Creative Artists Agency
(Talent and Literary Agency)
2000 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
USA
Phone: (424) 288-2000
Fax: (424) 288-2900
Official website
Date of Birth
30 July 1947, Thal, Styria, Austria
Birth Name
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger
Nicknames
Arnie
Austrian Oak
Conan the Republican
Styrian Oak
The Governator
The Running Man
Conan the Governor
Height
6' 2" (1.88 m)
Mini Biography
Growing up in a small, isolated village in Austria, he turned to bodybuilding as his ticket to a better life. Prior to that he served a mandatory one year in the Austrian military (beginning in 1965). After conquering the world as arguably the greatest bodybuilder who ever lived, he went to America to make his name in motion pictures. Hampered by his impossible name and thick accent, success eluded him for many years. It wasn't until he found the tailor-made role of Conan that he truly came into his own as a performer. A succession of over-the-top action films made him an international box office star. By alternating violent action films with lighter, comedic fare, he has solidified his position as one of the most popular - if not the most popular - movie stars in the world. After his long, and successful movie career, he ran in the California recall. He is now the Governor of California, yet another celebrity to be elected to the position.
With an almost unpronounceable surname and a thick Austrian accent, who would have ever believed that a brash, quick talking bodybuilder from a small European village would become one of Hollywood's biggest stars, marry into the prestigious Kennedy family, amass a fortune via shrewd investments and one day be the Governor of California!
The amazing story of uber-star Arnold Schwarzenegger is a true "rags to riches" story of the penniless immigrant making it in the land of opportunity, the United States of America. Arnold was born on July 30th, 1947 in the town of Thal, Austria and, from a young age, he took a keen interest in physical fitness and bodybuilding, going on to compete in several minor contests in Europe. However, it was when he emigrated to the United States in 1968 at the tender age of 21 that his star began to rise. Up until the early 1970's, bodybuilding had been viewed as a rather oddball sport, or even a mis-understood "freak show" by the general public, however two entrepreneurial Canadian brothers Ben Weider and Joe Weider set about broadening the appeal of "pumping iron" and getting the sport respect, and what better poster boy could they have to lead the charge, then the incredible "Austrian Oak", Arnold Schwarzenegger. Over roughly the next decade, beginning in 1970, Schwarzenegger dominated the sport of competitive bodybuilding winning five Mr. Universe titles and seven Mr. Olympia titles and, with it, he made himself a major sports icon, he generated a new international audience for bodybuilding, gym memberships worldwide swelled by the tens of thousands and the Weider sports business empire flourished beyond belief and reached out to all corners of the globe.
However, Schwarzenegger's horizons were bigger than just the landscape of bodybuilding and he debuted on screen as "Arnold Strong" in the low budget Hercules in New York (1969), then director Bob Rafelson cast Arnold in Stay Hungry (1976) alongside Jeff Bridges and Sally Field, for which Arnold won a Golden Globe Award for "Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture". The mesmerizing Pumping Iron (1977) covering the 1975 Mr Olympia contest in South Africa has since gone on to become one of the key sports documentaries of the 20th century, plus Arnold landed other acting roles in the comedy The Villain (1979) opposite Kirk Douglas, and he portrayed Mickey Hargitay in the well- received TV movie The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980) (TV). But, what Arnold really needed was a super hero / warrior style role in a lavish production that utilized his chiseled physique, and gave him room to show off his growing acting talents and quirky humor.
Conan the Barbarian (1982) was just that role. Inspired by the Robert E. Howard short stories of the "Hyborean Age" and directed by gung ho director John Milius, and with a largely unknown cast, save Max von Sydow and James Earl Jones, "Conan" was a smash hit worldwide and an inferior, although still enjoyable sequel titled Conan the Destroyer (1984) quickly followed. If "Conan" was the kick start to Arnold's movie career, then his next role was to put the pedal to the floor and accelerate his star status into overdrive. Director James Cameron had until that time only previously directed one earlier feature film titled Piranha Part Two: The Spawning (1981), - which stank of rotten fish from start to finish - however Cameron had penned a fast paced, science fiction themed film script that called for an actor to play an unstoppable, ruthless predator - The Terminator (1984). Made on a relatively modest budget, the high voltage action / science fiction thriller The Terminator (1984) was incredibly successful worldwide, and began one of the most profitable film franchises in history. The dead pan phrase "I'll be back" quickly became part of popular culture across the globe. Schwarzenegger was in vogue with action movie fans, and the next few years were to see Arnold reap box office gold in roles portraying tough, no-nonsense individuals who used their fists, guns and witty one-liners to get the job done. The testosterone laden Commando (1985), Raw Deal (1986), Predator (1987), The Running Man (1987) and Red Heat (1988) were all box office hits and Arnold could seemingly could no wrong when it came to picking winning scripts. The tongue-in-cheek comedy Twins (1988/I) with co-star Danny DeVito was a smash and won Arnold new fans who saw a more comedic side to the muscle- bound actor once described by Australian author / TV host Clive James as "a condom stuffed with walnuts".
