Hollywood stars aren't the only ones who answer Uncle Sam's casting calls. Seventeen million American veterans are like stars who've served in the military. Either they were conscripted or volunteered to serve their nation at some time in their lives. Actors, singers, and comedians have all benefited from the training and combat capabilities of some of these well-known public people. With his military training, Chuck Norris could do his stunts in films and even train other actors for action scenes.

When Adam Driver, a Star Wars actor, saw how well the two fields matched, he decided to create a foundation to bring the two fields together. In addition to their physical development, several actors have used their experience in the military to enhance their emotional development for their work on television. When individuals work together to accomplish a goal bigger than themselves, "the military and theatrical cultures are extremely similar," Driver explained during his TED Talk. "It's not about you. "To succeed in a team, it's important to know your responsibilities.

Bea Arthur

As a Marine Corps Women's Reserve member in 1943, the late Golden Girls (1985-92) actress was one of the Marine Corps' most trusted allies. According to military.com, she was "officious — but presumably a good worker" while serving in the military, as she would later be in her acting roles. After serving as a sergeant and a staff sergeant, Arthur departed the military and went on to have a great career on Broadway. As Cousin Maude in All in the Family and its spin-off Maude, she brought her Tony Award-winning talents to the cinema and became one of the stars (Betty White, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan) of The Golden Girls, which aired in the 1970s.

Rob Riggle

Over more than two decades, Rob Riggle served in the US Marine Corps. He completed Officer Candidate School after graduating from the University of Kansas. In the beginning, he had planned to become a pilot, but after realizing that humor was his true calling, he decided to become a Public Affairs Officer instead. After completing his term on active duty, he switched to the reserves, where he served for another 14 years while still working full-time as a comedian and actor. Despite his retirement, Rob Riggle continues to support the military community with his Rob Riggle InVETational Golf Classic, a golf tournament for veterans and celebrities that raises money and exposure for military non-profits like Semper Fi Fund.

Jackie Robinson

Before enrolling in Officer Candidate School, Jackie Robinson was recruited into the Army in 1942 and assigned to a segregated cavalry regiment. His application was delayed because of his skin tone, but Joe Louis's complaints led to his acceptance. In January 1943, he was promoted to the second lieutenant. Texas, a notoriously racist locale, was sentenced to three months in prison in August 1944. On July 6, 1944, a civilian bus driver at Camp Hood sent Robinson to the back of the vehicle when he sat down close to a white woman. The military police were summoned to arrest Robinson after he resisted. Robinson refused to wait for the M.P.s at the provost marshal's office and was transported to the hospital under security and protest because of the treatment he received. Two charges of insubordination were filed against him. However, Robinson would be let free due to his successful defense. After being forced to leave the military due to an ankle fracture, he became the first African American player in the Major Leagues.

Bob Ross

When Robert Norman Ross was 18, he entered the Air Force and served for 20 years before retiring. Ross served as a Drill Instructor in the Air Force, which may surprise some. Following through on this commitment to teaching people to paint via positive reinforcement and soft-spoken instruction, his program, The Joy of Painting, became a worldwide sensation.

Harry Belafonte

Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and Tonys are just a few of Belafonte's honors, but he also served as a member of the United States Navy during World War II. The New School for Social Research in New York City was made possible for the singer-actor by the G.I. bill. After years of performing in jazz bars, bright Road was his breakthrough role (1953). Afterward, he starred in films such as Odds against Tomorrow (1959), Kansas City (1996), and Bobby (2006). In his spare time, he recorded Grammy-winning albums and became renowned as the "King of Calypso" while also working with Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy to advance the Civil Rights Movement. Acting roles in series like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel have made him a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Adam Driver

After 9/11, Adam Driver enlisted in the Marine Corps, where he served as a helicopter pilot. After being injured while mountain biking, his military career was cut short. Before his deployment to Iraq, the Driver sustained a sternum injury. Before entering the Marines, he was rejected from Julliard, where he was a student, so he decided to apply again. Asked about his experience in the military, Driver said, There are many options open to you once you've regained your freedom. It is said that while attending the elite performing arts college, he renewed his love for acting and met the woman who would become his wife, Joanne Tucker. His breakthrough role came in HBO's Girls, where he starred alongside Lena Dunham (2012-17). He was nominated for an Oscar for his roles in BlaKkKlansman and Marriage Story; he also played Kylo Ren for the third time in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). It's ironic that despite his successful acting career, his military duty hasn't left him: he started and currently heads the organization "Arts in the Armed Forces," which provides professional stage shows to military service members and their families.

