# Strange "hobbies" of well known people. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879 "2008-01-01T12:06:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Litoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/61 "2008-01-02T21:27:19Z")
[QUOTE=China Guy] Read My Land and My People for an explanation. IIRC, from a pretty early age in the Potala, the DL was into taking things apart and putting them back together again (often with left over pieces). Remember at the time he was a boy, Tibet was unmodernized and had few mechanical devices. The DL had a lot of presents from foreign governments, including clocks and watches. [/QUOTE] Yup. I actually learned this from watching an old interview with him. He talked about how he got into the watch repair thing and it just fascinated me. He fascinates me in general, and if I were to ever adopt any belief system, it would be because of His Holiness. Honestly, the man is seriously one of the few people I just sit in awe of at all times. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/62 "2008-01-02T21:35:44Z")
Actor Vincent Price was an avid gourmet chef. In fact, he and his wife published one of the definitive cookbooks of the 1960s, and he hosted a TV cooking show. I’m still on the lookout for a copy to add to my collection… since my obscure hobby happens to be amassing vintage cookbooks. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/63 "2008-01-03T01:06:58Z")
Not a hobby, but IMO, even more remarkable: when contacted about the role of Bill the Butcher in ‘Gangs of New York’, actor Daniel Day-Lewis had retired from Hollywood and was working as a cordwainer (shoemaker) in Italy. I was surprised at the quality of the pen and ink drawings of 1950’s spree murderer Charles Starkweather. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/64 "2008-01-03T03:20:11Z")
Curt Shilling not only bought the incredibly annoying and difficult Advanced Squad Leader and keeps the company running, but he’s put together a new MMO company with Todd McFarlane and R.A. Salvatore. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/65 "2008-01-03T04:39:31Z")
_ **killed duplicate post** _ ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/66 "2008-01-03T04:40:02Z")
Bruce Dickinson (lead singer of Iron Maiden) was at one time a highly-ranked British fencer (7th in the country IIRC). Using his off hand. Vincent Schiavelli (famous character actor) was an award-winning author of Italian cookbooks. William H. Macy is a woodturner; he was featured in some woodworking magazine a year or two ago showing bowls and whatnot. Jennifer Tilly won the women’s World Series Of Poker (not the “celebrity” poker). **Bayard** , the quick-draw fellow you saw might be Bob Munden - I think he’s still the fastest draw in the world (0.02 seconds). There’s video of him on YouTube and it’s astounding. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/67 "2008-01-03T04:52:01Z")
I understand Christopher Walken is a gourmet cook as well, and also a big fan of cats. I’m not sure if Ricky Jay is better known as an actor, magician, or a magic historian, but he does all those things. He’s also amazing at throwing playing cards – I’ve seen him pierce a watermelon by throwing cards, which is pretty damn cool. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/68 "2008-01-03T12:19:02Z")
Andre the Giant, one of the first big stars of pro wrestling, hailed from Grenoble France, and was a gourmet chef as well. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/69 "2008-01-03T13:05:03Z")
Mao Zedong took up ballroom dancing as a method of relaxation to replace his sleeping pill habit. Hitler, as well as being competent enough to do drawings and watercolors for any architectural firm, could also play the piano. Kaiser Wilhelm II became an avid woodsman after his exile to the Netherlands, denuding his estate at Doorn despite his useless left arm. Hirohito was a marine biologists. (all good arguments for letting people follow their heart’s content instead of pushing them into careers) Stalin enjoyed killing people. For relaxation he read deeply and widely. Then he had the authors killed. Also for relaxation he’d host all-night drinking parties, and eventually have his drinking companions killed. (Some people just follow their bliss, I guess) ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/70 "2008-01-03T13:16:10Z")
[QUOTE=Valgard] **Bayard** , the quick-draw fellow you saw might be Bob Munden - I think he’s still the fastest draw in the world (0.02 seconds). There’s video of him on YouTube and it’s astounding. [/QUOTE] I think that’s the guy! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/71 "2008-01-03T13:20:11Z")
[QUOTE=Valgard] Bruce Dickinson (lead singer of Iron Maiden) was at one time a highly-ranked British fencer (7th in the country IIRC). Using his off hand. [/QUOTE] When not doing Iron Maiden stuff Bruce indulges his other hobby - he flies commercial jets. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/72 "2008-01-03T13:40:09Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] When not doing Iron Maiden stuff Bruce indulges his other hobby - he flies commercial jets. [/QUOTE] But with which hand? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/73 "2008-01-03T13:58:34Z")
[QUOTE=Slithy Tove] Hitler, as well as being competent enough to do drawings and watercolors for any architectural firm, could also play the piano. [/QUOTE] He was a better _dancer_ than Churchill… ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/74 "2008-01-03T14:15:01Z")
[Hedy Lamarr was an inventor.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamar) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/75 "2008-01-03T15:04:20Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] [Hedy Lamarr was an inventor.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamar) [/QUOTE] [compulsory reference] That’s Hedley! [/compulsory reference] ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/76 "2008-01-03T17:10:45Z")
> [@Wikipedia](#): > > Hedy Lamarr (November 9, 1913 – January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American actress and communications technology innovator. Though known primarily for her great beauty and her successful film career, she also co-invented an early form of spread spectrum, a key to modern wireless communication. I’m pretty sure that she wins the Internet with that blurb right there. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/77 "2008-01-03T20:02:09Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] I understand Christopher Walken is a gourmet cook as well, and also a big fan of cats. [/QUOTE] Walken is also one hell of a bad-ass dancer, though that probably wouldn’t count as a hobby since he started out in musical theatre. [Cite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPbicuTjBjo) ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/78 "2008-01-03T20:14:26Z")
[QUOTE=pepperlandgirl] David Boreanaz collects and wears really, really wacky socks.Even when he’s wearing nice suits. I count it as a hobby, since he actively seeks these socks out. Here’s [one example](http://www.searchingbones.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/irish-socks.jpg) And [another](http://searchingbones.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/emilydeschanel_foxparty19.jpg) [/QUOTE] Huh. And here I thought it was just a “character” thing he did on _Bones_. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/79 "2008-01-03T20:15:19Z")
[QUOTE=Mahna Mahna] Walken is also one hell of a bad-ass dancer, though that probably wouldn’t count as a hobby since he started out in musical theatre. [Cite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPbicuTjBjo) [/QUOTE] Mmmmmmm…I wouldn’t call him “one hell of a bad-ass dancer” from that video. He looks like what he is - an older man who used to do some musical theater a couple of decades ago. He’s not _bad_, but the inserts of skilled tapping and the acrobatics are not him, they are a dance double. However, that \*does \*explain his over-the-top acting style. He’s a stage actor who happens to be doing film. Everything is bigger on stage, especially from his era pre-body mikes. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879/80 "2008-01-03T20:45:40Z")
A couple of years ago, a bunch of famous, successful and/or critically acclaimed writers put together a rock band, the Rock Bottom Remainders. They included **Stephen King, Amy Tan, Dave Barry** and **Barbara Kingsolver** among others. They even did a tour of clubs throughout much of the U.S. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-hobbies-of-well-known-people/431879.md?page=5)