Usually, athletes who make the transition to acting wind up playing either atheltes or heavies.
I’d guess Arnold would be the gold standard making a switch from body building to Hollywood.
Who are some of the others who have succeeded?
I’d say Jim Brown, Rick Fox, Bob Uecker and Terry Bradshaw have all had some success.
Don’t forget Fred Dryer, who had his own series (Hunter).
Also, Ed Marinaro (Joe Coffey in Hill Street Blues).
Both were pro football players.
OJ Simpson
Chuck Connors played for the Boston Celtics (basketball) in addition to Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs before transitioning to acting.
He is best known as the star of The Rifleman, but had a long and varied career in TV and film.
He is probably better known as an actor than an athlete.
[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0134642/](Eric Cantona) - Man Utd. Legend moved into acting (though nowadays mainly those Nike adverts).
Neither [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1544103/](Stan Colemore) nor [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005068/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnx0dD0xfGZiPXV8cG49MHxrdz0xfHE9dmlubmllfGZ0PTF8bXg9MjB8bG09NTAwfGNvPTF8aHRtbD0xfG5tPTE_;fc=2;ft=141;fm=1](Vinnie Jones) were really sporting greats (The former being better known as complete dick who wasted what talent he had, the second being better known as a psyco).
Dammit screwed up my links 
Eric Cantona - Man Utd. Legend moved into acting (though nowadays mainly those Nike adverts).
Neither Stan Colemore nor Vinnie Jones were really sporting greats (The former being better known as complete dick who wasted what talent he had, the second being better known as a psyco).
As an Iowa Buckeye in the 1950’s, **Alex Karras ** won the Outland Trophy, played on a college national champion team, and placed second in votes for the Heisman. He went on to play for the Detroit Lions for 14 seasons, worked a stint in the booth on Monday Night Football, wrote a novel or two, and played the parts of Mongo in **Blazing Saddles ** and of James Garner’s gay bodyguard “Squash” Bernstein in Victor/Victoria, to name the two roles he’s probably best known for.
“Mongo only pawn in game of life.”
Does The Rock count? It probably depends on whether or not ‘pro’ wrestling counts as a sport, but he was also an athlete in college.
Howie Long did okay for himself, but I guess he’s settled into being a sports show panelist instead of an actor.
Swinging back into the mists of time, we get Johnny Weismuller. I think he was in a few films here and there 
Sonja Henie and Esther Williams .
And if body building counts as sport, then Sean Connery might count
Not Mark Spitz, whose clunky performance on TV was legendary. Mad magazine even stuck him in their parody of Bond Films as the future star of “For Fish Eyes Only”, as having “the necessary acting talent” for the role.
Jim Brown, arguably pro football’s greatest rusher, was a major movie star after he quite football, and is still busy.
Mike Warren, best known as officer Bobby Hill on Hill Street Blues, was a first-class college basketball playing, playing on three NCAA championship teams with UCLA with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Dean Cain gave up a football career when his knees started going out on him; he played Superman in Lois & Clark.
Then there’s a lot of martial artists–Chuck Norris, for example.
Chuck Norris can act? 
Arnold (from the OP) can act?
Arnold was an athlete? I guess bodybuilding is considered “athletics”… :dubious:
Well, he can act like a martial artist… how does his movie & TV listing on IMDB stack up to yours?
I’m backing away from you now, for when the inevitable roundhouse kick comes your way!
Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed & “the black guy” in Predator) played football for San Diego State and the Oakland Raiders.
Fred Williamson. I was surpised to discover he’s been in over 100 films after he retired from football after playing for the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs (and being the laughing stock of Super Bowl I). He also has directed, wrote, and produces.