Arnold Schwarzenegger has one of the most recognizable names in the world. That’s what comes with seven Mr. Olympia titles, a stellar movie career, and a stint as the governor of California. If you’re a fan, you probably think you know all there is to know about the “Austrian Oak.”
Well, think again. Here are a few things you probably don’t know about Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger—yes, that’s his middle name.
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He’s as Massive as an Oak
At his biggest, Arnold stood just under 6’2″ and weighed over 250lbs.
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Courtesy of Weider Health and Fitness / M+F Magazine
He Did Reality TV
Arnold appeared in a 1973 episode of The Dating Game.
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He Had a Brother
He had an older brother, Meinhard, who died in 1971. Arnold helped support his brother’s son, who is now a lawyer in Los Angeles.
Schwarzenegger was best friends with fellow bodybuilding legend Franco Columbu, with whomhe worked as a bricklayer when he first came to America. Columbu served as best man at his wedding to Maria Shriver in 1986. Franco passed away on Aug. 30, 2019, but his memory will always live on in the bodybuilding community.
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He Went to Jail
He served seven days in a military prison in Austria for going AWOL to compete in Junior Mr. Europe.
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He Had a Great Film Debut
He won a Golden Globe for “Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture” for his performance in Stay Hungry.
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His Father was a Curling Champ
His father was a police chief and a European ice curling champion.
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He Set Trends
He was the first American private citizen to own a Humvee.
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He was a Teenage Phenom
At age 16, he had 16″ arms. At age 17, he had 17″ arms; at age 18, he had 18″ arms; at age 19, he had 19″ arms; and at age 20, he had 20″ arms. He would eventually grow his arms to 22″.