The spectacular Total Recall (1990) and "feel good" Kindergarten Cop (1990) were both solid box office performers for Arnold, plus he was about to return to familiar territory with director James Cameron in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). The second time around for the futuristic robot, the production budget had grown from the initial film's $6.5 million to an alleged $100 million for the sequel, and it clearly showed as the stunning sequel bristled with amazing special effects, bone-crunching chases & stunt sequences, plus state of the art computer-generated imagery. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) was arguably the zenith of Arnold's film career to date and he was voted "International Star of the Decade" by the National Association of Theatre Owners. Remarkably, his next film Last Action Hero (1993) brought Arnold back to Earth with a hard thud as the self-satirizing, but confusing plot line of a young boy entering into a mythical Hollywood action film confused movie fans even more and they stayed away in droves making the film an initial financial disaster. Arnold turned back to good friend, director James Cameron and the chemistry was definitely still there as the "James Bond" style spy thriller True Lies (1994) co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Arnold was the surprise hit of 1994!
Following the broad audience appeal of True Lies (1994), Schwarzenegger decided to lean towards more family-themed entertainment with Junior (1994) and Jingle All the Way (1996), but he still found time to satisfy his hard-core fan base with Eraser (1996), as the chilling "Mr. Freeze" in Batman & Robin (1997) and battling dark forces in the supernatural action of End of Days (1999). The science fiction / conspiracy tale The 6th Day (2000) played to only mediocre fan interest, and Collateral Damage (2002) had it's theatrical release held over for nearly a year after the tragic events of Sept 11th 2001, but it still only received a lukewarm reception. It was time again to resurrect Arnold's most successful franchise and, in 2003, Schwarzenegger pulled on the biker leathers for the third time for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). Unfortunately, directorial duties passed from James Cameron to Jonathan Mostow and the deletion of the character of "Sarah Connor" aka Linda Hamilton and a change in the actor playing "John Connor" - Nick Stahl took over from Edward Furlong - making the third entry in the "Terminator" series the weakest to date.
Schwarzenegger contributed cameo roles to The Rundown (2003), Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and The Kid & I (2005) and took political office in 2003 as the Governor of California, effectively suspending his film career for the foreseeable future.
Schwarzenegger married TV journalist Maria Shriver in April, 1986 and the couple have four children.
IMDb Mini Biography By: firehouse44@hotmail.com
Spouse
Maria Shriver (26 April 1986 - present) 4 children
Trade Mark
Frequent movie line: "I'll be back."
Often has his character say comedic one liners that puncuate the action.
Many of his films have his characters doing feats of strength to match his muscular look, eg Commando (1985) where he is first seen in the film carrying a whole tree trunk on his shoulder.
Frequently has some type of action scene in bathrooms. (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), True Lies (1994) and Kindergarten Cop (1990).
His accent.
Films often have a chase sequence or action scene in a shopping mall.(Commando (1985), True Lies (1994), Kindergarten Cop (1990), _Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) _, _Jingle All The Way (1996) _)
Trivia
October 1997: Ranked #20 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.
Children with Maria Shriver, Katherine Eunice (born December 13, 1989), Christina Maria Aurelia (born July 23, 1991), Patrick Arnold (born September 18, 1993) and Christopher Sargent Shriver (September 27, 1997).
April 1997: Underwent heart surgery to correct a congenital heart valve condition.
Called by the Guinness Book of World Records, "the most perfectly developed man in the history of the world."
Noted fan of cigar smoking.
His voice in Hercules in New York (1969) was dubbed.
Was part-owner of Planet Hollywood and Schatzi restaurants.
Advocate for the Republican party.
He reprised his Terminator character for the theme park attraction T2 3-D: Battle Across Time (1996), a short film which uses an enhanced 3-D process that makes the film really appear to jump out at the audience.
His production company is Oak Productions.
1983: Became a US citizen.
His wife Maria Shriver is a niece of the late President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy.
1979: Graduated from University of Wisconsin-Superior with a major in international marketing of fitness and business administration.
2000: Sold off his Planet Hollywood stock and is no longer a part owner of the chain.
The soccer stadium in Graz, Austria (his home town) is named after him.
Was considered for the title role in the 1970s TV series "The Incredible Hulk" (1978), but was reportedly deemed not tall enough. His former bodybuilding competitor, Lou Ferrigno, ultimately won the part.
After leaving Austria for the first time, he came to England to work, earning under £30 a week.
1996: Received an Honorary Doctorate from his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Superior, in recognition of his charitable works.
Son-in-law of Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
At his bodybuilding peak his chest was 57", waist 34", biceps 22", thighs 28½", calves 20", and his competition weight was 235 lbs (260 lbs off-season).
September 2001: He and Warner Bros. agreed to postpone the release of Collateral Damage (2002) indefinitely in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on America. The plot centers around a firefighter who lost his family in a terrorist bomb attack.
