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.
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.
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.
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.
killed duplicate post
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.
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.
Andre the Giant, one of the first big stars of pro wrestling, hailed from Grenoble France, and was a gourmet chef as well.
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)
I think that’s the guy! Thanks!
When not doing Iron Maiden stuff Bruce indulges his other hobby - he flies commercial jets.
But with which hand?
He was a better dancer than Churchill…
[compulsory reference]
That’s Hedley!
[/compulsory reference]
I’m pretty sure that she wins the Internet with that blurb right there.
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.
Huh. And here I thought it was just a “character” thing he did on Bones.
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.
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.