Arnold Schwarzenegger’s success story in Hollywood is an inspirational one. From earning a name as a bodybuilding champion to making the shift to Hollywood at age 21, Schwarzenegger has dominated the entertainment scene for over 5 decades by starring in multiple cult blockbusters that have stood the test of time. The Terminator star also proved that he had the wherewithal to enter politics through his successful stint as the Governor of California.
While Schwarzenegger is known for being a celebrated muscle man and one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, few are aware that he dabbled in the world of business too. The True Lies actor made the most of a natural disaster in the 70s to prove himself as a savvy businessman at a very young age.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Had A Bricklaying Business
Action superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic rise to fame in Hollywood is well documented. But a little known fact about the actor involves a business collaboration with his fellow bodybuilding colleague during their early years in the field of entertainment. Schwarzenegger and his friend Franco Columbu who was one of the few to dethrone him as Mr Olympia, started a bricklaying business soon after their move to Hollywood.
At age 21, Schwarzenegger took a huge risk of multitasking as an newbie actor as well as a businessman. But the star managed to make the venture thrive mainly owing to the devastating Los Angeles Earthquake in 1971 where many people lost their homes. Reminiscing about how he landed the job, Schwarzenegger said,
“We had the big earthquake in Los Angeles. The chimneys fell off the apartment houses and all this stuff. Franco and I were busy for two years rebuilding chimneys and fireplaces and patios and walls,”
Initially Schwarzenegger and Columbu offered services at a very low cost. After realising that jobs were hard to come by, the Austrian superstar rebranded himself as a European style bricklayer, engaged more workers, and started charging European prices. It was at this time that the earthquake took his business to the next level.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Is A Golden Globe Winner
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s many talents include being a gritty business man, a multiple-time Mr Olympia, and a naturally gifted action star. While the star is not known for his acting chops, a little known trivia from his life is his surprising Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actor for one of his earliest Hollywood roles.
The Junior actor played the role of a bodybuilder Joe Santo in the Jeff Bridges starrer Stay Hungry, in the 1970s. Though the part was right up Schwarzenegger’s alley, the Hercules star did not take his bodybuilding background for granted and immersed himself fully into the film and his performance by even jeopardizing his athletic career for an authentic portrayal. His intensity and commitment on screen was rewarded with a well-deserved Golden Globe.
Source: Collider