9/7/01: Sues International Game Technology for the unauthorized use of his voice and likeness in slot machine games. His lawyer told the press he was seeking $20 million in damages, which is the amount he believes he would have received had he approved the use.
Childhood friends stated that he often said his goals in life were to move to America, become an actor, and marry a Kennedy. He accomplished all three.
Underwent a genioplasty -- a procedure in which his jaw has been moved back so that it no longer juts out.
Was the first private citizen in the U.S. to own a Humvee (High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle).
May 2002: Lobbied to promote anti-juvenile delinquency initiative on California ballot that would commit the state to allocate $400 million for extracurricular activities and tutoring for students, kindergarten through ninth grade.
June 2002: Received an honorary doctorate from Chapman University in Orange, CA.
Franco Columbu was best man at Arnold's wedding.
1/29/03: Underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff as a result of an injury on the set of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). Was in a sling for three to four weeks, but it was not expected to delay the completion of the movie.
2003: Ranked #9 in Star TV's Top 10 Box Office Stars of the 1990s.
The character Rainier Wolfecastle in "The Simpsons" (1989) is based on him.
Won Mr. Olympia title seven times (1970-1975, 1980).
James Cameron originally wanted him for the role of Kyle Reese in The Terminator (1984), but after reading the script, Arnold asked Cameron to let him play the part of the Machine. Cameron replied "No, no! Reese is the star! He's the big hero! And the Terminator hardly has any lines!" but Arnold asked him to "trust me".
8/6/03: Announced his candidacy for the Governorship of California on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992).
Suffered a back injury (among other various assorted injuries) while filming Conan the Barbarian (1982) when the dogs who were chasing him jumped him from behind and he fell down the rock he was climbing to escape them.
In Demolition Man (1993), Sandra Bullock's character Lenina Huxley is telling Sylvester Stallone's character John Spartan about the Arnold Schwarzenegger Presidential Library, explaining that, based on the sheer popularity of Schwarzenegger's movies, a Constitutional amendment was passed in order for Schwarzenegger to run for President, which, according to Huxley, he did. In 2003, ten years after this film's release, Schwarzenegger ran for the office of Governor of California, and won the election on 7 October 2003. While Schwarzenegger is not eligible to run for the presidency by present laws (as a naturalized citizen, not a native-born citizen as required by the Constitution), most past presidents have been governors of their respective home states. Some members of Congress are currently considering an amendment to the Constitution to allow foreign-born US citizens to be allowed to run for the Presidency, specifically with Schwarzenegger in mind, although other members of Congress are strongly opposed to the idea.
Had one elder brother, Meinhard (1946-1971).
His mother was Aurelia Jadrny (1922 - 2 August 1998) and his father was Gustav Schwarzenegger (Graz, 1907 - 1973), married in Murzsteg, 20 October 1945. His mother's surname is Czech.
10/7/03: Was elected Governor of California as a Republican.
Turned down the role of John McClane in Die Hard (1988). The role went to Bruce Willis instead. Ironically, Willis has a line in the film where he says that the terrorists "have enough explosives to orbit Arnold Schwarzenegger".
TV Guide selected Arnold Schwarzenegger's announcement on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992) to run for Governor of California as the greatest TV moment of 2003.
Said that filming the climatic fight at the end of Predator (1987) was made difficult by the fact that the late Kevin Peter Hall, who played the Predator, couldn't see through his mask.
Has the record for winning the most major bodybuilding events in history, 13 (1 Mr. Junior Western Europe, 7 Mr. Olympias, and 5 Mr. Universes).
After he had started lifting weights as a teenager, he noticed that his body was becoming disproportionate. His arms, shoulders and chest were developing nicely, but his calves and lower legs weren't coming along as he wanted. To motivate himself to work harder on his calves, he cut off all of his pants (trousers) at the knee. Walking around like that, people would look at (and maybe even laugh at) the big man with 'chicken' legs. It worked.
His father, Gustav Schwarzenegger, nicknamed him "Cinderella" as a child and his older brother, Meinhard, constantly picked on him growing up. Both men were killed while driving under the influence.
Along with Earl Boen, he is one of only two actors to appear in all of the first three of the "Terminator" films (The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)). However, neither he nor Boen appeared in the fourth film, Terminator Salvation (2009).
Only the second governor in California's history to be born in a foreign country. John Downey, the 7th Governor of California, was born in Ireland and served from 1860-1862.
Has his look-alike puppet in the French show "Les guignols de l'info" (1988).
Went AWOL from the Austrian army to enter his first bodybuilding contest.
Stumped for President George W. Bush the weekend before his re-election in Ohio, as Schwarzenegger has always had a strong relationship with Ohio.
He was voted the 53rd Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.
Has played a character who died in only four of his films: The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), End of Days (1999) and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003).
Was considered for the role of the gentle giant Fezzik in the 1970s when William Goldman's book "The Princess Bride" was first proposed to be made into a film (The Princess Bride (1987)).
