Laurence Olivier is one of those celebrities who had no qualms about cutting his careers short to render service in the military when circumstances called for it. When World War II broke out, the first thing Olivier had in mind was to become a combat pilot, opting to join the Royal air force, albeit restricted with other obligations.
The Academy Award winning actor had a lot going for himself during his time. As a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm, he served for two years but, much to his dismay, he never got to experience going into battle before the war ended.
Kris Kristofferson
We certainly did not expect this Hollywood legend to have an impressive military career to his name. Kris Kristofferson is a well known musician and actor, not a fighting man. During his time in the military, he identified himself as a “Brat” because he traveled a lot with his dad who frequently kept getting flown to different parts of the United States for work.
Kris was pressured into joining the army and marrying his high school girlfriend when he was a young man. In 1960, Kris enlisted in the military, in accordance with his family’s wishes, and became a helicopter pilot after he successfully completed Ranger School. When he ultimately decided to leave the service, his family sadly resented his decision and disowned him for it.
Kurt Vonnegut
Colin Powell once said that the greatest advocates for peace are those who know most about war. This is a phrase that comes to our minds when it comes to the name of Kurt Vonnegut, author of Slaughterhouse Five.
Vonnegut served in the army during World War II as an infantry battalion scout. He was reportedly taken in as a prisoner of war, and was lucky to survive the firebombing of Dresden, Germany in a blanket mission by the Allied Forces. If you haven’t yet ventured into the bizarre universe that is Slaughterhouse 5, we definitely recommend it.
Gene Wilder
Who loves candies and chocolate? We do! Gene Wilder, who is known for his nostalgic candy man role as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, was a famous screenwriter, director, producer, singer-songwriter, author, and actor who certainly made a name for himself during his heyday in the 1960s.
But all these achievements started with a small step when Wilder was drafted to serve in the US Army as a paramedic in a psychiatric hospital in Pennsylvania during the late 50s. That small step was his decision to lighten his spirits by simultaneously taking acting classes. One of his major breaks in acting came as he later partnered with Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles.
Sidney Poitier
The idea of joining the army can be enticing to the young, with their predilection for adventure and the promise of colorful experiences arousing their daring senses. But the reality of it all can be too much, as actor Sidney Poitier can attest.
He was a bit of a rebel during his time, lying about his age so he could get into the service. He managed to sneak in and eventually became a medical attendant in a mental hospital. Once in, his next challenge was to find a way to get out. He faked insanity, but the threat of shock treatment was enough for him to renege on this claim. After weeks of consulting with a psychiatrist, he was eventually given a military discharge, sane and all!