For some of the biggest names in movies, television, and politics, their first big audition was for the United States military.
We collected the best photos we could find of celebrities in uniform that most are used to seeing on a red carpet or elsewhere. Here they are, along with their service branch and dates of service.
1. Drew Carey, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1981-1987
2. Elvis Presley, U.S. Army, 1958-1960
3. Al Gore, U.S. Army, 1969-1971
4. Bea Arthur, U.S. Marine Corps Womens Reserve, 1943-1945
5. Bill Cosby, U.S. Navy, 1956-1960
6. Bob Ross, U.S. Air Force, 1961-1981
7. Chuck Norris, U.S. Air Force, 1958-1962
8. Dan Rather, U.S. Marine Corps, 1954 (was medically discharged shortly after his enlistment)
9. Ed McMahon, U.S. Marine Corps, 1941-1966
10. George Carlin, U.S. Air Force, 1954-1957
11. Hugh Hefner, U.S. Army, 1944-1946
12. Jackie Robinson, U.S. Army, 1942-1944
13. Jimi Hendrix, U.S. Army, 1961-1962
14. Jimmy Stewart, U.S. Army Air Force, 1941-1968
15. John Coltrane, U.S. Navy, 1945-1946
16. Johnny Cash, U.S. Air Force, 1950-1954
17. Kris Kristofferson, U.S. Army, 1960-1965
18. Kurt Vonnegut, U.S. Army, 1943-1945
19. Leonard Nimoy, U.S. Army Reserve, 1953-1955
20. Maynard James Keenan, U.S. Army, 1982-1984
21. Mel Brooks, U.S. Army, 1944-1946
22. Montel Williams, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy, 1974-1980
23. Morgan Freeman, U.S. Air Force, 1955-1959
24. Paul Newman, U.S. Navy, 1943-1946
25. Rob Riggle, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1990-2013
26. “Shaggy” (Orville Burrell), U.S. Marine Corps, 1988-1992
27. Tom Selleck, U.S. Army National Guard, 1967-1973
28. Adam Driver, U.S. Marine Corps, 2001-2003