Had his first romantic scene in a movie with actress Sandahl Bergman, in Conan the Barbarian (1982).
Is good friends with fellow bodybuilder Sven-Ole Thorsen who, ironically, portrayed "Thorgrim," one of his leading foes, in Conan the Barbarian (1982).
Turned down a request to reprise his Conan character in Kull the Conqueror (1997) (originally titled "Conan the Conqueror"). Also, he was supposed to play Conan in Red Sonja (1985), though ultimately, a new character was created who was essentially Conan in everything but name.
Is the only person to receive Razzie nominations for Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Screen Couple (with himself cloned) in the same year. All for the same movie, The 6th Day (2000).
His life strangely mirrors the life of Conan from Conan the Barbarian (1982). Conan was born in a small village and grew up to be a physically powerful man, due to years of slavery. After winning great fame as a gladiator, he is given to wine and women, but later rejects this hedonistic lifestyle and goes on to perform great heroic feats and eventually is crowned king. Arnold was born in a small Austrian town and took up weightlifting as he got older. After achieving success as a bodybuilder, he indulged in drug abuse and womanizing, but he later rejected this and went on to become a vocal supporter of social causes, and was eventually elected governor of California.
Performed many of his own stunts in his films, owing largely to the fact that it was hard to find stunt doubles who matched his size. Billy D. Lucas, Joel Kramer and Peter Kent eventually became his personal stunt doubles and close friends.
His famous line "I'll be back", which originated from The Terminator (1984), was originally written as "I'll come back".
Initially refused to star in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) because James Cameron, who created the character and directed the first two films, would not be directing the third installment. Arnold tried to persuade Cameron to do the third film but Cameron declined and, feeling that the Terminator character was as much Arnold's as it was his own, Cameron advised Arnold to just do the third film and ask for a lot of money.
While filming the behind the scenes documentary for the special edition DVD of Conan the Barbarian (1982), the microphone hit him in the head at the end of the interview, to which he immediately joked "You see, I can't even do an interview about Conan without getting hurt".
2004: Addressed the Republican National Convention.
The etymology for Arnold is "Eagle Power."
Grew up in a house that had no phone, no fridge and no toilet.
Was the spokesperson for Japanese DirecTV, a competitor to Quentin Tarantino's endorsed local satellite TV operator SkyperfecTV.
Was considered for the title role in Flash Gordon (1980). The part eventually went to Sam J. Jones instead, because producer Dino De Laurentiis felt Schwarzenegger's German accent was ill-suited for this role. DeLaurentiis (in his heavy Italian accent) told Schwarzenegger, "You have an accent! I cannot use you for Flash Gordon! No! Flash Gordon has no accent! I cannot use you! No!" Ironically, Jones had to temporarily get rid of his own Texas accent for said role.
While filming Predator (1987) he became close friends with co- star Jesse Ventura, who was also later elected a state governor (Minnesota).
John Milius originally intended him to do the narration of Conan the Barbarian (1982) but the studio didn't trust his accent, so the narration was performed by Mako instead, who played the wizard.
Withdrew from the city of Graz the right to use his name in association with its soccer stadium and returned his "Ehrenring" (ring of honor) after some politicians in the town had started a campaign against Schwarzenegger due to his refusal to stop the execution of convicted killer Stanley Tookie Williams (20 December 2005).
The Green Party of Austria has resolved to strip Schwarzenegger of his Austrian citizenship due to his support for the death penalty.
12/12/05: As governor, he refused to grant clemency to convicted quadruple murderer and former gang leader Stanley Tookie Williams, who had been on Death Row for 24 years.
November 2005: He was soundly defeated on all four propositions of his "special election", which cost the state of California an estimated $45 million. Schwarzenegger accepted personal responsibility for the defeat, and appointed a Democrat as his new Chief of Staff.
Second actor to be elected Governor of California. The first was Ronald Reagan.
December 2001: Broke six ribs in a motorcycle crash.
February 2005: He and his 12-year-old son Patrick were injured in a traffic accident when a car ran into Arnold's motorcycle. Patrick was in a sidecar. Arnold received 15 stitches.
He has been nominated for a Razzie Award as Worst Actor eight times during his career, and in 2004 received a special award for being the "Worst Razzie Loser of Our First 25 Years."
His performance as The Terminator in the "Terminator" films is ranked #40 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
Was asked to reprise his "Dutch" character from the first Predator (1987) film for the sequel, but he declined because he didn't like the script. He chose to do Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) instead.
Children - Katherine Eunice (born December 13, 1989), Christina Maria Aurelia (born July 23, 1991), Patrick Arnold (born September 18, 1993) and Christopher Sargent Shriver (September 27, 1997).
Was asked to appear in a sequel to his 1985 film Commando (1985) but declined.
He keeps the sword he used in Conan the Barbarian (1982) in the Governor's office in California.
