Arnold Schwarzenegger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arnold Schwarzenegger
Schwarzenegger in 2019
38th Governor of California
In office November 17, 2003 – January 3, 2011
Lieutenant	Cruz Bustamante John Garamendi Mona Pasquil (acting) Abel Maldonado
Preceded by	Gray Davis
Succeeded by	Jerry Brown
Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
In office January 22, 1990 – May 27, 1993
President	George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Dick Kazmaier
Succeeded by	Florence Griffith Joyner (co-chair) Tom McMillen (co-chair)
Personal details
Born	Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (1947-07-30) July 30, 1947 (age 77) Thal, Styria, Austria
Citizenship	Austria United States
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Maria Shriver ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 2021)​
Children	5, including Katherine, Patrick and Joseph Baena
Parent	Gustav Schwarzenegger (father)
Relatives	Chris Pratt (son-in-law)
Education	Santa Monica College UCLA Extension University of Wisconsin–Superior (BBA)
Bodybuilding career Bodybuilder As entrant to the 1974 Mr. Olympia competition at Madison Square Garden Personal info Nickname The Austrian Oak Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Weight 235 lb (107 kg) (contest) 260 lb (118 kg) (off-season) Professional career Pro-debut NABBA Mr. Universe, 1968 Best win IFBB Mr. Olympia, 1970–1975, 1980; seven times Predecessor Sergio Oliva ('69) Frank Zane ('79) Successor Franco Columbu ('76, '81) Active Retired 1980 Medal record Men's bodybuilding Representing  Austria Mr Universe (amateur) 1st 1967 Mr Universe (pro) 1st 1968 1st 1969 1st 1970 Mr. Olympia 2nd 1969 1st 1970 1st 1971 1st 1972 1st 1973 1st 1974 1st 1975 1st 1980 Powerlifting Representing  Austria International Powerlifting Championships 1st 1966 +80 kg German Powerlifting Championships 2nd 1967 +80 kg 1st 1968 +80 kg Graz-Paradise Keller Powerlifting Championships 2nd 1967 +80 kg Men's weightlifting Representing  Austria Styrian Junior Weightlifting Championships 1st 1964 German Austrian Weightlifting Championships 1st 1965
Occupation	Actor bodybuilder businessman politician author
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	Austrian Armed Forces
Years of service	1965
Rank	Wehrmann
Unit	Belgier Barracks

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is a famous person from Austria and America. He is known for being an actor, a businessman, and a politician. Before all that, he was a professional bodybuilder. He was the 38th governor of California from 2003 to 2011.

Arnold started lifting weights when he was 15 years old. He won the Mr. Universe title at age 20. Later, he won the Mr. Olympia title seven times. Many people think he is one of the greatest bodybuilders ever. He was even nicknamed the "Austrian Oak." He wrote books about bodybuilding, like Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder. The Arnold Sports Festival, a big bodybuilding event, is named after him. He also appeared in the documentary Pumping Iron, which helped him start his acting career.

After bodybuilding, Arnold became a huge Hollywood action star. His first big movie was Conan the Barbarian in 1982. He became super famous playing the main character in The Terminator (1984). He starred in many other successful action films like Commando (1985) and Predator (1987). He also made funny movies like Twins (1988) and Kindergarten Cop (1990). At one point, he had a friendly rivalry with fellow action star Sylvester Stallone.

Arnold is a member of the Republican Party. He led the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for a few years. In 2003, he was elected governor of California. He served until 2011, when he reached his term limit. After that, he went back to acting.

Early Life and Growing Up

Schwarzenegger's birthplace

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria, on July 30, 1947. He was the second son of Gustav and Aurelia Schwarzenegger. His father, Gustav, was the local police chief. Arnold said his parents were very strict. He grew up in a Catholic family. Arnold felt his father favored his older brother, Meinhard. He had a good relationship with his mother.

