Celebrities That Served In the Military Before Hollywood Fame

Gene Hackman

Actor Gene Hackman enlisted in the Marines when he was only sixteen years old. Hackman said that he had struggled in the military. He attributed his distaste for the role to his disregard for authority. Once he finished his time overseas, Hackman went on to win two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, one Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards. 

Mickey Rooney

Rooney was one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors from the late 1930s to the early 1940s. Rooney was drafted into World War II where he surprisingly thrived.  He found a useful place in the infantry as entertainment for the troops. He went on to have appeared in over 300 films during his lifetime and was one of the last surviving stars of the silent movie star generation. 

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Post originally appeared on Upbeat News.