# How many Musicians/Singers and Actors/Actresses, have been in the Military. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 12, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862 "2003-03-12T16:44:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/1 "2003-03-12T16:44:37Z")
With all the Anti-War Protests with todays Singers/Musicians and Actors/Actresses, how many have been in the Military, and are they Anti-Pro War. MC Hammer - US Navy Ice-T - US Army, Ranger I can’t think of any more of the top of my head. But, I am definately not impressed with people like Sheryl Crowe or Susan Sarandon - who have never been in the Military, and the Anti-War Protests. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/2 "2003-03-12T16:47:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Ice-T - US Army, Ranger Hmm, in all his self-mythologizing about his ho running and crack dealing, he left that bit out. In any event, I don’t see what being in the military has to do with being anti-war. Some of the most vociferous lefties here at the Dope are veterans; others are not. So what? ---
**Author:** ![MissBungle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@MissBungle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBungle)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/3 "2003-03-12T16:48:49Z")
SHaggy ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/4 "2003-03-12T16:53:20Z")
[Lee Ermey](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Ermey,+R.+Lee) is an obvious one. I’m thought Steven Seagal was in the service, but I’m not so sure as I check the Net. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/5 "2003-03-12T16:54:03Z")
Ice-T said in Behind the Music, he was in the Army Rangers, he was trying to change his life, but he got medically discharged and went back to his Pimp Lifestyle. Anyway, I have more respect for people who know of what they speak. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/6 "2003-03-12T17:11:39Z")
Well, among OLDER actors and musicians, there are many who saw action in WW2 and the Korean War- Paul Newman and James Garner are among the handful of living vets who come to mind. I know of several actors and musicians who served a stint in the military during the 1960s (Chuck Norris, Monkee Mike Nesmith and and even Country Joe McDonald), but neither saw any combat. One of the only celebs who CLAIMED to have seen action in Viet Nam was Brian Dennehy, who now admits he lied about that (he WAS in the Marines, but never went to Viet Nam). Among current known musicians… I’m pretty sure Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit was in the U.S. Navy for a while. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/7 "2003-03-12T17:16:58Z")
Jimi Hendrix Paul Revere Terence Trent D’Arby ---
**Author:** ![Dryga\_Yes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/8 "2003-03-12T20:05:59Z")
Elvis. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/9 "2003-03-12T21:46:21Z")
I know Elvis and Clark Gable, were in the Military (Army, I think), but what about people now adays, who are more vocal in their opinions. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/10 "2003-03-12T21:50:21Z")
IIRC, Bruce Willis recently tried to re-enlist, but was barred because of his age. ---
**Author:** ![censored](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@censored](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/censored)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/11 "2003-03-12T23:28:45Z")
Ice T was never a Ranger. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/12 "2003-03-13T00:05:57Z")
Drew Carey was a Marine. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/13 "2003-03-13T01:29:14Z")
Hmm, I’m not going to list everyone I found (Idi Amin is listed as an actor! :eek: ), but if you go to [www.imdb.com](http://www.imdb.com), select ‘bio’ from the drop down search menu, and type in ‘military’, all sorts of names pop up. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/14 "2003-03-13T11:56:58Z")
John Fogerty was in the Army. Briefly. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-musicians-singers-and-actors-actresses-have-been-in-the-military/160862/15 "2003-03-13T12:40:18Z")
I’ll refer you to a series of books by James E. Wise, Jr. and various coauthors published by the Naval Institute Press over the past several years which summarize the military service of many movie actors over the years. Titles include: Stars in Blue: Movie Actors in America’s Sea Services Stars in the Corps: Movie Actors in the United States Marines Stars in Khaki: Movie Actors in the Army and the Air Services International Stars at War They are available at Amazon, among other places