Clint Eastwood

The Korean War saw Eastwood enlist after finishing high school in the depths of the Great Depression. While stationed in Ft. Ord, California, he worked as a lifeguard for much of his military career. He was able to attend L.A. City College's acting program on a G.I. Bill scholarship. According to military.com, he was noticed by Universal Studios, who signed him to a contract, launching his career in Westerns. In addition to his roles in Francis in the Navy (1955) and Revenge of the Creature (1955), which earned him an Oscar nomination, he became a Hollywood legend thanks to his roles in Sudden Impact and Unforgiven. As a director, actor, and producer in Hollywood, he established himself as a triple threat, taking home Oscars for his roles.

Morgan Freeman

Before becoming an award-winning actor, Freeman served in the Air Force as a fighter pilot and received his pilot's license. However, that dream of flying came to a crashing halt. Military.com reports that he described the cockpit of a jet as having a "clear impression that he was sitting in the nose of a bomb" in an interview with AARP Magazine. After four years in the military, he decided to return to acting, which had always been his first love. He began his career in the serial opera Another World. Madam Secretary and Morgan Freeman's The Story of God With Morgan Freeman are two of the written shows he has produced for his production firm.

James Earl Jones

Even though Adam Driver played a villain with a military background, he wasn't the first. During the Korean War, James Earl Jones, best known for his role as Darth Vader, enlisted in the military. He was well on his way to a long military career while he was in Colorado instructing fellow soldiers and rising from the rank of second lieutenant to first lieutenant. According to military.com, he opted to quit the service to pursue a successful career in television, cinema, and theatre.

Zulay Henao

The films Fighting (2009) and Boy Wonder (2010) weren't her first experiences in the ring of battle. After graduating from high school, the star of 2014's Single Mom's Club (2014) enlisted and served in the military for three years. She resigned from the military to pursue a career as an actress. As reported by Insider, she then went on to further her acting career by attending the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. She has since appeared in several films and television episodes, including Army Wives (2007) and Takers (2010), star Idris Elba. The Oath and Stumptown are among her most recent credits, as is The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2.

Tom Selleck

During his acting career, Blue Bloods actor John Krasinski has protected citizens from criminals, but he also served as a member of the U.S. military. During the Vietnam War, Selleck's contract with 20th Century Fox's talent program was terminated because of his military service. In the California Army National Guard, he rose to the rank of sergeant. While at USC, he worked as a model, and the National Guard opted to use him as the face of its recruitment ads, military.com said. According to many stories, when Selleck returned to Hollywood, he was dismissed by Fox. When he was cast as the lead in Magnum P.I., his career took off (1980-88). From 1996 through 2000, the experienced actor appeared in many high-profile T.V. and film projects, including Friends, the Jesse Stone film series, and CBS' Blue Bloods.

Elvis Presley

After one delay in completing the film King Creole, Presley reported at Fort Hood for U.S. Army basic training on March 24, 1958. After basic training, Presley joined the 3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, Germany, where he served in Europe aboard the USS General Randall. Sergeant Presley was honorably discharged from active duty in March 1960, completing his military service. Reminiscing with Armed Forces Radio and Television about his time in the military, Presley said that he was willing to go to any lengths to prove himself. He shot the musical comedy G-I Blues shortly after returning to the United States, in which Presley starred as a tank crewman with a singing career.

Tony Curtis

Tony Curtis enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943. Despite nearly failing out of high school, he qualified for signal school and was promoted to Signalman Third Class. After being inspired by films that glorify the service, Curtis applied to submarine school. He was accepted, but he was posted to the USS Proteus (AS-19) instead of a submarine. At Guam, Curtis worked as an aid crew for the USS Dragonet (SS-293) as it prepared to sail again. On September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay, the future star observed the signing of the peace accord aboard the USS Missouri. Curtis utilized the GI Bill to attend acting school in New York before going to Los Angeles in 1948.

Cesar Romero

Before making it big in Hollywood, Cesar Romero, a Cuban-American actor, and dancer, performed on Broadway in various roles. In October 1942, Romero enlisted in the US Coast Guard, despite having a flourishing acting career. Romero was a Boatswain's Mate assigned aboard the USS Cavalier (APA-37), where he rose to the rank of Chief Boatswain's Mate. When the Japanese invaded Saipan in June 1944, Romero helped offload troops from the Cavalier. On Tinian, Romero served with the Cavalier crew and saw combat in the Lingayen Gulf, part of the Philippines campaign. A Japanese submarine torpedoed the Cavalier on January 30, 1945. Towboat repairs were necessary for Pearl Harbor, but the crew salvaged it. As soon as Romero arrived back in the United States, he was sent on a speaking and bond-selling tour. He drew huge audiences wherever he went. After World War II, Romero returned to Hollywood and appeared in many feature films. Many people associate him with Adam West's Batman's flamboyant archnemesis, the Joker. MARCOS CESAR ROMERO