Is a huge fan of professional wrestling.
11/7/06: Easily re-elected as Governor of California.
He is the first member of the Kennedy family to become a state Governor.
12/23/06: Broke his right femur while skiing in Sun Valley, ID.
Although German is his native language, all his movies have been dubbed into German by Thomas Danneberg for the German-speaking market because his strong Austrian accent doesn't fit with the type of roles he plays.
1992: He joined President George Bush in New Hampshire and asked voters to "send a message to Pat Buchanan: Hasta la vista, baby".
Related to actor George Wyner, who is also a close friend.
Early in his career he appeared as a contestant on "The Dating Game" (1965).
Was considered for the role of Judge Dredd in Judge Dredd (1995) in the early development stages. The part went to fellow Planet Hollywood founder Sylvester Stallone.
In his childhood considered John Wayne his idol and role model. As Governor of California, he issued a proclamation making 26 May 2007 "John Wayne Day" in the state.
Producer Joel Silver wanted Schwarzenegger to play "Doctor Manhattan" in a film adaptation of Alan Moore's graphic novel Watchmen (2009) at one point.
Acted with another future governor, Jesse Ventura, of Minnesota, in Predator (1987) and The Running Man (1987).
Had stitches in his hand from the taking-off-airplane-to-tarmac stunt he performed for Commando (1985).
Late October 2007: Personally flew to Malibu, CA, to survey the damage done by wildfires before any other politician, including the President.
Was attached to do another film adaptation of the pulp hero Doc Savage (after the failed 1975 film) in the late 1990s, but the project never got off the ground.
Father of Patrick Schwarzenegger.
Publicly endorsed his close friend Senator John McCain's bid to win the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election.
He ended his association with Planet Hollywood early in 2000, saying the investment had not had the level of success he had expected.
He saved a man's life while on vacation in Hawaii in 2004 by swimming into the sea to rescue him from drowning.
Considered for the role of Robert Neville in I Am Legend back in 1996 with Ridley Scott as the director.
As an environmentally conscious politician, always uses carbon credits when flying between his governor's office in Sacramento to his house in L.A., California.
Turned down the role of Animal Mother in Full Metal Jacket (1987) and opted to do The Running Man (1987) instead.
Considered for the main role in Strange Days (1995) but the job went to Ralph Fiennes instead.
Was the original choice to play the title character in RoboCop (1987).
Attended the funeral of Ronald Reagan in 2004, whom he considered a great hero.
Due to the dismal failure of Conan the Destroyer (1984), Schwarzenegger rarely ever did sequels to his own movies. He's turned down sequels to Commando (1985), Predator (1987), Total Recall (1990) and True Lies (1994), as well as the third Conan film which became Kull the Conqueror (1997). The only exception he ever made was Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003).
Honored by the Congressional Award in Washington, DC on June 25, 2002 with the Horizon Award. The Horizon Award is a special recognition from the Joint Leadership of the United States Congress and the Congressional Award Board of Directors. The Horizon Award is presented to individuals from the private sectors who have contributed to expanding opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions, and who have set exceptional examples for young people through their successes in life.
Was good friends with WWE Hall of Famer André the Giant.
With the exception of Around the World in 80 Days (2004), in which he only appeared in a supporting role, has starred in three movies with the word "Day" in the title, and all three make a biblical reference: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), End of Days (1999) and The 6th Day (2000).
Has been crucified in two movies: Conan the Barbarian, and End Of Days, where he was tied to a cross.
Was seriously considered for the role of Dr. Manhattan/Jon Osterman in one of the many failed attempts at adapting Alan Moore's Watchmen into film. Ultimately, director Zach Snyder cast Billy Crudup for the 2009 adaptation.
The character Arnold the Pitbull featured on Tiny Toons Adventures (1990), voiced by Rob Paulsen, was a parody of him.
Was considered for the role of Harry Stamper in Armageddon (1998/I).
Was considered for the role of President James Mitchell in Air Force One (1997).
Lives in Los Angeles, California and Ketchum, Idaho.
Before he became a household name, Schwarzenegger appeared with bodybuilding buddies Franco Columbu and Frank Zane on the sleeve of Grand Funk Railroad's 1974 album "All the Girls in the World Beware!!!" Band member faces were cleverly superimposed on their muscle-bound bodies.
Personal Quotes
I was always interested in proportion and perfection. When I was 15 I took off my clothes and looked in the mirror. When I stared at myself naked, I realized that to be perfectly proportioned I would need 20-inch arms to match the rest of me.
[Interview in "Starlog" magazine in 1991, explaining his reluctance to do sequels to most of his successful films from the '80s] There's so little time to do all the things I want to do that I can't see any reason to get bogged down in sequels.
Everything I have ever done in my life has always stayed. I've just added to it . . . but I will not change. Because when you are successful and you change, you are an idiot.
I know that if you leave dishes in the sink, they get sticky and hard to wash the next day.
I would rather be Governor of California than own Austria.