At school, Arnold was an average student. He was known for being cheerful and good-humored. He had some trouble with reading and was later found to be dyslexic. His family didn't have much money. Arnold remembered how excited they were when they bought their first refrigerator. His father was an athlete and wanted his sons to be champions in sports. Arnold played several sports when he was young.

Arnold started weight training in 1960 when his football coach took his team to a gym. At 14, he decided he wanted to be a bodybuilder. He later said he started serious weight training at 15. His official website says he started an intense program at 14 and studied psychology at 15. He began competing at 17. His father wanted him to be a police officer, but Arnold had other plans.

Arnold often visited a gym in Graz. He also watched movies with bodybuilding heroes like Reg Park and Steve Reeves. In 1961, he met Kurt Marnul, a former Mr. Austria, who invited him to train. Arnold was so dedicated that he would break into the gym on weekends when it was closed. He said it would make him "sick to miss a workout."

In 1965, Arnold served in the Austrian Army for one year, as was required for all 18-year-old Austrian males. During his army service, he won the Junior Mr. Europe contest. He even went absent without leave (AWOL) from basic training to compete. He spent a week in military prison for it. He then won "best-built man of Europe," which made him famous in bodybuilding. He saw the Mr. Universe title as his "ticket to America."

In 1966, Arnold traveled to London for the NABBA Mr. Universe competition. He placed second. One of the judges, Charles "Wag" Bennett, was impressed and offered to coach him. Arnold stayed with Bennett's family in London, which helped him improve his English. He also met his idol, Reg Park, who became his friend and mentor. In 1967, Arnold won the Mr. Universe title for the first time, becoming the youngest ever at 20. He won it three more times.

Arnold moved to the U.S. in October 1968 when he was 21. He spoke little English at the time. He trained at Gold's Gym in Venice, Los Angeles, California. In 1970, at age 23, he won his first Mr. Olympia title in New York. He would win this title seven times.

Arnold became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1983. He also earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing from the University of Wisconsin–Superior in 1980.

Bodybuilding Achievements

Arnold Schwarzenegger is seen as one of the most important people in bodybuilding history. The Arnold Classic competition is named after him. Even after he stopped competing, he stayed involved by owning gyms and fitness magazines. He has also hosted many contests and awards shows.

He won the Junior Mr. Europe contest in 1965. The next year, at 19, he won Mr. Europe. He won five Mr. Universe titles and seven Mr. Olympia titles. His record of seven Mr. Olympia wins stood until 1991.

Arnold still works out regularly. In 2011, he said he was still lifting weights for half an hour every day.

Weightlifting and Powerlifting

In his early bodybuilding years, Arnold also competed in Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting. He won two weightlifting contests in 1964 and 1965. He also won two powerlifting contests in 1966 and 1968.

In 1967, he won a stone-lifting contest in Munich. In this contest, a very heavy stone is lifted between the legs.

Personal Records

• Clean and press – 264 lb (120 kg)
• Snatch – 243 lb (110 kg)
• Clean and jerk – 298 lb (135 kg)
• Squat – 545 lb (247 kg)
• Bench press – 520 lb (240 kg)
• Deadlift – 683 lb (310 kg)

Mr. Olympia Wins

Schwarzenegger in 1974, doing the 'front double biceps' pose

Arnold's biggest goal was to become the best bodybuilder in the world, which meant winning the Mr. Olympia title. In 1969, he came in second. But in 1970, he won, becoming the youngest Mr. Olympia ever at 23. He still holds that record.

He kept winning from 1971 to 1974. In 1975, he won for the sixth time in a row. After that, he announced he was retiring from professional bodybuilding.

Before the 1975 Mr. Olympia, filmmakers convinced Arnold to compete and film his training. This became the documentary Pumping Iron. Arnold had only three months to get ready for the competition. He won the 1975 Mr. Olympia.

