Arnold Schwarzenegger was born July 30th 1947 in Thal a small town in Austria, close to Graz. His Father Gustav was a former military officer and a European Champion in ice-curling he later became a policeman. His mother was a housewife and he had a brother named Meinhard who later died in his late twenties in a car accident. Arnold and his brother were raised in a strict catholic home, where times were hard after the war in Europe.

One day Arnold saw the Olympic swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller in Graz and he was so impressed by him that he wanted to become an athlete. At a young age Arnold and his brother would do lots of sporting activities such as skiing, skating, swimming, soccer and they would compete against each other in sports and school.

At this young age Arnold's father saw that his son was good in sports and wanted him to become a world class soccer player. When Arnold turned 13 though, he decided to drop off the soccer team. Arnold was now looking for a role model and found one named Hercules, he would watch all the Hercules movies and he started collecting muscle magazines and was once again impressed at the strength and power in these magazines which then led him to have one set goal to become a body builder.

During the year 1961 Arnold met Kurl Marnul a professional body builder and former Mr. Austria. Marnul was impressed by Arnold's body and asked him if he would like to train in the Athletic Union in Graz, which Arnold accepted. Now Arnold was training 7 days a week and he left school and abandoned church. While training Arnold began a three year apprentship as a carpenter and started competing. In his first competition at the Graz Hotel he came in second place.

In 1965 he went to the Austrian Army to serve one year, duirng this time he also competed in Stuttgart Germany and when he came back he was titled Junior Mr. Europa. At 20 years old he was named Mr. Germany and runner up in his first Mr. Universe competition.

After he retired from bodybuilding competition he had been awarded Mr. Universe five times, Mr.Olympia six times and Mr. World once. He said that he would never stop bodybuilding just stop competing. In 1980 though he came back once again to claim his seventh Mr Olympia title.

Arnold Schwarzenegger began acting and took acting classes, his first movie was Hercules but his first real success was Conan the Barbarian. From here the road was a good one and his first action hit movie The Terminator was produced in 1984. Arnold from then has been in some of the best action movies ever to be made. He was also a partner in the restraunt chain called Planet Hollywood which was in nearly every major city of the world.

At a 1977 tennis tournament Arnold met Maria Shriver who soon afterwards became his girlfriend. He proposed to her in a rowing boat at the Austrian Lake Tollersee when they went to visit his mother and got married in 1986. So far they have had a succesful marriage, Maria is very fond of Arnold and says he is a good husband. They have 4 children.

In 1989 Arnold was named Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness. While serving he visited fifty states to promote physical fitness for children at his own expense. Arnold is also a major supporter of the Special Olympics, which was started by the Shriver family and with Danny Hernadez. He organizes the Inner-City Games for youth to help keep them out of gangs, drugs and trouble. He also has started am honourable Bodybuilding even called the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic.

In 1997 Arnold underwent surgery for a defective aortic heart valve which he was born with, the surgery had no complications and Arnold made a full recovery.

At a Glance

Date of Birth:
July 30, 1947

Height: 6 foot 2
Weight: 235 pounds
Eyes: blue
Hair: dark blonde

Education:
University of Wisconsin,
B.A. in business, economics

Family History:
Father: Gustav Schwarzenegger
Police Chief, ice hurler

Mother: Aurelia Schwarzenegger
Housewife

Brother: Meinhard Schwarzenegger

Wife: Maria Owings Shriver

Children: Katherine Eunice
Christina Aurelia
Patrick Arnold
Christopher

First Professional Role:
Hercules in New York, 1970

Astrological Sign:
Leo