I love the Hong Kong style of action movies, but that only looks good for small guys. The reason why the whole style was developed over there was because those guys were very puny guys - they're not powerful-looking guys, they're also not powerful guys. There's no weightlifting champion coming out of Hong Kong - maybe in the bantam division or the lightweight division or something like that, but normally you don't have really strong men coming out of there . . . they had to learn a technique that small people can do that are as effective as the big guy's strength. So that's where the martial arts came from.
In the beginning I was selfish. It was all about, "How do I build Arnold? How can I win the most Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympic contests? How can I get into the movies and get into business?" I was thinking about myself . . . As I've grown up, got older, maybe wiser, I think your life is judged not by how much you have taken but by how much you give back.
[during his campaign for California governor, about his history of "misbehavior"] Where I did make mistakes, or maybe go overboard sometimes . . . I regret that. This is a different Arnold.
[on his fight scenes with the female T-X in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)] How many times do you get away with this - to take a woman, grab her upside down and bury her face in a toilet bowl? The thing is you can do it, because, in the end, I didn't do it to a woman - she's a machine. We could get away with it without being crucified by who knows what group.
[on his decision to run for governor of California] It was the most difficult decision in my life - except the one in 1978 when I decided to get a bikini wax.
[after being pelted with an egg at a political rally] This guy owes me bacon now . . . you can't have egg without bacon.
[responding to criticism during a televised debate] I just realized I have the perfect part for you in "Terminator 4."
[victory speech after having won election as Governor of California] I will not fail, I will not disappoint you, I will not let you down.
The worst I can be is the same as everybody else. I hate that.
There's a lot of people who want me to get out of acting and want me to run for governor. I think it's mostly movie critics.
You have to remember something: Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn.
I took more abuse in Predator (1987) than I did in Conan the Barbarian (1982). I fell down that waterfall [40 feet] and swam in this ice-cold water for days and for weeks was covered in mud. It was freezing in the Mexican jungle. They had these heat lamps on all the time, but they were no good. If you stayed in front of the lamps, the mud dried. Then, you had to take it off and put new mud on again. It was a no-win situation. The location was tough. Never on flat ground. Always on a hill. We stood all day long on a hill, one leg down, one leg up. It was terrible.
[referring to Democrats at a political rally in Ontario, California, in 2004] If they don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, "I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers" . . . if they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men.
[at the 2004 Republican National Convention] Speaking of acting, one of my movies was called True Lies (1994). It's what the Democrats should have called their convention.
President [George Bush] knows you can't reason with people that are blinded by hate. But let me tell you something: Their hate is no match for our decency, their hate is no match for the leadership and the resolve of George Bush.
[Talking about his Conan the Barbarian (1982) director]: John Milius used to call himself the dog trainer. Guess who were the dogs?
[From an interview about his reaction to reading the original The Terminator (1984) screenplay] I have read a lot of action adventure scripts, and this definitely was one of the best. I knew that I wanted to play the part of the Terminator as soon as I started reading.
[About being taken seriously] I don't care. The important thing to me is that I'm doing work that people enjoy out there, that the movie makes good money, that the studio makes the money back, and that I'm having a great time at what I'm doing. I don't even consider myself serious. So how do I expect people to take me serious? I think this whole Hollywood thing has to be taken much looser . . . it's just entertainment.
"There were various stepping-stones in my career. One of them was Conan the Barbarian (1982), because it was the first time I did a film with that kind of budget and I had the title role. The next big stepping-stone was The Terminator (1984). With "The Terminator", I think people became aware of the fact that I didn't really have to take my shirt off or run around and expose my muscles in order to sell tickets. After I did "The Terminator" and we had seen it be more successful than the Conan films, people then sent me a variety of different kinds of scripts - all in the action-adventure genre, but they were not muscle movies or Viking movies or pirate movies or anything like that.
[Talking about playing the Terminator] I had to act like a cyborg, which meant I couldn't show any kind of human fear or reaction to the fire, explosions, or gunfire that was going off around me. That can be difficult when you're walking through a door with its frame on fire, trying to reload a gun, and at the same time thinking in the back of your mind that people have accidents doing these kinds of stunts and that it might be my turn.
[About more sequels to The Terminator (1984)] I don't necessarily want to leave the magic of the Terminator movies behind, and who says we have to? According to what we know about the future, there were hundreds of Terminators built. The story of the Terminator could go on forever.
[From an interview expressing concern over making Conan the Destroyer (1984) less brutal than its predecessor, Conan the Barbarian (1982)] I think it's a mistake. I know Sylvester Stallone made an extra $20 million because he got a PG rating for Rocky III (1982), but it's a matter of how much you want to stay within the character's reality. Can you slaughter people and never see blood? Is it possible? You must have battles. That's part of life, war, and the world of Conan.