Arnold came out of retirement to compete in the 1980 Mr. Olympia. He was training for his movie Conan and got into great shape. He decided to try to win Mr. Olympia one last time. He won the event with only seven weeks of preparation. This was his seventh Mr. Olympia title, and he then officially retired from competing.

List of Bodybuilding Competitions

Acting Career

Early Roles: 1970–1981

Arnold wanted to become an actor after bodybuilding. He got his first main role in Hercules in New York (1970). His accent was so strong that his lines were re-recorded by someone else. He had a small part in The Long Goodbye (1973). Then he got a bigger role in Stay Hungry (1976), which won him a Golden Globe Award.

Arnold said it was hard to start acting. Agents told him his body was "too weird" and his accent was "funny." They also said his name was "too long." But he kept trying.

Schwarzenegger during filming for Pumping Iron in 1975

He gained more attention from the bodybuilding film Pumping Iron (1977). He also appeared in TV shows like The Streets of San Francisco. In 1979, he was in the comedy The Villain with Kirk Douglas.

Action Star: 1982–2003

Schwarzenegger, pictured with 1987 world champion American Karyn Marshall, presenting awards at the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 2011 in Columbus, Ohio

Arnold's big break was the movie Conan the Barbarian in 1982. It was a hit. He then starred in The Terminator (1984), which became his most famous role. He made many successful action films in the 1980s. These included Commando (1985), Predator (1987), and Total Recall (1990). He also showed his funny side in comedies like Twins (1988) and Kindergarten Cop (1990).

Footprints and handprints of Arnold Schwarzenegger in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre, with his catchphrase "I'll be back" written in

His biggest movie success was Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). This was the highest-earning film of that year. In 1993, he was named the "International Star of the Decade." He continued with popular films like True Lies (1994). He also made another comedy, Junior (1994), which earned him another Golden Globe nomination.

Later films included Eraser (1996) and Jingle All the Way (1996). In 1997, he played Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin. After this, his film career slowed down a bit. He returned with End of Days (1999) and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003).

Retirement and Return: 2004–Present

After becoming Governor of California, Arnold made only a few small film appearances. He had a short cameo in The Rundown (2003) and Around the World in 80 Days (2004). He also appeared as himself in The Kid & I (2005). In 2010, he had a cameo in Sylvester Stallone's film The Expendables.

In 2011, after leaving office, Arnold announced he was looking at new movie scripts. He returned to acting in The Expendables 2 (2012). He then starred in The Last Stand (2013), his first main role in 10 years. He also worked with Sylvester Stallone in Escape Plan (2013). He returned to the Terminator series in Terminator Genisys (2015) and Terminator: Dark Fate (2019).

In 2015, he became the host of The New Celebrity Apprentice TV show. He used his famous movie lines like "you're terminated" on the show. In 2017, he filmed the action-comedy Killing Gunther. In 2018, Amazon Studios announced a new series called Outrider with Arnold, but it was not completed. In 2023, he starred in the TV series Fubar.

Political Career

Early Political Views

Arnold has been a member of the Republican Party for many years. He explained that when he first came to America in 1968, he heard politicians talking about different ideas. He liked the ideas of free enterprise and less government control. He said, "I said to my friend, I said, 'What party is he?' My friend said, 'He's a Republican.' I said, 'Then I am a Republican.' And I have been a Republican ever since."

In 1985, Arnold appeared in an anti-drug music video. He first became widely known as a Republican during the 1988 presidential election. He supported Vice President George H. W. Bush.

Arnold's first political job was chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He served from 1990 to 1993. President Bush nominated him for this role. He also served on the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Governor of California

Schwarzenegger's official portrait as Governor of California, 2003

Arnold announced he would run for Governor of California on a TV show in August 2003. This was during a special election to recall (remove) the current governor. His decision became big news. People called him the "Governator," linking his movie roles to his new political role.

President George W. Bush meets with Schwarzenegger after his successful election to the California Governorship.

