10 Famous People You Had No Idea Served in the Marines
Before they hit the spotlight, these well-known names answered to drill sergeants. The U.S. Marine Corps helped shape the early lives of many people who would later become household names through roles in combat, communication, and logistics.
Their stories prove the Corps is a launchpad for life’s next big mission.
Gene Hackman
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Before Gene Hackman was dodging bullets on screen, he was learning radio ops in Hawaii, China, and Japan after fibbing about his age to enlist at just 16. That bold move landed him in the Marines. Hackman credited the Corps with shaping the mental grit that sustained his long, acclaimed acting career.
Adam Driver
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Actor Adam Driver enlisted shortly after 9/11 and spent nearly three years training as a Marine before a broken sternum led to his discharge. Though he never deployed, he spoke often about the camaraderie and emotional complexity of his service. He later founded a nonprofit to connect veterans with the arts.
Bea Arthur
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Believe it or not, she was the Golden Girl with a green uniform. Bea Arthur (back then, Bernice Frankel) was one of the first women to join the Marine Corps during WWII. She worked as a typist and truck driver and wasn’t shy about speaking her mind. Her personnel file noted she could be “officious,” which honestly sounds like the perfect setup for a sitcom.
Steve McQueen
Credit: Wikipedia
During his time in the Marines, McQueen spent more than a few nights in the brig for going AWOL, but his redemption arc came when he pulled fellow Marines from a sinking tank. It’s not hard to see how his off-screen life bled into the fast cars, quiet rebellion, and danger-loving characters he played so well.
Drew Carey
Credit: IMDb
That signature buzz cut is not just for show. Drew Carey wore Marine fatigues while serving six years in the Reserve. The Corps offered him structure when he needed a reset, and the sense of discipline stuck, even as he pivoted to comedy and game show hosting.
Rob Riggle
Credit: Instagram
If Rob Riggle’s over-the-top comedy feels like it’s masking a serious edge, that’s because it is. He spent 23 years in the Marine Corps Reserve, rising to Lieutenant Colonel and deploying to hotspots around the globe. His dual life—as a comic and a combat-tested officer—makes him one of the few people who can crack jokes and command troops with equal authority.
Montel Williams
Credit: Instagram
Montel Williams was a daytime TV star. But he also charted a much different path in the Marines, then crossing into Naval Intelligence via the U.S. Naval Academy. His calm authority and sharp intellect made for smooth sailing in both careers.
Shaggy
Credit: Instagram
Orville Burrell, an international music success known to fans as Shaggy, served in the Gulf War as a Marine artilleryman. His hit It Wasn’t Me may be catchy, but his real-life discipline and structure were forged during Operation Desert Storm with the 10th Marines.
John Glenn
Credit: IMDb
Astronaut, senator, American icon–and a Marine Corps aviator. Glenn flew combat missions in WWII and Korea. The focus and precision required in the cockpit made him a skilled pilot; the kind of person who could handle both spaceflight and Senate hearings without breaking a sweat.
Ed McMahon
Credit: IMDb
Best known as Johnny Carson’s sidekick, Ed McMahon wore a Marine uniform for 25 years, including service during World War II and Korea. Early stints calling bingo and working carnivals prepared him, in their own odd way, for decades as a host and TV personality.
Harvey Keitel
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Keitel was an example of intensity on screen. He joined the Marines at 16 and deployed to Lebanon during the 1958 crisis. That tough, no-nonsense presence he brought to roles with Scorsese and Tarantino can be traced right back to his time on the ground, where real-world stakes replaced Hollywood scripts.
Bob Parsons
Credit: Instagram
Wounded in Vietnam, awarded a Purple Heart, and later the brains behind GoDaddy, Bob Parsons knows a thing or two about surviving chaos. His time as a rifleman built toughness and rewired his mindset. Running a business was just another high-stakes mission, minus the jungle.
Fred Smith
Credit: Reddit
FedEx founder, Fred Smith, flew with the Marines in Vietnam as a forward air controller. That experience with logistics under pressure informed his revolutionary concept for overnight package delivery.
James Carville
Credit: IMDb
The political strategist behind Bill Clinton’s presidential win started as a Marine. After two years of service post-college, Carville brought his Marine-honed directness and competitive edge to the rough-and-tumble world of campaign strategy and political commentary.
Jim Lehrer
Credit: IMDb
Jim Lehrer was a Marine who shaped the tone of public broadcasting for decades. He served after journalism school, and though his reporting was famously even-keeled, you could always sense the quiet command of someone who knew what discipline truly meant.