[Talking about director Richard Fleischer] The first day Fleischer came to see me work out, he told me, "Arnold, could you put on some more muscles?" I couldn't believe it! It turned out that Fleischer thought [John Milius'] decision to keep Conan clothed throughout the first film was a mistake. Fleischer believes that people want to see my body much more often than they did the first time around, so they will. I spend most of my time in Conan the Destroyer (1984) fighting off people while I'm dressed in a loincloth.
[About the dog accident while making Conan the Barbarian (1982)] One of them hit me too soon. It caught me off guard and I went right over the ledge. I fell ten feet and landed on my back. I was covered with scratches and bruises. It was probably a pretty good beginning for this movie, though. It set the tone for the whole time we were there. This was going to be fun . . . but dangerous.
[Talking about director John Milius] "There never would have been a Conan movie without him.
[on Warren Beatty] There are some people who are close to him that say he is just starving for attention, and that's the way he gets attention. Other people said, "Look, he's not working and he just feels like he should maybe get involved in politics". Instead, I just think that maybe he is jealous that I did jump in. I find it silly, because I respect his work.
Well, I think because a lot of people don't know why I'm a Republican, I came first of all from a socialistic country which is Austria and when I came over here in 1968 with the presidential elections coming up in November, I came over in October, I heard a lot of the press conferences from both of the candidates, [Hubert H. Humphrey] and [Richard Nixon], and Humphrey was talking about more government is the solution, protectionism, and everything he said about government involvement sounded to me more like Austrian socialism. Then when I heard Nixon talk about it, he said open up the borders, the consumers should be represented there ultimately and strengthen the military and get the government off our backs. I said to myself, "What is this guy's party affiliation?" I didn't know anything at that point. So I asked my friend, "What is Nixon?" He's a Republican. And I said, "I am a Republican". That's how I became a Republican."
[On refusing to grant clemency to condemned killer Stanley Tookie Williams] After studying the evidence, searching the history, listening to the arguments and wrestling with the profound consequences, I could find no justification for granting clemency. The facts do not justify overturning the jury's verdict, or the decisions of the courts in this case.
[After undergoing heart surgery in 1997] We made, actually, history, because it was the first time ever that doctors could prove that a lifelong Republican has a heart.
As a kid - as a kid I saw socialist - the socialist country that Austria became after the Soviets left. Now don't misunderstand me: I love Austria and I love the Austrian people. But I always knew that America was the place for me. In school, when the teacher would talk about America, I would daydream about coming here. I would daydream about living here. I would sit there and watch for hours American movies, transfixed by my heroes, like John Wayne. Everything about America seemed so big to me, so open, so possible.
I have no sexual standards in my head that say this is good or this is bad. Homosexual - that only means to me that he enjoys sex with a man and I enjoy sex with a woman. It's all legitimate to me.
I didn't think about money. I thought about the fame, about just being the greatest. I was dreaming about being some dictator of a country or some savior like Jesus.
I'm 6'2". I've heard rumors that I'm really much shorter in real life - like 5'6" or something like that - which is ridiculous. I can assure you this is not the case. People look up to me, and not just because I do a lot of work in the community. I mean, most people really look up to me.
California will not wait for our federal government to take strong action on global warming. We won't wait for the federal government. We will move forward because we know it's the right thing to do. We will lead on this issue and we will get other western states involved. I think there's not great leadership from the federal government when it comes to protecting the environment.
Money doesn't make you happy. I now have $50 million but I was just as happy when I had $48 million.
[in a 1987 interview] I have to give the audiences what they enjoy seeing while I try to bring in a little something new, with different movies, different time periods and all those things. But what's important is to entertain the people -- everything else means nothing.
[On his late friend and role model, body builder Reg Park]: Reg was a dear friend, an extraordinary mentor and a personal hero. Other than my parents, there may be no single person who had more to do with me becoming the person I am today than Reg. He was like a second father to me. It was Reg who impressed upon me how hard I would have to work if I wanted to achieve my dreams. I'll always remember him making me do calf-raises with 1,000 pounds at 5 o'clock in the morning.
[on Terminator Salvation (2009)] I think it's cool to continue on with the franchise, in case I want to jump over again and get into the acting after I'm through here (as Governor of California).
There are such high standards and now there are always new standards being set for action. You see that with Iron Man (2008) and with The Dark Knight (2008) and that other film this summer, um, Wanted (2008). That was an excellent movie! There was this train coming down from a bridge, falling, and they're fighting inside the train car. Jesus, that is unbelievable that you can do that. To have the imagination to write it and the talent to shoot it and make it real on the screen. It's a whole new dimension.
With Batman and Terminator, those big movies, there's a certain expectation and if you don't live up to it, if the movie is not a 10, then the business will be soft. If Terminator Salvation (2009) is pushing it forward, it will be breaking records all the time. If director McG has the T4 and the kind of shots that has the audience thinking, 'Now how did he do that?' -- then it is 'Terminator' and you can blow everyone away and every record at the box office.