On October 7, 2003, the election happened. Governor Gray Davis was removed from office. Arnold was elected as the new governor with 48.6% of the vote. He beat Cruz Bustamante and other candidates. He was sworn in on November 17. Arnold was the second governor of California born outside the United States.

Arnold is a moderate Republican. This means he is careful with money (fiscally conservative) but open to social changes (socially liberal). He has supported gay rights, like domestic partnerships. He even performed a same-sex marriage when he was governor.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in June 2010

He worked to make changes in California. He removed an unpopular car registration fee. He also stopped driver's licenses from being given to undocumented immigrants. He tried to work with politicians from both parties.

Schwarzenegger with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Cisco CEO John Chambers

Arnold ran for re-election in 2006 against Phil Angelides. He won with 56.0% of the vote. Many people saw him moving towards the center of politics.

Arnold cannot become U.S. president because he was not born in the United States. The U.S. Constitution says only natural-born citizens can be president. He is a citizen of both Austria and the United States.

Governor Schwarzenegger during his visit to Naval Medical Center in San Diego, July 2010

Because he was already wealthy from his acting career, Arnold did not take his governor's salary.

Environmental Efforts

On September 27, 2006, Arnold signed a law to limit greenhouse gas emissions in California. This was the first law of its kind in the nation. It set rules for how much pollution power plants and factories could release. He also signed a bill to stop California companies from working with suppliers who didn't meet the state's pollution standards. These laws aimed to reduce California's emissions by 25% by 2020.

In 2005, Arnold ordered a plan to reduce greenhouse gases even more by 2050. He also worked with other states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. To help the environment, Arnold changed some of his own vehicles to run on cleaner fuels. He also put solar panels on his home.

In 2011, Arnold started the R20 Regions of Climate Action group. This group works to create a sustainable, low-carbon economy. He also started the Austrian World Summit in 2017. This is an international meeting in Vienna, Austria, that brings together leaders to find solutions for climate protection.

Election Results

Business Success

Arnold Schwarzenegger has also had a very successful business career. He was good at setting goals and achieving them. Because of his early business and investment success, he became a millionaire by age 25. This was before he became famous in Hollywood.

Early Businesses

In 1968, Arnold and his friend Franco Columbu started a bricklaying business. It did well because they were good at marketing. They used the money from this business to start a mail-order company. This company sold bodybuilding equipment and training tapes.

Investments

Arnold used the money from his mail-order business and bodybuilding wins to buy his first apartment building. He made millions of dollars by investing in many different real estate properties. He also invested in the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain with other actors like Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis. However, he later left the company to focus on other ventures.

Arnold also invested in the Easton Town Center, a shopping mall in Ohio. He has mentioned that many people helped him learn about business, including Donald Trump and Warren Buffett. He also owns Arnold's Sports Festival, a big sports and fitness event held every year. He has his own film production company called Oak Productions, Inc.

In 2018, Arnold worked with basketball player LeBron James to create Ladder. This company made nutritional supplements for athletes. They sold the company in 2020.

Restaurant Venture

In 1992, Arnold and his wife opened a restaurant in Santa Monica called Schatzi On Main. "Schatzi" means "little treasure" or "honey" in German. He sold the restaurant in 1998.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Schwarzenegger with then-wife Maria Shriver at the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai

Arnold met television journalist Maria Shriver in 1977. She is the niece of President John F. Kennedy. They got married on April 26, 1986. They have four children: Katherine (born 1989), Christina (born 1991), Patrick (born 1993), and Christopher (born 1997). All their children were born in Los Angeles. The family lived in a large home in Los Angeles.

Divorce

Schwarzenegger and his son Patrick at Edwards Air Force Base in December 2002

On May 9, 2011, Maria Shriver and Arnold ended their marriage after 25 years. They officially divorced in 2021.

