One of the world’s leading bodybuilder, Arnold Schwarzenegger went on to become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and then the governor of California.

He was nicknamed, ‘The Austrian Oak’, in 1965, when he won the ‘Mr Europe Junior’ title.

He went on to win five Mr. Universe titles and was named, “Mr. Olympia”, seven times. He also appeared in the documentary Pumping Iron (1977). 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Young

Schwarzenegger was born on July 30, 1947 in Thal, Austria, a town bordering the Styrian capital, Graz, and christened Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger.

His father was a local police Chief Gustav Schwarzenegger. Arnold had a good relationship with his mother and kept in touch with her until her death.

Gustav was a strict and demanding father, who generally favoured the elder of his two sons, Meinhard. Meinhard died in a car accident in 1971, and Gustav died the following year. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Bodybuilding

In Pumping Iron, Schwarzenegger claimed his reason for not attending his father’s funeral was that he was training for a bodybuilding contest.

Although both he and the film’s producer later stated that this story was taken from another bodybuilder, for the purpose of showing the extremes that some would go to for their sport.

In 1965, when he joined the Austrian Army, his commanding officer withheld the pass to leave the base to take part in some bodybuilding contest. Arnold felt deserted, and won the trophy.

He was thrown into military jail when he returned from the contest.

Later senior officers took a closer look at the trophy, which happened to be the top position of ‘Mr. Universe junior’ After that, he was officially allowed to train during his year of service.

From then on, he earned one title after the other. In 1968, he won the International Power Lifting Championship and decided to move to the United States of America.

Arnold Schwarzenegger became Mr. Universe ‘twice’ and ‘Mr. Olympia’ each year from 1970–75. His body was his success. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Business

Even today, people often refer to him as the “Austrian Oak”. But Arnold Schwarzenegger is not an example for all muscles and no brains.

He also holds an academic Business degree and is known for his smartness concerning business and money matters.

In 1982, he got the lead role in Conan the Barbarian and Terminator, starting his career as a convincing actor in action movies.

Obsessed with money, Schwarzenegger obtained a business degree from the University of Wisconsin and began investing his earnings. He invested his money in real estate, making a fortune. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Movie

In 1991, he acted in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, his most successful movie ever.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most famous Austrians living in the States and his influence in Hollywood is very strong.

His trademark is the frequent movie line “I’ll be back” or other comic punch lines.

With films like Twins or Total Recall Schwarzenegger gained acclaim for his acting, too. In 2003, he not only starred in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, but also announced his intention to run for the elections for the office of Californian Governor.

In January 2011, just weeks after leaving office in California, he announced that he was returning to acting. He appeared inThe Expendables 2 (2012), and starred in The Last Stand (2013), his first leading role in 10 years.

Arnold starred in Sabotage, released in March 2014, and appeared in The Expendables 3, released in August 2014. He starred in the fifth Terminator movie Terminator Genisys in 2015 and will reprise his role as Conan the Barbarian

Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor

Schwarzenegger has been a registered Republican for many years.

Later when he was an actor, his political views were always well known as they contrasted with those of many other prominent Hollywood stars, who are generally considered to be a liberal and Democratic-leaning community. 

Soon Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy in the 2003 California recall election for Governor of California on the August 6, 2003, episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Schwarzenegger had the most name recognition in a crowded field of candidates

On October 7, 2003, Arnold won elections for Governor becoming one more successful actor turned politician of the American history.

People reelected him on November 7, 2006 to serve a full term as Governor and again on January 5, 2007. During his term he continued to act in films. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Wife

He married Maria Shriver in 1986. She was from an influential American family, the Kennedy family.

On April 26, 1986, Schwarzenegger married Shriver in Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Shriver is a niece of United States President John F. Kennedy, U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, and five other prominent siblings.

A Roman Catholic, she is of mostly Irish and German descent.

Later on May 9, 2011, Shriver and Schwarzenegger ended their relationship after 25 years of marriage. Later Shriver moving out of the couple’s Brentwood mansion.

On May 16, 2011, the Los Angeles Times revealed that Schwarzenegger had fathered a son more than 14 years earlier with an employee in their household, Mildred Patricia “Patty” Baena.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Children

They have four children: Katherine Eunice Schwarzenegger (born December 13, 1989), Christina Maria Aurelia Schwarzenegger (born July 23, 1991), Patrick Arnold Shriver Schwarzenegger (born September 18, 1993), and Christopher Sargent Shriver Schwarzenegger (born September 27, 1997).

All of their children were born in Los Angeles.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Networth

Experts has estimated Schwarzenegger’s net worth at $100 million–$200 million.

After separating from his wife, Maria Shriver, in 2011, it has been estimated that his net worth has been approximately $400 million, and even as high as $800 million, based on tax returns he filed in 2006.

Over the years as an investor, he invested his bodybuilding and movie earnings in an array of stocks, bonds, privately controlled companies, and real estate holdings worldwide.

This make his net worth as an accurate estimation difficult to calculate. Specially in light of declining real estate values owing to economic recessions in the U.S. and Europe since the late 2000s.

In June 1997, Schwarzenegger spent $38 million of his own money on a private Gulfstream jet.