Looking Back
Before They Were Stars, These Celebrities Earned Stripes—in the Service
The road to fame as an actor, politician or musician is not one specific, prepaved path. Still, it seems surprising to go from something as serious and life changing as the armed services to an industry where you still may slip on a uniform every day, but only to play pretend. You might be surprised by just how many big names in entertainment and public life were military men first, though. Take a look through Snakkle’s gallery and see if you recognize the men inside these uniforms. By Danielle Turchiano
Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library, TED RUSSELL/GLOBE PHOTOS, INC./Imagecollect
Jimi Hendrix in the Army; Jimi Hendrix—1969
Pop culture has deemed Jimi Hendrix “the Michael Jordan of the electric guitar,” and his smooth and soulful but still raw style made him a welcome headliner at Woodstock. Yet the psychedelic rocker had a history that was much more in tune with “the man”: He enlisted in the Army in 1961 to avoid jail time after an arrest. Hendrix only served a year before being discharged, but the effects of his time in the service were long-lasting, and he often spoke of his dislike for the institution, despite forging some very strong friendships with fellow soldiers.
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