In May 2011, it was revealed that Arnold had a son, Joseph, with an employee in their household more than 14 years earlier. Arnold said he told his wife about this after he left the governor's office. He has taken financial responsibility for Joseph since the beginning. When asked about his biggest regrets, Arnold said he was "least proud of the mistakes I made that caused my family pain and split us up."

Health and Accidents

Health Issues

Arnold was born with a heart condition called a bicuspid aortic valve. This means his heart valve had two parts instead of the usual three. In 1997, he had surgery to replace this valve.

On March 29, 2018, he had emergency open-heart surgery to replace his replacement valve. He said his recovery was hard. He had to use a walker and do breathing exercises. In 2020, he had another surgery for a new aortic valve.

Accidents and Injuries

On December 9, 2001, Arnold broke six ribs in a motorcycle crash. He was in the hospital for four days.

In 2004, while on vacation in Hawaii, Arnold saved a drowning man. He swam out and brought the man back to shore.

On January 8, 2006, Arnold was in a minor motorcycle accident with his son Patrick. He got a cut on his lip that needed stitches.

On December 23, 2006, he broke his right leg while skiing. He had surgery to fix the bone.

On May 18, 2019, Arnold was in South Africa when an unknown person kicked him from behind. He was giving autographs at a school. He was not hurt and did not press charges.

On January 21, 2022, Arnold was involved in a car crash in Los Angeles. He was not injured, but another driver was taken to the hospital.

Autobiography

Arnold's autobiography, Total Recall, came out in October 2012. The book talks about his successes as a bodybuilder, actor, and governor. He released another book in 2023 called Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, which shares life advice.

Vehicles

Arnold grew up seeing military vehicles like tanks in Austria. He later bought his own Austrian Army M47 Patton tank and brought it to the United States. He uses it to support his charity. His first car was an Opel Kadett in 1969. He also owns a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle.

He became the first civilian in the U.S. to buy a Humvee. He convinced the company, AM General, to make a street-legal version, which they did in 1992. Arnold bought the first two Hummer H1s. In 2010, he had Hummers that ran on hydrogen and biofuels. He also owns a rare Bugatti Veyron car. In 2017, he got a Mercedes G-Class that was changed to run on electricity.

Filmography

Awards and Honors

Bodybuilding

• Seven-time Mr. Olympia winner
• Four-time Mr. Universe winner
• 1969 World Amateur Bodybuilding Champion
• September 18, 2024, honorary doctorate from the Hertie School in Berlin for his achievements in the field of governance and climate action

Entertainment

• 1977 Golden Globe Award winner
• 2012 Inkpot Award
• 2014 Primetime Emmy Award winner for producing the documentary series Years of Living Dangerously

Halls of Fame

• International Sports Hall of Fame (class of 2012)
• WWE Hall of Fame (class of 2015)
• Medal for Humanitary Merit of the Austrian Albert Schweitzer Society (2011)
• Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

State/local

• Public art mural portrait "Arnold Schwarzenegger" (2012) by Jonas Never, Venice, Los Angeles
• Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy (part of the USC Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California) named in his honor.
• Arnold's Run ski trail at Sun Valley Resort named in his honor. The trail is categorized as a black diamond, or most difficult, for its terrain.

International

• Grand Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria in Gold (1993)
• Cavalier (2011) and Commander (2017) of the French Legion of Honor
• Honorary Ring of the Federal State of Styria (Austria, June 2017)
• "A Day for Arnold" on July 30, 2007, in Thal, Austria. For his 60th birthday, the mayor sent Schwarzenegger the enameled address sign (Thal 145) of the house where Schwarzenegger was born, declaring "This belongs to him. No one here will ever be assigned that number again".
• "Honor et Gloria" White Cross (No.179) – 2023; Ukrainian non-state decoration bestowed by the VGO "Kraina" (NGO) at the request of Mr Anatoliy Ostapenko (member of the Verkhovna Rada)

See Also

In Spanish: Arnold Schwarzenegger para niños

• List of United States governors born outside the United States