[on Terminator Salvation (2009)] I hope they do well, and I hope it is a huge hit. I do hope it creates a spectacle on the screen. That is what James Cameron created.
[on watching Will Ferrell movies] In those you howl for two hours and you feel like you get a six-pack of ab muscles from all the laughs!
[on Terminator Salvation (2009)] I wasn't sure who the Terminator was. I don't know if there is one or if he's the star or the hero. These are the things that determine the success and how strong the movie will be.
I know California is supposed to be a place where dreams come true, but my life has gone way beyond the dream. My dream was to come to America, become the greatest bodybuilder of all time and do what Reg Park had done by going into Hercules movies. And if that worked out, I was going to build a gym business and then live happily ever after. Then all of a sudden I shot right by my dream. I stopped doing the strong man stuff, did the Terminator movies and became the highest-paid actor in Hollywood. I got $30 million for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), you know.
[on the death of Michael Jackson] Michael was a pop phenomenon who never stopped pushing the envelope of creativity. Though there were serious questions about his personal life, Michael was undoubtedly a great entertainer and his popularity spanned generations and the globe.
[On the death of Patrick Swayze] Patrick Swayze was a talented and passionate artist who struck a memorable chord with audiences throughout the world. He played a wide range of characters both on stage and in movies and his celebrated performances made the hard work of acting look effortless - which I know from experience is not easy. As a fan and as an actor, I admired Patrick and I know that he will be dearly missed. On behalf of all Californians, Maria and I send our deepest condolences to Patrick's family, friends and fans.
I am here to spend. I love to spend Hollywood's money! (June 1993).
[On Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables (2010)] It is a great inspiration for people to see someone at his age still at the top of his game -- acting, writing, directing, doing his own stunts and fight scenes -- I mean, what an amazing talent. And for him to still be so athletic and be able to rip off his shirt and have a six-pack is just unbelievable.
[On the death of Tony Curtis] Tony Curtis was a Hollywood icon, a great performer and artist and devoted family man. I saw his extraordinary talent and ability to inspire generations of Americans firsthand on the set of Christmas in Connecticut (1992) (TV)' and will always remember our times together.
[On a return to movies when his term as Governor of California ends] I have no idea. So it depends if someone comes with a great script or a great idea...you know, would I still have the patience to sit on the set and to do a movie for three months or six months? All of those things, I don't know, but I did have a meeting with James Cameron, we talked about some very important things.
The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.
(On the power of visualizing your goals) When I was very young, I visualized myself being and having what it was that I wanted. The mind is really so incredible. Before I won my first Mr. Universe, I walked around the tournament like I owned it. The title was already mine. I had won it so many times in my mind that there was no doubt I would win it. Then, when I moved on to the movies, the same thing. I visualized myself being a successful actor and earning big money. I could feel and taste success. I just knew it would happen.
[On the passing of Elaine Kaufman] Elaine was an early supporter of my acting career and would often call to let me know when an influential writer or producer came in so I could stop and schmooze.
Salary
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) $30,000,000
Collateral Damage (2002) $25,000,000
The 6th Day (2000) $25,000,000
End of Days (1999) $22,000,000
Batman & Robin (1997) $25,000,000
Jingle All the Way (1996) $20,000,000
Eraser (1996) $20,000,000
Junior (1994) $15,000,000
True Lies (1994) $15,000,000
Last Action Hero (1993) $15,000,000
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) $12,000,000
Kindergarten Cop (1990) $12,000,000
Total Recall (1990) $11,000,000
Red Heat (1988) $8,000,000
The Terminator (1984) $75,000
Conan the Barbarian (1982) $250,000
Hercules in New York (1969) $12,000
Where Are They Now
(October 2003) Is now the Republican Governor-elect of California
(August 2003) Running for Governor of California on the Republican ticket.
(December 2003) Refused to take the salary for Governor of California. Uses private jet at his own expense.
(2006) Release of the book, "Fantastic: The Life of Arnold Schwarzenegger" by Laurence Leamer.
(December 2006) (around Christmas) Broke his leg when skiing with his family in Sun Valley, Idaho, USA.
(November 2003) (17 November 2003) Sworn in as Governor of California.
(November 2006) Reelected as Governor of California
Pumping Iron (25th Anniversary Special Edition)
The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised
Arnold Schwarzenegger Comedy Favorites Collection (Twins / Kindergarten Cop / Junior)
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder
Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men
Total Recall
Arnold Schwarzenegger Working Out Movie Poster Print - 16x20
The Governator: From Muscle Beach to His Quest for the White House, the Improbable Rise of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Conan the Barbarian - Collector's Edition
Red Sonja
Arnold Schwarzenegger: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
Fantastic : The Life of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Collateral Damage / Eraser
Arnold Schwarzenegger: A Portrait
Schwarzenegger Collection(Predator / Commando / True Lies)
Arnold Schwarzenegger - Musclebound - Success Quotes 11x17 Poster
Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (Pelham Practical Sports)
Kindergarten Cop
