special sentimental value for him, leading him to later purchase it and bring it to the United States. In 2000, he loaned the tank to the Motts Military Museum in Ohio, only to retrieve it in 2008 with the intention of using it to offer rides to underprivileged youth in Los Angeles as a reward for academic achievements.

3. Schwarzenegger employed psychological tactics to gain an advantage over his bodybuilding rivals.

Schwarzenegger arrived in the U.S. in 1968 with aspirations of becoming a bodybuilding champion, ultimately securing seven Mr. Olympia titles. However, his success wasn't just due to his physical prowess. In 2015, he revealed to podcast host Tim Ferris that he strategically employed psychological tactics to unsettle and undermine his competitors' confidence.

For instance, Schwarzenegger might ask a competitor if they had a knee issue. When they questioned why, he would respond, 'Because your thighs seem a bit slimmer to me. I wondered if you had trouble squatting or if there was some issue with leg extensions.' This would plant doubt in the mind of the other bodybuilder, and Schwarzenegger, with his unshakable self-confidence, would seize the opportunity to outshine them in front of the judges.

4. He once appeared on The New Dating Game.

Before becoming a film icon, Schwarzenegger had some television appearances. In 1973, he appeared as a contestant on The New Dating Game, where participants selected a partner from behind a screen. You can watch his appearance in the video above.

5. Schwarzenegger had already made his fortune before stepping into acting.

Despite his success as a bodybuilder, Schwarzenegger sought financial stability outside of competition earnings. He wisely invested his winnings in California real estate, earning significant profits from the booming property market in the 1970s. This financial success allowed him to be more discerning about the acting roles he pursued.

6. Mark Hamill advised him to lose his accent.

As his bodybuilding career started to wind down, Schwarzenegger set his sights on acting as the next challenge. Landing the lead role in 1970's Hercules in New York (where he was credited as Arnold Strong) didn't do much for his aspirations, as the film was poorly received and his strong Austrian accent was dubbed over by an American actor.

After the success of 1977's Star Wars, Schwarzenegger reached out to Mark Hamill for guidance. Hamill advised him to drop the accent and even shorten his last name to increase his chances of success. Schwarzenegger, however, disregarded this advice, later stating that he believed his accent made him stand out in Hollywood and became a distinctive asset.

7. Schwarzenegger nearly starred in a Hans and Franz musical.

Schwarzenegger had a good sense of humor about Hans and Franz, the over-the-top Austrian bodybuilders portrayed by Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon on Saturday Night Live. Writer Robert Smigel revealed that Schwarzenegger even showed interest in starring in a Hans and Franz movie musical in the early 1990s.

The film would have featured the characters traveling to California to chase fame, with Schwarzenegger playing both himself and the duo's grandmother. Although the movie was never made, co-writer Conan O'Brien later had Carvey and Nealon perform scenes from the script during a 2023 podcast, The Lost Hans and Franz Movie.

8. His childhood home is now a museum.

As the pride of his small hometown of Thal, Austria, Schwarzenegger's childhood home is now a museum. This was announced in 2011, allowing visitors to step inside the first-floor apartment and see his old bed, a motorcycle from The Terminator, weightlifting equipment, and even a replica of the desk he used during his time as governor of California.

9. Schwarzenegger directed a Christmas movie.

Though Schwarzenegger has never directed a major film, he has taken on directing duties a few times. In 1990, he directed an episode of the popular HBO horror series Tales From the Crypt. In 'The Switch,' an elderly man purchases new body parts in an attempt to win the affection of a younger woman, with disastrous consequences.

Apparently pleased with the outcome, Schwarzenegger went on to direct Christmas in Connecticut, a holiday film that aired on TNT in 1992. The movie was a remake of a 1945 Barbara Stanwyck classic, where a cooking columnist falls for a soldier. In this version, Dyan Cannon's character becomes interested in a forest ranger played by Kris Kristofferson. The Los Angeles Times dubbed Schwarzenegger 'Conan the Director.'

10. Schwarzenegger will be president (in a movie).

Since Schwarzenegger was not born in the United States, he is ineligible to run for the office of president, something he once expressed interest in if he were eligible. (And no, he can't become vice president either.)

There's no law preventing Schwarzenegger from playing the president on screen. The actor is set to portray the U.S. president in Kung Fury 2, a sequel to the 2014 parody of 1980s action films directed by and starring David Sandberg. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on Friday, November 17, 2023.

A version of this article was initially published in 2020 and has been updated for 2023.